Does Someone Have The Balls To Impeach This Bastard?

Look, I get it.  Obama is, to many people, a "black Jesus" figure; the first black President, a "community organizer" who "made good", and, of course, the man who promised that "Obama will pay my gas and mortgage!"
But let's cut the crap folks: This man is not only dangerous (we have the political right to vote for people who are) he's stepped damn close to the line of Treason, and perhaps over it.
I speak specifically of the Bergdahl matter, and the fact that we now apparently know that at least three of the five Taliban members Obama ordered freed in trade for him have attempted to reconnect with terrorism.
Treason is a very specific and difficult charge to raise and maintain, and for good reason.  Through history it has been abused on multiple occasions for political purposes and for this reason it carries a very specific and stringent set of criteria in this country set forth by the founders for the explicit purpose of prohibiting that abuse:

Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying war against them, or in adhering to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort. No person shall be convicted of treason unless on the testimony of two witnesses to the same overt act, or on confession in open court.
The Congress shall have power to declare the punishment of treason, but no attainder of treason shall work corruption of blood, or forfeiture except during the life of the person attainted.

Freeing five Taliban-equivalent Generals on its face appears to reach that standard, particularly when there was no hard requirement that could be enforced prohibiting them from attempting to (or actually) reconnecting with terrorist networks.
Note that Obama himself has declared the "war" over in Afghanistan, thereby confirming that in fact we were at war with the Taliban in the first instance.  He did so after we freed the Taliban 5, which means that at the time of the swap we were at war by his own admission.
This may not be enough to reach the threshold for conviction under Article III Section 3 of the Constitution but it certainly far exceeds the threshold necessary for impeachment proceedings.
Stand up Congress and do your damn job.

Obstruction of Justice - A Must For Hillary

Obstruction of Justice - A Must For Hillary

The Market Ticker ® - Commentary on The Capital Markets

2015-03-28 07:37 by Karl Denninger
in Editorial , 62 references 

Obstruction of Justice - A Must For Hillary

 

It's time for those who claim to uphold the rule of law (cough-Republicans-cough!) to appoint an independent prosecutor with the goal of determining whether a black-letter violation of the law regarding obstruction has occurred and, if so, to bring charges.

Hillary Clinton wiped her email server "clean," permanently deleting all emails from it, the leader of the House committee investigating the 2012 terror attacks in Benghazi said Friday.
Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-S.C., said the former secretary of state has failed to produce a single new document in recent weeks and has refused to relinquish her server to a third party for an independent review, as Gowdy has requested.

It does not matter when Hillary decided to do this.  All that matters is that she knew at the time that the records in question might be requested during an investigation and destroyed them so as to prevent their production.
The law under 18 USC 1519 is extremely broad and does not require that the person destroying (or ordering the destruction) of records know of an investigation at the time or even that said investigation exist.  It is only requires that the item destroyed might have reasonably become subject of a future investigation before any department or office of the United States.
18 USC 1519 was added by Sarbanes-Oxley which, incidentally, Hillary Clinton voted for as a Senator and thus knows damn well applies to both this situation generally and to her specifically.
Stand up America.

View with responses (registration required to post)

 

Turkey Devolves Into A Full Police State: Law Grants Unlimited Powers To Weaponized Police Force

While a source of much schadenfreude by its neighbors and casual onlookers, Turkey has become a glaring example of what happens to a formerly respectable nation as it devolves entirely into a banana republic with not only authoritarian overtones but a police state to boot. And earlier today, Turkey's conversion to a full blown police state was complete when, after weeks of heated debates and brawls in parliament, Turkey’s government passed a security package expanding police powers, along with an online surveillance law and a discretionary fund for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to fund covert operations.

In other words, president Erdogan has just voted himself quasi-dictatorial powers with a private police force to defend him.

As Bloomberg details, the parliament voted to approve security laws that allow police to conduct searches and arrests without immediate court orders and use firearms against militants. The law separately empowered government-appointed governors to order police or paramilitary forces to conduct searches and detain suspects for up to 48 hours without immediate court orders, state-run Anadolu Agency said.

Furthermore, protesters are banned from carrying fire crackers, firebombs, iron pellets and slingshots, along with covering faces during demonstrations.

Taking a cue from the US, whose NSA continues to enjoy 4th amendment-busting privileges despite all the Snowden revelations, Turkey's online surveillance law will allow police to keep wiretapping or monitoring online activities of suspects without court orders for 48 hours. At least in Turkey it's legally mandated: in the US at last check it was still unconstitutional.

Bloomberg further reports that Turkey’s main opposition Republican People’s Party, or CHP, vowed to seek cancellation of the law by the country’s constitutional court before June 7 parliamentary elections, Anadolu reported. Good luck with that.

