Tag Archives: mark caserta

Mark Caserta: Libertarian candidate has merit, but he’s no conservative

9 Sep

me

Mark Caserta: Free State Patriot editor

9.9.16

 

gary

Only 10 presidents in history have won the presidential election with less than 50 percent of the popular vote. But it will likely be 11 very soon.

Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump are currently among the “worst-rated presidential candidates of the last seven decades” with “highly unfavorable” ratings of 33 and 42 percent respectively, according to Gallup’s long-term “scalometer” polling trend.

The most memorable president in my lifetime winning with less than 50 percent would be Bill Clinton in the 1992 presidential election in which many (including myself) believe third-party candidate H. Ross Perot became the “spoiler” of the election for George H.W. Bush by garnering 18.9 percent of the popular vote as an Independent.

Now, during that particular election, the Libertarian candidate, Andre Marrou, received only .28 percent of the popular vote. But the times, they are a changin’ and so are the attitudes of the American people.

Disdain for our top two presidential candidates has given rise to Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson, who is blossoming in his third-party candidacy.

Johnson, the former two-term Republican governor of New Mexico, has been consistently rising in the polls. An NBC News “political profile” lists Johnson as a “libertarian-minded conservative” who has been active in libertarian causes, including marijuana legalization, since leaving office.

Interestingly, Johnson’s platform does have some good components. I like the “pre-amble” I pulled directly from the Libertarian platform website.

“As Libertarians, we seek a world of liberty; a world in which all individuals are sovereign over their own lives and no one is forced to sacrifice his or her values for the benefit of others.”

It goes on to say Libertarians “believe that respect for individual rights is the essential precondition for a free and prosperous world … and those individuals are free to follow their own dreams in their own ways” without government interference or any authoritarian power.

But while portions of the platform are plausible, in reality, Libertarian aspirations are currently somewhere over the rainbow.

Under the “Statement of Principles” section on the party’s platform website, there are a couple of elements that don’t align with Christian conservative values.

Article 1.5 “Abortion,” states that Libertarians recognize abortion as a sensitive issue and that people can hold “good faith views” on all sides. “We believe that government should be kept out of the matter, leaving the question to each person for their conscientious consideration.”

Well, conservatives believe abortion is murder – period. And it should be illegal. Leaving this matter up to the individual is pro-choice, pure and simple.

Article 1.7, “Crime and Justice,” states that libertarians “favor the repeal of all laws creating ‘crimes’ without victims, such as the use of drugs for medicinal or ‘recreational’ purposes.”

Conservatives believe that the use of illegal drugs in our society is “not” a victimless crime and results in the destruction of lives, family and society every single day.

Conservatives will not “progressively” compromise these principles. We plan to use this election to defend the Constitution and the Supreme Court.

That leaves a single candidate – Donald Trump.

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

 

 

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Mark Caserta: Obama’s health care plan is falling apart

5 Sep

Americans have been bamboozled!

me

Mark Caserta: Free State Patriot Editor

  • Sep 2, 2016

President Obama’s signature healthcare law is collapsing beneath its own weight.

Major insurers across the country are saying the law has been too great of a financial drain on them and coverages promised by Obamacare are simply unsustainable.

An April column by Peter Sullivan in “The Hill” reports the nation’s largest health insurer, UnitedHealth, recently announced it will be pulling out in all but a “handful” of states in 2017 because of financial losses under Obamacare.

An NPR “Health News” column this month by Alison Kodjak announced that in 2017 the insurance giant Aetna will “stop selling health insurance through most of the exchanges created by the Affordable Care Act because the company is losing money.”

A July “Politico” column by Sarah Karlin-Smith reported the huge insurance provider Humana will “stop marketing Obamacare exchange plans in several states next year and will exit many off-exchange individual markets as well.”

Obamacare isn’t working.

And this is only the beginning. Reportedly, other insurers such as Blue Cross Blue Shield are contemplating pulling back some of their Obamacare plans.

The news isn’t much better for folks with coverage in the remaining markets.

A June Associated Press health release on NBC News online disclosed that millions of people will “face the sting” of rising premiums next year, with no government subsidies.

