Archive | mark caserta RSS feed for this section

Mark Caserta: Hillary’s October surprises may cost her the election

4 Nov

me

Mark Caserta: Free State Patriot editor

Last week may well have been the “perfect political storm” that will be credited for costing Hillary Clinton the presidency.

While presumptuous reporting from multiple news sources seemingly had Hillary picking out drapes for the White House East Wing and speech writers preparing her inaugural address, the last act in this political theater had not yet closed.

There would be two final October surprises.

“I will sign a universal health care bill into law by the end of my first term as president that will cover every American and cut the cost of a typical family’s premium by up to $2,500 a year.”

But this was just more Obama hyperbole about his signature healthcare plan simply to get elected.

As enrollment is set to begin Nov. 1, the Obama administration announced last Monday that premiums are expected to rise an average of 25 percent across 39 states served by the federal exchanges. Some states, such as Arizona, will see premiums jump by as much as 116 percent!

Now, it doesn’t matter how the administration and the liberal media attempt to spin this revelation, this is a far cry from what we were promised. And while progressive pundits claim government subsidies will help ease the pain, the taxpayer will surely be left holding the tab.

And then there’s the never-ending-story of Hillary’s “emailgate.”

Also, last week, much to the chagrin of the Clinton campaign, the liberal media and even Attorney General Loretta Lynch, FBI Director James Comey announced he was reopening the investigation into Hillary’s jaded tenure as Secretary of State and her apparent misuse of classified information.

Apparently, as the FBI was conducting what they thought was an unrelated investigation, they uncovered more Clinton emails.

While investigating the 2013 “sexting” scandal of disgraced New York Congressman, Anthony Weiner, the department discovered emails “tethered” to Hillary Clinton’s private email server via Weiner’s wife, Huma Abedin, one of Clinton’s top aides, with whom he is separated.

You may recall the scandal in which Weiner, aka “Carlos Danger,” allegedly sent lewd pictures to women, ruining his political career. Apparently during the FBI probe, investigators discovered Weiner’s wife had used the same laptop to send emails to her boss, Hillary.

In the wake of Director Comey’s prior decision not to recommend criminal charges against Hillary for her mishandling of classified information, one can only speculate as to what the FBI uncovered in these emails. But it must have been enough for Comey to eat “humble pie” and reopen the investigation.

So, with just four days to go before the election, one must wonder if voters are willing to take a chance on a candidate who may be spending her first term under investigation, or worse, under indictment.

Or if they’re prepared to “Make America Great Again.”

Mark Caserta is a conservative blogger, a Cabell County resident and a regular contributor to The Herald-Dispatch editorial page.

Tags: , ,

Mark Caserta: Trump’s contract with America offers nation hope and justice

29 Oct

What have you got to lose?

me

 

Mark Caserta: Free State Patriot editor

  • Oct 28, 2016

trump-contract

It may well be referenced as the modern-day “Great Awakening,” a movement that swept the country and revitalized our nation’s government in an unprecedented manner.

On Oct. 22, in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, Donald J. Trump delivered his revolutionary “contract with America” in which he laid out his first 100-day plan as president to “Make America Great Again!”

“Change has to come from outside this broken system,” Trump declared. “The fact that the Washington establishment has tried so hard to stop our campaign is only more proof that our campaign represents the kind of change that only arrives once in a lifetime.”

Here are a few of the key elements of Trump’s contract with America.

On Trump’s first day in office, he’ll “propose a constitutional amendment to impose term limits on all members of Congress.”

Conservatives agree we have to rid Washington of politicians who place career ahead of representing the American people as designed by our Founding Fathers.

Also, on his first day, Trump will “cancel every unconstitutional executive action, memorandum and order issued by President Obama” and “restore security and the constitutional rule of law.”

This measure will have a sweeping effect in returning our nation to saneness by subverting measures taken by this president bypassing our representation and propagating his own personal, socialist ideology.

Additionally, Trump will “begin the process of selecting a replacement for Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia from one of the 20 judges” on his list “who will uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States.”

Protecting the Supreme Court from becoming unhinged with liberal judges who legislate from the bench is paramount to our nation’s future. Remember, this is a lifetime appointment and carries tremendous responsibility.

Regarding jobs, Trump pledges to “lift restrictions” on “job-producing American energy reserves, including shale, oil, natural gas and clean coal.” He’ll also “lift the Obama-Clinton roadblocks and allow vital energy infrastructure projects, like the Keystone Pipeline, to move forward.”

