NEW YORK (AP) — Dozens of countries were hit with a huge cyberextortion attack Friday that locked up computers and held users’ files for ransom at a multitude of hospitals, compan
Source: Dozens of countries hit by huge cyberextortion attack
Mark Caserta: Democrats continue to stand on Obamacare lies
12 May
Mark Caserta: Free State Patriot editor
May, 12, 2017
In March 2010, President Barack Hussein Obama signed the Affordable Care Act into law. Following its passage, Obama boldly declared to all Americans, “We did not fear our future, we shaped it.”
In retrospect, that may have been the only true statement Obama would ever make about his failing signature health care bill. He certainly didn’t fear what it would do to our country, and he and his liberal accomplices certainly controlled its shape.
It’s obvious Democrats didn’t have a clue what was in the bill or what impact it would have on nearly 20 percent of our nation’s economy. It was, after all, then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi who said, “We have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it,” when she spoke to the National Association of Counties in March 2010.
But controlling a nation’s health care system would be the ultimate mechanism of oversight over its people. And Obama and the Democrats were willing to say anything to make it happen.
To date, I’ve never fielded a serious rebuttal from any liberal regarding the bald-faced lies the Obama administration leveraged in throwing this political curve ball right past the American people. Yet, as old health care wounds are being reopened, it’s time to revisit the true “genesis” of this disastrous initiative.
“If you like your health care plan, you can keep it,” became the battle cry for the Obama administration as they traversed the nation selling their snake oil and liniment. It was such an egregious lie that PolitiFact dubbed it the “Lie of the Year” in 2013.
When one ponders the exorbitant number of lies politicians bestow upon Americans in a single year, this recognition illuminates the magnitude of the falsehood.
“If you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor,” was another liberal lie designed to mislead trusting Americans into believing the Democrats were planning on providing Americans viable health care options.
Imagine misleading a senior citizen into believing they couldn’t possibly lose a doctor with whom they had established a longtime relationship. But that’s exactly what Obama and his minions did to pass Obamacare – without a single Republican vote.
And the empty promise that premiums, on average, would decline by $2,500 per year under Obamacare was laughable. The exact opposite has happened.
And the most incredible part of this tragedy is that liberal Democrats act as if none of this chicanery ever transpired! Do they really believe Americans are that stupid?
Thank goodness, the House of Representatives voted last week to dismantle the pillars of Obamacare and begin the process of replacing this broken health care system. The bill is on its way to the Senate, where its conservative components will be debated and strengthened.
Rest assured, Republicans will compromise on a finished product and the edicts of Obamacare will be reduced to a Democrat eulogy depicting the death of Obamacare.
So, when liberal Democrats attempt to “frighten” you about GOP health care, remember how they lied to you before.
And how they continue to stand by those lies.
Mark Caserta is a conservative blogger, a Cabell County resident and a regular contributor to The Herald-Dispatch editorial page.
Mark Caserta: Politicians should refrain from using profanity in public
5 May
Mark Caserta: Free State Patriot editor
Does the First Amendment to the Constitution restrict free speech when it comes to profanity?
According to most constitutional experts, including the First Amendment Center at Vanderbilt University and the Newseum, the Constitution does indeed protect a “great deal of offensive, obnoxious and repugnant speech.”
“As Justice John Marshall Harlan wrote 40 years ago in Cohen v. California, ‘one man’s vulgarity is another’s lyric.'” The column on the First Amendment Center’s website references the court’s ruling that an individual had a right to wear a jacket invoking the “F-Bomb” in sentiment expressed over the draft.
But in this writer’s humble opinion, just because a person has the “right” to say something, doesn’t exempt them from looking like a complete fool when they use profanity in a public venue.
Sadly, using profanity in public seems to be the rage today, especially in politics.
Now, I’m certainly not nave enough to believe profanity could ever be controlled or eliminated. But using profanity in public represents an utter disrespect for another individual’s rights to listen or attend an event without being concerned about being subjected to vulgar language or actions.
I doubt a single reader would disagree that our elected politicians are employed by “We the People.” So, as “employees,” their constituents should hold them to a standard of behavior commensurate with their position.
I will be the first to say I loathe President Trump spouting four-letter words in some of his public speeches. It’s unnecessary. Just speak the truth, and people will get the message. I don’t want to worry about exposing my child to offensive vernacular when I’m attempting to educate them on government.
But lately, Democrat politicians have taken the use of public profanity to a level that should be embarrassing to their party.
For example, a T-shirt available for purchase on the Democratic National Committee’s (DNC) website reads, “Democrats give a “sh_t” about people.”
In a New York Magazine profile featured in Politico this month, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-New York, included several expletives, including three f-bomb’s in the magazine interview.
Also from Politico, DNC Chairman Tom Perez has been recklessly including profanity in his stump speeches, telling a New Jersey Working Families Alliance event in March that Republicans “don’t give a sh_t about people.”
Besides the obvious reasons, let me tell you why we must insist this stop, now.