According to the release, Blue Cross Blue Shield would be seeking an average premium increase of nearly 60 percent for 2017 in some markets! Available data show the premium increases could easily hit the double-digit mark for many Americans.

Simply put, Americans have been bamboozled.

Many recall Barack Obama’s famous 2013 Politifact “Lie of the Year”: “If you like your healthcare plan, you can keep it.”

And then there was Obama’s 2007 campaign promise that he would sign a universal healthcare bill into law that will “cover every American and cut the cost of a typical family’s premium by up to $2,500 a year.”

And possibly the “creme de la creme” came in 2013 when the “architect” of Obamacare, Jonathan Gruber, said that a “lack of transparency” and the “stupidity of the American voter” helped Congress approve Obamacare.

In a clip of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor appearing on a panel to discuss how the bill earned enough votes to pass, Gruber revealed the plan.

“Lack of transparency is a huge political advantage,” Gruber said. “And basically, call it the stupidity of the American voter or whatever, but basically that was really, really critical for the thing to pass.”

Gruber went on to say the law was “written in a tortured way” to avoid a bad score from the Congressional Budget Office.

So to partially quote Obama’s longtime pastor and friend, Jeremiah Wright, the president’s “chickens are coming home to roost.”

Obamacare has missed the mark in healthcare coverage. It’s also cost jobs and marred a large portion of our economy. Yet liberals like Hillary Clinton still support it.

The November election is our last chance to repeal Obamacare.

And then work toward a real healthcare solution.

 

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

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Mark Caserta: We must accept Trump’s challenge on radical Islam

27 Aug

It’s truly this election…or never

me

  • Aug 26, 2016

GOP presidential nominee Donald John Trump is laying down the gauntlet against radical Islamic terrorism and asking Americans to accept his challenge.

Last week, in Youngstown, Ohio, Trump likened the fight against terrorism to the Cold War and the battle against Nazism and laid out his plan advocating a “new screening test for the threats we face today,” calling it “extreme vetting extreme, extreme vetting.”

Trump’s plan calls for all immigrants to be subjected to tests for a commitment to U.S. values, including religious freedom and tolerance. He added we would assess our allies based on their commitment to defeat “radical Islam.”

“All actions should be oriented around this goal, and any country which shares this goal will be our ally,” Trump declared. “Very important – some don’t share this goal. We cannot always choose our friends but we can never fail to recognize our enemies.”

Trump was most likely imputing our commander-in-chief, who is so apologetic for the Muslim faith he won’t even utter words insinuating radical Islam. And incredibly, we have a Democrat presidential nominee, Hillary Clinton, willing to perpetuate protecting Islam over the lives of Americans.

Given the president has no greater responsibility than to ensure the safety and security of the American people, how can either one of these individuals be qualified to lead our country? Despite the obvious, neither seems to believe our nation’s borders are at risk!

Both Obama and Hillary are determined to bring thousands of Syrian refugees into the United States without properly vetting them.

Top U.S. officials have already admitted concern that a potential terrorist could be hiding among refugees looking for asylum in the U.S. as reported in a February 2015 column by Justin Fishel and Mike Levine on ABC.com.

And FBI Director James Comey and the nation’s top intelligence officials already have admitted we simply don’t have the information in our nation’s data base to properly vet these individuals.

“We can only query against that which we have collected,” Comey said before the House Homeland Security Committee in 2015. “We can query our database till the cows come home, but there’ll be nothing show up, because we have no record on that person.”

But even then, it’s a red herring. As reported in a November 2015 column by Kerry Picket of “The Daily Caller,” the Obama administration is limiting the scope of query to focus on “behavior,” rather than religion or ideology.

Incredibly, Obama’s counter-terrorism officials have trained domestic Homeland Security law enforcement officers to focus on the behaviors of people entering the U.S. rather than their political, ideological or religious background.

At what point do we ostensibly label this administration’s efforts to protect Americans either a “lack of skill” or a “lack of will” – and possibly both.

It’s time America accepts Trump’s challenge. If we don’t use this election to get serious about keeping radical Islam out of our country, it will be too late.

They will have an open range under Hillary Clinton.

