IMMIGRATION Comments turned off

Trump Veers Off Message on the Border Wall By John Fund

Posted By on January 6th, 2019

https://www.nationalreview.com/2019/01/trump-border-wall-construction-pentagon/

He should ditch the “military version of eminent domain” and order the Pentagon to start building.

Donald Trump spent much of his 2016 campaign railing against President Obama’s misuse of executive power, especially Obama’s decision to extend legal protection to underage children who were brought to the U.S. by their foreign parents.

But now President Trump, frustrated by Congress’s failure to deliver $5 billion in funding for the border wall, is proposing to bend the Constitution to get what he wants. Trump told reporters that he may be willing to declare a state of national emergency to build the wall “very quickly” without congressional backing, and that he may even use “the military version of eminent domain” to seize the property such a structure might need. “I can do it if I want,” he declared.

Trump can certainly declare a national emergency, but the courts would probably look askance on any rash actions. In 1952, President Harry Truman cited a state of emergency when he ordered the government to seize the steel mills during a strike. He claimed it was the only way to guarantee that the mills would continue to produce weapons for the Korean War. The Supreme Court — packed with justices appointed by New Deal presidents — nonetheless concluded by a 6 to 3 vote that he didn’t have the authority to nationalize private businesses. Few legal scholars believe that the current Supreme Court — the conservative portion of which is steeped in Federalist Society principles of limited government — would give Trump the benefit of the doubt in a non-war situation.

But many legal scholars say there is a way Trump could act legally. Current law allows the Defense Department to use “un-obligated” money to fund construction projects during war or emergencies. “The Department of Defense has funds in its account that are not specifically designated for anything,” Harvard Law School professor Mark Tushnet told NBC News. “My instinct is to say that if he declares a national emergency and uses this pot of unappropriated money for the wall, he’s on very solid legal ground.”

ISRAEL Comments turned off

DR. REUVEN BERKO: THEIR WILDEST FANTASIES

Posted By on January 6th, 2019

http://www.israelhayom.com/opinions/in-their-wildest-fantasies/

“The Palestinians are selling a combination of illusions, historical fiction and Israel hatred. Among Arab states, there are those who are now waking up from the brainwashing they’ve endured. It is only here in Israel that we continue to cooperate with the fraudulent ploy.”

The High Court of Justice is set to deliberate in the coming days whether the nation-state law should be changed so that “the right of return” will serve as a counterweight to the Law of Return, thereby allowing the Palestinians to drown Israel in hordes of “refugees” with knowledge of murder and rape that will “return” from the killing fields in Syria, Lebanon and Iraq to realize a peaceful state from the river to the sea. Funnily enough, that river of which they speak is located right here in Israel. While Arab countries maintain a partnership of interests with us against Iran and abandon the Palestinians’ illusions of a “return and a Palestinian capital in Jerusalem,” the Palestinians can take comfort in the Israel hatred popular in those countries of peace, where they stomp on our flag and defiantly oppose their dictatorial governments.

In the meantime, the Palestinians continue to engage in a collective battle against Israel’s survival. In the racist trial of Issam Akel, sentenced to life in prison and heavy labor, the Palestinians declared it forbidden to sell land to Jews.

This is absurd. All the man did was sell the land back to its legal owners. These are properties the Muslims conquered from the Byzantines in 638 C.E. and which were returned to their Jewish owners in 1967. But from the Islamists’ point of view, the rights of the owners of these forcibly conquered lands have expired. Now the Palestinian raiders pretend to be the landowners in our country.

Did the descendants of the Arab feudalists from Lebanon, who sold lands to Jews in the 19tth century, also put their parents on trial?

EDUCATION Comments turned off

Using ‘anti-racism’ to avoid teaching students proper English By Thomas Lifson

Posted By on January 6th, 2019

https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2019/01/using_antiracism_to_avoid_teaching_students_proper_english.html

It’s almost as if some universities are trying to convince parents that it’s not worth spending more than a quarter of a million dollars on a degree. If you don’t learn how to write standard English and go from campus out on the job market, your will find your career opportunities limited. If not right away, then later on.