This is great news for jobs in our area. Imagine our state economically if the nation begins leveraging the vast energy resources we have available.

Regarding illegal immigration, Trump will begin “removing the more than 2 million criminal illegal immigrants from the country” and “suspend immigration from terror-prone regions where vetting cannot safely occur.”

Finally, Donald Trump plans to fully repeal and replace Obamacare with viable health care which will include health savings accounts and “the ability to purchase health insurance across state lines.”

Obamacare has been a wrecking ball to our economy. Trump will succeed where liberals and the feckless GOP establishment have failed.

Hillary Clinton literally offers continued corruption and failure.

And even possible criminal indictment!

Trump’s contract with America lights a path of hope and justice for our nation.

 

Mark Caserta is a conservative blogger, a Cabell County resident and a regular contributor to The Herald-Dispatch editorial page.

Tags: , , ,

Mark Caserta: Savvy leadership can avoid another Cold War

21 Oct

me

Mark Caserta:  Free State Patriot Editor

For nearly eight years, the Obama administration has utilized what has become a signature approach of appeasement and contriteness in dealing with world leaders. And Hillary Clinton’s symbolic “reset” with Russia, as secretary of state, has been met with aggression unlike anything we’ve seen since the Cold War of the mid to late 1900s.

hillary-reset

A recent FoxNews.com column by Judith Miller suggests that Putin is executing a “clearly defined strategy” to “undermine the West and liberal democracy.”

The column cites experts’ examples of recent actions such as “sophisticated cyberattacks,” “devastating air strikes on hospitals and relief convoys in Aleppo” (despite a U.S. Russian cease-fire) and Putin’s seemingly systematic attempt to “destroy Europe, divide NATO, and restore Russian power and global influence.”

Frankly, the Obama administration is dangerously outmatched in dealing with tyrannical leaders such as Vladimir Putin. Obama’s nave attempts to “talk” other nation’s leaders into submission has been an embarrassing disaster.

obama-and-putin

In stark contrast, Ronald Reagan understood the concept of achieving peace through strength.

Upon entering office, Reagan determined the U.S. military, under previous administrations, had become worn and antiquated. He saw America as the last stand for Democracy and believed in establishing a position of power to squelch communism.

In March 1983, the “great communicator” spoke on defense and national security and portrayed his vision for protecting the homeland.

“Let me share with you a vision of the future which offers hope,” Reagan said. “It is that we embark on a program to counter the awesome Soviet missile threat with measures that are defensive. Let us turn to the very strengths in technology that spawned our great industrial base and that have given us the quality of life we enjoy today.”

He proceeded to lay out his vision for a Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) which became known as “Star Wars.” The anti-missile system would be a space and ground-based weapons system designed to intercept intercontinental ballistic missiles launched toward the U.S.

While SDI was never fully implemented, Reagan’s leadership as commander-in-chief and his tenacious approach to defeating communism helped influence the collapse of the Soviet Union and end the Cold War.

The U.S. is a prize target for many rogue nations. Ambitious leaders across the globe have waited for Americans to embrace weak leaders like Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. They know they’re strategically challenged and can be easily out-maneuvered.

It’s time for the U.S. to once again take its place as the world leader of democracy. Tyrants must understand that while the U.S. is hopeful for peace, we will be resolute in defending freedom.

When you’re the United States of America, the only way to ensure peace is to have a military strong enough we’ll never have to use it.

But you must also have a savvy leader, like Donald Trump, with the determination and backbone to leverage it.

Mark Caserta is a conservative blogger, a Cabell County resident and a regular contributor to The Herald-Dispatch editorial page.

Tags: , , , , ,

Mark Caserta: Two liberal lies leading up to the election.

16 Oct

Liberals don’t want you to know this.

me

Mark Caserta: Free State Patriot Editor

hillary and trump

Two quick important points to share:

#1: Don’t pay any attention to the polls. Liberals want you to believe “It’s all over” and Trump will lose in a landslide. All you need to do is look at what just happened in Britain and David Cameron. The polls can and are being manipulated in a variety of ways.

#2: Liberals also want you to believe Russia is behind the cyber attacks on Hillary’s illegal server because they want you to believe Russia wants Trump to win. Really? So ask… yourself, “Who would Vladimir Putin rather negotiate with, Crooked Hillary or Donald Trump?

Just keep moving forward to take back our nation and ignore the crooked liberal media.

We can win this. We must win this.