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

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Mark Caserta: Clinton presidency would put nation at risk

19 Aug

me

Mark Caserta:  Free State Patriot Editor

8.19.16

We are a nation of laws. Without them we would surely fall.

Take for example, our highway safety laws. A set of fairly universal laws regarding the privilege of driving have been set in place to protect us while traveling in our vehicles. A red light means stop. A green light means go. There are definitive right-of-ways established. You get my meaning.

Well, what happens if just one person refuses to follow these laws?

The governing laws of our land with regard to our nation’s leaders are no different. We have laws protecting information and guarding behaviors consequential to the safety of our nation and its citizens. And no person, indiscriminate of race, ethnicity, gender or stature can be above these laws.

And when these laws aren’t followed, it can be detrimental to our nation’s security and the safety of massive numbers of people.

And I submit that is precisely what Hillary Clinton has done.

The majority of Americans now believe Hillary is guilty of committing criminal acts compromising our national security, according to a recent ABC News poll.

Additionally, I believe she is essentially being granted immunity and illegal asylum within the confines of the Obama administration and liberal factions of major media sources, such as MSNBC, CNN and The New York Times.

During the recent House hearing on Hillary Clinton’s mishandling of classified information, Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-S.C., a former prosecutor, grilled FBI Director James Comey regarding his findings of Hillary’s actions while Secretary of State.

Here is an excerpt of the exchange published by multiple news sources, including the New York Times.

You be the judge.

Gowdy: “Secretary Clinton said there was nothing marked classified on her emails, either sent or received. Is that true?”

Comey: “That’s not true, there were a small number of portion markings on, I think, three of the documents.”

Gowdy: “Secretary Clinton said, ‘I did not email any classified material to anyone on my email, there is no classified material.’ Was that true?”

Comey: “There was classified material emailed.”

Gowdy: “Secretary Clinton said she used just one device. Was that true?”

Comey: “She used multiple devices during the four years of her term as secretary of state.”

Gowdy: “Secretary Clinton said all work-related emails were returned to the State Department. Was that true?”

Comey: “No, we found work-related emails, thousands, that were not returned.”

So, has Hillary compromised our nation’s security?

A July column in the New York Times by David E. Sanger reports that while the FBI states it doesn’t have “direct” information that Hillary’s email account was hacked, cyber experts agree it’s indeed “likely.”

The implications of classified information and/or Clinton’s wrongdoings being privy to our enemies are vast in their scope. And we most likely wouldn’t know of it until “after” she became president.

By then, it would be too late.

Hillary’s disregard for our nation’s safety renders her unqualified to lead, much less become commander-in-chief.

A Hillary presidency places our nation and Americans at risk.

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

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Mark Caserta: America can’t win with Obama or Hillary

12 Aug

me

Mark Caserta: Free State Patriot Editor

Just when you think the Obama administration couldn’t possibly do anything further to compromise our nation’s safety and security, it blazes a new trail of incompetence.

donald

As reported by The Wall Street Journal and multiple news agencies, the Obama administration “secretly organized an airlift of $400 million worth of cash to Iran” in a time frame that coincided with the January release of four Americans detained in Iran, according to officials and congressional staff briefed on the operation afterward.

Reportedly, the money was the first installment of a $1.7 billion settlement the administration reached with Iran to resolve a dispute over a 37-year-old arms deal.

Stories splattered the airwaves last week describing a covert operation in which wooden pallets stacked with euros, Swiss francs and other currencies were flown to Iran on an unmarked cargo plane. The U.S. reportedly obtained the money from the central banks of the Netherlands and Switzerland, according to these officials.

Of course, serving up its usual course of intellectual dishonesty, the Obama administration promised the American people the window of the two transactions was a complete coincidence and they had absolutely nothing to do with each other.

During a press briefing, White House press secretary Josh Earnest even added the payment to Iran was delivered in cash on pallets because the two nations “do not have a banking relationship.”

I suppose loading up the cash and delivering it on an airplane was the next best answer for this administration – brilliant.

Now, I’m not going to waste my time trying to convince naysayers this wasn’t an obvious U.S. ransom payment to the mullahs of Iran for the release of four Americans. Anyone who believes otherwise has obviously been partaking of the liberal Kool-Aid libation for way too long to think clearly.

