Theodore's World: October 2018 Archives
 

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October 31, 2018

President Trump Awesome Speech at MASSIVE Rally in Fort Myers, Florida





President Trump Awesome Speech at MASSIVE Rally in Fort Myers, Florida. God has blessed the USA with President Trump! Americans had better get a hold of that!


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Pink Martini (with singer Storm Large) - Amado Mio





Pink Martini (with singer Storm Large) - Amado Mio


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The #Walkaway from the Democrat Party is real..




The #Walkaway from the Democrat Party is real..



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President Trump INCREDIBLE Speech at Our Pledge to America’s Workers Event at White House



President Trump INCREDIBLE Speech at Our Pledge to America’s Workers Event at White House

‘This is the blue-collar, middle-class Trump Economy’

As Larry Kudlow sat with President Donald J. Trump and Ivanka Trump in the White House State Dining Room, he revealed a telling fact about the new American economy under the Trump Administration.

“We are looking at blue-collar wage increases [that] are rising faster than white-collars,” said Kudlow, Director of President Trump’s National Economic Council. “Now, I’m not against white collars, but I’m saying this is the blue-collar, middle-class Trump Economy”—one where manufacturing and other industries that fuel prosperity in America’s heartland are thriving once again.

In the past, that wasn’t always the case. Too often, economic growth would concentrate in the hands of a wealthy few rather than lift up all American workers.

Just over three months ago, President Trump made it clear that his Administration wouldn’t let that happen during this economic boom. In July, he unveiled his Pledge to America’s Workers, calling on private companies and associations to expand programs that educate, train, and reskill Americans from high-school age to near-retirement.

Ivanka Trump has helped lead the charge, traveling to more than 14 states to visit job centers and technical education programs across America. She was also instrumental in helping shepherd the Perkins Career and Technical Education Act through Congress this summer, marking the program’s first modernization in more than a decade. Perkins CTE authorizes more than $1 billion in vocational and career-focused education funding for more than 11 million American students.

Since July, more than 160 companies have answered the President’s call to invest in career-development opportunities for our workforce. This summer, Walmart pledged 1,000,000 such opportunities. IBM pledged 100,000. FedEx pledged more than 500,000. And today, President Trump announced that the total number of commitments under the Pledge now exceeds 6 million in just over 3 months.

“The previous Administration said there won’t be any more manufacturing jobs—you’re going to need a magic wand and all of that,” President Trump said today. “Well, we had the magic wand, because we have almost 600,000 manufacturing jobs since the election. And it’s going to go much, much higher than that.”'




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Chrissie aka Wild Thing's comment.........


What a powerful leader of the free world..This is one of the many reasons I love this admin. Great job.



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President Trump: 15,000 Troops Going to Mexico Border to Stop Migrant Caravan





President Trump White House Press Briefing addresses media on Military Deployed to Border and Birthright Citizenship, ahead of MAGA Rally in Fort Myers Florida



Chrissie aka Wild Thing's comment..........


GOD BLESS POTUS!!! We love you Mr. President! Thank you for protecting our country and our people!

Prayers for our awesome troops.


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President Trump Rally in Fort Myers, Florida



TODAY - 7PM ET. in Fort Myers, Florida

President Trump campaigns for Republican candidates at a "Make America Great Again" rally.



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Have a Fun Halloween








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October 30, 2018

Amazing President Trump!






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President Trump Congratulates Brazil's Bolsonaro On Presidential Win




Trump Congratulates Brazil's Bolsonaro On Presidential Win

President Trump on Sunday evening called Brazilian president-elect Jair Bolsonaro to congratulate him on his win.

Trump and Bolsonaro told one another that they are looking forward to working "side-by-side" as "regional leaders of the Americas," White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in a statement.

Bolsonaro, the controversial right-wing populist who has been nicknamed "Trump of the Tropics," won 55.1 percent of the vote with 99 percent voting by Sunday evening in the U.S.

The longtime Brazilian congressman has been fiercely criticized for his incendiary rhetoric that opponents and activists have called racist, sexist and anti-LGBTQ. He has faced multiple fines and charges for statements targeting black, gay and indigenous Brazilians.

He has long touted his anti-LGBTQ stance, encouraging parents to beat their gay children, and has criticized Brazil's former brutal military dictatorship for not going "far enough" in their mass killings.




Chrissie aka Wild Thing's comment.........


Bolsonaro, the controversial right-wing populist who has been nicknamed "Trump of the Tropics,"

Trump of the Tropics? LOL!

First came the Tea Party, then BREXIT, the change wave continued with Trump, now Merkle is losing the German government to the right, Brazil elects the Trump of Tropics. Also First came the Tea Party, then BREXIT, the change wave continued with Trump, now Merkle is losing the German government to the right, Brazil elects the Trump of Tropics


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Jair Bolsonaro WINS Brazilian Presidency in a Landslide!!!



Jair Bolsonaro WINS Brazilian Presidency in a Landslide!!!

Watch the video ........Here's why Brazil is but the latest nation to turn to the nationalist, populist, and traditionalist right!!!



October 29, 2018

Bolsonaro: The Brazilians go all in for winning

American Thinker

By Monica Showalter

They did it. Brazil went and pulled the trigger: its voters elected conservative Jair Messias Bolsonaro, colloquially known as Tropical Trump for his open admiration of President Trump and his comparable agenda.

The margin was huge: 55-44 over his socialist rival.

The press, of course, is aghast. These journalists are all using headlines with terms like "far-right" and "fascist" to describe him, something they never did when real fascists and far leftists, such as Hugo Chávez, got elected. Yes, Bolsonaro talks out of turn – you can see a collection of politically correct and sometimes just bad things he's said, all of which has driven the left to clutch its pearls, with all the craziest stuff said two decades ago. Meanwhile, the Brazilian Deep State and the rabid left are planning protests and riots. They aren't going to take this any better than U.S. Democrats did. One of them already stabbed the man and nearly killed him, for starters, and they aren't going to get better. On the lower level of the attack front, people have been run out of restaurants. Sound like any place you know?

There's a symmetry in this, a reason it had to happen, and that's worth looking at for perspective on how it can be used here.

What makes Brazil similar to the U.S.? Well it's a giant country, and it's somewhat separated from its neighbors by both its language and its vast and impenetrable Amazon jungle. It's also got a big racial mix. It's definitely got exceptionalism, because it is different. Big. Racially diverse. Separate. Most Latin American states can't say that. But Brazil can, and that gives it some things in common with the U.S.

It's also got a rich coastal elite, a giant welfare class, and a hinterland of taxpayers whose interests nobody cares about. Sound like the deplorables? You bet.

Then it's had a long stretch of left-wingery. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who indeed was a far leftist affiliated with what's known as the São Paulo Forum of Castroite (kid you not) and Chavista leftists, got elected in 2002 and, like President Obama, was the King of Cool. By no small coincidence, President Obama was a big-time admirer of the man, who came off as so reasonable and hip in Oliver Stone's documentary about Latin leftist leaders, South of the Border. Like Obama, Lula proceeded to do what all socialists do: spend the country into the ground, expand the dependency class, expand the bureaucrat class, hike taxes and fees such as bus fares, and introduce unpopular social engineering. What's more, street criminals were coddled as poor underprivileged pitifuls, not the thugs preying on the public that they really were. Vast government cash rolled their way. As if that wasn't bad enough, then the lefties did the other things socialists do, which is engage in Our Thang corruption, in what became a series of giant scandals of insider pocket-lining, from corruption at the state oil company to the collection of congressional corruptions known as "the car wash." Socialist insiders in, the rest of the public out. Lula ended up in jail for it, and his successor ended up thrown out, but the soggy conservative who replaced them was implicated in congressional money scandals, too, suggesting a swamp where payoffs and revolving doors were out of control. Like our swamp.

Then, with the fall of oil prices, the same thing happened to Brazil as happened to Venezuela: the money ran out. Brazilians were left with nothing: a truly atrocious economy and some international humiliation with the Olympics, too. If the message wasn't clear enough about the impact of a long stretch of heavy hipster socialism and a fawning media, well, the thousands of refugees from socialism pouring in from Venezuela to Brazil's northern states pretty well gave the reminder.

Any questions as to why they wanted a Trump? Their beautiful country needed a hosing out so badly that there was no other alternative. Taking a flying leap with this guy seemed like the only way to get any change at all.

Bolsonaro did make some sexist remarks, but according to Foreign Affairs, huge numbers of women went for him anyway. The Salena Zito dynamic of "seriously but not literally" seemed to be operative in that country, too. I knew right away without opening the story as to why they did: violent crime, because violent crime affects women more than anyone. I used to be such a victim myself in San Francisco's crappier zones in the 1990s, repeatedly getting assaulted and robbed and watching the illegals and people who needed involuntary institutionalization get away with it as the police stood by mouthing platitudes. It was absolutely transformative. I know what they know. When there's one set of laws for one group of people and another for the women, you could not care less about stupid remarks about using money, sex, and who's attractive. You go with the guy who promises the guns, which is what Bolsonaro has done.

This is unheard of, given the pervasiveness of pacifism from the left in the face of criminals.

Bolsonaro is also on record as expressing admiration for the generals who ruled Brazil in the 1970s, back when the country faced a scourge of left-wing terrorism far more serious than ours. It was a nation of One, Two, Many Ayerses, and one of them, Lula's successor, Dilma Rousseff, profited handsomely for it, taking up politics as a guerrilla bookkeeper and then becoming Brazil's president. Who says crime doesn't pay?

But along with the generals, and Bolsonaro's admiration for them, similar to Trump's, there's one significant beauty spot embedded in that stance: Bolsonaro, like the Chilean military ruler he also admires, Augusto Pinochet, has admitted he knows nothing about economics. He's done what Pinochet did, which was hand the economics over to the free-market Chicago Boys, who turned that country from a socialist pit even worse than Brazil into a first-world paradise. Trump has embraced the free market, too, but not with the guts it takes for Bolsonaro to do it, because free-market ideas are accepted more widely in this country.

Pinochet is the dirtiest word in all Latin America, a guy whom it's absolutely taboo to bring up and talk about seriously, owing to the influence of Castroite propaganda on the continent. But Bolsonaro has noticed the reality: that Pinochet's military government's human rights violations against leftist Ayers types and others pale in comparison to his economic legacy, which is stellar. The left has long dishonestly used the former to discredit the latter, which is why Latin America has been so pathetic about embracing free markets. Bolsonaro has broken that cycle and appears hell-bent on embracing free markets again, same as Pinochet did (and Trump did, breaking the weak GOP record after Reagan). If he does what the Chicago Boys did in Chile, he will have some seriously impressive results.

To be fair, it's not going to be easy to clean up after the socialist mess. Argentina, despite electing conservative Mauricio Macri president, is sinking under the cleanup effort because the previous socialism was so bad. If you read the memoirs of the Chicago Boys, such as those of José Piñera and Hernán Büchi, you will learn that those geniuses who transformed Chile had an absolute hell of a time cleaning up after the socialist morass they started with, too. Brazil has gargantuan debt and is going to have to privatize many resources just to dig out. There are going to be ups and downs.

But if Bolsonaro is as serious as he appears, and has no intention of turning into a failed populist such as Duterte of the Philippines, he'll keep this course, because it's what really gets results. It's helpful that Brazil does have a serious free-market scene with some impressive Milton Friedman-like economists, such as guided President Reagan. Results are what did it for Trump, enabling the public to rally to him in the aftermath of his outsider election after such a thick curtain of press, state, and political opposition. That's what allows an outsider to thrive, and Trump provides a recent example of how it's really done. It's also helpful that the left is still denying the bad results of its policies or denying that there's any such problem, yawning at complaints about crime and debt, and trying to blame the other guy. Denying a problem is only going to make the public tune out and stay open-minded on hard choices.

Brazil badly needed an outsider. It's a great thing that the outsider they embraced is a guy who looks to Trump's record of success. It's a big smile-inducer to read that President Trump has heartily congratulated Bolsonaro, too. Let's hope the U.S. under Trump is as supportive as possible for Brazil's effort to dig out from under its socialist ruin and transform itself into the nation its geography says it ought to be: a nation addicted to "winning."

Chrissie aka Wild Thing's comment.........


Brazil has such great potential to prosper & become the engine that drives SA forward. Hopefully Bolsonaro is the Man & the Moment to make it happen.

The whole world has taken notice of the "Trump Effect" to disrupt the status quo of stagnant elitist government apparatchiks. It's why his presidency is so historically meaningful...and not in a "first black president" historic kind of way either.


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President Trump's campaign manager on 2020



President Trump's campaign manager on 2020

As President Trump looks for a successful 2018 midterms, he will soon set his eyes on the 2020 reelection bid. One America's Christopher Carter sat down with his campaign manager and has more from New York.



Chrissie aka Wild Thing's comment.........


Trump is the best President we have had in my lifetime and in some ways the bet in the history of th USA.


Vote red in 2018 and 2020.


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Blexit' (Black Exit rom Dem.party) movement gets design help from Kanye West




Blexit' movement gets design help from Kanye West


Kayne West Rapper designs hats for the campaign urging black voters to leave the Democratic Party; Turning Point USA's Candace Owens and 'Blexit' founder, explains how the movement started.

Blexit = Black Exit from the Democrat party .





Chrissie aka Wild Thing's comment.........


The Democratic Plantation will soon be extinct.Candace Owens ROCKS!! Major player in the MAGA agenda!
Trump REALLY is helping make changes. He wants All Americans to succeed. He's waking people up to Democrats and their lies. Nick and I Love President Trump are so grateful to be Republicans.
Big Round of Applause for "Candace Owens"!!! Success grows from good efforts produced with American Pride! ~God Bless~




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Polish film The Clergy sparks hundreds of allegations of abuse in Catholic Church





Based on real events, Kler has broken box office records and divided Catholic country

A film depicting Polish clerics as corrupt, drunken fornicators and paedophiles is smashing box office records in Poland, sparking controversy and encouraging hundreds of people to come forward with allegations of recent and historical abuse.

The film broke Polish box officer records on its opening weekend , and has been seen by almost 3 million people since its release at the end of September.

Movie About Church Sexual Abuse Is a Contentious Hit in Poland

New York Times

“Clergy”a new movie by the director Wojciech Smarzowski...is a smash hit in Poland. It opened on Sept. 28, and more than 1.7 million people saw it during its first week. That is a huge figure for a country of 38 million.

A cinema in Zabrze, a city in the south of the country, showed the movie up to 24 times a day to meet demand...On Sept. 21, it was shown at the Gdynia Film Festival, and received an 11-minute ovation.

It starts with three priests drinking vodka until they can barely speak. One then drives drunk to a parishioner’s apartment and mumbles his way through the giving of last rites.

The picture of Poland’s priesthood only goes downhill from there. The priests steal money from their congregations, spy on each other, and exploit their connections with politicians, journalists and the police.

But much of “Clergy” focuses on one issue: Clerical child abuse, which the movie says the church covered up. In one scene, it incorporates accounts from real people who say they were abused.

This may not sound like the plot for a blockbuster movie — let alone one that features a heavy dose of comedy — but “Clergy” is a smash hit in Poland. It opened on Sept. 28, and more than 1.7 million people saw it during its first week, according to Kino Swiat, the movie’s distributor. That is a huge figure for a country of 38 million.

A cinema in Zabrze, a city in the south of the country, showed the movie up to 24 times a day to meet demand, the newspaper Gazeta Wyborcza reported.


The film’s popularity is something of a surprise, given that Poland is a predominantly Roman Catholic country, with nearly 40 percent of the population attending a weekly Mass. The governing right-wing Law and Justice party promotes an image of Poland based on Christian values, and some of its members have attacked the film.

Jacek Kurski, a former member of Parliament for the Law and Justice party who is now the chairman of the state television company Telewizja Polska, called “Clergy” a “provocative, trashy movie” in an interview with the broadcaster. He added that it was “just another attack on the Catholic Church, brutal and untrue.”

A spokesman for the Polish Bishops’ Conference, the central organ of the church in the country, declined to comment.

“Clergy” stirred controversy in Poland even before it opened. On Sept. 21, it was shown at the Gdynia Film Festival, and received an 11-minute ovation. That made it a front-runner for one of the festival’s prizes, awarded to the movie that receives the longest applause. But the award was canceled soon afterward, leading newspapers to speculate that organizers had panicked about potentially having to give “Clergy” victory. The organizers denied that suggestion in a statement, saying the applause for other films in the festival had been interrupted, making it impossible to decide the prize fairly.


Mr. Smarzowski, the director, said in an email that he decided to make “Clergy” after being overwhelmed by the church’s power in Poland. “The church is present in our offices, on the street, and pushes us home and to bed,” he said. The church’s failure to deal with child abuse — “hiding pedophiles in their cassocks and transferring them from parish to parish” — also needed discussion, he said.

“This movie is addressed to Catholics,” he added. “I hope that after leaving the cinema, they will realize they are co-responsible for what they see on screen.”