But the racial frenzy gripping higher education seems to insist that any standard that minorities have disproportionate difficulty meeting must be discarded. Even if it sabotages those students’ chances of future success.

Jeremiah Poff of The College Fix explains:

American University is hosting a seminar next month to teach faculty how to assess writing without judging its quality. In the seminar’s own words: “grading ain’t just grading.”

It’s led by Asao Inoue, a University of Washington-Tacoma professor, and the purpose is to pursue “antiracist ends” through writing assessments.

A national scholarly organization that preaches its “commitment” to academic excellence came out swinging against the seminar, telling The College Fix that Inoue’s ideas are “destroying the very idea that composition classes should teach all students to write well.”

In an email, National Association of Scholars spokesperson Chance Layton said Inoue is “substituting social justice ideologues’ bigotry for instruction in composition”:

The national dominance of social justice educators such as Prof. Inoue indoctrinates college graduates nationwide into social justice ideology and bigotry–but fails to teach them how to write a coherent sentence.

NATIONAL NEWS & OPINION Comments turned off

Tish James’ duty: The new attorney general must be more circumspect in her anti-Trump statements

Posted By on January 6th, 2019

https://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/ny-edit-james-duty-20190104-story.html

The state’s new top legal officer, Attorney General Tish James, is well equipped for the job in many ways. She will protect consumers from getting scammed and workers from being cheated out of pay. She will defend New York’s interests when they collide with Washington’s on the environment, immigration and more.

The Empire State also happens to be home to President Trump’s family business and (dissolving) foundation, making it fertile terrain for civil and criminal investigations. Here, James may have made her own job harder.

Prosecutors are often also politicians, but they owe it to their potential targets, and to the public’s trust in justice, not to let their leanings cloud or seem to cloud their judgment as they flex the long arm of the law.

As a candidate, James called Trump an “illegitimate President.” She characterized foreign governments’ payments to Trump family holdings as constituting a “pattern and practice of money laundering.”

After winning election, she said “We will use every area of the law to investigate President Trump and his business transactions and that of his family as well.”

Of Robert Mueller, she said, “I think he’s closing in on this President, and his days are going to be coming to an end shortly.”

In a 2013 ruling, New York’s highest court wrote that in rare situations, “the appearance of impropriety itself is a ground for disqualification” of a prosecutor from a case, “when the appearance is such as to ‘discourage public confidence in our government and the system of law to which it is dedicated.’ ”

Unable to read tea leaves, we do not know whether courts would consider James’ statements as candidate or as AG-elect sufficient to force her recusal. (There’s no risk a case would be dismissed solely on such grounds.)

Going forward, however, she must demonstrate that rhetorical discretion is the better part of effective law enforcement.

NATIONAL NEWS & OPINION Comments turned off

Upbeat employment report underscores U.S. economic strength Lucia Mutikani

Posted By on January 6th, 2019

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-economy/upbeat-employment-report-underscores-us-economic-strength-idUSKCN1OY0AU

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. employers hired the most workers in 10 months in December while boosting wages, pointing to sustained strength in the economy that could ease fears of a sharp slowdown in growth.

The upbeat employment report from the Labor Department on Friday stood in stark contrast with reports this week showing Chinese factory activity contracting for the first time in 19 months in December and weak manufacturing across much of Europe.

Concerns about the U.S. economy heightened following surveys showing sharp declines in consumer confidence and manufacturing activity last month, which roiled financial markets. Both were seen as more red flags that the economic expansion, now in its ninth year and the second longest on record, is losing steam.

“The jump in payrolls in December would seem to make a mockery of market fears of an impending recession,” said Paul Ashworth, chief economist at Capital Economics in Toronto. “This employment report suggests the U.S. economy still has considerable forward momentum.”