Once again, the progressive modus operandi is to constantly challenge the status quo, moving the “range of acceptability” further to the left. What sort of language will we be accustomed to hearing in another 10-15 years?
Let me be clear. Anyone using profanity in public is openly displaying his or her ignorance and a total disregard for others’ rights.
So, here’s a message to elected officials from your employer, the voters.
If you can’t restrain from ignorance, serve your notice and begin clearing out your desk.
We’ve had enough.
Mark Caserta is a conservative blogger, a Cabell County resident and a regular contributor to The Herald-Dispatch editorial page.
Mark Caserta: Trump busy negotiating on behalf of Americans
28 Apr
Mark Caserta: Free State Patriot editor
April 28, 2017
As President Trump rights the ship of U.S. foreign policy steered dangerously into troubled waters by the Obama administration, both friends and enemies alike are rapidly re-assessing their relationship with the United States.
Trump’s execution of his “America first” policy is something the world hasn’t seen in over eight years. And while it’s the antithesis of his predecessor’s “apology and appeasement” ideology, it may also be the most resolute approach we’ve seen from any U.S. president since Ronald Reagan.
Throughout his entire campaign, Donald Trump was harshly critical of China, accusing its leaders of manipulating their currency, making it difficult for America to compete economically. As president, he’s maintained his tough stance on trade relations, but is working to build a relationship with Chinese leadership that will be conducive to fair trade negotiations.
You see, what liberals portray as failure, Donald Trump sees as simply the first step in negotiation. Successful negotiations often begin with incredulous offers and distant terms. That’s simply a natural part of the process. Afterward, if there is enough at stake, accomplished negotiators will work toward “win-win” solutions for both parties.
Trump’s recent meeting with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping was reportedly a huge success and helped foster an unexpected relationship between the two men. A recent Fox News column by Andrew O’Reilly shared an expert’s perspective.
“This meeting will set the tone in looking at the strategic framework between the U.S. and China for the next few years,” Robert Daly, the director of the Kissinger Institute on China and the United States, told Fox News. “China wants to know what President Trump’s framework toward Beijing will be and if he is a man they can work with.”
Following Secretary of State Rex Tillerson’s recent Moscow meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, the Russian government surely came away with a clear understanding that despite liberal and mainstream media attempts to brand President Trump as a Russian “apologist,” they’re no longer dealing with an ill-prepared community organizer, but rather with a man determined to successfully negotiate on behalf of the American people.
A recent U.S. News column reported, “President Donald Trump says the U.S. is ‘not getting along with Russia at all’ and relations between the two global powers are at an ‘all time low,'” following U.S. response to the Syrian chemical weapons attack. The piece went on to say Trump is “hopeful he can improve relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin but ‘we’re going to see what happens.'”
And following eight long years of declining U.S. – Israeli relations, a column in The Times of Israel by Gavin Rabinowitz reports officials are enthused about the prospect of making the alliance between the two nations “greater than ever.”
As a skilled negotiator, Donald Trump understands negotiating from a position of strength. He’s currently establishing a principled foundation from which to advance his agenda.
Right now, world leaders are simply taking it all in, trying to figure out how best to deal with this new U.S. president. But rest assured, he’s negotiating on behalf of Americans.
Mark Caserta is a conservative blogger and Cabell County resident.
DNC Chair to Pro-Life Democrats: Get Out of Our Party | The Sean Hannity Show
24 AprTom Perez tells pro-life democrats that everyone in the party must support abortion.
Source: DNC Chair to Pro-Life Democrats: Get Out of Our Party | The Sean Hannity Show
Mark Caserta: Trump fulfilling promise to protect borders
22 AprMark Caserta: Free State Patriot editor
Like him or not, Donald J. Trump says what he means and means what he says regarding illegal immigration and making America great again on the world stage.
Trump’s recent job approval ratings are soaring! A Rasmussen poll shows 50 percent of likely voters approve of his performance since taking office.
A Washington Post column, by Maria Sacchetti, reported illegal immigration arrests rose 32.5 percent in the first weeks of Trump’s presidency. According to the report, this included illegals with criminal records, as well as those who are simply undocumented.
According to statistics requested and reported by The Post, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested 21,362 illegals, mostly convicted criminals, from January through mid-March, compared to 16,104 during the same period last year.
Liberal Democrats like to use the word “compassionate” when weighing the dilemma of removing illegal immigrants from our country. As with nearly every other progressive position that places the weight of “pivotal political posturing” on the shoulders of law-abiding citizens, liberals constantly kowtow to any demographic that can envision pulling a voting lever.
Simply put, when weighing compassion against national security, one must make the tough call, for a compassionate decision for one group of individuals can result in devastation for another innocent sector. It’s called unintended consequences.
Here are some dreadful examples of serious crimes from the Federation for American Immigration Reform website, committed by illegals, not far from our readers.
In December 2015, a 40-year-old illegal, Michael Garcia, was sentenced to four life terms for the rape and sodomy of two children in Alabama. In August 2016, a Salvadoran illegal gang member was convicted of murder in Virginia for the brutal stabbing of an individual suspected of being an informer for law enforcement. Jose Torres was sentenced to life imprisonment plus 20 years.