The success of “Clergy” is even more unexpected given the reactions to recent productions at Polish theaters. In 2017, Catholics and right-wing groups protested regularly outside the Powszechny Theater in Warsaw, where “The Curse,” directed by the Croatian director Oliver Frljic, was being performed. In one of the iconoclastic play’s scenes, a woman performs fellatio on a sex toy attached to a statue of Pope John Paul II, who is an idol in Poland.

Actors in “The Curse” said they received threats. Foul-smelling butyric acid, sometimes used in stink bombs, was poured inside the theater, forcing it to shut for a month. Days after its premiere, prosecutors opened an investigation into whether anyone had committed blasphemy. (No one has been charged.) After the Polish theater festival Dialog tried to stage the play last October, promised funding was withdrawn.

Problems have continued for the Powszechny Theater. On Sept. 23, it was due to perform “The Curse” on tour in Slupsk, in northern Poland, but the venue was subjected to another butyric acid attack. The play had to be moved to a basketball court.
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Pawel Lysak, the Powszechny’s co-director, said in a telephone interview that cultural censorship was a growing problem in Poland, but, he added, “Clergy” showed that the church’s history of child abuse could at least be discussed. “Now is a completely different time from when we did ‘The Curse,’ ” he said. “A year ago, the bishops did not talk at all about pedophilia. Now they do every week. It’s a very good time for ‘Clergy.’ ”

Pope Francis’ recent moves on clerical sexual abuse, including meeting victims during a trip to Ireland, focused many in Poland on the issue, Mr. Lysak added. Events in Poland may also have helped. On Oct. 2, an appeals court in the western city of Poznan ruled that a Roman Catholic order should pay damages to a woman who was sexually abused when she was 13. And next month, the Polish church will publish a long-anticipated report on child abuse.




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Happy birthday Ivanka!






Happy birthday Ivanka!

Born: October 30, 1981 (age 37 years)


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October 28, 2018

Hanne Boel - Standing On The Edge





Hanne Boel - Standing On The Edge



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Halloween at the White House 2018




Halloween at the White House 2018

On Sunday, October 28, 2018, the South Lawn will fill with little ghosts and goblins, witches, dragons, and other imaginative costumes as the Trump Administration celebrates this year’s Halloween at the White House.

Gates will be open to military families, and local schoolchildren with their parents from 4:30 to 7:30 PM (tickets were distributed by the Department of Education and the White House Military Office).

Cornstalks as tall as the Truman balcony will hang from the White House columns, while colorful fall foliage drapes the South Portico staircases. A sprawling harvest of decorative pumpkins, gourds, and hay bales will be on display for the trick-or-treaters.

The President and First Lady will hand out commemorative candy in front of the South Portico, and several departments and agencies will be in attendance along with a variety of fun items and activities for the children to participate in. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) will have a moon carpet set up on the South Lawn, and robotics displays will be set up by First Lego Robotics League from the Department of Education. The Department of Transportation will hand out paper airplanes, the Department of Agriculture will feature a tractor for the kiddos to explore, and the Department of Health and Human Services will have emergency vehicles on display. Children will also be able to see the Presidential Limo known as “The Beast,” which is being brought in by the United States Secret Service.





Before departing the grounds, children will be invited to explore a hay bale maze.

Adding to the festive holiday atmosphere, the Rolling Strings – the United States Air Force Band – will play traditional Halloween songs and modern tunes.


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President Trump and The First Lady Host Halloween at the White House





President Trump and The First Lady Host Halloween at the White House



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BLASPHEMY!!!....Vatican News Styles Pope as “Successor of Christ”



Vatican News Styles Pope as “Successor of Christ”


VaticanNews slightly confused: Is Pope Francis the successor of Peter and the representative of Christ on earth or even the "successor of Christ"?

(Rome) The Vatican's news portal, active since December 2017, VaticanNews, has repeatedly described Pope Francis as the "successor of Christ".

VaticanNews spokespersons can make a “Freudian" slip. Is such a lapse underlying that which VaticanNews has repeatedly undermined?

The fact is that Vatican News, the Holy See's news agency, falsely referred to Pope Francis not as the successor to Peter or vicar of Christ on earth, but as the "successor of Christ," a name previously unknown to the Church and theologically meaning hyperpapism.

The article published on Tuesday about the papal celebrations in the coming three months of November-January ended in its first version with the note:


"[...] on Sunday, January 13, on the Feast of the Nativity of the Lord, the successor of Christ will celebrate Holy Mass and the baptism for children in the Sistine Chapel at 9:30."


After some Catholic media were amazed at the titulation, the passage in "Successor of Peter (see Lumen Gentium, 23)" was corrected.

However, this was not the first incident of its kind. Last August 29, VaticanNews published an article about Pope Francis' journey to Ireland. The headline read: "Catechesis of the Pope: The families, joy for the world, radiate the love of Christ". It read:


"In the Procathedral of Dublin, the successor of Christ declared ..."


Chrissie aka Wild Thing's comment........


When a king has a successor, that king is no longer king; his successor is. To declare that Christ has a successor is to worship the anti-Christ. Any Pope who calls himself the "successor" (not "vicar", but "successor) of Christ is anti-Christ.

This is outright heresy.



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Federal Government Tells Catholic Bishops Not to Destroy Sex Abuse Documents




Federal Government Tells Catholic Bishops Not to Destroy Sex Abuse Documents

New York Times


The Department of Justice has sent a sweeping request to every Roman Catholic diocese in the United States not to destroy documents related to the handling of child sexual abuse, a sign that the federal investigation into the church could grow far more extensive.

Catholic bishops have been asked by the federal government to retain their files on a broad array of internal matters, including sexual abuse investigations, and the transfer of priests across state or international borders, or to treatment centers. The request includes documents contained in “secret archives” — the confidential files that are kept by each diocese.

News reports last week revealed that the Justice Department had opened an investigation into all eight Catholic dioceses in Pennsylvania, and the diocese of Buffalo in New York. This marked the first time the federal government had undertaken an investigation of the church’s handling of abusive priests, a scandal that surfaced in the United States in the mid-1980s.

But this request to preserve files, first disclosed by Whispers in the Loggia, a site that closely follows the Catholic hierarchy, suggests that federal investigators are throwing a very wide net. The abuse scandal, long fueled by the shocking details in the church’s own personnel documents, may now grow like an uncontrolled wildfire.


“Every diocese should assume that it is potentially under investigation,” said Marci A. Hamilton, a law professor and founder of CHILD USA, a think tank at the University of Pennsylvania that studies child sexual abuse and prevention. “Given the crisscrossing paths of priests sent from one diocese to another across the United States, I can understand why someone in Washington would say, ‘O.K., everybody needs to hold onto their evidence right now because we’re just starting to sketch out where the pedophiles have been sent by the hierarchy.’”

Abuse victims have despaired for years that the church in the United States would never be called to fully account for the perpetrators and the people they violated. There have been government-run inquiries in countries like Australia and Ireland, but the federal government in the United States has been reluctant to intervene, until now. The letter from the United States attorney suggested only the potential of a broader investigation, but abuse victims greeted it as a turning point nevertheless.

“It’s going to bring tears to my eyes just thinking about it,” said Tim Lennon, president of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests. “It’s hopefully the beginning of a process of long-awaited justice. For survivors, it’s been a long road to bring those who have harmed children and the vulnerable to justice.”

The request to the bishops was contained in a seven-page letter and set of instructions from United States Attorney William M. McSwain, of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and sent to the president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Cardinal Daniel DiNardo of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. The letter, dated Oct. 9, asked that Cardinal DiNardo “immediately transmit copies” to all dioceses in the United States. The bishops conference then sent it to the dioceses on Oct. 23.

Mr. McSwain said in his letter that at this point there was “no need” for the bishops to produce any documents “solely on account of this letter.” He said that the letter was only a request that the church entities “not destroy, discard, dispose of, delete, or alter any of the described documents.” But he started his letter by saying that his office was “investigating possible violations of federal law.”


The general counsel of the bishops’ conference, Anthony R. Picarello Jr., warned in a cover letter to the bishops that the request was “very broad.” Mr. Picarello wrote that the bishops conference had taken steps to preserve its documents, and advised the dioceses to do the same. But he said he had told the United States attorney that the bishops’ conference “lacks the authority” to make sure that the dioceses retain their documents.

In a statement on Friday, Mr. Picarello said, “We have transmitted the U.S. Attorney’s letter at his request and in the spirit of cooperation with law enforcement.” His office said he was unavailable for a telephone interview.

Mr. Lennon said that two groups advocating for survivors first asked the federal government for an investigation in 2003. He said that survivors asked again in 2014 and in August of this year, after a Pennsylvania grand jury released a report that found more than 300 priests had abused over 1,000 children in a 70-year period.

Since then, attorneys general in at least a dozen states have opened investigations into whether their local dioceses engaged in cover-ups of priests and other church employees who sexually abused minors. The District of Columbia and Virginia announced investigations this past week.

Many dioceses have already said they will cooperate with local prosecutors, and they are likely to take the same stance in relation to the request to preserve their documents.

“We’re doing that anyway,” said Penny Wiegert, director of communications and publications for the Diocese of Rockford, in Illinois, “because we’re cooperating with our own Illinois state attorney, and we have our own documentation retention protocol anyway.”

But in the past, several dioceses have been accused of destroying files on abusive priests, according to BishopAccountability.org, a research and advocacy group. Some church employees, including priests, nuns and lay people, have been responsible for blowing the whistle when documents were discarded or shredded, noted David Clohessy, a founder of the survivors network.

He said on Friday, “We applaud this move and hope it prevents the destruction of incriminating records that could lead to the prosecution of clerics who commit or conceal horrific child sex crimes.”


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Pope Decries ‘Persecution’ of Catholic Church Through Accusations




Pope Decries ‘Persecution’ of Catholic Church Through Accusations

Remarks, at the end of a gathering of bishops, are unlikely to mollify critics in wake of sex-abuse scandals

The Wall Street Journal


ROME—Pope Francis told a gathering of bishops from around the world that the Catholic Church is being persecuted through accusations—an apparent allusion to clerical sex-abuse scandals that have undermined the credibility of the papacy and church hierarchy over the course of this year.

Addressing the closing session of a synod of bishops at the Vatican on Saturday, the pope repeated warnings he has made in recent weeks against the “Great Accuser,” or the devil, who “in this moment is accusing us strongly, and this accusation becomes persecution,” and who seeks to “soil the church.”

“This is the moment to defend our mother” the church, said the pope, in remarks unlikely to mollify critics who say he has failed to recognize the hierarchy’s responsibility for the abuse crisis. “The accuser is attacking our mother through us, and no one touches our mother.”

The gathering of more than 250 bishops was dedicated to the topic of youth, exploring how the church can better engage young Catholics and help them find roles in the church, whether as priests, nuns or lay members.

A published agenda for the meeting made only passing reference to sex abuse, but after months of scandals in the U.S., Latin America and Australia—and the claim by a former Vatican diplomat that Pope Francis himself had ignored sexual misconduct by a U.S. cardinal—the subject inevitably loomed over the proceedings.

Bishops frequently addressed clerical sex abuse during the first week of the monthlong synod, Archbishop Eamon Martin of Ireland told reporters on Friday.

The 60-page final document, released late Saturday, devoted two paragraphs to the subject of abuse, calling for “rigorous measures of prevention,” starting with the selection and education of clergy and other church employees. Quoting Pope Francis, the document lays much of the blame for sex abuse on “clericalism,” or an excessive deference to the church’s hierarchy.

The final document is “frankly inadequate and disappointing on the abuse matter,” Archbishop Charles Chaput of Philadelphia, a member of the council that organized the synod, said in an email. “There’s very little sense of heartfelt apology in the text.”

The archbishop, who had previously called on the pope to cancel the gathering because of the sex-abuse crisis, said Saturday that “church leaders outside the United States and a few other countries dealing with the problem clearly don’t understand its scope and gravity.”

Some bishops from the developing world objected that their peers from western countries were overemphasizing sex abuse at the synod, according to Cardinal Oswald Gracias of Mumbai, who helped draft the final document, which touches on topics ranging from migration to the internet and their impact on the lives of young Catholics.

“To be fair to the synod, you can’t say (sex abuse is) the number-one thing,” Cardinal Gracias, who is also a top adviser to Pope Francis, told the Catholic website Crux. “The statement should answer the needs of the United States, Ireland, Australia, but not just them.”


The pope has called another international meeting of bishops to discuss clerical sex abuse for four days in February.





Chrissie aka Wild Thing's comment..........


I hope somebody is keeping score of all the abusers Francis has been and is still protecting, and even promoting to high positions. It’s a long list. God certainly is.

For the Pope and their church to be saying these things against the accusers is pure evil of them. Disgusting. This Pope should be ashamed of himself.


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Turning Point USA communications director Candace Owens - discusses Kanye West and the unstoppable black conservative movement




Candace Owens - discusses Kanye West and the unstoppable black conservative movement

Candace Owens: Kanye understands exactly what he's doing

Turning Point USA communications director and friend of the rapper blasts the 'racist' media backlash after Kanye West's meeting with President Trump and says now is the time for black conservatives.



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Young Black Conservatives meet at the White House





Young Black Conservatives meet at the White House


Sources:

#YBLS

Leo Dunson - @leodunson
David J. Harris Jr - @DavidJHarrisJr
Candace Owens - @RealCandaceO
Rob Smith - @robsmithonline
Adrian Norman - @madriannorman
Jermain Botsio - @Jermainbotsio
Diamond and Silk - @diamondandsilk
Terence Williams - @w_terrence
Ben Carson - @secretarycarson
Black Conservative Patriot - #blackconservativepatriot



Chrissie aka Wild Thing's comment.......

More on the red wave among American blacks. This is so exciting and it really makes my heart smile.

They are encouraging prayer for our nation and our President.



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October 27, 2018

President Trump Rally in Murphysboro, Illinois




President Donald Trump Holds MAGA Rally in Murphysboro, IL

Trump holds a campaign style rally at Southern Illinois Airport Hangar 6 in Murphysboro, IL.



President Trump Speaks at 91st Annual Future Farmers of America Convention

Chrissie aka Wild Thing's comment........


For those of you who are not familiar with Illinois, Murphysboro is in the heart of what is known locally as “Little Egypt”, which has the Mississippi river to the west and the Ohio river to the south. Accessible by Interstate from a couple different directions. the region was settled by people from Georgia back in the 1800’s, and in many ways, is much more like Georgia than most of the rest of the Midwest.

This is where people still fly the confederate flag - in Illinois! There are lots of coal miners.


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President Trump Speaks at 91st Annual Future Farmers of America Convention



President Trump INCREDIBLE Speech at Future Farmers 91st Annual Convention in Indiana


President Trump Speaks at 91st Annual Future Farmers of America Convention


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The #Walkaway Movement begun by one man, Brandon Straka, and it has grown exponentially




Americans are coming together the weekend of Oct. 26-28th to #WalkAway from the Democratic Party. WalkAwayMarch.com


The #Walkaway Movement begun by one man, Brandon Straka, has grown exponentially.

This group is populated by Americans who have become fed up with the leftist/Marxist/Socialist/Communist side of things and who are now pro-America, pro-conservative, pro-right side of things.

Many in the movement are African Americans and/or are gay like Brandon - and they have "seen the light" and are walking away from the Demonrats.

This has taken a great deal of courage on their part since to walkaway often means losing one's friends and family.


The March will begin with speeches and music at 12 noon and then will march and then will have more speeches and music at about 2:30.


Dinesh D’Souza will be a main speaker but there are many speakers.

More information about the speakers and events can be found
here: https://walkawaymarch.com/



Chrissie aka Wild Thing's comment...........


Thank you Brandon for opening so many eyes! Tell minorities on the left, who have been told their whole lives that they are not welcome on the right because of the bigotry and hatred, that they are welcome. Tell them there is a seat at the table on the right for everybody. This is a movement of Patriots from all walks of life .

WE ARE ALL AMERICANS and we will not surrender our country.




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President Donald Trump Remarks following shooting near the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania




President Donald Trump focused on the "hate in our country" following a shooting near the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where multiple people were killed. Trump also stated that the death penalty and an increase in armed guards could have prevented the shooting.


Police from across the city of Pittsburgh are responding to an active shooting situation at the The Tree of Life Synagogue in Squirrel Hill.

Police have requested that residents stay inside their home as they have exchanged gun fire with a suspected gunman.

When officers arrived the gunman reportedly shot at them, forcing officers to use their vehicles as a shield.

The Synagogue was reportedly full of people for a Saturday service and police say they’ve received several calls from people barricaded inside the Synagogue.

10 killed in Pennsylvania synagogue shooting

Gunman opens fire at Synagogue, kills at least 8. Shooter is reportedly in custody.

At least 10 people were killed after a gunman opened fire at Pittsburgh's Tree of Life synagogue. According to the report, the gunman yelled "All these Jews need to die".

The gunman has been preliminarily identified as 46-year-old Robert Bowers. The shooting reportedly happened during a circumcision ceremony and over 12 people were shot. 80 people were in the Synagogue during the shooting. Bauer also shot three police officers.