I’ll only add that we know the hostages were released literally the same day the cash arrived. And according to The National Review and other sources, one of the hostages even reported they were detained “an extra several hours” and not allowed to leave until the arrival of another plane, presumably carrying the ransom.

But let’s give the Obama administration the benefit of the doubt for a moment.

Suppose these Iranian deals, the payment of the $400 million and the release of the hostages were indeed “unrelated.” Then how stupid can they possibly be?

It isn’t nearly as important whether it was or wasn’t a ransom payment as it is how the world and Iran perceive it! Wouldn’t one have considered separating the two deals in an effort to avoid the appearance of impropriety?

So either this is a ransom payment to terrorists or another case of poor judgment by this administration emboldening terrorists and endangering U.S. citizens.

America simply doesn’t win with Barack Obama’s deals.

And Hillary Clinton will be more of the same.

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

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Mark Caserta: Now is the time to play political defense

5 Aug

me

Mark Caserta: Free State Patriot Editor

 

tri·an·gle
ˈtrīˌaNGɡəl/
noun
noun: triangle; plural noun: triangles
  1. a plane figure with three straight sides and three angles.
    “an equilateral triangle”

With the nominees for the respective political parties having been chosen and nominations accepted, the campaign season for the presidency has officially begun. Just as the primary season was, it’s sure to be chock full of political caterwaul between pundits and candidates alike.

Interestingly, voters are faced with a political “triad” of sorts, with three sides, three points and three angles. They’re certainly not equilateral, and opposite sides have never been further apart.

On one side, we have the liberal left. These are individuals who would vote for Hillary Clinton even if she had committed multiple crimes and told numerous lies. In fact, she’s done exactly that! Yet, her supporters are willing to look beyond her nefarious character simply to advance their progressive agenda.

The point: These people couldn’t care less about the America of our founding fathers. They’re frankly willing to sacrifice God and country for the continued fundamental transformation of our nation.

The angle: The majority of these voters are satisfied to cast their lots with big government and their nets toward promised entitlements.

Then we have the side bolstering the Trump “revolution.” These ruffled rebels are primarily moderate to conservative individuals who’ve simply had enough of lying politicians more concerned with keeping their jobs than with serving their constituencies.

The point: These folks are looking to “kick political backside” and take names in an effort to return their country to both sanity and sovereignty.

The angle: They’re so starved for a commander-in-chief with leadership qualities they’re willing to take a chance with someone who values haughtiness over humility and coarseness over congeniality.

And then we have the “cynical” side, with those determined “not” to vote for either Hillary or Trump, regardless of the clear and present danger facing our nation. These individuals are content knowing they refused to “cave” to the political pressures around them and are satisfied to pull the lever for a third party candidate or just stay home.

The point: I believe these are people who have already carved a path in life. They typically have their feet planted firmly, with a clear direction and the means to survive.

The angle: They feel they can comfortably “ride out” the consequences of their choice until the next election cycle.

It’s this “third” side of the triad I wish to address.

History will never record your “noble” choice at the polls. It will, however, show that you helped elect not only Hillary Clinton, but helped appoint liberal Supreme Court justices for generations!

Hillary Clinton has proven her intent is to give us more of Barack Obama’s failed policies.

I can’t promise what we’ll get with a President Trump, but I can certainly promise what we’ll get with Hillary Clinton.

They say the game is often won with good defense. Now is the time for patriots to “dig in, bow your backs” and make a final stand for freedom.

And we need every vote possible to keep Hillary out of the White House.

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

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Mark Caserta: Liberals use ancient approach to advance ideology

29 Jul

me

Mark Caserta: Free State Patriot Editor

Do liberals believe in morality? If so, what’s the standard?

While this is a very provocative question, it’s a legitimate one nevertheless.

Conservatives have the Bible as our moral compass. We believe it’s the authoritative, Holy Spirit-inspired Word of God and is therefore inerrant in content and direction for how we should live our lives.