Nonfarm payrolls surged by 312,000 jobs last month, the largest gain since February, as employment at construction and leisure and hospitality locations snapped back after being restrained by unseasonably cold temperatures in November.

POLITICS Comments turned off

Democrats must prove they are worthy of their House majority By Douglas Schoen

Posted By on January 6th, 2019

https://thehill.com/opinion/campaign/424051-democrats-must-prove-they-are-worthy-of-their-house-majority

For the first time since 2011, the Democrats took control of the House thanks to their midterm victory. The election of Nancy Pelosi as Speaker of the House continues her legacy as the first woman to hold this leadership position in our history. She is the first Speaker of the House in more than half a century to lose the majority, not be pushed out by her party shortly thereafter, and then to ultimately regain this top position years later.

Despite a movement led by a number of Democrats in the House, such as Seth Moulton and Tim Ryan, to oust her as the leader, Speaker Pelosi once again showed her political prowess by not only crushing any dissent, but also by receiving votes from both Moulton and Ryan. With the government entering the third week of its shutdown, numerous departures from the Trump administration, and the beginning of the 2020 presidential race, Americans are looking for the party that they can trust going forward.

The Democrats have an opportunity before them to demonstrate that they are the party of leadership, the party of pragmatism, and the party of strength. Ryan has underscored the importance of the Democrats exhibiting strong leadership ahead of 2020. In a statement about the party retaking the House, Ryan said President Trump is “worried about the investigation that is breathing down his neck,” adding that “his only goal is to appeal to Ann Coulter, Laura Ingraham, and Rush Limbaugh.”

Ultimately, given that sole mission of President Trump seems to be trying to protect his dwindling base from abandoning him, the Democrats have a tremendous opportunity to make gains with moderate voters who feel that that his priorities do not line up with their own. As Speaker Pelosi reclaims the gavel in the House, the nation will be closely watching for her first few legislative moves. Those steps will include reopening the government and outlining the policy priorities for the Democrats in the 116th Congress.

There is certainly a need for strong leadership that contrasts with the style exhibited by the President Trump. However, Speaker Pelosi cannot make the mistake of being an obstructionist. Voters across the country are frustrated with Washington. They want solutions, not shutdowns. Thus, if Speaker Pelosi takes a card from Senator Mitch McConnell and attempts to block everything the Republicans propose, then Democrats running in 2020 will not be able to paint themselves as dealmakers who are able to navigate politics, and voters will only view them as adding to the problem. What we need now is the ability to find common ground for solutions.

POLITICS Comments turned off

Congress’s Trump Derangement Syndrome Edward Cline

Posted By on January 6th, 2019

https://edwardcline.blogspot.com/2019/01/congresss-trump-derangement-syndrome.html

The Democratic side of the 116th session of Congress kicked off its business with an agenda aimed almost solely on “getting” President Donald Trump.

The Dem 2019 Platform: Abolish ICE, Legalize Tranny Bathrooms, Free Healthcare, Free College, Increase the Minimum Wage, Open Borders, Gun Confiscation, Abolishing Prisons, Unrestricted Abortion Rights, Gender Fluidity, More Limitations of Free Speech, Higher Taxes, Voting Rights for Illegals, Lowering Voting Age to 16, and the Proliferation of Crying Closets..But, above all, to “impeach” or remove Donald Trump. Snub Trump by taking time off.

As Michael Goodwin of the New York Post reported on January 5th, in his column, “Democrats Keep Proving How Detached they are from Reality”:

In its common definition, the job of president of the United States is to deliver peace and prosperity. Donald Trump is doing well on both fronts, so let’s impeach the bastard!

As insane as it sounds, that and only that is what many Democrats have in mind. Impeachment, or death by a thousand investigations, is the heart of their plan.

For proof, eliminate their desire to remove Trump from office and see if you can pinpoint anything else with broad Dem support. Some advocate for open borders, others for tax hikes or Medicare-for-all, but ending the Trump presidency ASAP is the glue holding the party together.