CHP and another opposition party, the Nationalist Movement Party, or MHP, also criticized the surveillance law and a special fund for spending by Erdogan on state affairs, including covert operations “related to the state’s national security and interests,” Anadolu said today.

Meanwhile, Erdogan continues to push for an authoritarian state in which the power of the people has been voided, and only his decisions matter, and is seeking to replace the parliamentary system with a presidential one that expands his powers at the expense of Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu’s government. Davutoglu, Erdogan’s hand-picked successor as prime minister and leader of the ruling AK Party, has not clarified his views on a transition to a presidential system.

Again: none of this is unique, and is merely indicative of the various "evolutionary" stages of a small banana republic as its grows into a full-blown banana plantation. And as the much needed money runs out to keep any democracy afloat (see Greece) what happens in Turkey today, will happen in a country near you tomorrow or in the immediate future.

Iranian Military Leader Endorses Plan to Attack US with Nuclear EMP

No longer on the terrorist states list, Iran’s Military Leaders have created a book on strategy for attacking the United States via nuclear EMP

It’s something right out of a spy novel, after translating an Iranian secret military handbook US officials are on the alert about a possible nuclear electromagnetic pulse explosion that could send the United States back to the Stone Age.

This startling new information flies in the face of Iran’s supposed support for a peaceful nuclear resolution and only confirms what Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Congress about.

“Iranian military documents describe such a scenario — including a recently translated Iranian military textbook that endorses nuclear EMP attack against the United States,” said Dr. Peter Vincent, Executive Director of the task force on National and Homeland Security.

Representative Trent Franks (R-AZ) is a leading authority in Congress working on protecting the U.S. electric grid from such an attack and has made similar claims relating to an Iranian attack.  Sources say the Iranian textbook discusses EMP attacks on 20 American cities.

Not sure what an EMP does?

Here’s how it works:

When a nuclear bomb explodes, the first shock wave is a highly focused that transfers electronic energy in the form of microwaves to a target to damage or destroy it. After which, the next wave of the blast is the super heated air that destroys everything in its path.

An EMP is the first wave without the heat blast.  It is designed to knock out critical electrical infrastructure to weaken a nation’s communication systems and even the energy we need to survive.

If attacked by EMP, either from an exploding nuclear weapon in the air above us, or from a direct hit by EMP the United States would be incredibly vulnerable to attack from other rouge nations and larger potential threats like Russia or China should they ever decide to strike us.

It’s no secret that Iran, North Korea as well as other nations in the East are particularly hostile to the United States and with nuclear talks between the Obama administration and Iran  continuing, it’s frightening to think about what would happen should Obama actually give Iran the OK to develop this type of capability.