But liberals don’t believe God’s Word on its face value. They either question its accuracy or its relevance to our present day. And they use this methodology to separate man from the boundaries and precepts of God’s Word in order to advance their progressive ideology.

And frankly, they didn’t invent this approach.

eve

After God had finished six days of work, creating the heavens and the earth, he rested. He blessed the seventh day and made it a holy example for His people for setting aside time to reverence and worship their Heavenly Father.

The heavens and the earth had been completed in their magnificent array.

But God desired relationship. So from the dust of the ground he formed man and breathed into his nostrils the “breath of life.” Man was transformed into a living being and became a friend to God.

God placed the man into His “Garden of Eden” to enjoy and care for it. What a wonderful place it must have been! Can you imagine God’s vision of “paradise” for his children? The Bible even says God took time to walk through it during “the cool of the day.”

But even in paradise, The Almighty knew there must be principles by which to live, so He instituted the very first “rule of law.”

God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.”

In His infinite wisdom, God concluded that man needed a helper, one suitable for sharing earthly life experiences. So he created woman.

Now, God wanted loyalty in relationship, out of choice, just as He does today. So He allowed Satan, who had been cast down from heaven due to his rebellious nature, to approach the woman.

Genesis Chapter 3 shares the encounter.

Satan’s goal was to create doubt in the woman’s mind as to the veracity of God’s command. He knew he must detach her from the edicts of God’s Word if he was to succeed in his earthly kingdom.

The rest is history. From that point, sin began its progressive evolution into the hearts and minds of God’s greatest creation – mankind.

Today, liberals are using the same methodology, originally used by Satan, to question God’s Word and remove His principles from our lives.

Only then, will they be successful.

Let’s choose wisely not to partake of the liberal fruit.

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

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HERE IT IS=> Detailed List of Findings in Wikileaks DNC Document Dump

25 Jul

Originally printed in The Gateway Pundit

 

Jul 24th, 2016 4:28 pm 

hillary dnc 

On Friday Wikileaks released nearly 20,000 hacked emails it says are from the accounts of Democratic National Committee officials.

The documents were released just days before the Democratic Convention in Philadelphia.

The hacked emails revealed the DNC’s hatred for Bernie Sanders and his movement. The documents reveal the party’s hidden ties with the liberal media. The emails reveal the heights of dishonesty of the party infrastructure.

Now there is a list of a few of the most shocking emails released by Wikileaks.
The list was compiled thanks to the work of Reddit Bernie Sander supporters and Donald Trump supporters: 
Hat Tip Steve A.

DNC member killing horses for insurance money.
https://wikileaks.org/dnc-emails/emailid/578
DNC making fun of black womans name.
https://wikileaks.org/dnc-emails/emailid/17942
DNC telling each other, “I love you too. no homo.”
https://wikileaks.org/dnc-emails/emailid/425
DNC requesting a pull an MSNBC commentary segment.
https://wikileaks.org/dnc-emails/emailid/6107
DNC controlling the narrative with time released stories.
https://wikileaks.org/dnc-emails/emailid/12450
DNC conspiring to create false Trump information and release with Reuters.
https://wikileaks.org/dnc-emails/emailid/7102
DNC Hillary supporters infiltrated Sanders campaign.
https://wikileaks.org/dnc-emails/emailid/4776
DNC members going to complain to Morning Joe producers about his mentioning of a “rigged system.”
https://wikileaks.org/dnc-emails/emailid/8806
DNC discussing their relationship with NBC/MSNBC/CNN and how to get better treatment.
https://wikileaks.org/dnc-emails/emailid/13762
Super PAC paying young voters to push back online Sanders supporters. Paid shills.
https://wikileaks.org/dnc-emails/emailid/8351