The attack was condemned by President Trump, who tweeted that he is "Watching the events unfolding in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Law enforcement on the scene. People in the Squirrel Hill area should remain sheltered. Looks like multiple fatalities. Beware of active shooter. God Bless All!"

"I was heartbroken and appalled by the murderous attack on a Pittsburgh synagogue today," said Prime Minister Netanyahu.

"The entire people of Israel grieve with the families of the dead. We stand together with the Jewish community of Pittsburgh. We stand together with the American people in the face of this horrendous antisemitic brutality and we all pray for the speedy recovery of the wounded."

Diaspora Affairs Minister Naftali Bennett condemned Saturday's grisly shooting, tweeting that "The State of Israel and the Israeli government received with shock and pain the reports of the terrible attack on the Jewish community in Pittsburgh. We anxiously follow the reports and pray that the event will end soon."

"At the same time, I have now instructed the Ministry of Diaspora Affairs to prepare to assist the community in every possible way. Our hearts are with the families of those killed and injured. May the memory of the murdered be blessed. "

Israeli officials say that Prime Minister Netanyahu is closely following the situation in Pittsburgh. The shooting was also condemned by Jewish Agency Chairman Isaac Herzog.

"A terrible massacre during the Shabbat service at the Etz Hayyim Synagogue in Pittsburgh," said Herzog. "We at the Jewish Agency are sore and distressed by the disaster of the warm Jewish community of Pittsburgh. The Jewish Agency is ready to assist in any way to the Jewish community in Pittsburgh and expresses its deep sorrow over the loss of life and the injury to the wounded."


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Chrissie aka Wild Thing's comment.......


Idiot stupid people won't even let the bodies get cold before standing on them as a political platform for gun reform, I can't understand people's mind sets seriously this is why people are losing faith in each other.



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October 26, 2018

President Trump Rally in Charlotte, North Carolina




President Trump Rally in Charlotte, North Carolina


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First Lady Melania Trump Welcomes Students to the White House Movie Theater



First Lady Melania Trump Welcomes Students to the White House Movie Theater



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George Soros-funded groups are behind migrant caravans





A new report claims migrant caravans are being funded by U.S.-based groups with close ties to billionaire George Soros.


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President Trump AMAZING Speech at Young Black Leadership Summit - October 26, 2018



President Donald Trump Speech at the 2018 Young Black Leadership Summit - President Trump Speech at the White House


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Amazing Trump Prayers - FLOTUS shocked us all with the Lord's Prayer



Amazing Trump Prayers - FLOTUS shocked us all with the Lord's Prayer

Quote below from QANON

There has been a constant focus on prayer for our POTUS. For many years we were under this dark cloud of depression and it appeared that there was no way out. All roads pointed to the USA with no hope or future.
Then, out of nowhere, we had someone who could defeat the enemy of our Nation. One of the first things that made me feel that we could be restored was when our FLOTUS delivered her prayer in the hangar in Florida. I was stunned. I was filled with tears.
This video showcases some of those prayers and shows what our focus should be on...prayer.


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Turning Point USA Welcomes 400+ Black Leaders to DC for Largest Ever Conservative Black Leadership Summit





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Turning Point USA welcomes 400+ young black leaders to DC for the LARGEST EVER CONSERVATIVE BLACK LEADERSHIP SUMMIT!

From Candace Owens.....
"For the first time ever, I was too choked up to speak on stage tonight. At long last, the black conservative movement has descended upon Washington D.C
It’s beautiful. It’s raw. It’s free.
God bless America."

Turning Point USA

Turning Point USA is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization founded on June 5, 2012 by Charlie Kirk. The organization’s mission is to identify, educate, train, and organize students to promote the principles of freedom, free markets, and limited government.

Since the founding, Turning Point USA has embarked on a mission to build the most organized, active, and powerful conservative grassroots activist network on college campuses across the country. With a presence on over 1,000 college campuses and high schools across the country, Turning Point USA is the largest and fastest growing youth organization in America.

Thank you to Candace Owens and Charlie Kirk and President Trump.......



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First Lady Melania Trump, Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, and students from Digital Pioneers Academy at White House Theater



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First Lady Melania Trump, Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, and students from Digital Pioneers Academy wave at the camera Tuesday prior to a screening of the motion picture 'Wonder' in the White House Theater | October 23, 2018



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October 25, 2018

President Trump Speech at the 35th Anniversary of the Attack on Beirut Barracks



President Trump Speech at the 35th Anniversary of the Attack on Beirut Barracks....

In Memoriam 10.23.83 - 220 US Marines, 18 Sailors, 3 Soldiers KIA to the first act of terrorism against the US, - Beirut, Lebanon. A total of 270 gave their lives as Peacekeepers of the Multi-National Peacekeeping Force 1982-1984. Also Honoring the French, who were also struck 2 min. apart, killing 68 Paratroopers.


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Ex-Democrats For Trump Speak Out






There are a growing number of former Democrats and past Obama voters that are now supporting the Republican Party solely because of their support for Trump.


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President Trump's full 'MAGA' rally in Mosinee, Wisconsin





Trump's full 'MAGA' rally in Mosinee, Wisconsin



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Chrissie aka Wild Thing's comment.........

Trump will go down as one of our greatest Presidents ever. God bless President Trump we LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you to our president for being amazing, super active and we pray he remains healthy.

Looking at THIS President gives people the energy and spirit to come to his rallies.. Imagine at age 72, addressing one rally after another with energy and enthusiasm, that is a wonder to watch and hear. If it had been Hillary - people would have been physically carrying her around with doctors and attendants just to support her even to stand up let alone speak coherently without medication.



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October 24, 2018

SO Obvious THIS is ALL FROM the LEFT! Right on Cue… In NYT Op-Ed, Soros’ Son Blames Trump and “Demonization of Political Opponents” For Bomb Packages



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Right on Cue… In NYT Op-Ed, Soros’ Son Blames Trump and “Demonization of Political Opponents” For Bomb Packages

Several mail bombs were sent to Democrat leaders Wednesday–none of which detonated.

The Secret Service announced that suspicious packages were sent to Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.

George Soros, NY Governor Cuomo, former AG Eric Holder, Rep. Maxine Waters were also sent suspicious packages.

Right on cue, George Soros’ son, Alexander Soros penned a New York Times op-ed blaming President Trump for the mail bombs.

Alexander Soros sure is a fast writer and the editorial board over at the New York Times also worked at lightning speed!

Soros penned a NY Times op-ed titled, “The Hate That is Consuming Us” – “Bombs sent to my father, George Soros, and to former President Obama and Hillary Clinton are a result of our politics of demonizing opponents.”

Alexander Soros via the New York Times:

On Monday afternoon an explosive device was delivered to my father’s home north of New York City. An alert member of our staff recognized the threat and called the police. Fortunately, the authorities were able to detonate the device safely. On Wednesday, the Secret Service said it had intercepted similar devices sent to the offices of former President Barack Obama and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

We are all grateful that no one was injured, and grateful to those who kept us safe. But the incident was profoundly disturbing — as a threat not just to the safety of our family, neighbors, colleagues and friends, but also to the future of American democracy.

My family is no stranger to the hostilities of those who reject our philosophy, our politics and our very identity. My father grew up in the shadow of the Nazi regime in Hungary. My grandfather secured papers with false names so that they could survive the onslaught against Budapest’s Jews; he helped many others do the same. After the war, as the Communists took power, my father escaped to London, where he studied at the London School of Economics before embarking on what ultimately became a hugely successful career in finance.

Alexander Soros blamed the mail bombs on political demonization.

Now we have attempted bomb attacks. While the responsibility lies with the individual or individuals who sent these lethal devices to my family home and Mr. Obama’s and Ms. Clinton’s offices, I cannot see it divorced from the new normal of political demonization that plagues us today.

Soros then told the readers to go vote in order to stop the politicians (Republicans) who are responsible for undermining our democracy–HOW CONVENIENT!




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Chrissie aka Wild Thing.....

The Marxist Left will do ANYTHING to stay in power or sway an election. No act is too low or immoral for them.

Right on schedule Hillary suddenly appears with pre-written stump speech. This was all planned in advance because Democrats early voting is horrible. Dems are predictable.

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After the First Lady introduced the President today





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After the First Lady introduced the President today.




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President Donald Trump delivers remarks and signs legislation aimed at fighting opioid addiction.


President Trump regrading the packages........
"The safety of the American People is my highest priority. I have just concluded a briefing with the FBI, Department of Justice, Department of Homeland Security, and the U.S. Secret Service......."


n the last 12 hours ‘suspicious packages’ have been sent to: 👉Soros 👉Clinton 👉Obama 👉NBC 👉CNN 👉Time Warner 👉Debbie Wasserman Schultz

IMO the are sent from some sick plan of George Soros. ( Comment from Chrissie)


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Women For Trump!



President Trump departs The White House for trip to Wisconsin for #MAGA Rally. Starts tonight at 7:30pm ET.


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Women For Trump! President Trump departs The White House for trip to Wisconsin for #MAGA Rally. Starts tonight at 7:30pm ET. You can watch the rally on OAN #347 on Direct TV or maybe CSPAN. News said people started to get in line for WISCONSIN raly over 29 hours ago i 39 degree weather. TRUMP IS Loved and appreciated. BIGLEY!!



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Line-up to Trump rally began more than 29 hours before the President's arrival



Line-up to Trump rally began more than 29 hours before the President's arrival


WEAU Chanel 13 News


MOSINEE, Wis. (WSAW) You'd be hard pressed to find a Wisconsinite who couldn't handle 30 degree weather but dozens of Trump supporters from across the country were happy to brace the cold to line-up and wait for President Trump's rally in Mosinee.


A group who has dubbed themselves "Front Row Joes" were the first to start the line-up outside the Endeavor Hangar near the Central Wisconsin Airport in Mosinee.

Randall Thom, a Front Row Joe member, told NewsChannel 7 the group arrived at 1p.m. Tuesday afternoon-- a whopping 29 hours before President Trump was scheduled to make his remarks.

Security and organizers will let people in the doors and through security starting at 3:30 Wednesday. The President is set to begin speaking at 6:30 p.m.

Per security rules, you can not bring any posters, banners, signs or professional cameras into the event. You do not need an I.D. to enter the event. All the event parking, entrances and security checks will be done at the hanger and there will be signs directing you where to go.

Stay with NewsChannel 7 for team coverage all day online and on NewChannel 7.


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October 23, 2018

Catholic Church Sex Abuse Review Is Ordered by Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan





Catholic Church Sex Abuse Review Is Ordered by Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan

The New York Times

September 20, 2018


Seeking to restore the trust of New York Catholics shaken by recent revelations of abuse, Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan announced on Thursday that he had appointed a former federal judge to review how the Archdiocese of New York handles cases of sexual abuse of minors and sexual harassment of adults.

The review, led by Barbara S. Jones, a former judge in Federal District Court in Manhattan, will primarily focus on whether the archdiocese is following the protocols to protect minors from abuse that were approved by the nation’s bishops in 2002. Tackling a type of misconduct that was not addressed by the 2002 reforms, she will also examine whether current workplace policies are sufficient to prevent the sexual harassment of adults and other abuses of power in churches and seminaries.

Cardinal Dolan said in a Thursday news conference that Catholics in the archdiocese had come to him repeatedly over the summer distraught over the litany of sex abuse revelations that seem to make daily headlines, including the lurid accusations against Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick, who was removed from ministry in June following a substantiated allegation of sex abuse of a minor in New York, and the explosive grand jury report into clergy sex abuse in Pennsylvania released in August.

“I need your help if I am going to respond to my people’s plea for accountability, transparency and action,” Cardinal Dolan told Ms. Jones at the news conference. “I look forward to receiving your recommendations and your insights and I pledge that I will take them all with utmost seriousness.”

Ms. Jones, 71, who will hold the title of special counsel and independent reviewer at the archdiocese, said she had been promised full access to personnel and other case files and will report directly to Cardinal Dolan. While producing a report for the public is not part of her initial mandate, Cardinal Dolan said that if he does not follow her recommendations, she should “hold my feet to the fire” and “report back to my people.”

Two weeks ago, the attorney general of New York State announced a civil investigation into how all the Catholic dioceses in the state have handled sex abuse allegations over decades. Several states have opened similar probes following the revelations of sex abuse and cover-up in the Pennsylvania grand jury report.

The timing of Cardinal Dolan’s announcement left some skeptical that he was simply trying to get out in front of that investigation: officials have already issued subpoenas to the dioceses for all files relating to sexual abuse.

“I think that the Cardinal’s move is basically a P.R. move that was made under duress,” said Michael Reck, a lawyer who represents clergy abuse victims in cases against the diocese. “This is the type of thing that could have and should have been done years ago.”

Shaun Dougherty, a New York representative for SNAP, an advocacy group for survivors of clergy sex abuse, said that if Cardinal Dolan truly wanted transparency, he would stop lobbying the state legislature against the passage of the Child Victims Act, which would lift the statute of limitations for sex abuse cases and allow lawsuits against the church for abuse that took place decades ago.


“Today is just another distraction from the bigger picture,” he said. “The Roman Catholic hierarchy is fully aware that we have just merely scratched the surface into the extent of the cover-up of child sexual assault, and they are desperate to get this lid back on the bottle.”

Ms. Jones, who was a federal judge until 2012 and is now a partner at Bracewell, just finished an assignment as the court-appointed special master identifying which items were subject to attorney-client privilege among the millions seized in raids on President Trump’s former personal lawyer, Michael Cohen.

She was an assistant U.S. attorney in Manhattan and chief assistant to Robert M. Morgenthau, the former Manhattan district attorney, before she was appointed to the bench in 1995 by President Bill Clinton. As a federal prosecutor, she served as chief of the Organized Crime Strike Force Unit. At Bracewell, she specializes on compliance issues and internal investigations.

She said Thursday that she began an initial review of church policies 10 days ago and found a “robust infrastructure” in place to handle allegations. She will now examine if those protocols are being followed. For the most part, abuses that took place before 2002 will not be part of her review.

“I approach this important assignment with an open mind and an understanding of the scope and scale of the issues that challenge the archdiocese,” she said.

The archdiocese is already engaged in an effort to settle claims with sex abuse victims, provided they agree to forgo further legal action. Over the last two years, its Independent Reconciliation and Compensation Program, led by the mediator Kenneth Feinberg, has awarded settlements to 295 people abused by diocesan priests over decades, costing the diocese $59.75 million.

Cardinal Dolan has not published a comprehensive list of all priests who have been credibly accused of abuse on the archdiocesan website, as other dioceses have done in a move toward transparency.
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“I, for one, don’t exactly see why we should, because the names are already out there,” he said Thursday, adding that the archdiocese has released all the names of abusive priests over the years one by one. Victims groups, however, have disputed that all the names have been made public.

Cardinal Dolan said that he would be open to publishing a list of accused priests if Ms. Jones recommended doing so among her other suggestions. Ms. Jones, who will be paid by the diocese for her work, said that it was too soon for a timeline for when the review would be completed.


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This is SHAMEFUL! Watch As Pope Francis Says Jesus Was A 'Failure On The Cross'




Pope Francis "preached" a message in NYC where he declared that Jesus Christ was a 'failure on the cross'. The reaction from his all-Catholic audience? They burst into excited applause, watch and see for yourself.




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Wild Thing aka Chrissie comment..............


Are you serious!!! And the people clapped!! THE CROSS WAS NOT A FAILURE IT WAS A VICTORY FOR ALL HUMANITY! JESUS DIED SO WE COULD LIVE! Jesus fulfilled the plan of redeeming humanity perfectly how is that a failure! Jesus is Victorious!! The cross is a symbol of victory for what Jesus did for us!

The Scripture says in ( 1 Corinthians 15:57) But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! That man needs to get off the stage and read the Bible!!!! And he's suppose to be a Christian leader! I wouldn't let him lead me across the street!!! Totally Shameful!

The Pope is FALSE prophet the Jesus I know won the greatest VICTORY in history on the cross...Shame on you!!!


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President Trump vows to send as many troops to the border ‘as necessary’ to stop caravan




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President Trump vows to send as many troops to the border ‘as necessary’ to stop caravan

USA Today


During an interview with USA Today yesterday, President Donald Trump “vowed to send as many troops as necessary to the U.S.-Mexican border to block a growing caravan of Central American migrants, calling their trek ‘an assault on our country,’” David Jackson, Susan Page, and John Fritze report.


HOUSTON – President Donald Trump on Monday vowed to send as many troops as necessary to the U.S.-Mexican border to block a growing caravan of Central American migrants, calling their trek “an assault on our country.”

In an exclusive interview with USA TODAY aboard Air Force One, the president said there were “people from the Middle East” in their ranks, reiterating a claim he made without evidence in a morning tweet. The president declined to say whether his assertion was based on intelligence agencies or some other source.

While Trump has made unsubstantiated charges that Democrats had funded the migrants, he said the television footage that showed them straggling north was rebounding to the political benefit of Republicans in the midterms. The caravan could be seen on a TV, tuned to Fox News, on the wall of his office aboard the presidential aircraft.

