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For climate skeptics, its hard to compete with the youthful appeal of global phenomenon Greta Thunberg. But one U.S. think tank hopes its found an answer: the anti-Greta.

Naomi Seibt is a 19-year-old German who, like Greta, is blond, eloquent and European. But Naomi denounces climate alarmism, calls climate consciousness a despicably anti-human ideology, and has even deployed Gretas now famous How dare you? line to take on the mainstream German media.

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Shes a fantastic voice for free markets and for climate realism, said James Taylor, director of the Arthur B. Robinson Center for Climate and Environmental Policy at the Heartland Institute, an influential libertarian think tank in suburban Chicago that has the ear of the Trump administration.

In December, Heartland headlined Naomi at its forum at the UN climate conference in Madrid, where Taylor described her as the star of the show. Last month, Heartland hired Naomi as the young face of its campaign to question the scientific consensus that human activity is causing dangerous global warming.

Naomi Seibt vs. Greta Thunberg: whom should we trust? asked Heartland in a digital video. Later this week, Naomi is set to make her American debut at the Conservative Political Action Conference, or CPAC, a high-profile annual gathering just outside Washington of right-leaning activists.

If imitation is the highest form of flattery, Heartlands tactics amount to an acknowledgment that Greta has touched a nerve, especially among teens and young adults. Since launching her protest two years ago outside the Swedish parliament at age 15, Greta has sparked youth protests across the globe and in 2019 was named Time magazines Person of the Year, the youngest to ever win the honor.

The teenager has called on the nations of the world to cut their total carbon output by at least half over the next decade, saying that if they dont, then there will be horrible consequences.

I want you to panic, she told attendees at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, last year. I want you to feel the fear I feel every day. And then I want you to act.

Naomi, for her part, argues that these predictions of dire consequences are exaggerated. In a video posted on Heartlands website, she gazes into the camera and says, I dont want you to panic. I want you to think.

Graham Brookie directs the Digital Forensic Research Lab, an arm of the nonprofit Atlantic Council that works to identify and expose disinformation. While the campaign is not outright disinformation, Brookie said in an email, it does bear resemblance to a model we use called the 4ds dismiss the message, distort the facts, distract the audience, and express dismay at the whole thing.

Brookie added: The tactic is intended to create an equivalency in spokespeople and message. In this case, it is a false equivalency between a message based in climate science that went viral organically and a message based in climate skepticism trying to catch up using paid promotion.

Naomi said her political activism was sparked a few years ago when she began asking questions in school about Germanys liberal immigration policies. She said the backlash from teachers and other students hardened her skepticism about mainstream German thinking. More recently, she said that watching young people joining weekly Fridays For Future protests inspired by Greta helped spur her opposition to climate change activism.

I get chills when I see those young people, especially at Fridays for Future. They are screaming and shouting and theyre generally terrified, she said in an interview. They dont want the world to end.

Naomi said she does not dispute that greenhouse gas emissions are warming the planet, but she argues that many scientists and activists have overstated their impact.

I dont want to get people to stop believing in man-made climate change, not at all, she said. Are manmade CO2 emissions having that much impact on the climate? I think thats ridiculous to believe.

Naomi argues that other factors, such as solar energy, play a role though the amount of solar energy reaching the Earth has actually declined since the 1970s, according to federal measurements. A slew of peer-reviewed reports, from scientific bodies in the U.S. and elsewhere, have concluded that greenhouse gas emissions are the dominant cause of warming since the mid-20th century, producing a range of devastating effects from massive marine die-offs in South America to severe wildfires in Australia and sinking ground in the Arctic.

In addition to climate change, Naomi echoes far-right skepticism about feminism and immigration. The German media have described her as sympathetic to the nationalist Alternative for Germany (AfD), the biggest opposition party in parliament, whose leaders have spoken of fighting an invasion of foreigners. Naomi says she is not a member of AfD she describes herself as libertarian but acknowledges speaking at a recent AfD event.

Her path to Heartland began in November with a speech at EIKE, a Munich think tank whose vice president is a prominent AfD politician. By then, Naomi was already active on YouTube, producing videos on topics ranging from migration to feminism to climate change. In the audience was Heartlands Taylor. He said he immediately recognized her potential and approached her about working with Heartland.

Founded in 1984 and funded largely by anonymous donors, Heartland has increasingly focused on climate change over the past decade. Its staff and researchers enjoy ready access to the Trump administration, and one of its senior fellows, William Happer, served as a senior director on the White House National Security Council between September 2018 and 2019.