And I believe we will.  Let’s take this thing to the house!

Tags: , , ,

Mark Caserta: For this election, stay focused on what really matters.

15 Oct

 

me

Mark Caserta: Free State Patriot Editor

 

I’m not sure what sort of America, my Grandson, Elias and my new Granddaughter will have after this election.

I have the utmost confidence that they will constantly be under God’s Hand of protection and favor, but it can be a very different world if we make the wrong decision.

This election will determine if America will be the nation our founding fathers gave us or one in which we allow the progressive movement to fundamentally transform it into a nation void of principles and morality.

If Hillary wins, we will lose the Supreme Court for a generation. If for no other reason, I vote for Trump.

Here are some issues on which we must stay focused:

Voting for Clinton is a vote for abortion on demand, including partial birth abortion.
Voting for Clinton is a vote for open borders where ISIS can easily penetrate.
Voting for Clinton is a vote for ending the coal industry and higher electricity prices.
Voting for Clinton is a vote against religious freedom.
Voting for Clinton is a vote against your right to carry a gun.
Voting for Clinton is a vote for Common Core.
Voting for Clinton is a vote for expanding Obamacare so it explodes and we will all have government funded healthcare.
Voting for Clinton is a vote allowing Islamic Terrorism to expand and grow.
Voting for Clinton is a vote emboldening Iran, North Korea, China and Russia to challenge U.S. sovereignty.
Voting for Clinton is a vote against Israel.

Voting for Clinton is all this and more.

I’m voting for Trump to protect my grandchildren and thier children as well.
And for those Christians whe won’t get involved and do the right thing, you will own the results, as plain as the nose on your face, you will absolutely own the results.

STAY FOCUSED ON THE REAL ISSUES AND DO NOT BE DISTRACTED BY THINGS THAT DON’T MATTER AT THIS POINT.

Use this vote to defend our nation against the liberal enslaught against everything we stand for.

And convince others to do the same. Feel free to share the facts if you feel led to do do.

May God ultimately have control in this election. I speak defeat over election fraud and over any enemy attacks on the electoral process. And may Christians be God’s hands on earth in bringing forth His ultimate Will.
Give us wisdom where we lack it and give us the fortitude to prevail.

Amen

 

Image may contain: 1 person , indoor

Tags: , ,

Mark Caserta: Regarding Hillary Clinton, actions speak louder than words

14 Oct

me

Mark Caserta: Free State Patriot Editor

CLOUD

It will go down as one of the darkest moments in our nation’s history, literally 13 hours of hell on earth.

And despite liberals trying to bury this story, millions of Americans will take the facts of Benghazi and Hillary Clinton’s lies with them to the polling booths.

On Sept. 11, 2012, Islamic militants launched an organized attack on the U.S. diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya. Attackers set fire to buildings and launched mortar rounds at the CIA compound, killing U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens, Information Officer Sean Smith, and two CIA operatives, Glen Doherty and Tyrone Woods, former Navy Seals.

In my opinion, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton are guilty of not only refusing to provide military assistance, but for attempting to cover up the details.

Outmanned and certainly outgunned, Ambassador Stevens was said to have retreated to a place security officers called a “safe area” during the first round of attacks. But apparently it was anything but safe.

Outside a crowd of angry militants gathered, banging on the fortified safety gate of the bunker-like villa. Multiple news agencies reported the complex was doused with diesel fuel and an immense fire was started, trapping Ambassador Stevens and Sean Smith inside.

Ambassador Stevens and Sean Smith died in this first round of attacks.

CIA timeline provided to the Washington Post and other news organizations confirms Glen Doherty and Tyrone Woods were attempting to defend the area from the roof of the CIA facility.

Doherty and Woods were killed in the second round of attacks, reportedly seven hours after the White House was initially notified.

According to the Select Committee on Benghazi report, no military assets were sent to Benghazi and nothing was en route to Libya at the time the last two Americans were killed almost eight hours after the attacks had begun.

Following the attack, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and surrogates fiercely condemned an “inflammatory” viral video multiple times for inciting the attack and even spent a reported $70,000 on television ads in Pakistan condemning it.

But the Obama administration knew these were terrorist attacks on the consulate and for several days continued to falsely blame the video. Many, including myself, believe it simply didn’t fit the Obama narrative that Osama bin Laden had been killed and Al Qaeda had been “decimated” under his watch.

Hillary Clinton’s actions as Secretary of State betray her heart when it comes to America.