Legislation? Can’t be bothered. Mental energies must be focused on impeaching or opposing Trump.

Is the Trump Derangement Syndrome real, or “faked”?

ISRAEL Comments turned off

GOOD NEWS FROM ABSOLUTELY AMAZING ISRAEL: FROM MICHAEL ORDMAN

Posted By on January 6th, 2019

www.verygoodnewsisrael.blogspot.com

ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS

New ways to fight viruses & cancer. Parallel international research involving Haifa and Bar Ilan University scientists have discovered the key role of enzyme ADAR1 in the immune system and how it can become a new pathway for eradicating viruses and cancers.
https://www.israel21c.org/israeli-research-breaks-through-in-battle-against-viruses/
https://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.2006577
https://www.jewishpress.com/news/on-campus/bar-ilan-harvard-researchers-show-new-mechanism-to-activate-immune-system-against-cancer/2019/01/03/https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-018-0768-9

Cause of heart failure in pregnancy. Israeli researchers at Tel Aviv University and Sheba Medical Center have found the cause of PPCM (Peripartum cardiomyopathy) heart failure before and after giving birth. They discovered a functional defect in the heart cells that should lead to early diagnoses, prevention and treatments.
http://www.jewishpress.com/news/on-campus/israeli-scientists-identify-possible-cause-of-heart-failure-in-pregnancy/2019/01/02/

No more pain. (TY Atid-EDI) Israel’s ZygoFix has conducted the first human trial of its innovative zLOCK spinal facet joint fixation system. One day after the minimally invasive procedure, the 67-year-old woman’s back and leg pain went from level 9 to level 1 and after six months it was zero.
https://spinalnewsinternational.com/first-in-human-zlock/ https://www.zygofix.com/

Post-mastectomy surgical dressings. (TY Atid-EDI) Every year over 13 million mastectomies, lumpectomies, reconstruction and aesthetic breast operations are performed. Israel’s Ezbra is the first patented disposable dressing tailor-made for such operations. Comfortable, absorbent, time-saving and protective against infections.
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ezbra-breast-dressing-makes-us-debut-at-premier-aesthetic-surgery-conference-300757919.html https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Erv8r2C0rkg https://ezbra.net/

Saving lives in Massachusetts. (TY Atid-EDI) I reported previously (see here)on Israel’s Clew Medical and its AI system to warn of deteriorating ICU patients. Clew is now partnered with UMass Memorial Medical Center in Massachusetts, using its advanced analytics engine to enhance UMass’ patient care.
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/clew-collaborates-with-umass-memorial-medical-center-to-bring-predictive-analytics-to-tele-icus-300757529.html

Hadassah accelerates with IBM. (TY Atid-EDI) Jerusalem’s Hadassah Medical Center and IBM Israel have established a special accelerator for startups to develop advanced technological solutions and services in digital medicine. They will have access to IBM and hospital resources and staff.
https://en.globes.co.il/en/article-hadassah-ibm-set-up-digital-health-accelerator-1001262831

World’s leading DBS company. I reported previously (see here) on Israel’s (Arab-owned) Alpha Omega and its Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) device for treating disorders such as Parkinson’s disease. Alpha Omega has 100% market share in Israel and is active in the US, Europe and now (thanks to a $7 million investment) China.
https://en.globes.co.il/en/article-israeli-medical-device-co-alpha-omega-in-chinese-jv-1001264279

Gut reaction in treating IBD. (TY Calcalistech) I reported previously (see here)on BiomX. The Israeli biotech has now partnered with Janssen – the therapy R&D arm of Johnson & Johnson. BiomX’s XMarker microbiome-based platform will be used to classify responders to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) therapies.
https://en.globes.co.il/en/article-israeli-microbiome-co-biomx-teams-with-jj-1001264660
http://www.biomx.com/