wasserman schultz socialism

DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz having an off the record meeting in MSNBC President Phil Griffin’s office.
https://wikileaks.org/dnc-emails/emailid/8867
DNC being messed with by the Washington Examiner.
https://wikileaks.org/dnc-emails/emailid/5304
DNC discussing Hillary’s policies as unfeasible.
https://wikileaks.org/dnc-emails/emailid/519
$200k for a private dinner with Hillary.
https://wikileaks.org/dnc-emails/emailid/17287
Offering to send interns out to fake a protest against the RNC.
https://wikileaks.org/dnc-emails/emailid/13366
Faking outrage and pasting in a video later.
https://wikileaks.org/dnc-emails/emailid/7102
A mole working inside of the Sanders campaign.
https://wikileaks.org/dnc-emails/emailid/7793
Bringing up Sanders religion to scare the southern voters.
https://wikileaks.org/dnc-emails/emailid/11508
Possible money laundering by moving money back and forth to bypass legal limits.
https://wikileaks.org/dnc-emails/emailid/6230
Politico writer sending his stories to the DNC before he sends them to his editor.
https://wikileaks.org/dnc-emails/emailid/10808
DNC feeding CNN the questions they want to be asked in interviews.
https://wikileaks.org/dnc-emails/emailid/4077
Creating a fake job ad for a Trump business to paint him as a sexist.
https://wikileaks.org/dnc-emails/emailid/12803
Hillary funding 2 million dollars in a cooridanted campaign in battleground states to win back the Senate.
https://wikileaks.org/dnc-emails/emailid/7784
DNC is upset that their “allies” didn’t send in protestors so they sent out interns.
https://wikileaks.org/dnc-emails/emailid/13366
“Clinton Foundation quid-pro-quo worries are lingering, will be exploited in general.”
https://wikileaks.org/dnc-emails/emailid/8351
$50,000 – Lawrence Benenson.
https://wikileaks.org/dnc-emails/emailid/14700
Daily Fundraising Report for the DNC.
https://wikileaks.org/dnc-emails/emailid/2875
Content & Social Strategy Discussion.
https://wikileaks.org/dnc-emails/emailid/7512
Re: BuzzFeed and DNC connection.
https://wikileaks.org/dnc-emails/emailid/10933
Draft linking news articles about trump to use as negative press.
https://wikileaks.org/dnc-emails/emailid/7586
Fwd: State Dinner Countdown.
https://wikileaks.org/dnc-emails/emailid/1901
Some chick is angry she hasn’t been given more stuff from the Obama administration…might be interesting to follow up.
Re: State Dinner Countdown.
https://wikileaks.org/dnc-emails/emailid/2946
Tim O’Brien: Trump’s Fixation on Inflating his Net Worth is a Cause for Concern.
https://wikileaks.org/dnc-emails/emailid/4496
RE: May Fundraising Numbers.
https://wikileaks.org/dnc-emails/emailid/5615
https://wikileaks.org/dnc-emails/emailid/7720
Hillary for America Raised $26.4 Million in April, Began May with More than $30 Million Cash on Hand.
https://wikileaks.org/dnc-emails/emailid/13986
Re: For approval: Trump supporter graphics.
https://www.wikileaks.org/dnc-emails/emailid/788
Press talking points, states Hillary is their candidate, dated May 5, 2016. More of a smoking gun than the ambiguous talk in the emails themselves.
https://wikileaks.org/dnc-emails/fileid/5254/2728
Consultant calling megyn kelly a bimbo. Has PDF attached that says the same.
https://wikileaks.org/dnc-emails/emailid/6087
DNC trying to get away with violating the Hatch Act.
https://wikileaks.org/dnc-emails/emailid/20148
Democrats using interns to organize fake “protests.”
https://wikileaks.org/dnc-emails/emailid/13830
RE: Action on DNC tomorrow (Immigration Raids).
https://www.wikileaks.org/dnc-emails/emailid/9736

 Gateway Pundit

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Mark Caserta: Steps to proactively prepare for future domestic terrorist attacks

23 Jul

This could save your life…

me

Mark Caserta: Free State Patriot Editor

  • Jul 22, 2016

It’s a colossal understatement to say the world in which we live has taken a dramatic turn for the worse. It seems every day now, we hear stories of domestic and foreign terrorist attacks where the most innocent among us are murdered – including children.

And it’s simply incredibly reckless for Barack Obama to tell us “The world has never been less violent”.

What planet has this man been on?

In the wake of recent terrorist attacks and horrific law enforcement massacres, there’s a disconcerting sense of vulnerability all around us – and justifiably so.