An emeritus professor of physics at Princeton University, Happer has repeatedly argued that carbon emissions should be viewed as beneficial to society not a pollutant that drives global warming. During his time with the Trump administration, he sought to enlist Heartlands help in promoting his ideas and objected to a U.S. intelligence officials finding that climate impacts could be possibly catastrophic, according to documents obtained by The Washington Post.

Why would an American think tank want to get involved in German politics? Because it worries that Berlins strong stance on reducing greenhouse-gas emissions could be contagious, according to a recent investigation aired on German television.

For two decades, Germany has been a leader in pressing other nations to curb carbon output and shift to renewable energy. Though it is falling short of its ambitious goals, Germany has pledged to cut its greenhouse gas emissions this year by 40 percent compared to 1990 and by up to 95 percent by mid-century.

In December, during the Madrid climate conference, two undercover staffers from the nonprofit investigative newsroom CORRECTIV approached Taylor and claimed to work for a wealthy donor from the auto industry who wanted to give Heartland a half-million euros. Taylor took the bait, and followed up with a three-page proposal outlining a campaign to push back against German efforts to regulate emissions.

These restrictive environmental programs are largely unnecessary, says the document, a copy of which was obtained by The Post. Worse, other nations including the United States and European Union nations are increasingly being influenced by unwise German policy.

The proposal described Naomi as the star of a Climate Reality Forum organized by Heartland during the Madrid talks. With over 100,000 people viewing her talk on climate realism, the proposal said, Naomi was well-positioned to fight German climate policies.

Funding for our Germany Environmental Issues project will enable Heartland to provide Naomi with the equipment and the sources she needs to present a series of effective videos calling attention to the negative impacts of overreaching environmental regulations, the proposal says.

CORRECTIV aired its report on Heartland earlier this month on German TV. Taylor dismissed the report, saying, Heck, I would have spoken with them if they told us who they were, and the answers would have been pretty much the same.

The report included secretly filmed footage of Naomi, who struck back with her own video response. Invoking Greta, she said, To the media, I have a few last words: How dare you?"

Despite echoes of Gretas style, Naomi has objected to the comparison.

The reason I dont like the term anti-Greta is that it suggests I myself am an indoctrinated puppet, I guess, for the other side, she says in one video. Asked if she meant that as a criticism of Greta, Naomi says: That sounds kind of mean, actually. She added: I dont want to shame her in any way.

Taylor said the tendency to associate Naomi with Greta is kind of natural and benefits Heartlands message.

To the extent that Naomi is pretty much the same, just with a different perspective, yeah, I think that its good that people will look at the two as similar in many ways, he said.

Still, Naomi has a long climb to reach the level of global attention lavished on Greta. While Greta measures her social media following in the millions, Naomi counts slightly under 50,000 YouTube subscribers.

Through her spokespeople, Greta declined to comment.

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The anti-Greta: A conservative think tank takes on the global phenomenon - msnNOW

Its no secret Americans are divided. Liberals pit themselves against conservatives, often bitterly. There are even factions amongst those camps. Leftists, led by the likes of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, are seeking to dominate the more moderate elements of the Democratic Party. The fusion of libertarians and conservatives, absent the unifying threat of communism and the Cold War, is fraying.

In such a fractious environment, perhaps we should turn to our first president, who warned us of the dangers of political parties and in whom a public spirit reigned almost before there was any public to be spirited about. What would he have to say about the libertarian-conservative debate?

Following the Revolutionary War, America was economically weak. So George Washington took measures to ensure financial growth. He championed the Potomac River project to established a network of roads and tributaries that connected separate parts of the country. This would allow citizens to travel and trade with one another, improving the lives of everyday Americans and securing the promise of prosperity to millions yet unborn. This was an end worthy of the attention of Americas father.

Washington also saw prosperity as a means. It can satisfy material needs while creating the conditions for a nation and a people to act justly. Mothers would not be forced to steal for themselves and their children to survive. A wealthy country need not renege on debts to its allies. Prosperity makes that possible.

Yet beyond such advantages, Washington saw prosperity as necessary for the accomplishment of his greatest task: the establishment of an American national character.

The Potomac River project was essential because it would bring the States on the Atlantic in close connexion with those forming to the westward, by a short and easy transportation. Without this, Washington could easily conceive that Americans would have different views, separate interests and other connexions.

At a time many people thought of themselves as citizens of a particular state, rather than a nation, free trade and travel would promote cultural education and unity. It would bring Americans together for those simple and everyday exchanges that combat prejudice and encourage reciprocal goodwill.