“I think this could be a blessing in disguise because it shows how bad our laws are,” he said. “The Democrats are responsible for that.”

That was akin to the unexpected political repercussions of the bitter Senate confirmation hearings for Brett Kavanaugh, now a Supreme Court justice. The controversy helped energize GOP voters in advance of the Nov. 6 elections, he said.

How many troops was he prepared to send to the border?

“As many as necessary,” he replied.

Trump has pummeled Democrats for weeks on immigration, harping on a proposal raised by some in the liberal wing of the party to abolish Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Though the idea is unlikely to ever become law, Trump has used it to paint Democrats as soft on crime and border security.

"In that caravan you have some very bad people and we can’t let that happen to our country," Trump said.


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October 22, 2018

Students for Trump at Rally in Houston Texas





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Students4Trump: Full house in Houston, Texas


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Want to leave the Catholic Church? Officially, you can’t



Want to leave the Catholic Church? Officially, you can’t.

The Washington Post


By Dan Waidelich
October 22, 2018


Mary Combs remembers her last Mass. It was about 15 years ago, when sexual abuse by Catholic clergy in Boston, her hometown, was global news. She sat looking at the collection basket, imagining the money paying off victims. She never went back.

“Now there’s this Pennsylvania scandal,” Combs said. “Hundreds of priests abusing thousands of parishioners and a coverup that went all the way to the Vatican — again.”

Combs, a retired speech therapist in Winchester, Va., now attends Grace Lutheran Church. The Pennsylvania stories broke her heart, but she was comforted knowing she was done with Catholicism.

Then a friend brought up a startling possibility. Technically, she might still be counted by the Catholic Church as a member.

Combs researched her status, which led her to the office of the Rev. Thomas Ferguson, vicar general of the Catholic Diocese of Arlington, Va. After five weeks of trying to talk to the vicar general, she got a one-sentence response from Ferguson through a staffer, saying it was impossible to defect from the Catholic Church. (The Diocese of Arlington declined to discuss this subject with The Washington Post.)

Combs had struck on a frustrating piece of church bureaucracy: According to Catholic theology, there are no former Catholics.

That means I am technically Catholic, too, as I was baptized, per family tradition. But I am an atheist. I stopped considering myself affiliated with the Catholic Church long ago.

Recently, I too tried to formally split from the church. Between the Pennsylvania grand jury investigation and much of Catholic America’s apparent comfort with Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh, I wanted nothing to do with it.

I was as stunned as Combs when I found out there was no way to disaffiliate.


“The claim that underlies all of this, a claim most Christian denominations share, is that baptism, once given, can’t be taken back,” said Patrick Hornbeck, chair of theology at Fordham University, a Catholic school. “When a person is baptized, the person always remains, in some way, shape or form, related to the Catholic Church.”

Formal acts of defection were introduced in the 1983 Code of Canon Law to solve a regulatory issue in some Catholic marriages. Unintentionally, that allowed defection for any reason. Pope Benedict XVI closed the loophole in 2010.

In theory, the act appended one’s baptismal record to show that the person no longer recognized church authority. But diocesan responses were inconsistent. Some honored defections, while others considered requests case by case or not at all, Hornbeck said.

Other separations exist. The church can excommunicate a member, a remedial denial of sacraments or church participation to encourage repentance for some wrong. “Notorious acts of defection” are significant public renunciations of church authority, including openly switching faiths or denominations. But neither appends the all-important baptismal record.

When voluntary defection was an option, grass-roots movements sprang up to encourage it. One website, CountMeOut.ie, launched in 2009 in response to the government of Ireland’s Ryan Report on church abuse. Visitors could simply download a Declaration of Defection form, fill in their details and send it to the relevant bishop.

“The original goal was to use the church’s own mechanism as a means of protest against it,” said Cormac Flynn, who co-founded the site with friends Grainne O’Sullivan and Paul Dunbar.

More than 12,000 forms were downloaded before Benedict nullified defections a year later and the site shuttered. Nearly 10 years later, the founders remember it as important activism for an Ireland still reevaluating its relationship with the church, Flynn said.

“Our contribution was a small one, but I do look back on that time with some pride that we added something to the national debate,” he said.

CountMeOut did not track how many downloads actually became defections. In fact, there is no churchwide record of defections, according to Mark Gray, who tracks church statistics at the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate at Georgetown.

When Hornbeck surveyed U.S. dioceses, he found that the numbers of defection requests varied, ranging from zero to 650. Dioceses averaged about 25 defection requests over the 27-year span that they were allowed.

Far more people consider themselves “former Catholics” without formally defecting. In 2008, the Pew Research Center found that about one-third of those raised Catholic were no longer practicing, meaning about 10 percent of Americans are former Catholics. Instead of defecting, the vast majority simply stop attending Mass.

That was good enough for Combs for years, but now that she knows she’s still considered Catholic, she’s angry. She wonders whether she can join some class-action defection lawsuit. Dismissing someone who is unhappy to be tied to your organization’s criminal history just seems stunningly arrogant, she said. “How many others are dealing with this?” she asked. “If people heard they were ‘still Catholic,’ how many of them would be outraged?”

Combs and I are two. The true number could potentially be in the millions.

But if church theology does not recognize them, the law might not help. In the United States, religious organizations have the right to define their membership. Individuals also have the right to exit a religion for any reason. And in between those principles is a huge gray area, said Jessie Hill, a law professor at Case Western Reserve University.


So Catholics can pursue another faith or none, but the church can still consider them Catholic, provided it does not infringe on their rights.

“The courts won’t intervene when something has to do with the church rules,” Hill said. “They will avoid anything that requires them to make a judgment about an essentially religious issue.”

Avowed defectors of any faith might have legal standing if their former religious institution made damaging statements on their behalf, although courts might be wary of setting precedent, Hill said.

Still, Combs said formal defection would bring her peace of mind.

“It’s about my own integrity,” she said. “I truly believe they institutionalized child abuse. I just don’t want my name, my soul, my self to be in any way affiliated with them.”




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October 21, 2018

President Donald Trump has strong support among enlisted members of the military according to a scientific Military Times pol



President Donald Trump has strong support among enlisted members of the military according to a scientific Military Times poll via @MilitaryTimes



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Save America. Vote Republican. Your vote matters. Democrats produce mobs. Republicans produce jobS





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Save America. Vote Republican. Your vote matters. Democrats produce mobs. Republicans produce jobs.



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President Trump GREAT Economy vs. the DISASTER of Barack Obama




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Rush Limbaugh explains the Trump phenomenon


Rush Limbaugh explains the Trump phenomenon




The amazing thing about Trump is that he has managed to do more in a year as president than any one else. He's keeping his promises, he's working for the people. Mostly, he's managed to do all this with ALL the BS the left have been throwing at him every single day . Who else could have dealt with all that and still be standing strong...NO ONE!



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President Trump Teddybears!


I LOVE my Trump Bears!!!





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October 20, 2018

President Donald J. Trump Rally in Elko, NV



President Donald J. Trump Rally in Elko, NV





President Donald J. Trump Rally in Elko, NV

Saturday, October 20, 2018- President Donald J. Trump holds a MAGA rally in Elko, NV. Video courtesy of Right Side Broadcasting Network

Thank you, President Trump, for keeping your promises to the American people!!!!


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October 19, 2018

President Trump hosts 'MAGA' rally in Arizona



President Trump hosts 'MAGA' rally in Arizona


The hangar had a 6000 person capacity, and over 40,000 went

GOP candidate and veteran Martha McSally's tight Arizona Senate race against Democratic hopeful Kyrsten Sinema brings President Trump to the state tonight.

This is a note from someone that tried to go to the rally...........

"I got there about an hour and a half before he arrived. Big mistake when I arrived all the parking was gone in both parking lots had to walk 3 miles about a quarter mile up I ran into the end of the line. The end of the line was 2 miles long. I decided I was probably not going to get in LOL and walked up the line to the front just to see the crowds. It was massive I have not seen that many people even at some of the best concerts I've been to. The Hanger supposedly held 4000 there was at least that many outside. Walked 6 miles tonight just to see him and did not get lucky enough to this time. Next time I will be taking the day off and going early in the morning"




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October 18, 2018

President Trump holds 'MAGA' rally in Montana



Trump holds 'MAGA' rally in Montana




President Trump hosts a campaign rally in Missoula, Montana on behalf of Republican Matt Rosendale's bid to unseat Democratic Senator Jon Tester in the upcoming midterm election.


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October 16, 2018

President Trump and the First Lady Visit Florida and Georgia




President Trump and the First Lady Visit Florida and Georgia


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October 14, 2018

Melania Trump sits down for an exclusive interview with ABC



Melania Trump sits down for an exclusive interview with ABC


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When asked about a second term in the White House,





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October 12, 2018

President Trump’s List: 289 accomplishments in just 20 months, ‘relentless’ promise-keeping



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Trump’s List: 289 accomplishments in just 20 months, ‘relentless’ promise-keeping


Washington Examiner


The Trump administration’s often overlooked list of achievements has surpassed those of former President Reagan at this time and more than doubled since the last tally of accomplishments after his first year in office, giving President Trump a solid platform to run for reelection on.

As Trump nears the two-year mark of his historic election and conducts political rallies around the country during which he talks up his wins in hopes it will energize Republican voters, the administration has counted up 289 accomplishments in 18 categories, capped by the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court.

They include 173 major wins like adding more than 4 million jobs and another 116 smaller victories, some with outsized importance such as the 83 percent one-year increase in arrests of MS-13 gang members.

“Trump’s successes in reducing the cost of taxes and regulations, rebuilding our military, avoiding wars of choice and changing the courts rival those of all previous Republican presidents,” said Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform.

“Trump has an advantage over Ronald Reagan: he has a Reagan Republican House and Senate while Reagan had a [Democratic Speaker] Tip O’Neill House and a pre-Reagan Republican Senate. Reagan and [former GOP Speaker] Newt Gingrich were the ice breakers that allowed Trump’s victories to grow in number and significance,” he added.

Unlike the Year One list which included many proposals and orders still to be acted on, the new collection includes dozens of actions already in place, signed legislation and enforced executive orders.


For example, while the Year One list bragged about the administration’s efforts to rewrite the much-maligned NAFTA trade deal with Canada and Mexico, the Year Two list said, “Negotiated an historic U.S.-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement to replace NAFTA.”




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And shockingly the NAFTA achievement is presented as a sidebar to the larger achievement that reads, “President Trump is negotiating and renegotiating better trade deals, achieving free, fair, and reciprocal trade for the United States.” Under that umbrella are eight trade deals cut with Japan, South Korea, Europe and China.

“President Trump is a truly unique leader in American history. He’s a kid from Queens who became an international business leader and made billions by getting things when no one said he could,” said Trump’s 2016 campaign pollster John McLaughlin.

“They told him he couldn’t be president and beat the establishment and he did. For two years the establishment is telling him he can’t do things in Washington and he’s succeeding in spite of them. He never retreats. He doesn’t back up. He’s relentless. He just wins,” he added.

Comparing the two years shows that the latest has an expanded group of economic achievements while the pro-life category was folded into the health care section.

Along the way, there have been some disappointments such as failing to replace Obamacare, fund a big infrastructure plan and build the border wall.

But the White House believes that despite a lack of media coverage of his accomplishments, supporters know about them and will head to the voting polls to help the GOP maintain control of the House and keep the president on what CNN dubbed a “winning streak.”

In the Washington Post Friday, former Bush speechwriter and columnist Marc Thiessen agreed, and said that Trump has proven to be successful at keeping his campaign promises. He wrote, “The fact is, in his first two years, Trump has compiled a remarkable record of presidential promise-keeping.”

THE LIST

Economic Growth

4.2 percent growth in the second quarter of 2018.
For the first time in more than a decade, growth is projected to exceed 3 percent over the calendar year.

Jobs

4 million new jobs have been created since the election, and more than 3.5 million since Trump took office.
More Americans are employed now than ever before in our history.
Jobless claims at lowest level in nearly five decades.
The economy has achieved the longest positive job-growth streak on record.
Job openings are at an all-time high and outnumber job seekers for the first time on record.
Unemployment claims at 50 year low
African-American, Hispanic, and Asian-American unemployment rates have all recently reached record lows.

--African-American unemployment hit a record low of 5.9 percent in May 2018. --Hispanic unemployment at 4.5 percent.
--Asian-American unemployment at record low of 2 percent.

Women’s unemployment recently at lowest rate in nearly 65 years.

--Female unemployment dropped to 3.6 percent in May 2018, the lowest since October 1953.

Youth unemployment recently reached its lowest level in more than 50 years.

--July 2018’s youth unemployment rate of 9.2 percent was the lowest since July 1966.

Veterans’ unemployment recently hit its lowest level in nearly two decades.

--July 2018’s veterans’ unemployment rate of 3.0 percent matched the lowest rate since May 2001.

Unemployment rate for Americans without a high school diploma recently reached a record low.
Rate for disabled Americans recently hit a record low.
Blue-collar jobs recently grew at the fastest rate in more than three decades.
Poll found that 85 percent of blue-collar workers believe their lives are headed “in the right direction.”

--68 percent reported receiving a pay increase in the past year.

Last year, job satisfaction among American workers hit its highest level since 2005.
Nearly two-thirds of Americans rate now as a good time to find a quality job.

--Optimism about the availability of good jobs has grown by 25 percent.

Added more than 400,000 manufacturing jobs since the election.

--Manufacturing employment is growing at its fastest pace in more than two decades.

100,000 new jobs supporting the production & transport of oil & natural gas.

American Income

Median household income rose to $61,372 in 2017, a post-recession high.
Wages up in August by their fastest rate since June 2009.
Paychecks rose by 3.3 percent between 2016 and 2017, the most in a decade.
Council of Economic Advisers found that real wage compensation has grown by 1.4 percent over the past year.
Some 3.9 million Americans off food stamps since the election.
Median income for Hispanic-Americans rose by 3.7 percent and surpassed $50,000 for the first time ever in history.

--Home-ownership among Hispanics is at the highest rate in nearly a decade.

Poverty rates for African-Americans and Hispanic-Americans have reached their lowest levels ever recorded.

American Optimism

Small business optimism has hit historic highs.

--NFIB’s small business optimism index broke a 35 year-old record in August. --SurveyMonkey/CNBC’s small business confidence survey for Q3 of 2018 matched its all-time high.

Manufacturers are more confident than ever.

--95 percent of U.S. manufacturers are optimistic about the future, the highest ever.

Consumer confidence is at an 18-year high.
12 percent of Americans rate the economy as the most significant problem facing our country, the lowest level on record.
Confidence in the economy is near a two-decade high, with 51 percent rating the economy as good or excellent.

American Business

Investment is flooding back into the United States due to the tax cuts.

--Over $450 billion dollars has already poured back into the U.S., including more than $300 billion in the first quarter of 2018.

Retail sales have surged. Commerce Department figures from August show that retail sales increased 0.5 percent in July 2018, an increase of 6.4 percent from July 2017.
ISM’s index of manufacturing scored its highest reading in 14 years.
Worker productivity is the highest it has been in more than three years.
Steel and aluminum producers are re-opening.
Dow Jones Industrial Average, S&P 500, and NASDAQ have all notched record highs.

--Dow hit record highs 70 times in 2017 alone, the most ever recorded in one year.
Deregulation

Achieved massive deregulation at a rapid pace, completing 22 deregulatory actions to every one regulatory action during his first year in office.
Signed legislation to roll back costly and harmful provisions of Dodd-Frank, providing relief to credit unions, and community and regional banks.
Federal agencies achieved more than $8 billion in lifetime net regulatory cost savings.
Rolled back Obama’s burdensome Waters of the U.S. rule.
Used the Congressional Review Act to repeal regulations more times than in history.

Tax Cuts

Biggest tax cuts and reforms in American history by signing the Tax Cuts and Jobs act into law.

--Provided more than $5.5 trillion in gross tax cuts, nearly 60 percent of which will go to families. --Increased the exemption for the death tax to help save Family Farms & Small Business.
--Nearly doubled the standard deduction for individuals and families.
--Enabled vast majority of American families will be able to file their taxes on a single page by claiming the standard deduction.
--Doubled the child tax credit to help lessen the financial burden of raising a family.
--Lowered America’s corporate tax rate from the highest in the developed world to allow American businesses to compete and win.
--Small businesses can now deduct 20 percent of their business income.
--Cut dozens of special interest tax breaks and closed loopholes for the wealthy.

9 in 10 American workers are expected see an increase in their paychecks thanks to the tax cuts, according to the Treasury Department.
More than 6 million of American workers have received wage increases, bonuses, and increased benefits thanks to tax cuts.
Over 100 utility companies have lowered electric, gas, or water rates thanks to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
Ernst & Young found 89 percent of companies planned to increase worker compensation thanks to the Trump tax cuts.
Established opportunity zones to spur investment in left behind communities.