As our desperation for leadership and action escalates, it’s time for responsible citizens to take measures to individually prepare for disaster.

Terrorism experts and security professionals say there are steps the public can take to reduce the risk of an attack and to increase chances of survival if one occurs.

The Sinclair Broadcast Group has compiled this information into six steps that could save your life and those around you.

1. See something, say something. As cliche as it’s become, security experts constantly return to this principle. Look for something out of place, such as an unattended backpack or suitcase, or any sort of suspicious activity.

As for this writer, this is where political correctness goes out the door! I’m constantly in tune with the nationality of those around me! Be the eyes and ears for law enforcement!

2. Don’t under-react. Experts agree that under-reacting to suspicious activity is a far bigger problem than overreacting. People often assume there is a reasonable explanation for something that seems suspicious or they may have inhibitions about getting involved. But let the police decide whether or not something is a true threat.

3. Trust your gut. People often do subconscious risk assessments in potentially dangerous situations. Don’t ignore that instinct! It could prevent an attack from happening. Take an extra moment and think “security and safety”.

4. Know your exits. As in movie theaters and airplanes, it’s always good advice to know where the exits are in any location. If possible, you want to figure out how to get yourself and your family out if something bad happens.

6. Finally, live your life. You never know when or where a terrorist event is going to happen. Staying away from a popular or populated area is no guarantee of safety. An attack on a random theater or restaurant may even be more effective in creating a sense of vulnerability and fear.

Our world is forever changed. We now have an obligation to maintain heightened awareness of our surroundings and premeditated diligence in protecting our loved ones and fellow man.

Let’s be proactive to these attacks and save lives.

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

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Mark Caserta: Obama presidency inflames racial tensions

16 Jul

me

Mark Caserta:  Free State Patriot Editor

  • Jul 15, 2016

Dr. Martin Luther King’s dream had seemingly come to fruition. America had finally sought to look beyond the color of a man’s skin and see into his character.

The United States had elected its first black president – not once, but twice.

And as the first black U.S. president, Barack Obama had opportunity to bridge the racial divide in our country as no other commander-in-chief in our nation’s history. His bully pulpit was the highest office in the land and held the attention of the entire civilized world.

“Progressively,” we would learn that rather foster healing to our nation, Obama would become the “divider-in-chief,” with contentious words that would help revive racial tensions of the past.

And the black community would, once again, feel compelled to remind America that “black lives matter.”

Throughout the Obama presidency, we’ve seen him rush to judgment in incidents in a manner that incites racial unrest rather than supports our nation’s laws.

Following the 2012 shooting of Trayvon Martin, Obama failed miserably in this regard.

In fact, he made it personal.

“If I had a son, he’d look like Trayvon,” Obama said. “When I think about this boy, I think about my own kids.”

Martin, reportedly unarmed, was shot by George Zimmerman, a man on neighborhood watch, who apparently had an altercation with the young black man. Following weeks of investigation, Zimmerman was acquitted of any wrongdoing.

Following the controversial verdict, rather than offer sobering perspective in support of the decision, Obama chose to castigate a “flawed” judicial system.

Speaking during a daily briefing, Obama blamed a history of “racial disparity” in our judicial system and a lingering social prejudice in America for contributing to unrest in the black community over the verdict.

Following the 2014 shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, President Obama asserted the event had awakened Americans to a reality the black community has never forgotten.

“Too many young men of color feel targeted by law enforcement – guilty of walking while black or driving while black, judged by stereotypes that fuel fear and resentment and hopelessness.”

Soon after the shooting, video surfaced showing Brown stealing “cigarillos” from a nearby convenience store and assaulting the store clerk. Subsequent investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice concluded the officer called to the scene shot Brown in self-defense.

Most recently, following the deaths of two black men killed in separate shootings, Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, Obama once again blamed racial disparity in our judicial system.

“All of us as Americans should be troubled by these shootings. These are not isolated incidents. They’re symptomatic of a broader set of racial disparities that exist in our criminal justice system.”

The failure of Barack Obama to use his presidency to foster the healing of racial inequality in our nation will go down as one of the greatest travesties in history.

But the fact that he made it worse may be the greatest shame of all.

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

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