Furthermore, Washington was not only establishing commerce but a marketplace of ideas. If individuals could travel for trade, they could also gather to deliberate. Citizens across states lines could converse and come to a consensus. This would ensure that all Americans, regardless of locality, were dedicated to a shared set of principles.

Washington did not promote prosperity so that atomistic individuals could each pursue their own desires. He did it for the sake of unity, so citizens would be willing to make those concessions which are requisite to the general prosperity, and in some instances, to sacrifice their individual advantages to the interest of the Community. He championed improvements in infrastructure for economic growth but also as a mechanism for forming a common culture and commitment to republican ideas.

Put another way, Washingtons views of the interplay between prosperity and American national character mirrors the relationship of the body and the soul. The body is not what is most essential for the human person. A soldier does not lose his character with the loss of his arm.

Still, what happens to the body has the potential to affect the soul. It is difficult for someone suffering from a debilitating disease to maintain his or her spiritedness. Washington promoted prosperity in order to provide for the body politic. But he did so for the sake of the American soul.

So was Washington a libertarian or a conservative? He would certainly agree that economic prosperity is desirable in and of itself. This opinion is shared by libertarians and conservatives alike but is more essential to the libertarian platform.

However, Washington was seeking to establish communities and not mere markets. And he gave supremacy to the former. In Washingtons mind, what elevates prosperity in importance is its usefulness as a means, not just its goodness as an end. He would not have advocated policies that treat economic growth as if it is the only goal without a view to how those policies affect communities and character.

This is an approach we could learn from today. Washingtons nuanced understanding of prosperity could form the basis of a new fusionism between libertarians and conservatives. That alliance is especially tenuous amongst millennials and members of Gen Z whose views of coalition-building are not framed by the urgency of the Cold War. The commonality amongst libertarians and conservatives, millennials and baby boomers, is the American national character Washington bequeathed to all.

Brenda M. Hafera is the director of International and Continuing Education Programs at The Fund for American Studies.

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How George Washington Can Revive Fusionism On The Right - The Federalist

Looking back, Trey Holcomb said hes always been a Libertarian at heart. The 49-year-old public school teacher has largely voted Republican, but the election of Donald Trump led him to part ways with the Grand Old Party a few years ago.

I looked at what the Republican party was saying they were about and what they were actually doing, he said, and it didnt match up. They want to extend compassion to some groups but not to others. If you are going to love thy neighbor unless they are a refugee from another country, that doesnt make sense to me. Why not treat people as individuals. There are great Christian people in the Republican party, but, as a party, thats not what it stands for anymore.

Disillusioned, he went with an open mind to Tarrant Countys Democratic primary in 2016 only to find narrow partisan talking points that Holcomb said felt contrived to garner votes. The real issues that are facing this country ballooning national debt, endless foreign wars, unjust marijuana laws were largely missing from the discourse of both parties.

Partisan politics dumbs down elections into fearmongering over abortion rights and gun control, Holcomb said. Both parties, he added, are guilty of misrepresenting the other side to gain votes. While the idea of joining a political party felt anathema to his new insights, Holcomb saw an opportunity to make a difference as a candidate for Texas 12th Congressional District under the Libertarian ticket.

Libertarianism, Holcomb said, is based on the philosophy of liberty. You own your life. Your decisions should not be made for you.

On March 10 at Billy Bobs Texas, Holcomb will plead his case to Libertarian Party delegates at the partys county convention. If chosen to represent the Libertarian party in the national Congressional race, Holcomb will face the winners of the Republican and Democratic primaries. Incumbent Republican Kay Granger is facing off against TCU grad and staunch conservative Chris Putnam, who, according to the Texas Tribune, has shown fundraising prowess with an early haul of $456,000. The Democratic primary will pit aircraft assembler Danny Anderson against college professor Lisa Welch.

For the first time in recent memory, Granger, who is in her 12th term in the U.S. House of Representatives, appears to be politically vulnerable. Her ambitious pet project, the $1.2 billion (and rising) flood control development north of downtown known as Panther Island, has suffered from ballooning costs, construction delays, and a noticeable absence of promised federal funds (Buddy, Can You Spare a Billion? April 11, 2018).

Everyone who is paying attention [to the Panther Island debacle] is frustrated, Holcomb said. Whether that amounts to change at the polls remains to be seen. Granger has been in Congress since 1996. I have no interest in being a career politician. Politicians who stay in for a generation and enrich themselves are only there for themselves. Thats how Congress operates.