MONICA 3

For you see, it wasn’t Obama’s legacy with which she was concerned, it was hers. And facts be damned when it comes to her vying for the presidency.

Hillary refused to take action to save American lives.

And actions speak so much louder than words, don’t they.

Mark Caserta is a conservative blogger, a Cabell County resident and a regular contributor to The Herald-Dispatch editorial page.

Tags: , , ,

Mark Caserta: Politicians must learn to put people ahead of politics, power

7 Oct

me

Mark Caserta: Free State Patriot Editor

Barack Obama

Last week, I asked the question, “After eight long years of Obama, are you better off?”

For anyone willing to be intellectually honest, the question was a rhetorical one. Frankly, our nation has never been in worse condition. Yet, from the bowels of the progressive prevaricators, we received a deluge of rebuttal.

Liberals leveraging their lexicon of lies continue to try to convince hurting Americans not only are they better off, but frankly should be happy the “anointed one” rode in on his golf cart in 2008 to rescue them from supervillain “Gru” W. Bush and his little red minions.

But, for those just now paying attention to the upcoming election, let’s look at the facts.

Jobs are arguably the primary indicator for our economy, and their availability is “deplorable.”

Liberal Democrats have consistently tried to mislead Americans into believing the job situation is improving when in fact it’s growing increasingly worse. The Obama administration continues to exploit bogus unemployment numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Most people don’t realize the ambiguity of the unemployment numbers. These statistics aren’t derived by actually counting unemployed individuals. They’re gathered from a survey called the Current Population Survey (CPS).

Each month, the government conducts the CPS by contacting 60,000 eligible sample households and asking about their “labor force activities” (job holding and job seeking) or non-labor force status of the household’s members. These interviews are supposedly conducted either in person or over the phone. The survey responses are then “weighted,” or adjusted to independent population estimates from the Census Bureau, for the final estimates.

The malleability of these statistics is troubling, especially leading up to this presidential election!

And the current unemployment rate of 4.9 percent is inaccurate since it drops from the equation those who are currently neither working nor looking for work. The U-6 total unemployed number reported by the BLS is actually 9.7 percent. But I believe it’s much higher.

Even this number doesn’t account for individuals driven from their 40-hour work week by Obamacare’s employer mandate and are working multiple jobs to survive.

Furthermore, our nation’s labor force participation rate, at 62.8 percent, is at a 38-year low with a record 94.7 million Americans out of the labor force, according to the BLS.

In December 2008, before the coronation of Barack Hussein Obama, the number was 65.8 percent.

It gets worse.

The real median household income for the United States has decreased from $57,211 in 2008 to $53,657 in 2014. And with soaring prices, even this number isn’t comparing apples to apples.

Tragically, nearly 45 million people are now participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program compared to 30 million pre-Obama, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Even so, liberal Democrats tell us we’re better off.

We need honest leaders, with business acumen, who know how to create good-paying jobs.

But they must first be willing to put people ahead of politics and power.

Mark Caserta is a conservative blogger, a Cabell County resident and a regular contributor to The Herald-Dispatch editorial page.

Tags: , , ,

Mark Caserta: After eight long years of Obama, are you better off?

30 Sep

Well, the president says you are.

me

Mark Caserta: Free State Patriot Editor

9.30.16

lie 2

 

The Obama administration has been at our nation’s helm for nearly eight years. So, are you any better off after two presidential terms of liberal policies?

Well, Barack Obama says you are.

In his speech at the recent Democrat convention in Philadelphia, the president spoke of his efforts to end the war in Iraq and bring justice to those who would terrorize the American people.

“We brought more of our troops home to their families, and we delivered justice to Osama bin Laden,” the president said before supporters. He went on to suggest that “through diplomacy,” he was able to shut down Iran’s nuclear weapons program.

Yet, as reported by many news publications, including the New York Times, the United States has re-deployed as many as 560 more troops to Iraq to help retake Mosul from ISIS. I believe this is only the beginning of a much-needed surge to retake areas lost due to Obama’s telegraphed exit of Iraq.

And as far as Osama bin Laden’s death, do you feel any safer?

FBI Director James Comey has repeatedly told Americans he has over a thousand “ISIS related” investigations ongoing in all 50 states. And we recently saw what I believe was a “test run” of coordinated attacks on the U.S. with the bombings in New York and New Jersey and the recent stabbing spree in a Minnesota mall.

Does anyone really believe the timeline of these attacks was simply coincidence? We must prepare for them on a larger scale.