Worker Development

Established a National Council for the American Worker to develop a national strategy for training and retraining America’s workers for high-demand industries.
Employers have signed Trump’s “Pledge to America’s Workers,” committing to train or retrain more than 4.2 million workers and students.
Signed the first Perkins CTE reauthorization since 2006, authorizing more than $1 billion for states each year to fund vocational and career education programs.
Executive order expanding apprenticeship opportunities for students and workers.

Domestic Infrastructure

Proposed infrastructure plan would utilize $200 billion in Federal funds to spur at least $1.5 trillion in infrastructure investment across the country.
Executive order expediting environmental reviews and approvals for high priority infrastructure projects.
Federal agencies have signed the One Federal Decision Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) streamlining the federal permitting process for infrastructure projects.
Rural prosperity task force and signed an executive order to help expand broadband access in rural areas.

Health Care

Signed an executive order to help minimize the financial burden felt by American households Signed legislation to improve the National Suicide Hotline.
Signed the most comprehensive childhood cancer legislation ever into law, which will advance childhood cancer research and improve treatments.
Signed Right-to-Try legislation, expanding health care options for terminally ill patients.
Enacted changes to the Medicare 340B program, saving seniors an estimated $320 million on drugs in 2018 alone.
FDA set a new record for generic drug approvals in 2017, saving consumers nearly $9 billion.
Released a blueprint to drive down drug prices for American patients, leading multiple major drug companies to announce they will freeze or reverse price increases.
Expanded short-term, limited-duration health plans.
Let more employers to form Association Health Plans, enabling more small businesses to join together and affordably provide health insurance to their employees.
Cut Obamacare’s burdensome individual mandate penalty.
Signed legislation repealing Obamacare’s Independent Payment Advisory Board, also known as the “death panels.”
USDA invested more than $1 billion in rural health care in 2017, improving access to health care for 2.5 million people in rural communities across 41 states
Proposed Title X rule to help ensure taxpayers do not fund the abortion industry in violation of the law.
Reinstated and expanded the Mexico City Policy to keep foreign aid from supporting the global abortion industry.
HHS formed a new division over protecting the rights of conscience and religious freedom.
Overturned Obama administration’s midnight regulation prohibiting states from defunding certain abortion facilities.
Signed executive order to help ensure that religious organizations are not forced to choose between violating their religious beliefs by complying with Obamacare’s contraceptive mandate or shutting their doors.

Combating Opioids

Chaired meeting the 73rd General Session of the United Nations discussing the worldwide drug problem with international leaders.
Initiative to Stop Opioid Abuse and Reduce Drug Supply and Demand, introducing new measures to keep dangerous drugs out of our communities.
$6 billion in new funding to fight the opioid epidemic.
DEA conducted a surge in April 2018 that arrested 28 medical professions and revoked 147 registrations for prescribing too many opioids.
Brought the “Prescribed to Death” memorial to President’s Park near the White House, helping raise awareness about the human toll of the opioid crisis.
Helped reduce high-dose opioid prescriptions by 16 percent in 2017.
Opioid Summit on the administration-wide efforts to combat the opioid crisis.
Launched a national public awareness campaign about the dangers of opioid addiction.
Created a Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis which recommended a number of pathways to tackle the opioid crisis.
Led two National Prescription Drug Take Back Days in 2017 and 2018, collecting a record number of expired and unneeded prescription drugs each time.
$485 million targeted grants in FY 2017 to help areas hit hardest by the opioid crisis.
Signed INTERDICT Act, strengthening efforts to detect and intercept synthetic opioids before they reach our communities.
DOJ secured its first-ever indictments against Chinese fentanyl manufacturers.
Joint Criminal Opioid Darknet Enforcement (J-CODE) team, aimed at disrupting online illicit opioid sales.
Declared the opioid crisis a Nationwide Public Health Emergency in October 2017.

Law and order

More U.S. Circuit Court judges confirmed in the first year in office than ever.
Confirmed more than two dozen U. S. Circuit Court judges.
Followed through on the promise to nominate judges to the Supreme Court who will adhere to the Constitution.

--Nominated and confirmed Justice Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court.

Signed an executive order directing the Attorney General to develop a strategy to more effectively prosecute people who commit crimes against law enforcement officers.
Launched an evaluation of grant programs to make sure they prioritize the protection and safety of law enforcement officers.
Established a task force to reduce crime and restore public safety in communities across Signed an executive order to focus more federal resources on dismantling transnational criminal organizations such as drug cartels.
Signed an executive order to focus more federal resources on dismantling transnational criminal organizations such as drug cartels.
Violent crime decreased in 2017 according to FBI statistics.
$137 million in grants through the COPS Hiring Program to preserve jobs, increase community policing capacities, and support crime prevention efforts.
Enhanced and updated the Project Safe Neighborhoods to help reduce violent crime.
Signed legislation making it easier to target websites that enable sex trafficking and strengthened penalties for people who promote or facilitate prostitution.
Created an interagency task force working around the clock to prosecute traffickers, protect victims, and prevent human trafficking.
Conducted Operation Cross Country XI to combat human trafficking, rescuing 84 children and arresting 120 human traffickers.
Encouraged federal prosecutors to use the death penalty when possible in the fight against the trafficking of deadly drugs.
New rule effectively banning bump stock sales in the United States.

Border Security and Immigration

Secured $1.6 billion for border wall construction in the March 2018 omnibus bill.
Construction of a 14-mile section of border wall began near San Diego.
Worked to protect American communities from the threat posed by the vile MS-13 gang.

--ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations division arrested 796 MS-13 members and associates in FY 2017, an 83 percent increase from the prior year. --Justice worked with partners in Central America to secure criminal charges against more than 4,000 MS-13 members.
--Border Patrol agents arrested 228 illegal aliens affiliated with MS-13 in FY 2017.

Fighting to stop the scourge of illegal drugs at our border.

--ICE HSI seized more than 980,000 pounds of narcotics in FY 2017, including 2,370 pounds of fentanyl and 6,967 pounds of heroin. --ICE HSI dedicated nearly 630,000 investigative hours towards halting the illegal import of fentanyl.
--ICE HSI made 11,691 narcotics-related arrests in FY 2017.
--Stop Opioid Abuse and Reduce Drug Supply and Demand introduced new measures to keep dangerous drugs out the United States.
--Signed the INTERDICT Act into law, enhancing efforts to detect and intercept synthetic opioids.
--DOJ secured its first-ever indictments against Chinese fentanyl manufacturers.
--DOJ launched their Joint Criminal Opioid Darknet Enforcement (J-CODE) team, aimed at disrupting online illicit opioid sales.

Released an immigration framework that includes the resources required to secure our borders and close legal loopholes, and repeatedly called on Congress to fix our broken immigration laws.
Authorized the deployment of the National Guard to help secure the border.
Enhanced vetting of individuals entering the U.S. from countries that don’t meet security standards, helping to ensure individuals who pose a threat to our country are identified before they enter.

--These procedures were upheld in a June 2018 Supreme Court hearing.

ICE removed over 226,000 illegal aliens from the United States in 2017.

--ICE rescued or identified over 500 human trafficking victims and over 900 child exploitation victims in 2017 alone.

In 2017, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) arrested more than 127,000 aliens with criminal convictions or charges, responsible for:

--Over 76,000 with dangerous drug offenses. --More than 48,000 with assault offenses.
--More than 11,000 with weapons offenses.
--More than 5,000 with sexual assault offenses.
--More than 2,000 with kidnapping offenses.
--Over 1,800 with homicide offenses.

Created the Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement (VOICE) Office in order to support the victims and families affected by illegal alien crime.
More than doubled the number of counties participating in the 287(g) program, which allows jails to detain criminal aliens until they are transferred to ICE custody.

TRADE

Negotiating and renegotiating better trade deals, achieving free, fair, and reciprocal trade for the United States.

--Agreed to work with the European Union towards zero tariffs, zero non-tariff barriers, and zero subsides. --Deal with the European Union to increase U.S. energy exports to Europe.
--Litigated multiple WTO disputes targeting unfair trade practices and upholding our right to enact fair trade laws.
--Finalized a revised trade agreement with South Korea, which includes provisions to increase American automobile exports.
--Negotiated an historic U.S.-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement to replace NAFTA.
--Agreement to begin trade negotiations for a U.S.-Japan trade agreement.
--Secured $250 billion in new trade and investment deals in China and $12 billion in Vietnam.
--Established a Trade and Investment Working Group with the United Kingdom, laying the groundwork for post-Brexit trade.

Enacted steel and aluminum tariffs to protect our vital steel and aluminum producers and strengthen our national security.
Conducted 82 anti-dumping and countervailing duty investigations in 2017 alone.
Confronting China’s unfair trade practices after years of Washington looking the other way.

--25 percent tariff on $50 billion of goods imported from China and later imposed an additional 10% tariff on $200 billion of Chinese goods. --Conducted an investigation into Chinese forced technology transfers, unfair licensing practices, and intellectual property theft.
--Imposed safeguard tariffs to protect domestic washing machines and solar products manufacturers hurt by China’s trade policies.

Withdrew from the job-killing Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).
Secured access to new markets for America’s farmers.

--Recent deal with Mexico included new improvements enabling food and agriculture to trade more fairly. --Recent agreement with the E.U. will reduce barriers and increase trade of American soybeans to Europe.
--Won a WTO dispute regarding Indonesia’s unfair restriction of U.S. agricultural exports.
--Defended American Tuna fisherman and packagers before the WTO
--Opened up Argentina to American pork experts for the first time in a quarter-century
--American beef exports have returned to china for the first time in more than a decade.

OK’d up to $12 billion in aid for farmers affected by unfair trade retaliation.

Energy

Presidential Memorandum to clear roadblocks to construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline.
Presidential Memorandum declaring that the Dakota Access Pipeline serves the national interest and initiating the process to complete construction.
Opened up the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge to energy exploration.
Coal exports up over 60 percent in 2017.
Rolled back the “stream protection rule” to prevent it from harming America’s coal industry.
Cancelled Obama’s anti-coal Clean Power Plan and proposed the Affordable Clean Energy Rule as a replacement.
Withdrew from the job-killing Paris climate agreement, which would have cost the U.S. nearly $3 trillion and led to 6.5 million fewer industrial sector jobs by 2040.
U.S. oil production has achieved its highest level in American history
United States is now the largest crude oil producer in the world.
U.S. has become a net natural gas exporter for the first time in six decades.
Action to expedite the identification and extraction of critical minerals that are vital to the nation’s security and economic prosperity.
Took action to reform National Ambient Air Quality Standards, benefitting American manufacturers.
Rescinded Obama’s hydraulic fracturing rule, which was expected to cost the industry $32 million per year.
Proposed an expansion of offshore drilling as part of an all-of-the above energy strategy.

--Held a lease sale for offshore oil and gas leases in the Gulf of Mexico in August 2018.

Got EU to increase its imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the United States.
Issued permits for the New Burgos Pipeline that will cross the U.S.-Mexico border.

Foreign Policy

Moved the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.
Withdrew from Iran deal and immediately began the process of re-imposing sanctions that had been lifted or waived.

--Treasury has issued sanctions targeting Iranian activities and entities, including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force. --Since enacting sanctions, Iran’s crude exports have fallen off, the value of Iran’s currency has plummeted, and international companies have pulled out of the country.
--All nuclear-related sanctions will be back in full force by early November 2018.

Historic summit with North Korean President Kim Jong-Un, bringing beginnings of peace and denuclearization to the Korean Peninsula.

--The two leaders have exchanged letters and high-level officials from both sides have met resulting in tremendous progress. --North Korea has halted nuclear and missile tests.
--Negotiated the return of the remains of missing-in-action soldiers from the Korean War.

Imposed strong sanctions on Venezuelan dictator Nicholas Maduro and his inner circle.
Executive order preventing those in the U.S. from carrying out certain transactions with the Venezuelan regime, including prohibiting the purchase of the regime’s debt.
Responded to the use of chemical weapons by the Syrian regime.

--Rolled out sanctions targeting individuals and entities tied to Syria’s chemical weapons program. --Directed strikes in April 2017 against a Syrian airfield used in a chemical weapons attack on innocent civilians.
--Joined allies in launching airstrikes in April 2018 against targets associated with Syria’s chemical weapons use.

New Cuba policy that enhanced compliance with U.S. law and held the Cuban regime accountable for political oppression and human rights abuses.

--Treasury and State are working to channel economic activity away from the Cuban regime, particularly the military.

Changed the rules of engagement, empowering commanders to take the fight to ISIS.

--ISIS has lost virtually all of its territory, more than half of which has been lost under Trump. --ISIS’ self-proclaimed capital city, Raqqah, was liberated in October 2017.
--All Iraqi territory had been liberated from ISIS.

More than a dozen American hostages have been freed from captivity all of the world.
Action to combat Russia’s malign activities, including their efforts to undermine the sanctity of United States elections.

--Expelled dozens of Russian intelligence officers from the United States and ordered the closure of the Russian consulate in Seattle, WA. --Banned the use of Kaspersky Labs software on government computers, due to the company’s ties to Russian intelligence.
--Imposed sanctions against five Russian entities and three individuals for enabling Russia’s military and intelligence units to increase Russia’s offensive cyber capabilities.
--Sanctions against seven Russian oligarchs, and 12 companies they own or control, who profit from Russia’s destabilizing activities.
--Sanctioned 100 targets in response to Russia’s occupation of Crimea and aggression in Eastern Ukraine.
--Enhanced support for Ukraine’s Armed Forces to help Ukraine better defend itself.

Helped win U.S. bid for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
Helped win U.S.-Mexico-Canada’s united bid for 2026 World Cup.

Defense

Executive order keeping the detention facilities at U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay open.
$700 billion in military funding for FY 2018 and $716 billion for FY 2019.
Largest military pay raise in nearly a decade.
Ordered a Nuclear Posture Review to ensure America’s nuclear forces are up to date and serve as a credible deterrent.
Released America’s first fully articulated cyber strategy in 15 years.
New strategy on national biodefense, which better prepares the nation to defend against biological threats.
Administration has announced that it will use whatever means necessary to protect American citizens and servicemen from unjust prosecution by the International Criminal Court.
Released an America first National Security Strategy.
Put in motion the launch of a Space Force as a new branch of the military and relaunched the National Space Council.
Encouraged North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) allies to increase defense spending to their agree-upon levels.

--In 2017 alone, there was an increase of more than 4.8 percent in defense spending amongst NATO allies. --Every member state has increased defense spending.
--Eight NATO allies will reach the 2 percent benchmark by the end of 2018 and 15 allies are on trade to do so by 2024.
--NATO allies spent over $42 billion dollars more on defense since 2016.

Executive order to help military spouses find employment as their families deploy domestically and abroad.

Veterans affairs

Signed the VA Accountability Act and expanded VA telehealth services, walk-in-clinics, and same-day urgent primary and mental health care.

--Delivered more appeals decisions – 81,000 – to veterans in a single year than ever before.

Strengthened protections for individuals who come forward and identify programs occurring within the VA.
Signed legislation that provided $86.5 billion in funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the largest dollar amount in history for the VA.
VA MISSION Act, enacting sweeping reform to the VA system that:

--Consolidated and strengthened VA community care programs. --Funding for the Veterans Choice program.
--Expanded eligibility for the Family Caregivers Program.
--Gave veterans more access to walk-in care.
--Strengthened the VA’s ability to recruit and retain quality healthcare professionals.
--Enabled the VA to modernize its assets and infrastructure.

Signed the VA Choice and Quality Employment Act in 2017, which authorized $2.1 billion in addition funds for the Veterans Choice Program.
Worked to shift veterans’ electronic medical records to the same system used by the Department of Defense, a decades old priority.
Issued an executive order requiring the Secretaries of Defense, Homeland Security, and Veterans Affairs to submit a joint plan to provide veterans access to access to mental health treatment as they transition to civilian life.
Increased transparency and accountability at the VA by launching an online “Access and Quality Tool,” providing veterans with access to wait time and quality of care data.
Signed legislation to modernize the claims and appeal process at the VA.
Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act, providing enhanced educational benefits to veterans, service members, and their family members.

--Lifted a 15-year limit on veterans’ access to their educational benefits.

Created a White House VA Hotline to help veterans and principally staffed it with veterans and direct family members of veterans.
VA employees are being held accountable for poor performance, with more than 4,000 VA employees removed, demoted, and suspended so far.
Signed the Veterans Treatment Court Improvement Act, increasing the number of VA employees that can assist justice-involved veterans.




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October 11, 2018

Continued Photos of Kanye West Visit to See President Trump in Oval Office



Kanye gives President Trump, Ivanka, and Jared 'Make America Great', 'Make Earth Great Again', and 'Travel Space Again' Hats!



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Kanye with Pres. Sec. Sarah Sanders



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"They tried to scare me to not wear this hat, my own friends, but this hat it gives me, it gives me power,' Kanye West asserted. 'You know, my dad and my mom separated, so I didn't have a lot of male energy in my home. And also, I'm married to a family that, you know – not a lot of male energy going on. It's beautiful though,' he said, breaking into nervous laughter as he spoke about his wife Kim Kardashian West and her family.