Holcomb is building his campaign on three pillars: addressing the national debt, stopping the United States endless cycles of foreign wars, and reforming marijuana laws that have sent hundreds of thousands of nonviolent young men and women to jail for the offense of smoking a plant.

Future generations of Americans will be forced to pay down the debt that they did not create. Holcomb sees national debt as a moral issue and a growing political crisis. The U.S. governments public debt is now more than $20 trillion, according to the U.S. Treasury Department.

This country was founded on principal, Holcomb said. Look at the primary source. No taxation without representation. When youre at $5 or $10 trillion, you are now borrowing money from people who have not been born yet. If thats not an example of taxation without representation, I dont know what is.

The killing of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani and the subsequent saber-rattling tweets by Trump have been a reminder of how the United States is seemingly always on the verge of war. Holcomb sees profits as driving that cycle. Banks fund our debt, he said, and our debt floats the military. Around one-sixth of federal spending goes to the military, according to the Congressional Budget Office.

Im a 49-year-old school teacher, he said. They have 49-year-old teachers in Tehran, too. Why should we impose our views on their life? I have had kids in my class who went to war. Some were improved, some were maimed, and some didnt return. It changes your perspective.

Teaching has also informed his views on marijuana. When politicians visit Holcombs high school history class, many teenagers ask about the prospects of marijuana law reform.

My first impression was, These kids want to know when they can legally get high, Holcomb said. It turns out that a lot of these kids have relatives who have been caught in possession of a plant. Now, they have legal consequences for an action that didnt hurt anybody. That has to stop. Kids have a good B.S. detector.

Marijuana is legal for medical purposes in 33 states. Its only a matter of time, Holcomb said, before marijuana is rescheduled by the Food and Drug Administration from its current status of Schedule 1, the category reserved for heroin and other controlled substances that are deemed highly dangerous for public use.

Holcomb feels good about his chances of earning his partys nomination and garnering a large number of votes later this year. Most voters, he said, arent diehard Democrats or Republicans. The binary thinking that drives our elections is an illusion that is perpetrated by the entrenched powers who benefit from being reelected.

Holcomb said his campaign will be an awakening for Tarrant County voters who are fed up with politics as usual. Hes betting that voters will respond to a concept that has been the bedrock of American values since 1776.

Theres a marketplace of ideas that will be presented to voters, he said, and I think freedom is pretty popular.

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Breaking the Two-Party Paradigm - Fort Worth Weekly

LINCOLN Reid Preston gave out red Republican goods this month in the University of Nebraska-Lincoln student union pens, sunglasses, bottle openers.

As treasurer of UNLs College Republicans, the freshman from Lyons, Nebraska, cares about todays political scene. Asked if Democratic professors have badgered him with liberal messages, Preston said they havent.

Even a professor of political science, who might reasonably be expected to share his own views, was pretty much in the middle, Preston said. For the most part, he was really good at not having any biases at all.

Many Republicans nationwide say they have lost faith in colleges and universities and now view them as havens of liberal indoctrination. In a comparatively short period, national surveys show, Republicans generally have shifted from a positive opinion of higher education to one of distrust.

But a 2018 campus culture survey done by the NU system, and World-Herald conversations this month with 19 students at UNL and the University of Nebraska at Omaha, found minimal concern about professorial political proselytizing.

Conservatives nevertheless have reason to be suspicious. Not only do college faculties lean liberal, they tumble leftward. Whether that has any effect on teaching and learning isnt clear, but there isnt good evidence that anyone is being indoctrinated. Most of the 19 students said politics rarely, if ever, comes up in classes.

High-profile incidents of dismissive or contemptuous treatment of conservative students convey the notion that such episodes are commonplace on college campuses.

Outside the same student union 2 years ago, a liberal graduate student-lecturer berated a sophomore who was recruiting for the conservative Turning Point USA. The student captured still photos of the lecturer flipping her off and recorded some of the diatribe on video.

The images swept the nation and gave conservatives a gotcha moment. The incident proved, they said, that conservative students are bullied on college campuses. Some Republican state senators in Nebraska demanded changes at UNL, and the student-lecturer wasnt invited back for the next school year.

Harvey Perlman, former chancellor of UNL and now a law professor there, said that if professors strive to sway Nebraska students toward liberalism, theyre doing a bad job, considering Republican domination of state politics.

If the concern is somehow that left-leaning faculty will twist the minds of their students, it hasnt seemed to work, said Perlman, who switched from Republican to Democrat after the 2016 election of Donald Trump. Most of us are fairly careful when discussing issues that divide people.

