Michigan Democrat Rep. Gary Peters threatens TV station licenses over Obamacare ad

While Julie Boonstra of Dexter, Mich., struggles to survive leukemia, she now also has to cope with being called a liar by the Democrat who wants to be her next senator.

And the campaign of Rep. Gary Peters is also going after television stations airing ads in which her story is featured, threatening their licenses.

The ad by Americans for Prosperity features Boonstra talking about how her insurance was canceled under Obamacare and saying that Peters' decision to vote for the law "jeopardized my health." The ads are airing in Michigan as Peters seeks the Democratic nomination to replace Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., who is not seeking re-election.

Media organizations investigating the ad's claims note that Boonstra was able to find comparable new insurance under the law; the Washington Post's "Fact Checker" blog gave the ad "two Pinocchios" (as compared to four for President Obama's claim that people could keep their insurance under the law).

But Boonstra, in response, told the local Dexter Leader newspaper that though she has no idea whether she will break even with her new plan, as the fact-checkers claim, the uncertainty of having to restructure her health care while coping with a deadly disease is damage enough.

"People are asking me for the numbers and I don't know those answers -- that's the heartbreak of all of this. It's the uncertainty of not having those numbers that I have an issue with, because I always knew what I was paying and now I don't, and I haven't gone through the tests or seen my specialist yet," she said.

"People don't have that certainty -- they don't have the stability of knowing every month what they're going to be paying now and it's the ability to actually have that sum of money to pay. People don't have these out-of -pocket expense moneys."

Via: Washington Examiner

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Former IRS Chief: Democratic Senator Made Us Target Tea Party

A Journal editorial yesterday noted the Obama argument that new IRS rules are intended to fix "confusion" in the law surrounding non-profit groups like the Tea Party organizations that have been targeted by the tax agency. But in a letter this week to new IRS Commissioner John Koskinen, Reps. Darrell Issa and Jim Jordan show that the new rule-making was politically motivated from its inception. In an interview with House investigators, former IRS Acting Commissioner Steve Miller was asked what the problem was in the law that needed to be fixed. He responded, "So I'm not sure there was a problem, right? I mean, I think we were —we had, you know, Mr. Levin complaining bitterly to us—Senator Levin complaining bitterly about our regulation..." Carl Levin, the Michigan Democrat, is among the most partisan Members of the U.S. Senate. 

The letter also details evidence that IRS and Treasury officials believed that the Supreme Court had erred in its Citizens United decision and, instead of respecting the authority of the Court, wrongly took it upon themselves to offset the impact of the law with IRS.

WHY WE NEED INTELLIGENCE AGENCIES
Peggy Noonan writes today on her "obsession"—how dependent our society is on electricity and how vulnerable the grid is to attack. This week the Journal reported on a highly-professional attack carried out on a California power station last year. Ms. Noonan writes that preventing such attacks isn't a Washington priority. "You always want to think your government is on it. You want to think they see what you see. But really, they're never on it. They always have to be pushed." We would add that with so many potential targets in the U.S., the best defense is a competent intelligence effort that can identify imminent threats and does not respect the imaginary privacy rights of foreign malefactors.

WHY TODAY'S JOBS REPORT IS IMPORTANT
After a series of mixed readings on the economy, this morning's unemployment report will get especially close attention to see if GDP growth at the end of last year can be sustained.

APPLE BUYS ITSELF
Apple CEO Tim Cook reports that the company has been aggressively buying back its own shares, which is sure to please activist investor Carl Icahn. And buybacks are certainly a respectable way to return cash to shareholders. But we wonder if it means the company sees few attractive areas to invest in growth, either inside or outside the tech giant.

Via: Wall Street JournaL

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Senate Dems move the goalposts to distract from Obamacare

In a largely partisan vote, the United States Senate approved changes to its rules concerning future approvals of judicial and executive nominations from the White House. Until today, the Senate rules required approval of such candidates for high office of at least two thirds of the legislative body. The change would now allow nominations to proceed with just a simple majority vote, even while the rules change would still allow the minority in the Senate to use filibusters to block Supreme Court nominees.