And the president’s negotiations with Iran have far from “shut down” Iran’s nuclear program.

Not only has Obama helped fund Iran’s nuclear armament, his timid approach has emboldened Iranian leaders to “thumb their noses” at the U.S. and test launch nuclear-capable missiles in defiance of a United Nation Security Council resolution, as reported in a March 2016 column in Reuters.

In his speech, Obama also told Americans, “By many measures, our country is stronger and more prosperous than it was when we started.”

This president has a unique interpretation of success. Take Obamacare for example.

But as we’ve seen, Obamacare is collapsing beneath its own weight of false promises and impotent planning.

As reported in a Heritage Foundation column written by Edmund F. Haislmaier, senior research fellow for the Health Policy Studies Center, Affordable Care Act Exchange participation by insurers continues to decline. He writes there are now 287 exchange-participating insurers, compared with 307 in 2015. Major insurers like Aetna and UnitedHealth Group have already made plans to abandon the president’s failing initiative.

And premiums have gone through the roof for many fortunate enough to still have coverage!

Progressive policies have caused the U.S. to decline in nearly every single metric. And we are surely no better off under liberal rule.

Hillary Clinton brings the exact same package to the presidency – only worse.

Mark Caserta is a conservative blogger, a Cabell County resident and a regular contributor to The Herald-Dispatch editorial page.

Tags: , ,

REGISTER TO VOTE HERE

26 Sep

https://vote.usa.gov/

GTY_Clinton_Trump3_MEM_160808

Tags: , ,

Mark Caserta: The ‘alt right’ is a bold, necessary alternative

24 Sep

me

Mark Caserta: Free State Patriot Editor

  • Sep 23, 2016

Progressives often react quickly and vehemently to anyone who dares oppose their theorem of migratorial morality and malleable principles. Empowered by the voice of the liberal media, they rally beneath the umbrella of tolerance and behind the shield of bigotry.

And frankly, “establishment Republicans” are equally repugnant. They’re quick to attack anyone who challenges the GOP “status quo” and threatens to unseat politicians who make promises to their constituency but lack the fortitude to stand for principle and deliver on their word.

I submit that most liberal Democrats and establishment Republicans are less concerned with the rule of law, the Constitution or the sovereignty of our nation as they are with maintaining leverage and power to sustain their ideology.

But in the words of one of our greatest American presidents, Ronald Reagan, “Freedom is the right to question and change the established way of doing things.”

Many Americans are doing exactly that.

Rising from disdain for our current political system is a rebellion progressives have labeled the “alt right.” But few really understand the implications or conviction of this movement that is being attacked by Democrats and Republicans alike.

Liberals denounce members of the rebellion as being the dregs of society: anti-Semites, white supremacists, homophobes and Islamophobes bent on cleansing America of anyone refusing to submit to the principles they espouse.

Establishment Republicans, desperate to avoid charges of bigotry, succumb to these assertions and add their own vitriolic “pseudo conservative” allegations. They are, in fact, helping to open the door of speculation and adding to the liberal charges of malicious intent by this group.

Allow me to cut through the spin and explain the so-called alt right.

First, members of either establishment, liberal or conservative, have traditionally won by limiting your choices. Their claim of “inclusiveness” is hyperbole extended only to individuals willing to adhere to their “members only” rules.

Progressives vigorously cast their liberal net over every potential demographic (excluding conservative Christians) and forego any solution which doesn’t cater a buffet of votes for the electoral banquet. Their claims of bigotry from the alt right are not only unfounded, they ironically reek of progressive Democrat intolerance.

The feckless GOP establishment has been backed into a corner of vulnerability where they’re easily portrayed as desirous of winning elections through exclusion. They’ve lied so often that they’ve critically compromised their base and forced many to abandon the Republican Party.

The alt right represents a segment of constitutional, Reagan conservatives who realize we’ve arrived at a political impasse where the needs of the American people have become inconsequential in the political theater. And they’re open to a paradigm shift in politics which once again puts Americans first.

The alt right believes our nation will never return to greatness under liberal Democrats or establishment Republicans. They support a movement which honors the Constitution, protects the Supreme Court and supports our nation’s sovereignty.

Most Americans agree our nation’s government is mired with incompetence and languishing in impotence. And we’ve exhausted our choices.

It’s time for a bold, new alternative.

 

Mark Caserta is a conservative blogger who lives in Cabell County.

Tags: , , ,

← Older Entries
Newer Entries →