David Randall of the conservative-libertarian National Association of Scholars doesnt see it that way. Randall, director of research of the New York-based organization, said liberals, or progressives, have bent higher education toward a social justice mission that aims to liberate groups from oppression.

This results in a teacher thinking its appropriate to rebuke a student for her political perspective, Randall said. In effect, there is a radical monoculture growing in higher education, he said.

Of the 19 students interviewed by The World-Herald, seven said they were Democrats, six said they were Republicans and the rest were independent, libertarian or apolitical.

The Pew Research Center found last year that 59% of Americans who lean Republican responded that colleges have a negative effect on the nation's direction, up from 35% in 2012. Among Democratic leaners, 67% had a positive view the same percentage as in 2012.

Molly Patrick, a UNO junior with a multidisciplinary major, said professors havent imposed their politics on her. Were just worrying about facts and stuff, said Patrick, a libertarian from Fremont. Some Republicans might think theyre liberal notions, but theyre just facts.

Noah Floersch, an independent from Omaha, said he has some conservative views and hasnt been lambasted with liberal political messages from professors. Floersch, a UNL junior, said his family leans to the right.

I dont feel like Ive been forced one way or another, but I definitely think my scope has broadened, said Floersch, a marketing major.

Sixty Andrews, a senior UNO political science major from Omaha, said he doesnt hear professors uttering contempt for Trump. Professors allow us to offer our opinions whether we agree or disagree with any political leader, he said.

Andrews, a Republican, said higher education has a beneficial impact on individuals and society.

I cant get my students to turn in their assignments on time, (so) Im certainly not going to impact their view on who to vote for, said Darren Linvill, an associate professor of communication at Clemson University in South Carolina.

Nationwide surveys indicate many college faculties are overwhelmingly liberal or Democratic. The UCLA Higher Education Research Institute found in its latest survey (2016-17) that 48.3% of faculty members identified themselves as liberal compared with 11.7% who said they were conservative.

Further, that survey of more than 20,000 full-time undergraduate teaching faculty members at 143 colleges indicated the percentage of liberals has grown from 36.8% in 1998-99.

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A report published four years ago by Econ Journal Watch found that at 40 universities, many elite schools like Harvard and Stanford, 3,623 professors had registered as Democrats and only 314 as Republicans. That ratio is about 11.5 to 1. The study looked at faculty members in economics, history, journalism, law and psychology.

Conservatives know this and dont like it. The Pew Research Center found last year that 59% of Americans who lean Republican responded that colleges have a negative effect on the nations direction, up from 35% in 2012. Among Democratic leaners, 67% had a positive view the same percentage as in 2012.

A Gallup poll in 2017 found that only 33% of Republicans have a lot of confidence in higher education. Fifty-six percent of Democrats answered that question positively. The Gallup poll found that the biggest reasons for Republican lack of confidence were the belief that they were too political and pushed their own agenda.

UNLs Richard Duncan, a registered Republican and professor of law, said that when there is little diversity in political thought at colleges, theres no reason to have a lot of confidence in them. And UNL could use more such diversity, he said.

That said, Duncan is in his 41st year at UNL and said the institution is a really good place. He said that for the most part, its a university where conservatives and progressives can mingle and find their views respected.

An NU campus climate survey published in 2018 found that 90% of students believed liberals felt free to express their views on campus and 75% believed conservatives had the same freedom.

Robert Reason, an associate dean at Iowa State University, said the presence of liberal indoctrination is just not shown in any of the research.

Reason said that during faculty recruitment, Ive never had a conversation about someones political views. He described himself as a moderate Democrat.

Many say a big reason for the disparity is that liberals select careers in higher education because there are like-minded people in it. They say conservatives are more likely to join the private sector.

Clemsons Linvill said studies have found that students become slightly more liberal while in college, but that a similar change also takes place among young adults who dont go to college. Linvill, who said he is registered as an independent, has studied political bias in higher education and said its largely fallacious.

Linvill said in one report that there has been a growth of conservative groups with a stated mission to expose political bias and abuse in higher education. This has contributed to widespread publicity of episodes where bias was evident, he said.

Julia Schleck, an associate professor of English at UNL, said through an email that the partisan divide over higher education has been deliberately engineered by conservative media.

Schleck, who leans to the left, said negative coverage in those outlets over the past five years has produced the slump in Republicans opinion of higher education.

Randall, at the National Association of Scholars, said conservative students have created groups like Turning Point USA because of the nonstop propaganda thrust at them by liberal professors.