The rapper said that he loves Hillary Clinton but the slogan 'I'm with her' didn't empower him to be the kind of man or father he felt his son deserved.

'I love Hillary. I love everyone, right? But the campaign "I'm with her" just didn't make me feel, as a guy that didn't get to see my dad all the time, like a guy that could play catch with his son,' he said. 'It was something about, when I put this hat on, it made me feel like Superman. That's my favorite super hero. He said the hat is like a Superman cape and said that Trump made him a billionaire.

West told Trump, 'I love you,' as he came around to give him a hug. The president informed him that the didn't want to put him in a bad spot. West said, 'I'm standing in this spot and I love this guy right here."


Kanye, Jim Brown and President Trump




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/center>



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President Trump, Kanye West, Jim Brown and Kid Rock spoke to reporters in the Oval Office Followwd by Lunch Together




President Donald Trump and rapper Kanye West spoke to reporters in the Oval Office Thursday afternoon before their lunch meeting.

“Trump is on his hero’s journey right now,” West said. “He might not have thought he’d have a crazy mother-fucker like Kanye West run up and support, but best believe — we are going to make America great.”

West wore Trump’s campaign MAGA hat, urging Americans to rally around the president. He said that the hat was his “superman cape” allowing him to do whatever he wanted.

“We have to release the love throughout the entire country and give opportunities,” he said.

Kanye West spoke for about 20 minutes speaking his support for Trump and took questions from reporters.

“I don’t answer questions that are simple soundbites. You are tasting a fine wine, it has multiple notes to it,” he said. “You better play 4D chess with me like Minority Report.”

Trump praised Kanye’s remarks, which had to be edited by TV censors before it was aired on cable news.

“He can speak for me any time he wants. He’s a smart cookie,” he said. “He gets it.”

“It was from the soul,” West replied, “I just channeled it.”



Comments by Chrissie.........


Jim Brown is revered by older blacks and Kanye has a huge following with young blacks.

I like this........."Kanye says when he puts on his MAGA hat he feels Luke Superman!"


I really admire the courage he has shown while being subjected to withering criticism and insults from the "tolerant" left. He’ll be subjected to even worse after this meeting.



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President Trump Participates in a Signing Ceremony for H.R. 1551, the “Orrin G. Hatch-Bob Goodlatte Music Modernization Act”





President Trump Participates in a Signing Ceremony for H.R. 1551, the “Orrin G. Hatch-Bob Goodlatte Music Modernization Act”

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October 09, 2018

President Trump, Kushner to meet with Kanye West at White House




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Trump, Kushner to meet with Kanye West at White House

The Hill

Rapper Kanye West will meet with President Trump and senior adviser Jared Kushner on Thursday, the White House confirmed early Tuesday.

“Kanye West is coming to the White House to have lunch with President Trump and he will also meet with Jared Kushner. Topics of discussions will include manufacturing resurgence in America, prison reform, how to prevent gang violence, and what can be done to reduce violence in Chicago,” White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said, according to a pool report.

West, who has become one of Trump’s most vocal celebrity supporters, will meet Kushner before having lunch with Trump at the White House, two people familiar with the plans told The New York Times on Monday.

The musician reportedly wants to discuss furthering job opportunities for former convicts with the administration officials.

West also hopes to discuss with Trump how to increase the number of manufacturing jobs near Chicago, where he grew up, the Times reported.

Kushner, who is also Trump's son-in-law, has met with West’s wife, reality star Kim Kardashian West, to discuss his focus on overhauling the criminal justice system.

Kardashian West met with Trump in the Oval Office in May to urge him to pardon Alice Marie Johnson, a grandmother serving a life sentence in prison for a nonviolent drug offense.

Trump and West also met following the 2016 presidential election.




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West in April called Trump his "brother" and said they are both “dragon energy.”

The rapper left social media again on Sunday after he was criticized for delivering a pro-Trump speech following his performance a week earlier on “Saturday Night Live.”

West during his speech claimed "SNL" cast members had "bullied" him and urged him not to wear a "Make America Great Again" hat onstage.

"SNL" cast member Pete Davidson mocked his speech on the latest episode of "SNL," calling it “one of the worst, most awkward things I’ve ever seen here.”

"He wore it all week, like, nobody told him not to wear it," Davidson said. "Like, I wish I bullied you. I wish I would've suggested that it might upset some people, like your wife, or every black person ever."

Jordan Fabian contributed to this report, which was updated on Oct. 9 at 8:17 a.m.


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October 08, 2018

USArmy Ten Miler were joined by supporters Ivanka (Trump) and husband Jared





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#ArmyTenMiler group photo with @ArmyChiefStaff, Hollyanne Milley, @SecArmy, @IvankaTrump, Col. Gadson and Jared!!





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FROM.....


Ivanka Trump
‏ @IvankaTrump
Oct 7

Just finished the #Army10miler! Army Strong! Hooah! (We spent much of the race behind a guy wearing a shirt that said “if you can read this, I’m not last."



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President Trump is donating his Q2 salary to help Veterans Start A Business




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Today, Press Sec.Sarah Sanders announced that President Trump is donating his Q2 salary to @SBAgov, (America's small businesses and entrepreneurs) and @SBALinda Sec of SBA Linda McMahon was on hand to accept the check!


The money will be used to help Veterans transition from military life to the private sector as entrepreneurs.

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Gorgeous First Lady Melania visiting Ghana, Malawi, Kenya and Egypt




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While visiting Ghana, Malawi, Kenya and Egypt, Mrs. Trump wove in her child-focused “Be Best” campaign.


Mrs. Trump met with Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, the Egyptian president, and Entissar Mohameed Amer, the Egyptian first lady at the presidential palace in Cairo. The two first ladies, along with Mr. Sisi, met for about an hour in the ornate palace with tight security.


Mrs. Trump visited Nairobi National Park, home to black rhinos, lions, leopards, cheetahs, buffaloes, giraffes and zebras, among other animals. Flanked by Secret Service agents, the first lady watched zebras graze, with the skyline of Kenya’s capital on the horizon. Despite the leisurely safari, Mrs. Trump drew criticism from the LEFT AND THE LEFT MEDIA ASSHOLES....... for wearing a white pith helmet, which is closely associated with colonialism in Africa.


Workers at the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust in Nairobi spend years bonding with orphaned elephants. Mrs. Trump helped feed the young elephants milk from giant bottles.


Cheerful children greeted Mrs. Trump at an orphanage in Nairobi that cares for 130 children and promotes women and children’s health. The first lady handed out “Be Best” blankets and teddy bears, and read stories to children.


After arriving in Malawi’s capital, Lilongwe, to much fanfare, Mrs. Trump visited the Chipala Primary School. Roughly 8,000 students attend the school, which employs just 75 teachers, according to the White House.

Mrs. Trump landed at Kotoka International Airport in Accra, Ghana, on Tuesday morning, greeted by a troop of cultural dancers, children waving American and Ghanaian flags, and Rebecca Akufo-Addo, the first lady of Ghana. Lillian Naa Adai Sai, 8, presented Mrs. Trump with a bouquet of flowers.


Mrs. Trump’s motorcade drew onlookers from the busy streets of Accra as it made its way to Greater Accra Regional Hospital. The first lady handed out teddy bears to children and visited the maternity ward, accompanied by Ms. Akufo-Addo.


Two hours before Mrs. Trump arrived at the Emintsimadze Palace in Cape Coast on Wednesday, several of her aides delivered traditional libations, meant to help the chiefs of the Fante people, who primarily live in Ghana, communicate with their ancestors.


Alongside crashing waves, Mrs. Trump toured Cape Coast Castle, a somber memorial site that formerly housed Ghanaian slaves before they were transported to the Americas by the British.

“This is a very special place,” Mrs. Trump said when asked about her visit. “I will never forget the incredible experience and the stories that I heard from the gentleman.”

“What happened so many years ago, it’s really a tragedy,” she added.



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Donald Trump Jr. and Kimberly Guilfoyle in Montana..Keep Montana RED!



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Donald Trump Jr: Kimberly Guilfoyle and I had a great time with Greg Gianforte and Matt for Montana yesterday in Hamilton, Montana at the Ravalli County Republican committee meeting. Had an amazing time speaking to some great people. Keep Montana Red!

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October 07, 2018

Congratulations to Justice Kavanaugh!



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Congratulations to Justice Kavanaugh for his perseverance, and resolve under fire.

Congratulations on your confirmation to the United States Supreme Court, Justice Brett Kavanaugh!

What an incredible moment in history today! So grateful that prayers were answered & Senate confirmed Judge Kavanaugh to serve as Justice on the Supreme Court. After 3 intense months, the fight is over..



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October 06, 2018

First Lady Melania in Egypt



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@FLOTUS⁩ tells reporters in Egypt she wishes people would focus on what she does, not what she wears. Press asked her about Judge recently confirmed and Melania praised Kavanaugh, was happy he is confirmed

From the AP reporter flying with staff on plane with First Lady Melania. .....

"flew 14,680 nautical miles on this trip, per advance staff on the plane. Melania Trump had never been to Africa and the visit marked her first major solo international tour."



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First Lady Melania Trump’s heartfelt visit to Africa







First Lady Melania Trump’s heartfelt visit to Africa

This week, First Lady Melania Trump is on her first solo international trip, visiting the African nations of Ghana, Malawi, Kenya, and Egypt. Wrapping up her first stops in Accra and Cape Coast, Ghana, the First Lady took her “Be Best” message to the children of Malawi today.

Lilongwe, Malawi, is known as the “warm heart of Africa.” This afternoon, Mrs. Trump was greeted at the airport by the First Lady of Malawi, Gertrude Mutharika—and her granddaughter, who handed Mrs. Trump a beautiful arrangement of flowers.

During a ceremony at the Chipala Primary School in Lilongwe today, Mrs. Trump spoke on the importance of educating and empowering youth. The children’s willingness to learn was moving: More than 8,000 students attend Chipala Primary School. The facility has 22 classrooms, with an average class size of about 106 students per class.

“The growth and success of a country starts with educating our children,” the First Lady said. “The positivity and passion to learn was so evident in each classroom, and I appreciate the time everyone took to show me around the school.”

The First Lady continued her journey this evening, arriving in Kenya for a two-day visit.


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October 05, 2018

Guitar Duo playing the 'Cavatina' by S. Myers from the Movie "The Deer Hunter"





Guitar Duo playing the 'Cavatina' by S. Myers from the Movie "The Deer Hunter" with the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra


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Great job Capital police! 302 protesters have been arrested for unlawfully demonstrating inside Senate Office Buildings





Washington DC. FOX NEWS


Great job Capital police! 302 protesters have been arrested for unlawfully demonstrating inside Senate Office Buildings


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SCOTUS Nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh Quote



“I am an optimist … I see the day that is coming. Not the day that has gone. I am optimistic about the future of America. I am optimistic about the future of our independent judiciary.”

– SCOTUS nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh #ConfirmKavanaugh

2:30 PM - Oct 5, 2018


From the Senate Cloakroom


loture on the Kavanaugh nomination has been invoked. Under the provisions of Rule XXII of the Standing Rules of the Senate, now begins up to 30 hours of debate on the nomination followed by a vote on confirmation.

Agreed to, 51-49: Motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar #1127, Brett M. Kavanaugh, of Maryland, to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States



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October 04, 2018

"We Honor Work" - President Trump Speaks to the National Electrical Contractors Association




"We Honor Work" - President Trump Speaks to the National Electrical Contractors Association

Remarks by President Trump at National Electrical Contractors Association Convention


THE PRESIDENT: Thank you, folks. (Applause.) I’ve paid you so much money over the years. David, I’ve given them so much money. That’s all right. And you did a good job. Please.

MR. LONG: As a memento for us of him being here, we have created him a hardhat with the Presidential Seal, the American flag, NECA, and our convention logo. You could use this in Washington from time to time. (Laughter and applause.)

THE PRESIDENT: I will use it. I will. That’s beautiful. Thank you, man. Thank you. (Applause.) Thank you. I don’t want to put it on because I’m afraid that I’ll mess up my hair. That would be terrible. (Laughter.) Did I have a good hair day? Or — I don’t know. Yes? Come on. (Laughter.) Got to do it. (Applause.) Thank you, man. Is it still okay? I think so.

Thank you, everybody. Please sit down. And it is true — I told David, “David, I paid these guys so much money over the years, built so many beautiful buildings.” And you know what? The job you do is incredible.

I’d go to some of those switchboards and I’d go to some of those connectors, and I said, “These are smart people. Putting that together, these are smart…” — and you are, you’re smart people and you’re talented people. Few people could do what you do, that I can tell you. So, thank you. (Applause.) Thank you. That’s true.

And thank you, David. I’m thrilled to be in the great city of Philadelphia. I went to college here at the Wharton School of Finance — U of Penn — with thousands of our nation’s most skilled and talented workers — the electrical contractors who make our country run. So true.

I also know from firsthand experience, America’s electrical contractors are the best in the world. Nobody even close. And now — (applause) — that’s true. Nobody close. And now, you have a friend and an ally in the White House. And you do. You have a friend. (Applause.)

I want to thank John Grau, Dan Walter, Mark Mazur — well, that’s a very interesting name, Greg Rick. Where — who’s Greg Rick? Where’s Greg? (Laughter.) Stand up. I love that name. “Greg Rick.” They have a lot of problem back-and-forth, I’ll bet, huh? Over your life, huh? (Laughter.) They call you “Rick”; they call you “Greg.” (Laughter.) And he’s a good man. And the incredible leadership team at the National Electrical Contractors Association. You have great leadership.

With your help, we will protect this noble trade for many generations to come. And you’re protecting it yourself with your talent.

I also want to thank a very special group of people who always get the job done and get it done right — the proud members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. Thank you very much. (Applause.) Thank you.

And speaking of energy, we are honored to be joined by Energy Secretary Rick Perry — where’s Rick? He’s around here. (Applause.) Stand up, Rick. Great job he’s doing. Doing a great job.

And Alex Acosta, as you know, Secretary of Labor. Alex. (Applause.) Thank you, Alex. He just developed two incredible healthcare plans that really work and they’re really popular. Thank you very much, Alex.

As well as two tremendous leaders from Pennsylvania, Congressmen G.T. Thompson and the great Lou Barletta — going to be your next senator I hope. (Applause.) Thank you. Thank you, G.T. Thank you, G.T. And thank you, Lou. What a job you’re doing.

I’ll tell you what, if he’s your next senator, you’re going to have no more problems. He is a doer. So, I’m very proud of you, man. Great job. And I hear you’re doing well, and I’m proud.

Also here with us are members of the Mississippi congressional delegation. In fact, I’m going there with the delegation. I’ll be there tonight.

People say, “Where do you get this energy?” You know where I get it? I love doing it, actually. If you love doing it, it’s easy. Right, David? (Applause.) If you don’t like doing it, not so good.

Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith — where’s Cindy? Cindy. (Applause.) Thank you, Cindy. I hear you’re doing really well. A man who always does well, Senator Roger Wicker. (Applause.) Roger. Been a great friend of mine from the beginning. Thank you, Roger. And Representative Gregg Harper. (Applause.) Thanks, Gregg. Thank you, Gregg.

This is really an incredible time for our nation. We are respected again. We are respected again, like we haven’t been respected in many, many decades. (Applause.)

We have the best economy in our history. Stock market today just hit another record high. That’s the hundred — I think its 103 times since I’m President that we’ve hit a new high. And hopefully, next year at this time we’ll hit many more. (Applause.) But that’s not a bad number, right? I think we’re up to 103. And if I’m off just by a little bit -– like if it’s 102 — it’ll be headlines. “Trump exaggerated.” (Laughter.) That’s why I always say “I think it’s around…”

With a Republican Congress, we’ve added more than 4 million new jobs since Election Day, and lifted 4 million Americans off of food stamps. Those are tremendous numbers. (Applause.)

Jobless claims are at a 50-year low. And the stock market, as I just said, is at an all-time high today. African American, Hispanic American, and Asian American unemployment rates have all recently achieved their lowest levels ever recorded. (Applause.) That’s pretty good.

That’s a very hard soundbite to beat, right, if you’re the opponent of Trump? When you say “highest and best numbers we’ve ever had.” And we have created over 50,000 new jobs in electrical contracting. That’s pretty good. That’s pretty good. Nobody thought that was going to be happening. (Applause.) And it’s going way up. It’s going up very fast.

America’s –- and just remember this –- America’s economic revival would not be possible without the men and women in this room. Would not be possible. I’ve built so much. I’ve done so much business with you. I’ve watched the things you’ve done and it’s incredible.

We are truly grateful to our electricians, our wiremen, linemen, engineers, technicians, journeymen, contractors, and apprentices –- oh, I love that word. That was a great — I love the word “apprentice.” (Applause.) I love that word.

You know, I did that show 14 seasons, and then I left. They wanted to sign me for three more seasons. I said, “No, I’m going to run for President.” (Laughter.) It’s true.

So they replaced me with a big, big movie star. And it didn’t last too well. It was gone like –- quickly. But I love that name. “The Apprentice.”