Suprisingly, three Democrats:  Sen. Carl Levin of Michigan, Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, and Sen. Mark Pryor of Arkansas cast their ballots against the change.

Following the vote, the Democrats quickly confirmed Patricia Millett to the DC Circuit Court of Appeals.   The vote  was 55-43, with two senators voting present.

Several hearings were either cancelled or went into recess before the vote on the rules change. Over the last month, three nominees to the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals have been blocked by Republicans, despite President Barack Obama’s appeal. On November 19, the Republicans blocked a vote on the nomination of Robert L. Wilkins to the bench. In his case, Wilkins, who served as a Washington D.C. District Court judge, was confirmed by the Senate on a voice vote in 2010.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said of the vote that it was “not a proud day in the history of the Senate.”  The Republican stalwart, flanked by Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN),  said that “In order to distract attention from Obamacare, the Senate has just broken the rules to change the rules. We’ve had this threat for some time now...” He added that Senate Democrats had not kept to their promises to refrain from such rule changes during this legislative term.

Via: Speroforum

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Navy Christens Next Generation of Aircraft Carrier: USS Gerald R. Ford

The American navy on Saturday christened a new aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald Ford, a colossal ship plagued by equally huge cost overruns, at a time of growing budget pressures.

The daughter of the former US president, Susan Ford Bales, broke the traditional champagne bottle at a ceremony in the port of Newport News, Virginia, near the sprawling Norfolk naval base.

"May God bless and watch over the USS Gerald R. Ford, those who built her and the men and women who will sail her into harm's way," a teary Bales said moments before shattering the bottle against the hulking ship on a sparkling autumn morning.

A parade of dignitaries, friends and relatives of the late president spoke at the christening, which was also a celebration of the life of Ford, the 38th US president.

"He was a man of courage and solid values, and I know the men and women who sail this ship will bring those same qualities in their service to our nation," former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld told the audience.

Other speakers included Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell and Senate Armed Services Chairman Carl Levin.

The pomp belied problems with the project, however, which is only 70 percent complete, with delivery postponed until February 2016.

And faced with automatic budget cuts and the need to fund other programs, including submarines, the Navy's chief of staff, Admiral Jonathan Greenert has warned the service may have to delay completing the Ford "by two years."

The move would force the United States to rely on a fleet of 10 existing carriers and means "lowering surge capacity" in a crisis, he added.

US law requires the military to maintain 11 aircraft carriers, but at the moment only 10 are available since the retirement of the USS Enterprise in 2012.

The current carrier fleet, launched between 1975 to 2009, are Nimitz-class ships, but the Ford, or CVN 78, represents a new class of carrier with a new design, which will be followed by the John F. Kennedy and new Enterprise carriers. All have a similar length of about 1,090 feet (330 meters).

Via: Newsmax

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Senate Retirement Means Michigan's Dominoes Are Starting to Fall

For a state that consistently votes for Democrats for president, Michigan has offered relatively little opportunity for advancement for the party’s congressional hopefuls. But that might change soon — starting this cycle.

“I think we’re in terrific position to take advantage of the demonstrated Democratic leanings of the Michigan voters,” Michigan Democratic Party Chairman Lon Johnson said. “We’ve got our act together.”

The Great Lakes State has a Democratic DNA but veered right in 2010. As a result, a GOP-controlled redraw of the congressional boundaries last cycle gave Republicans a 9-to-5 advantage over Democrats in the House delegation.

But Democratic Sen. Carl Levin’s retirement reverberated throughout his party’s ranks. Democratic Rep. Gary Peters easily cleared his party’s field to replace Levin in 2014, but the race cracked open the pipelines for statewide contenders in future cycles.

Specifically, state and national Democrats mentioned that University of Michigan trustee Mark Bernstein, Oakland County Clerk Lisa Brown, 5th District Rep. Dan Kildee and Wayne County prosecutor Kym Worthy could run statewide one day.

In the 2014 Senate race, the GOP’s most prominent contender is former Michigan Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land. Rep. Justin Amash of the 3rd District is the only other high-profile Republican who has yet to rule out a run. But Peters is favored to win over both of them.

Via: Roll Call

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