The Harvard student newspaper two years ago said in an editorial that the school needs more diversity of political viewpoints. The editorial said 83.2% of the universitys arts and sciences faculty identified themselves as liberal in the papers survey, compared with 1.5% who said they were conservative.

These statistics do not reflect America, the piece said. And, it said, the statistics probably contribute to declining faith in American colleges.

Rain clouds and a bit of a rainbow roll over the sky in Millard on Aug. 16, 2016.

The sun sets behind a center pivot located north of Red Cloud, Nebraska, on Thursday, July 27, 2006.

Storm clouds hide the sun as it sets over Nebraska's Sand Hills on July 7, 2009, near Thedord, Nebraska.

A summer storm passes north of Rose, Nebraska, on Sunday, June 10, 2007.

A rainbow forms over U.S. Highway 12, just east of Valentine, Nebraska, as storms roll over the area on July 25, 2017.

The sun sets behind an approaching storm as a car heads west on U.S. Highway 34 near Union, Nebraska, on April 24, 2016.

Icicles form on vines in downtown Omaha on Feb. 24, 2017.

Railroad tracks are illuminated by the setting sun on May 3, 2017, east of Scottsbluff, Nebraska.

The sun sets behind Chimney Rock on May 3, 2017.

Members of the Boats, Bikes, Boots & Brews group head to shore as the sun sets after an evening out on Lake Zorinsky on April 22, 2015.

Icicles hang from the horse carriage parking sign in the Old Market on Jan. 15, 2017.

Wheat, ready for the combine, is silhouetted by the setting sun as the wheat harvest on the Lagler farm near Grant, Nebraska, was in full swing on July 7, 2005.

A layer of fog covers the Missouri River near the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge on Feb. 5, 2015.

A setting sun creates a pink haze on a windmill and the Sand Hills southwest of Rushville, Nebraska, on Sept. 22, 2007.

Pigeons scatter at sunset as the St. John's steeple is silhouetted against the Woodmen tower in downtown Omaha on Oct. 3, 2014.

The sun bursts behind the clouds over the North Platte River east of Bridgeport, Nebraska, on July 26, 2006.

Steve Jobman, a farmer south of Minatare, Nebraska, cuts alfalfa after sunset on June 2, 2004.

Wheat waves in the wind in a field west of Dalton, Nebraska, on July 18, 2001.

The moon rises over the northern cross of the St. Cecilia Cathedral in Omaha on Feb. 10, 2017. On this night, there was a full moon, a lunar eclipse and comet 45P passed by the earth.

As the wind speed picks up, a woman holds onto her hood while crossing 16th Street along Dodge Street in Omaha on Feb. 24, 2017.

From left: Melody Borcherding, Kseniya Burgoon and Michael Beltz scoop out a vehicle on Jan. 23, 2018, in Norfolk.

Jeff Bachman harvests soybeans and prepares to transfer them as the sun sets on a field near Ayr, Nebraska, on Oct. 19, 2008.

As the sun sets, sandhill cranes arrive to roost in the Platte River at the Rowe Sanctuary & Iain Nicholson Audubon Center south of Gibbon, Nebraska, on March 12, 2008.

A pair of sandhill cranes pass in front of the moon shortly after sunrise at the Iain Nicolson Audubon Center at Rowe Sanctuary near Gibbon, Nebraska, on March 13, 2012. Sandhill cranes, which mate for life, can live between 20 and 40 years.

A windmill is dwarfed by storm clouds near Crawford, Nebraska, on May 3, 2017.

An early November storm system rolls through the Great Plains, but Omaha only receives rain, which collected on freshly-fallen leaves on Nov. 11, 2015.

Cattle head up to a well to get a drink at the end of the day near Sparks, Nebraska, on Aug. 21, 2015. Smoke from the wildfires in the western states created a haze.

The moon rises above the corn as farmers harvest the last of their fields in eastern Nebraska and western Iowa on Nov. 5, 2014.

Two riders help round up part of the 750 head of cattle branded at the Lute Family Ranch, located south of Hyannis, Nebraska, on May 12, 2005. Mick Knott, who runs the ranch, owns about half the cattle, and the Lute Foundation owns the rest. The work started about dawn and finished about noon.

The rising sun illuminates a tree and a windmill in a snow-covered field located on U.S. Highway 20 between Rushville and Chadron, Nebraska, on March 1, 2017.

The College Home Run Derby was held at TD Ameritrade Park and was highlighted by The World-Herald's annual Independence Day fireworks display on July 2, 2015.

Fog rises from the Missouri River and covers the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge on Jan. 5, 2010.