Who keep the engine of American prosperity running full speed ahead. We’re also fixing decades of disastrous trade deals that have plundered our factories and stolen our wealth and our jobs. What’s happened here over the last 20, 25 years, and more is horrible.

But we’re changing it all. We’ve added 400,000 new manufacturing jobs since the election. And that number, very shortly, will be up, David, to 640,000. Big things are happening currently. (Applause.)

And if you remember, the past administration said those are jobs that you’re not going to be adding. “You’re going to need a magic wand.” Do you remember that? Magic wand. There was no magic wand; it’s good policy and other things.

We are in the midst of a manufacturing renaissance –- something which nobody thought you’d hear –- which means more jobs for our great electrical contractors.

Yesterday, we made history by announcing an incredible, brand new trade deal to replace the horrible NAFTA deal that drained our country of jobs and companies. As I have said many times — (applause) — NAFTA was one of the worst trade deals ever made in any country at any time.

And now we have a great trade deal. And we have deal that is also good for Mexico and good for Canada. And we have a good partnership with the three. And it worked out. It all worked out. (Applause.)

As you probably noticed, and read, and saw, there were a little tough negotiations. But you know what? It all worked out. And we’re now on the right track. And we did a great deal with South Korea. It’s all working out.

Now, as you probably have heard, we’re looking at China and other countries, and we’re straightening out some of these horrible deals that stole our wealth, stole our jobs, stole so much from us. Actually, in many ways, stole our dignity as a country. (Applause.)

Our landmark new trade agreement is called the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA. Like YMCA; or United States Marine Corps, with an “A” at the end. (Laughter.) I liked the way it sounded. I didn’t want to use the name “NAFTA,” because NAFTA has been so bad for us. I would watch 20 years ago, 10 years ago, 15 years ago — you look at New England where the factories were devastated. People forget. People forget. You still have empty buildings all over the country from NAFTA, so I didn’t want to use the name “NAFTA.”

USMCA is the most advanced, modern, and balanced trade agreement ever negotiated. It is also the largest trade deal the United States has ever made. And we think it’s the largest trade deal ever made in the world — $1.2 trillion in commerce a year.

The USMCA will protect American workers, substantially increase exports of American agriculture. Our farmers are so happy. I spoke with Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa this morning. She was so happy. And the farmers and agricultural people are thrilled. They didn’t know if we’d ever be able to make a deal or certainly a fair deal for them. They’re thrilled. And this deal will revitalize, also, the American auto industry.

One thing I wanted was, I don’t want any incentives to get companies to leave our country; fire everybody; move to Mexico, or Canada, or someplace, and build cars and send them in — no tax, no nothing; and, in the meantime, we end up with nothing except unemployed people. Not going to happen anymore. That’s what I wanted in this deal. It was so important. (Applause.) It was so important.

Do you remember those days? You all remember those days? When everybody was leaving the country? Going to make a product, send it in, and we end up with unemployed. That’s about all we got out of it — no nothing. So those days are over, folks.

Last week, I also stood beside President Moon and announced a new trade deal with South Korea that will increase exports of American-made cars very, very substantially; increase exports of agriculture; and also medicine, which is very big and very important business.

We’re preparing to start negotiations, right now, with Japan. And we have taken the toughest-ever actions in our history against China’s very abusive trading policies and trade practices.

China has been taking out of our country $500 billion a year and it was time to stop. Nobody ever did it. It’s crazy. (Applause.) Nobody ever did it — $500 billion a year. And we’re going to have a great relationship with China, but we have to be fair to ourselves, also.

After years of rebuilding foreign countries, we are finally rebuilding our country, and we are doing it with — (applause) — American aluminum, American steel, and with our great electrical contractors. It’s true. But we’re rebuilding our country. (Applause.) Yep.

We’re committed to revitalizing our infrastructure and strengthening our electrical grid. It’s so important.

Last week, I proudly signed legislation to completely rebuild the United States military. We’re purchasing the finest equipment on Earth, and it will be all made right here in the USA. We make the best equipment in the world. (Applause.) We make the greatest military equipment in the world — greatest missiles, greatest rockets, greatest planes, best rifles, best ships. We make the best military equipment, by far, in the world.

And it’s made also — much less importantly, in this case, David — but it’s also made with American jobs, which is very good. Normally jobs is number one. When it comes to military, we’ll put jobs at number two. We need the equipment, right? Probably seldom so much as these times.

And interestingly — I hope we never have to use it — but you know what assures that, or at least almost assures that? Having the most powerful military, by far, that we’ve ever had means we’l probably never have to use it. It’s very simple. (Applause.) We learned that — we learned that a long time ago, right? We learned that a long time ago.

Another critical element of national security is energy security. And, Rick Perry, you’re doing a great job. I’m proud of you. Very proud of you. He was the governor of Texas for 12 years. He was not only a great governor; he was a great cheerleader. And he ran for President — he was nasty against me, wasn’t he, though? Wow. (Laughter.) He was tough. And you’re doing great, Rick. We appreciate it very much. (Applause.)

We are now the single largest producer of oil and gas anywhere in the world. This was very recent. (Applause.) Took a lot of regulations off. We have plenty left. But we took regulations off which allowed us to do things that we would never have been able to do. Think of it: We’re the single-largest producer of energy in the world. Did you ever think you were going to hear that? This all happened very quickly.

We’ve ended the war on clean, beautiful, Pennsylvenle [Pennsylvania] — hey — your clean, beautiful, Pennsylvania coal. Right? It’s beautiful. It’s clean. What they can do with coal today is incredible. And we have more of it than anybody in the world and we’re producing energy-rich Pennsylvania shale.

To get you more contracts and more jobs, we’ve slashed a record number of regulations. And we’ve approved immediately — like first day, first week — the Keystone XL Pipeline and the Dakota Access Pipelines. That’s 48,000 jobs in one day. Boom, boom. Had to sign something.

Those companies have never had it so good. That was dead. Both of them were dead. And I came along. I think it could’ve been my first day, Rick. Right? But close. And we signed it — 48,000 jobs immediately. And better than riding it on top, on the railroads. Better environmentally. You know, they talk about the environment.

And right now, our air is record clean. And our water is crystal clear. And that’s what we want. But we don’t want stopping jobs. We don’t want to do what some people wanted us to do — mostly, our foreign competitors.

And I’ve ordered federal agencies to dramatically speed up the federal permitting process so that you can get approvals much more quickly. We have the time down to one half of one half already. It used to take 20 years to get a highway approved; we’re close to two years, and I’d like to get it down to one.

And that doesn’t mean they’re going to approve it. But if they’re not going to approve it, somebody doesn’t have to give up their entire life going through an approval process only to have a 3 to 2 vote — “we’re not going to approve it.” (Applause.) So, we’re going to be close to one year, from twenty.

My administration has also taken historic action to make healthcare more affordable. Through Association Health Plans — that’s Alex — we are allowing businesses to band together and to buy much more affordable insurance for their employees, including across state lines — meaning you have tremendous competition. You have to see these insurance companies. They’re going crazy — sort of like the fake news media. They’re going crazy. (Laughter and applause.)

I used the term last night “loco” — in order to get the business — meaning you’re getting good deals. They’re getting great deals.

We opened up short-term, limited-duration plans so that individuals can buy the plan they want and the plan that they need at tremendously reduced costs. We’ve done great with that.

And we’ve eliminated much of Obamacare. And most importantly, we’ve eliminated the individual mandate. It’s gone. That was the thing in Obamacare that was just no good, where you paid a fortune for the privilege of not having to pay a fortune to have bad health care. Right? You know, guys are paying thousands of dollars so they don’t have to buy healthcare. (Applause.) We’ve gotten rid of it. Gone. That was a big one.

Thanks to our actions, I am pleased to announce that, for the first time since Obamacare was passed, premiums are not going to go up next year. We have done everything in the book. They are actually going to go down somewhat. And if we weren’t here, if you had another administration — they were going up another 122 percent, 153 percent, 70 percent, 80 percent.

And you look at what we’ve done, just through management of healthcare, and it’s not good stuff but we’ve keep the premiums down to the lowest number that they’ve been. So we’re very happy with that. A lot of people are very happy with that. (Applause.) Thank you.

And we’re strongly protecting your Medicare. We oppose efforts from Democrats to raid Medicare to fund socialism, robbing seniors of their benefits. Medicare belongs to the seniors who have earned it and paid into it for their entire lives. (Applause.) They want to take it away — the Democrats. And we will always protect Americans with preexisting conditions. That’s a major part of what I’m all about. (Applause.)

At the heart of our economic revival are the massive tax cuts passed by Republicans in Congress. We didn’t get one Democrat vote. And those tax cuts are one of the reasons the economy is doing so well. But you’re talking about a lot of money in the pockets of everybody in this room. A typical family of four earning $75,000, as an example, will see an income tax cut of more than $2,000, slashing their tax bill in half, and, in many cases, much more than that. (Applause.) Big difference.

And small businesses can now deduct 20 percent of their business income — one of the most significant small business tax cuts in the history of our country. Very big cut. Big incentive. (Applause.)

Capital investments are soaring because you can now immediately deduct every penny spent on new equipment. You can do one-year expensing. Nobody thought that was ever going to happen. In fact, I should leave and go back into business maybe. (Applause.) If you would have told me that when I was a private businessman, maybe I wouldn’t have run for President.

One-year — think of it — one-year expensing. Normally, you write it off over 30, 40 years. One-year expensing. That’s an incentive to go out and do what you have to do. And I always said that was going to be one of the most important things in the package. That was a small clause that a lot of people didn’t talk about. And I said, “That’s going to be one of the most important.”

And bringing back trillions of dollars from overseas — money that was going to be spent in other parts of the world. Apple is bringing back $230 billion. They’re building plants all over the United States, and a great — from what I hear, a great campus, they call it. So many things are happening. But billions and billions of dollars is being brought back into our country — money that could never have been brought back under the old system.

And from now on, small business owners will be spared from the deeply unfair estate tax, also known as the “death tax.” (Applause.)

So if you have a small business or a farm or something — and you love your kids — now, if you don’t love your kids, it doesn’t help you. (Laughter.) Because if your kids don’t treat you good, don’t leave it to them. Give it to somebody else. (Laughter.) So it doesn’t help.

But if you love your kids, which probably 82 percent of you do — according to most (inaudible) — (laughter) — you can now leave your small business or your beautiful little farm or whatever it is that you’re so proud of — you leave it to your kids, and they don’t have to go out to the bank and borrow to pay the tax and end up losing it in a foreclosure. It’s such a big thing. A lot of people don’t talk about it, but we were able to get it.

So the estate tax — and the death tax, which is sort of the same thing — but gone — essentially gone for small business. So that’s great. (Applause.) A very big thing.

One of the millions of small businesses that is thriving thanks to tax cuts is Wilson Construction Company in Canby, Oregon. Stacy Wilson runs the business with her family, and she joins us today. Stacy, please come up and tell us about the incredible growth that you’ve seen since the institution of our tax cuts. Where is Stacy? Go ahead, Stacy. Come on up. (Applause.) From Oregon.

Thank you, Stacy.

MS. WILSON: Thank you. Wow.

THE PRESIDENT: (Inaudible.)

MS. WILSON: Thank you very much. Wow.

THE PRESIDENT: I’ll put that down.

MS. WILSON: Thank you. Wow. Truly an honor. Thank you so much, Mr. President.

THE PRESIDENT: It’s my honor.

MS. WILSON: As Mr. President said, my name is Stacy Wilson. We own an electrical contracting company out of Canby, Oregon. We are a midsize company that is family-owned. My grandfather started the company 65 years ago in Oregon and Washington. And my father, Don Wilson, has really made it what it is today — a nationwide company that specializes in transmission, distribution, and substation projects nationwide.

We employ about 500 employees. And thanks to Mr. Trump and the tax reforms and the general confidence in the economy, I guess, we have really been able to invest more in our employees and grow our company in the last year. We’re investing more in employee wages and benefits and bonuses. We’re spending millions on equipment and assets. And, in general, we’re just seeing a huge increase in work that is coming out because utilities are spending more to update this aging infrastructure.

So thank you very much.

THE PRESIDENT: Well, thank you so much.

MS. WILSON: It’s made a huge impact. And — (applause) — so we are looking to grow about 20 to 30 percent more in employees just in the next few months. We have a lot of large projects that are starting. And this will make, I think, a big difference in — really, these incentives that are good for businesses are really important for our employees but also the communities we work in. And we’ve really been thankful and have seen this since President Trump has been in office.

So, thank you so much for this opportunity and this great acknowledgement. I never thought I would be up here, so thank you. (Laughs.) (Applause.)

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you, Stacy.

I see that, you know, Stacy comes up — no notes, no nothing, nothing to read — and gives a speech better than the politicians, folks. (Laughter.) The politicians, they walk up with papers; everything is scripted. They read it. They stutter. Look at her, she’s, like, great. (Applause.)

Okay, now she’s famous too, so she’ll probably become a governor of Oregon. (Applause.) She’ll become a governor, or a senator. Great job. Very impressive. That’s very impressive.

Another success story in this world, in this great land of ours, is Arcadia Electric in Ridgewood, New York. That’s right where I grew up — right near where I grew up. Company president Steve Gianotti is with us. And, Steve, could you come up and tell us about that great success that you’re experiencing, especially recently? Thank you, Steve. (Applause.)

MR. GIANOTTI: Good afternoon, everyone.

First, I’d like to thank President Trump for his perseverance in helping us with his fiscal policy, which have enabled my company, Arcadia Electric, to bid on more work, and take on more jobs that we’re able to do now because we have more coming that’s available to us, more than ever before.

And as a result of that, we have been able to keep our 120 people employed. But next year, we anticipate hiring 25 percent more hardworking union workers, middle-class workforce that will — (applause) — bring our company to approximately 150 employees, which we’re very proud of. They work hard. They’re the safest, hardest, union workers. And their professional abilities is what makes us successful.

And for that I have to, again, thank the President of the United States for his perseverance and for enabling us to get this work and to change the regulatory policies that he’s been doing — that he spoke of earlier. This is all helpful to us. So, President Trump, thank you very much. (Applause.)

THE PRESIDENT: Thanks. Thank you, Steve. Great job.

We want to give every citizen the opportunity to achieve their American Dream. That’s why we’re committed to expanding apprenticeships, and on-the-job-training, and vocational education — you know, a word that you don’t hear that much. I’m bringing it back. Because when I was growing up — (applause) — I had so many vocational schools, and you don’t hear that anymore. (Applause.)

You hear “junior college.” You hear all sorts of names, but the vocational is what I understood and that’s what I like. And I had people that went to school with me, and, in some cases, they weren’t great students. But they could take apart an engine blindfolded, put it back together 15 different ways. They were so much more talented than the “A” student. We would have been “D” students. And that’s what they want to do, and that’s what they love, and it’s called “vocational.” So we’re bringing that word back a lot.

But you have tremendously talented people that are, frankly, making a tremendous living — making a lot of money. And we love those people. They’re very special, so we’re bringing back the word “vocational.” And we’re bringing it back strong. (Applause.)

My administration is making a historic investment in workforce development. We established the National Council on the American Worker, and I recently signed a bill to provide more than $1 billion annually for vocational education. (Applause.)

Employers all across the country are signing our Pledge to America’s Workers, expanding job opportunities for more than 4.2 million Americans. And that number is soon going to reach 10 million Americans, including 60,000 Americans who will have access to apprenticeships and on-the-job training thanks to the National Electrical Contractors Association. Thank you, David. (Applause.) Thank you, David.

And one of the countless Americans who has experienced the tremendous benefits of an apprenticeship is Liam Nickelaides — a proud Air Force veteran, a National Guardsman, and a member of Philadelphia’s own Local 98. Liam, please come up. Tell us your great story, please. (Applause.)

MR. NICKELAIDES: Yes. How is everybody doing today? (Laughter.)

So, as an apprentice, it’s a pretty easy schedule. Mondays, you wake up at 4:20 in the morning. Tuesdays, you wake up at the same time, you give a speech in front of a couple thousand people and the President of the United States. (Laughter and applause.)

THE PRESIDENT: That’s great.

MR. NICKELAIDES: For me, my apprenticeship experience has been a pretty good one. When I went to get a job with Local 98, as a member of the Air Force National Guard, I told them that there’d be a good chance that I’d be deploying pretty often. And I told them that during my interview. And I really thank God for the opportunity that they still gave me to get a job and to train me in their union.

So, I thought that maybe it would be just words that I’d get from Local 98. That, yeah, they support the military, but I didn’t really know if I could believe it. But I was able to deploy for three months — short little deployment. And upon my return, I was able to get pushed right back into the education program with the Local 98. And I’m back working — (applause) — upon arrival, back in the United States. And tomorrow, I’m waking up at 4:20, and going back to work again. (Laughter and applause.)

So, thank you. (Applause.)

THE PRESIDENT: Is he a natural? Huh? (Laughter and applause.) Thank you, Liam. Good luck with everything. Wow. That’s so great. That’s so great. They don’t even seem nervous, you know? (Laughter.) They come up here — no notes, no nothing. I think it’s great. Thank you very much.