In February 2017, 29-year old Ricardo Garcia was sentenced to 20-29 years in prison after being convicted of raping a 13-year-old girl in North Carolina in 2015. Garcia lured the girl into his car on the pretense of giving her a ride.
Four decades of mass, illegal immigration have devastated our nation, largely due to the passage of Ted Kennedy’s Immigration Reform Act of 1965, changing immigration laws and widening the gate of entry into the United States.
Additionally, in 2012, Barack Obama signed an executive order providing deportation amnesty to illegal immigrants already in our country. His order expanded the concept of “prosecutorial discretion” allowing millions of illegals safe harbor.
Liberals have been working for years to increase illegal immigration in the U.S.
According to the Pew Research Center, there were over 11 million unauthorized immigrants in the United States in 2014. Who knows how many there are now?
Thank goodness, President Trump expeditiously wiped out nearly all of Obama’s immigration policies in January with executive orders unleashing ICE agents to enforce immigration laws and punishing sanctuary cities by withholding government funding.
A nation must protect its borders. And we must know who is here illegally.
President Trump is working to fulfill that promise, and Americans are pleased.
Mark Caserta is a conservative blogger, a Cabell County resident and a regular contributor to The Herald-Dispatch editorial page.
“Total Chaos” – Cyber Attack Feared As Multiple Cities Hit With Simultaneous Power Grid Failures | Zero Hedge
22 AprThe U.S. power grid appears to have been hit with multiple power outages affecting San Francisco, New York and Los Angeles.
Mark Caserta: Liberals find Trump’s success disconcerting
14 Apr
Mark Caserta: Free State Patriot editor
April 14, 2017
It’s interesting that progressives portray the Trump presidency as being in disarray and that he’s struggling with the rigors of being commander-in-chief.
The truth is, President Trump’s accomplishments the last two months have been directed toward making America great again and reversing the damage to our country by the Obama administration.
It is, after all, what Americans hired him to do. Here are only a few significant achievements:
In January, as reported by the Washington Post and other news agencies, President Trump reinstated a rule, first instituted by President Reagan, blocking U.S. aid to foreign organizations that use the funds to perform or advocate abortions.
The ruling gives entities a choice to either stop providing abortions or any information regarding abortions, or lose valuable dollars from the U.S. This is a huge win for the pro-life movement.
Living up to his campaign promise to increase domestic energy production, Trump also signed executive orders breathing life to the Keystone XL and Dakota Access oil pipelines. The projects, which have been squelched by liberal activists for years, are a monumental win for jobs and U.S. energy independence.
A February column in The Hill, by Devin Henry, reported on a Trump executive order ending a key Obama administration coal mining rule. At the signing, Trump called the regulation “another terrible job killing rule” and said ending it would save “many thousands of American jobs, especially in the mines”.
It’s laughable that liberals who’ve probably never employed a person in their life ridicule Trump’s action as ineffective in returning miners and those impacted by the industry to their jobs. Sadly, many progressives, including some local, hope it’s true.
In the crme, de la crme for constitutional conservatives, the Senate voted last week, 5445, to confirm Judge Neil Gorsuch, President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee. As the president promised, he nominated a judge in the spirit of departed Justice Antonin Scalia who will protect and uphold the Constitution.
While many believe the 2016 presidential election was, in part, a referendum on the Supreme Court, this was a major blow to the progressive movement. The procedural change in the Senate requiring a simple majority for a justice’s confirmation paves the way for more conservative appointments during Trump’s presidency.
And on his 75th day as president, Donald Trump proved to the world that Obama’s indecisive, “lead-from-behind” strategy was over.
Following a horrific chemical weapons attack by Syria’s Bashar Al Assad on his own people, President Trump ordered U.S. warships to launch 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles at the Syrian airbase responsible for the attacks.
No empty “line in the sand” threats, no politically correct oratory, no gauging the winds of opinion – just action. It’s been eight years since the world has seen such decisive leadership in the U.S.
Of course, liberals are furious and have excoriated President Trump in every way imaginable. But frankly, it’s a litmus test of his success.
So, if progressives really believe Trump hasn’t been successful so far, they have a long eight years ahead of them.
He’s just getting started.
Mark Caserta is a conservative blogger and Cabell County resident.
U.S. drops ‘mother of all bombs’ on ISIS in Afghanistan | Daily Mail Online
13 AprThe United States has dropped the largest non-nuclear weapon which has been described as the ‘mother of all bombs’ after it targeted ISIS caves in Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province.
Source: U.S. drops ‘mother of all bombs’ on ISIS in Afghanistan | Daily Mail Online
Sessions: ‘The border is not open. Please don’t come’ | Fox News
12 AprAttorney General Jeff Sessions told Fox News’ Hannity Tuesday night that the Trump administration is trying to send a strong message to anyone thinking of trying to enter America illegally.
Source: Sessions: ‘The border is not open. Please don’t come’ | Fox News
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