Why is LDL cholesterol bad? Researchers at Israel’s Weizmann Institute have identified that the problem with LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol is when excess LDL is deposited on blood vessel walls. It oxidizes into a toxic substance that triggers immune cells to form crystals, leading to inflammation and arterial disease.
https://www.israel21c.org/how-does-a-helpful-substance-like-cholesterol-turn-deadly/

BOOKS, EDUCATION Comments turned off

For Men: Class Dismissed By Helen Smith

Posted By on January 6th, 2019

https://pjmedia.com/drhelen/for-men-class-dismissed/

If you ever wonder why fewer and fewer men are attending traditional colleges, just read this article at “Minding the Campus” that explains why men are boycotting these places in droves:

North American universities have been taken over by women. Men are decreasingly university students, professors, and administrators. “Gender equality,” a feminist war chant, apparently does not apply when females dominate.

In the United States, women outnumber men in colleges and universities — by 2026, the Department of Education estimates, 57 percent of college students will be women. In Canada, according to the “2001 Census, universities had clearly become the domain of women, as they made up 58% of all graduates. And according to the 2006 Census, women accounted for 60% of university graduates between the ages of 25 and 29.” Women also dominate in British universities. The same imbalance is seen in universities around the world….

Men are equally left out in Britain. James Knight was the only candidate to [send] his name forward to be men’s officer at the University of the West of England, and said he wanted to highlight male mental health issues. However, the National Union of Students officers began a campaign against the role, and he pulled out after claiming he [was] harassed. The university said the post was suspended pending review.”

ISRAEL Comments turned off

Analysis: Who will replace aging Abbas?Abbas’s deteriorating health has triggered speculations that the era of Mahmoud Abbas is ending. By Daniel Krygier

Posted By on January 6th, 2019

https://worldisraelnews.com/analysis-who-will-replace-aging-abbas/?utm_source=browser&utm_medium=push_notification&utm_campaign=PushCrew_notification_1546800310&pushcrew_powered=1

The 83-year-old and ailing Mahmoud Abbas has been heading the Palestine Liberation Organization since Arafat passed away in 2004. Now it’s Abbas’s deteriorating health that has triggered speculations about his replacement.

While Ramallah officially claims business as usual, there is intense rivalry among possible claimants to the PA’s throne, as Abbas suffers from heart problems, prostate cancer and has been hospitalized several times. He’s a heavy smoker to boot.

Who are the potential successors?

One of the main candidates to emerge is Saeb Erekat. Based in Jericho, PLO official Erekat served for many years as a chief negotiator in negotiations with Israel. While officially advocating the two-state solution, Erekat embraces anti-Jewish historical revisionism and rejects Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state.

Erekat makes the ridiculous claim that his family lived in Israel for 10.000 years. In reality, Erekat’s family immigrated to Israel approximately 100 years ago from the area that is now Saudi Arabia.

Erekat also created headlines by telling Nikki Haley, former U.S. ambassador to the U.N. to “shut up” when she criticized Ramallah for undermining peace with Israel. Part of the inner Abbas circle, Erekat is actually considered more extreme than the current PA leader.

Another potential successor is senior Fatah official Mahmoud al-Aloul. During the First Lebanon War in the 1980s, al-Aloul participated in terrorism against the Jewish state. During the Second Intifada, his oldest son Jihad was killed in clashes with IDF soldiers.

Mahmoud al-Aloul is said to share the political outlook of Mahmoud Abbas. Like Abbas, he rejects Washington as a peace mediator and advocates a boycott of Israeli goods.

Majid Faraj is another possible successor. Faraj is the head of the Palestinian General Intelligence Service. He enjoys American and Israeli support. But this puts Faraj at risk of being branded a “collaborator,” diminishing his chances of replacing Abbas.

Mohammed Dahlan stands out among the contenders struggling to replace Abbas in that his main power base is not in Ramallah, but the Gaza Strip, where he enjoys close relations with the Hamas regime. He is therefore not popular with the PA and less likely to take over after Abbas.