And I want to thank you to everyone here today for your investment in America’s future, and for your devotion to the American worker. So important. Hardworking citizens like you who have always been the backbone of our nation will always be the most important factor in our nation. You make it grow, you make it work.

You power our homes, you light up our skylines, and you make the glory of America shine for all the world to see. You take pride in your work, and America takes pride in all of you in this big, beautiful room.

You pour out your hearts to earn a living, you create loving homes for your family, and you teach your children to cherish our values and to cherish our great American flag. (Applause.) Always.

In a house not far from where we are today, Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence, and forever changed the course of human history. Today, we reaffirm our nation’s founding truth: In America, the people govern.

The men and women who go to work each day are not only powering our economy, they are powering our nation and they are powering our freedom. (Applause.)

America will always be a nation of great builders. Because in America, we honor work. We honor grit. We honor craftsmanship. We honor the men and women who turn dreams into reality with their own two, beautiful hands. In America, we honor all of you. (Applause.)

With cable, copper, wire, and steel, you are the ones lighting America’s path forward. So important. So important. You may not even understand how important it is, what you do. You are the ones rebuilding this land that we love. You are the ones who are making America greater than ever before.

Thank you. God bless you. And God bless the United States of America. Thank you very much. Thank you. (Applause.)



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October 03, 2018

Fox News host urges Catholics to call for Pope’s resignation amid Viganò revelations







Fox News host urges Catholics to call for Pope’s resignation amid Viganò revelations

NEW YORK, August 27, 2018 (LifeSiteNews) – A leading conservative news host has called for Pope Francis to resign and expressed support for the Vatican whistleblower who says the pontiff knowingly made sexual predator and now ex-Cardinal McCarrick his trusted advisor.

Laura Ingraham, host of both “The Ingraham Angle” and “The Ingraham Show,” posted a message on Twitter yesterday saying that Pope Francis’s remarks in Ireland about clerical sexual abuse were insufficient.

“Too little, too late from Pope Francis in Ireland,” she tweeted “I stand with Archbishop Carlo Vigano. Time for the laity to demand a new Shepherd.”

Too little, too late from Pope Francis in Ireland—I stand with Archbishop Carlo Vigano. Time for the laity to demand a new Shepherd. https://t.co/1fyTI6mTix
— Laura Ingraham (@IngrahamAngle) August 26, 2018


Ingraham’s comment was superimposed over a BBC News report that Pope Francis had asked for “firm and decisive” action to “secure truth and justice” for clerical sex abuse victims during his visit to the shrine at Knock in Ireland.

Former Papal Nuncio to the United States Archbishop Carlo Viganò released a letter August 22 detailing how Pope Francis returned then-Cardinal McCarrick to a prominent role in the Church after Pope Benedict had him sidelined. The letter was published by LifeSiteNews on Saturday.

Ingraham also tweeted several passages from Viganò’s statement and concluded that he had done the Church a service.

“Archbishop Vigano has done right by the Catholic flock and the victims of this evil predation committed, tolerated and hidden by the Church hierarchy,” she wrote

According to Viganò, McCarrick was forbidden to exercise a public ministry after reports of his active homosexuality reached Pope Benedict. Soon after Francis was elected, however, McCarrick was promoted to a position of influence as Francis’ counsellor in American Church affairs. Viganò stated that Pope Francis asked him what he thought of Cardinal McCarrick, and the Nuncio had apprised him of McCarrick’s stained reputation.

The retired archbishop went onto say that Cardinal Donald Wuerl of Washington D.C. is lying when he says he didn’t know of McCarricks’ sexual predation.

“His recent statements that he knew nothing about it, even though at first he cunningly referred to compensation for the two victims, are absolutely laughable,” he wrote. “The Cardinal lies shamelessly and prevails upon his Chancellor, Monsignor Antonicelli, to lie as well.”

Cardinal Wuerl has denied Vigano’s allegation.

Viganò also alleges that McCarrick, with Cardinals Maradiaga and Wuerl, orchestrated the promotions of Blase Cupich, now Cardinal Archbishop of Chicago, and Joseph Tobin, now Cardinal Archbishop of Newark, New Jersey. He stated also, however, that Pope Francis had told him at their first meeting that American bishops “must not be ideologized”, neither “right-wing like the Archbishop of Philadelphia [Charles J. Chaput]” nor “left-wing...and when I say left-wing”--the Pope apparently explained-- “I mean homosexual.”

Carol Maria Viganò was appointed the Vatican’s Secretary General by Pope Benedict in 2009 but demoted after letters he wrote to the pontiff describing Vatican corruption were published during the 2012 Vatileaks Scandal. He was banished to the USA to serve as Apostolic Nuncio. Viganò submitted his resignation on his 75th birthday, as is the custom for bishops, in 2016, and it was immediately accepted by Pope Francis.

Ingraham is herself a Roman Catholic laywoman and described her conversion to the faith in her book Power to the People. She has appeared as a frequent guest on the Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN).

A former official in the Nunciate, Monsignor Jean-François Lantheaume, and Bishop Joseph Strickland of Tyler, Texas are among others who have expressed support for Archbishop Viganò.



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After recent revelations, U.S. Catholics give Francis low marks on handling of sex abuse scandal




Hosted on Fotki


After recent revelations, U.S. Catholics give Francis low marks on handling of sex abuse scandal

The long-simmering Catholic Church sex abuse scandal has been back in the headlines in recent months, beginning with widespread allegations in June against Theodore McCarrick, the former archbishop of Washington, D.C., who resigned from the College of Cardinals. Soon after came revelations from a Pennsylvania grand jury report that more than 300 priests are accused of sexually abusing minors over the past 70 years. Most recently, Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò stunned the world when he released a letter charging that Pope Francis and other senior church officials knew about at least some of the abuses and did nothing.

The accusations have coincided with a drop in the share of U.S. Catholics who approve of the way the pope is handling the abuse crisis. Just three-in-ten American Catholics (31%) now say the pontiff is doing a “good” (18%) or “excellent” (13%) job of addressing the sex abuse scandal, according to a new survey from Pew Research Center. This is much lower than the 54% who gave Francis good or excellent marks in February 2014 (almost a year after he became pope), and the 45% who did so at the beginning of 2018. Meanwhile, 62% of American Catholics now say the pontiff is doing only a “fair” or “poor” job of handling the scandal.

The decline in the pope’s standing on the sex abuse issue cuts across age and gender lines. In addition, Catholics who attend Mass regularly are not significantly more likely to rate the pope positively on this issue (34%) than those who do not (30%).


The new survey also found a decline in American Catholics’ overall approval of Pope Francis. Between January and September of this year, the share of Catholics who express a favorable view of the Pope has dropped from 84% to 72%.




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October 01, 2018

Catholic Priests Abused 1,000 Children in Pennsylvania, Report Says


Catholic Priests Abused 1,000 Children in Pennsylvania, Report Says

The New York Times

Bishops and other leaders of the Roman Catholic Church in Pennsylvania covered up child sexual abuse by more than 300 priests over a period of 70 years, persuading victims not to report the abuse and law enforcement not to investigate it, according to a searing report issued by a grand jury on Tuesday.

The report, which covered six of the state’s eight Catholic dioceses and found more than 1,000 identifiable victims, is the broadest examination yet by a government agency in the United States of child sexual abuse in the Catholic Church. The report said there are likely thousands more victims whose records were lost or who were too afraid to come forward.

It catalogs horrific instances of abuse: a priest who raped a young girl in the hospital after she had her tonsils out; a victim tied up and whipped with leather straps by a priest; and another priest who was allowed to stay in ministry after impregnating a young girl and arranging for her to have an abortion.

The sexual abuse scandal has shaken the Catholic Church for more than 15 years, ever since explosive allegations emerged out of Boston in 2002. But even after paying billions of dollars in settlements and adding new prevention programs, the church has been dogged by a scandal that is now reaching its highest ranks. The Pennsylvania report comes soon after the resignation of Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick, the former archbishop of Washington, who is accused of sexually abusing young priests and seminarians, as well as minors.

“Despite some institutional reform, individual leaders of the church have largely escaped public accountability,” the grand jury wrote. “Priests were raping little boys and girls, and the men of God who were responsible for them not only did nothing; they hid it all. For decades.”



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Abuse allegations have been leveled at the Catholic Church for decades




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Abuse allegations have been leveled at the Catholic Church for decades

CNN


A Pennsylvania grand jury released a report in August 2018 detailing decades of alleged sexual abuses by priests and cover-ups by bishops.

The report said internal documents from six Catholic dioceses in Pennsylvania -- some held in a secret archive to which only the bishop had a key -- showed that more than 300 "predator priests" have been credibly accused of sexually abusing more than 1,000 child victims.

Pope Francis issued an unusually blunt letter six days after the report's release, acknowledging "with shame and repentance" the Catholic Church's failure to act, writing "we showed no care for the little ones; we abandoned them."
The letter directly referred to the Pennsylvania report, which "detailed the experiences of at least 1,000 survivors, victims of sexual abuse, the abuse of power and of conscience at the hands of priests over a period of approximately 70 years."

Looking ahead, the pontiff said the church was working on a "zero tolerance" policy on abuse and coverups. He added, "If, in the past, the response was one of omission, today we want solidarity, in the deepest and most challenging sense, to become our way of forging present and future history."

USA, 2018

In July 2018, Pope Francis accepted the resignation of Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, 88, who once led the Archdiocese of Washington and was a force in American politics, after a decades-old allegation of sexual abuse of a teenage altar boy forced the Vatican to remove him from public ministry.


A month earlier, McCarrick issued a statement saying he was shocked by the allegations: "While I have absolutely no recollection of this reported abuse, and believe in my innocence, I am sorry for the pain the person who brought the charges has gone through, as well as for the scandal such charges cause our people."

McCarrick was also accused three times of sexual misconduct with adults "decades ago" while he served as a bishop in Metuchen and Newark, New Jersey, the current bishops of those cities said in June. Two of those allegations resulted in settlements, the bishops said.

The Vatican said Pope Francis had ordered McCarrick to "a life of prayer and penance until the accusations made against him are examined in a regular canonical trial."

Chile, 2018

Pope Francis called the country's bishops to Rome in May after he received a 2,300-page report detailing sexual abuses by priests in Chile.

The report alleged that for decades, church officials in Chile had known about cases of sexual abuse and led a massive cover up, even destroying records.

Seven years earlier, the Vatican had found Chilean priest Father Fernando Karadima guilty of child sex abuse.
In January, while visiting Chile, Francis defended a Chilean bishop accused of concealing the abuse, saying he had been "slandered."

But after Vatican investigators said church officials in Chile had helped cover up multiple cases of sexual abuse by the clergy, the Pope apologized.

After the 3-day emergency summit at the Vatican in May to discuss the sex abuse scandal, all 34 of Chile's active and retired bishops offered the Pope their resignations.


In June, the Vatican said Pope Francis was sending investigators back to Chile.

In August, police arrested one former priest over the alleged abuse of seven minors. Prosecutors say there are 158 people including bishops, priests and lay people under investigation.

Australia, 2018


Australian Archbishop Philip Wilson of Adelaide was found guilty in May of concealing the abuse of altar boys in the 1970s by pedophile priest James Fletcher.

Wilson was the highest-ranking Catholic official ever to be convicted of covering up sex abuse.

In July he said that he intended to appeal the ruling under the "due process of law" and would resign if his appeal was unsuccessful.

The next week the Vatican announced that Pope Francis had accepted Wilson's resignation.

Australia, 2017

Cardinal George Pell, one of the most senior members of the Catholic Church, was charged with multiple historical sexual assault offenses in his home country of Australia, police said in June.

Pell serves as a top adviser to Pope Francis and heads the Vatican's secretariat for the economy. In 2013, he was named one of eight cardinals tasked with investigating ways to reform the church. He is the most senior member of the Catholic Church in Australia but has been placed on leave from the Vatican while the allegations are investigated.

Pell said he's innocent and maintains that the charges -- relating to claims of sexual abuse spanning three decades -- are false.

In May 2018, a magistrate ordered him to stand trial and he entered a formal plea of not guilty.

In a statement, the Vatican said: "The Holy See has taken note of the decision issued by judicial authorities in Australia regarding His Eminence Cardinal George Pell. Last year, the Holy Father granted Cardinal Pell a leave of absence so he could defend himself from the accusations. The leave of absence is still in place."

A 2017 commission found that 7% of Australian priests were accused of abusing children between 1950 and 2015.
Dominican Republic, 2014

Jozef Wesolowski died in 2015 before he went to trial.

Jozef Wesolowski died in 2015 before he went to trial.

Jozef Wesolowski, a former Vatican ambassador to the Dominican Republic was found guilty of sexual abuse of minors by a Vatican tribunal and defrocked in 2014. He was accused of sexual abuse of minors and possession of child pornography during his time as papal nuncio to the Dominican Republic. Italy's Corriere della Sera reported that Wesolowski's laptop contained more than 100,000 files with pornographic images and videos.

Wesolowski was the highest-ranking Catholic official arrested for alleged sexual abuse of minors. He died in 2015, before he could be put on trial.

The Netherlands, 2011

Thousands of children suffered from sexual abuse in the Dutch Roman Catholic Church over more than six decades, and about 800 "possible perpetrators" have been identified, according to an independent Commission of Inquiry, issued in 2011.

The commission said it received 1,795 reports of church-related sex abuse of minors and the "reports contained information about possible perpetrators."

Multiple countries, 2010

Pope Benedict and the sex abuse scandal

Pope Benedict and the sex abuse scandal 02:30

Allegations of sexual abuse spread across a half dozen countries -- including Austria, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland and Brazil, home of the world's largest Catholic population.

Revelations about church abuse included the Munich, Germany, archdiocese where Pope Benedict XVI once served as archbishop.

Under the Pope's tenure as archbishop in the early 1980s, the Munich archdiocese ignored warnings to keep a molesting priest away from children, said the doctor, Werner Huth, who issued those warnings.

Huth demanded the priest, Rev. Peter Hullermann, never be allowed to interact with children again. Instead, the church allowed the priest to return to work and to deal with children. Hullermann was convicted of abusing minors in 1986. Pope Benedict had left the Munich archdiocese for a new post in 1982.

Ireland, 2009

A bombshell report commissioned by the Irish government concluded that the Archdiocese of Dublin and other Catholic Church authorities in Ireland covered up clerical child abuse.

The Dublin Archdiocese Commission of Investigation's 720-page report said that it has "no doubt that clerical child sexual abuse was covered up" from January 1975 to May 2004, the time covered by the report. The commission had been set up in 2006 to look into allegations of child sexual abuse made against clergy in the Irish capital.

The report named 11 priests who had pleaded guilty to or were convicted of sexual assaults on children. Of the other 35, it gave pseudonyms to 33 of them and redacted the names of two.

USA, 2004

Children accused more than 4,000 priests of sexual abuse between 1950 and 2002, according to a report compiled by the John Jay College of Criminal Justice.

The report, based on church records, found that 6,700 of the 11,000 allegations were investigated and substantiated, and another 1,000 were unsubstantiated. The remaining 3,300 were not investigated because the priests involved had died by the time the allegation was made.

USA, 2002

Former priest John Geoghan became a central figure in the clergy sexual abuse crisis in Boston, along with Cardinal Bernard Law, who admitted receiving a letter in 1984 outlining allegations of child molestation against Geoghan. Law assigned Geoghan to another parish despite the allegations.

From 1962 to 1995, Geoghan sexually abused approximately 130 people, mostly grammar school boys, according to victims. Over the years, church officials ordered him to get treatment or transferred him to other parishes, but kept him on as a priest. The Boston Globe coverage on sexual abuse by clergy brought the issue to the forefront. The story was later adapted into the award-winning movie "Spotlight."

Geoghan was found guilty of molesting a boy in a swimming pool and sentenced to prison in 2002. A year later, he died after an attack by another inmate at the state prison.

Law resigned as archbishop of Boston in 2002.

In 2004, Archbishop Sean O'Malley issued a statement saying that 815 people had made claims of sex abuse of a minor by a priest and 150 people had made claims against a deacon, non-incardinated, or religious order priest between 1950 and 2003.

In 2011, O'Malley published the names of 159 clerics accused of sexual assault over that time period. The names of an additional 91 clerics who had been accused were not included for reasons including their deaths before the completion of inquiries when they had not been publicly accused.

Austria, 1998

Cardinal Hans Hermann Groër of Vienna was forced to give up all his duties amid allegations he molested young boys. A statement by Groer asked for forgiveness but made no admission of guilt, reported the BBC.

USA, 1985

Father Thomas Doyle warned of sexual abuse by clergy in a report given at the US conference of bishops. It was ignored.

Gilbert Gauthe in Louisiana became the first to gain national attention in a case of a priest accused of sexual abuse. In 1985, he admitted to abusing 37 boys and pleaded guilty to 34 criminal counts, reported the New York Times. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison, but released after 10 years.

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