The weekend's perfect weather colored the clouds at sunset south of Wymore, Nebraska, on Oct. 23, 2004.

Deer chill out at Chalco Hills Recreation Area on Feb. 22, 2018.

A leaf is covered in a dusting of snow near 138th and Hickory Streets on Dec. 18, 2014, in Millard.

A runner emerges from the edge of the rising sun on Sept. 11, 2015, at Zorinsky Lake Park and Recreation Area in Omaha.

Nearly 45 minutes after sunset, an orange and blue glow is seen setting behind the Omaha skyline flanked between trees in Council Bluffs on Jan. 11, 2018.

Rain drops collect on a flower following early showers on May 10, 2017, in Millard.

The promise of rain is fleeting for the seven windmills on the Watson Ranch north of Scottsbluff, Nebraska, on U.S. 71 on May 16, 2004.

A crescent moon sets behind the UNO bell tower on Nov. 6, 2013.

Ralph Remmert is depicted in the mural "Fertile Ground" near 13th and Mike Fahey Streets in north downtown Omaha on June 19, 2017.

Ralph Kohler, 94, keeps his eyes to the sky for ducks and geese as the sun rises over his hunting pond east of Tekamah, Nebraska, on Nov. 30, 2011. Kohler has been a professional guide for most of his life, and he is preparing for the spring season.

The sun rises over St. Paul Lutheran Church, located three miles north of Republican City, Nebraska, in March of 2004.

Geese are silhouetted in the color and clouds as the sun sets at Zorinsky Lake on Feb. 21, 2016.

The sun rises on Chimney Rock on Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2014, near McGrew, Nebraska.

Cranes walk through the shallow water of the Platte River shortly before sunset near The Crane Trust, which is close to Wood River, Nebraska, on March 13, 2012. The river provides cranes with a safe place from predators for rest at night.

A bespangled vest awaits a rider during Nebraska's Big Rodeo on July 25, 2013, in Burwell, Nebraska.

Horses stand in the snow on Feb. 22, 2018.

Residents of the Nebraska Panhandle enjoyed unseasonably mild temperatures and cloud cover on Aug. 12, 2004.

Members of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association hold their hats as 2013 Miss Burwell Rodeo Olivia Hunsperger passes by during the opening ceremonies on July 27, 2013, in Burwell, Nebraska. "This may be a small town, but it's got a big rodeo, and it's got a really big heart," Hunsperger said.

A break in the clouds highlights downtown Omaha as seen from Lewis Central High School in Council Bluffs, as severe storms passed through the Omaha Metro area on June 5, 2014.

John Wanief waits for the bus in a shelter at 120th Street and West Center Road as cold rain pours down in Millard on Nov. 11, 2015.

Flocks of waterfowl fill the sky as the sun rises over Ponca, Nebraska, on March 3, 2018.

A red tail hawk perches on a light stanchion backed by the moon and overlooking the property near the Indian Creek development in Omaha on Feb. 27, 2018.

A woman walks with two dogs in Memorial Park near Dodge Street as many sledders go down the hill in Omaha, Nebraska, on Feb. 2, 2016. MATT MILLER/THE WORLD-HERALD

The sun sets over Sidney, Nebraska, on June 2, 2015.

The rising sun shines on a snow-covered hill located north of Chadron, Nebraska, on March 1, 2017.

Storm clouds are illuminated by the setting sun as people exit a football camp in Lincoln on Friday, June 16, 2017.

Sharon Vencil walks her dogs, Blackie and Whitie, along the Field Club Trail on March 6, 2018, in Omaha.

The morning sun burns off a layer of fog just north of the Chimney Rock.

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Conservatives are concerned, but is liberal indoctrination really an issue at UNL and UNO? - Omaha World-Herald

Sarah Hurst on how the far-right activist visited Russia to praise Vladimir Putin and spread Islamophobic and racist propaganda about the UK.

The far-right activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon who calls himself Tommy Robinson has received VIP treatment in Russia, giving a press conference at the headquarters of newspaper Komsomolskaya Pravda and speaking at a Libertarian Party conference.

Yaxley-Lennon was greeted at the newspapers offices in Moscow by Alexander Malkevich, formerly the head of a propaganda outlet called USA Really and currently billed as the head of the Foundation for Defending National Values.Malkevich was sanctioned by the US in 2018 for attempted election interference.