Obama and United Nations to Force Netanyahu into Two-State Solution

Under Obama, the United States is ready to work with the U.N. to pressure Israel into accepting the resolution President Barack Obama always gets what he wants.  He circumvents the Constitution, and circumvents Congress, to do it, but he always gets what he wants in the end.  I am sure it is frustrating to him that the Republicans refuse to be a rubber stamp for Obama’s foreign anti-American policies.  But, despite the “obstructionists,” as he likes to call them, in Congress, Obama has succeeded in federalizing a number of issues, creating racial divide, and knocking America down a few notches on the world stage. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is not as easy to bully, as are the cowardly congressional Republicans.  Netanyahu is standing firm on his positions, and recognizes the dangers posed by his Islamic neighbors, and Obama’s liberal left calls for appeasement.  The Iran deal that Obama, and fellow international leftists, are trying to negotiate is a dangerous one, and Netanyahu has called it that from the start.  So, what does Obama do when those around him won’t play ball?  He does as he’s done with Congress, and the Constitution.  He circumvents them. The two-state solution, as it is called, involves Israel giving up some of her territory to the Palestinians, so that they may have a country of their own.  However, that will not create peace.  Palestinians are not a people without a nation.  They are refugees, they claim, seeking to return to their home, but in reality they are Jordanian and Crete rejects.  They are Islamists intent on creating more havoc against Israel.  Their solution is no Israel, and Netanyahu knows it. Netanyahu’s attitude is unacceptable to people like Obama, so, the American President is working with the United Nations to circumvent Netanyahu, and the safety of Israel, intent on forcing the two-state solution upon the tiny Jewish State. Liberal left believes that the unrest in the Middle East is all Israel’s fault. Historically, the United States has always stood with Israel, and has rejected the United Nations idea of the two-state solution.  Under Obama, the United States is ready to work with the U.N. to pressure Israel into accepting the resolution.  This is why the White House was pumping money into Isaac Herzog’s campaign against Netanyahu.  They believed Herzog would be more likely to accept the terms of a two-state solution. Netanyahu is adamantly opposed to giving concessions to the Palestinians, and he’s continuing to surround himself with people in the Israeli government that think the same way.  The prime minister has continuously rejected giving global organizations like the United Nations any control over the future of Israel, considering such a role intrusive, and recognizing that these global bodies fail to recognize that this is not just a matter of peace talks, but what is at hand is the very survival of Israel. The international community, through the United Nations, has decided that Netanyahu’s refusal to cooperate cannot be tolerated.  They plan to give Israel a deal they can’t refuse.  Agree to the two-state solution, or suffer the alternative - The alternative being that the new world of a two-state solution will be forced upon Israel, regardless of any of the Jewish State’s security concerns. Remember, the liberal left believes that the unrest in the Middle East is all Israel’s fault. The political elitists believe they know what is best, and they are willing to force their will upon individuals in their own countries, and over nations like Israel on the global scale.  They believe they are above everyone else, and only they know what is best.  How could Israel, surrounded by an enemy intent on their destruction, know what’s best for their own security? If a two-state solution is put into place, forcing Israel to lose the buffer zones of Gaza, the West Bank, and the Golan Heights, invasion against Israel is likely.  If Jordan falls, as well, the last of the neighbors of Israel whose leadership is not intent of the destruction of Israel (Note that King Abdullah’s stance against ISIS is in conflict with 70% of the population of Jordan who supports ISIS, and supports Israel’s destruction), invasion of Israel by the tiny nation’s Islamic neighbors is inevitable. A two-state solution will also, likely, include provisions demanding that Israel give up part of Jerusalem.  A few years ago Obama already applied pressure on Israel about building Jewish settlements near East Jerusalem.  Islamic leaders call the construction activity “illegal settlement-building in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.” The reality of what will happen if a two-state solution is imposed on Israel was played out already when Israel retreated from Gaza.  Immediately, Gaza fell into pro-terrorist hands, and immediately Gaza began to shell Israel with continuous attacks.  And then, when that happened, the worldwide community accused Israel for being the aggressor. From Tel Aviv to Turtle Bay: The White House hoped a new Israeli prime minister would resume peace talks with the Palestinians. With Netanyahu holding on, the administration is weighing a turn to the U.N. to help force a deal. - Foreign Policy.

Minimum Wage Increase Causes The Rain of Restaurant Closings To Fall On Seattle

 

On 1 April 2015 the minimum wage in Seattle, WA will increase to $11/Hour. This is part of a phased plan to make every employer in Seattle pay a minimum wage of $15 by 2022. The Seattle City Council is proud of their new ordnance. They talk about winning a victory for the movement, stopping the race to the bottom. They should worry instead about winning a victory for the moving vans and stopping a race for the suburbs. Sara Jones of Seattle Magazine discovered that a lot of Seattle area restaurants are closing. She explains below.

Though none of our local departing/transitioning restaurateurs who announced their plans last month have elaborated on the issue, another major factor affecting restaurant futures in our city is the impending minimum wage hike to $15 per hour. Starting April 1, all businesses must begin to phase in the wage increase: Small employers have seven years to pay all employees at least $15 hourly; large employers (with 500 or more employees) have three.

Well aren’t these exploitative, greed-mongering Capitalist Pigs just evil? Do they not carefor the less well off in our society. Of course they are not evil, of course they care about the poor. Better than 2/3 of the people who run successful restaurants got into that racket because the were the working poor. Restaurants are also one of the least capital-intensive set-ups that you can get going. Their labor costs are higher than average and their profit margins make retail chains feel lucky. Jones explains why the restaurants are immediately sensitive to labor cost increases.

Washington Restaurant Association’s Anthony Anton puts it this way: “It’s not a political problem; it’s a math problem.” He estimates that a common budget breakdown among sustaining Seattle restaurants so far has been the following: 36 percent of funds are devoted to labor, 30 percent to food costs and 30 percent go to everything else (all other operational costs). The remaining 4 percent has been the profit margin, and as a result, in a $700,000 restaurant, he estimates that the average restaurateur in Seattle has been making $28,000 a year.

Now we make the cost of labor go up 18% for large restaurants. This means labor costs are now eating almost 41% instead of 36% of the money pie. The restaurant can close at non-peak hours, it can buy poorer quality ingredients or it can close its doors. Can the working poor who used to work in these places move with the jobs? If not; than the Seattle City Council has just legislated a new minimum wage for these individuals: $0.00.

Despair not, Seattle restaurant goers. An outfit from San Francisco, Momentum Machines, has invented the automatic burger maker. They already claim the machine does everything a fast food restaurant back line can do with better precision. They need to invent one of those to cook Italian or French and call it The Sea Hawk. Snark aside, this is where things are going. If humans are too expensive, the service either gets provided by machine or doesn’t get provided. As any of the now defunct restaurateurs could tell you. ‘There is no such thing as a free lunch.”