The 37-year-old founder of the English Defence League (EDL) and a recent convert to the Conservative Party has served prison time in the UK for various crimes, including assault and mortgage fraud, and last year for contempt of court for broadcasting a Facebook Live video of defendants in a trial, in breach of reporting restrictions. However, Russian media didnt think any of this was worth mentioning, depicting him instead as a victim of censorship and EU oppression.

Yaxley-Lennons visit followed one by Britain First leader Paul Golding last year to the Russian Duma, which resulted in a criminal charge being brought.

Komsomolskaya Pravda, which claims to be the most popular newspaper in Russia, announced that the theme of the press conference would be whats going on with free speech in Europe? It described Yaxley-Lennon as a politician and journalist and noted that, not only had he been jailed for making a video, but he had also been illegally banned from Twitter forsupposed extremist statements, despite having half a million followers.

Yaxley-Lennons own title for his presentation at the event was more direct: The Rape of Britain.

Robinson said that all the problems he was talking about were connected to Muslims, the website RIA-FAN reported. This is not just about one-off crimes by individuals but about gangs of migrants raping underage British girls, it continued, relaying Yaxley-Lennons words uncritically. You cant believe the British media! Robinson ranted. Ive seen their manipulations, how they make up lies about me Thats why Im here! Because all these issues are relevant in Russia.

The website Vechernyaya Moskva interviewed Yaxley-Lennon at the press conference and published an article with the headline British Politician Robinson: Lets Break Up the European Union Together. He told them that he thought the Netherlands and France would be the next countries to leave the EU after the UK, and that Frances exit would be possible if Marine Le Pen got enough support. The French far-right leader met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow in March 2017 one month before the presidential election in which she was a candidate. A Russian company is now suing her to recover a loan of $10.8 million.

Peter Jukes and Hardeep Matharu

Yaxley-Lennons views are also remarkably similar to Putins. He said in the interview that EU sanctions on Russia arent motivated by Russias aggression against Ukraine but are an attempt to rein in Russias power. The EU is destabilising Ukraine and intervening militarily there as part of a programme of expansion, Yaxley-Lennon insisted. And if Russia had wanted to take out Sergei Skripal, it would have done it quietly, not with aRussianchemical weapon, he claimed. He said that he hoped Russia would become one of the UKs key partners after Brexit and that they would fight jihadism together.

We can cooperate to preserve our Christian values,culture and identity, Yaxley-Lennon told the newspaper. Russians see Putin as the defender of their country. He is a strong politician. The West doesnt have enough strong men. Western politicians are emasculated. He said that he would like to go for a beer with Putin and would advise him to fight the censorship and propaganda that is being used against Russia. Yaxley-Lennon would also ask Putin to let him host a Russian TV show.

Yaxley-Lennon posted pictures of his lecture at the Libertarian Party conference in St. Petersburg on his Telegram channel, with the words Thank you Russia. The party itself also tweeted pictures of himspeaking to a packed hall. He was an odd choice of guest for a party, the leader of which Mikhail Svetov was one of the organisers of anti-Putin protests in Moscow last summer. But, if people on the fringes are likely to get together somewhere, it will be in Russia.

This article is part of a series on Kremlin links to prominent people in Europe that issupportedby a grant from JournalismFund.EU.

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'Rape of Britain': Russia Rolls Out the Red Carpet for 'Tommy Robinson' - Byline Times

Early voting for the presidential primary election begins on Monday and town clerks around the Island report an increase in voter registration ahead of the closely watched race.

This will be the first time in Massachusetts voters have the opportunity to cast their ballots early and town clerks are hoping it will boost election participation. The Massachusetts primary is March 3, part of Super Tuesday, when more than a dozen states hold their presidential primary elections.

The goal is to try to get as many people as possible out to vote by making it easier for them, said Edgartown town clerk Karen Medeiros. We are hopeful, but it probably wont make a big difference in voter turnout.

The early voting for the presidential primary begins Feb. 24 and continues through Feb. 28 at sites around the Island. There are 15 Democratic candidates, four Republican, 10 Libertarian and four Green-Rainbow on the ballot.

There are 15,194 voters registered on the Island for the primary election, according to town clerks, a 5.6 percent increase from the 14,382 registered voters in the 2016 presidential primary election.

Oak Bluffs town clerk, Laura Johnston. Mark Alan Lovewell

Voter turnout at elections is typically very healthy on the Island; that hasnt changed in many years, said Chilmark town clerk Jennifer Christy. The trend has stayed steady.

The town of Oak Bluffs has the most registered voters at 3,914, standing just above Edgartown which has 3,822. In Tisbury there are 3,497 registered voters and in West Tisbury there are 2,601. Chilmark and Aquinnah have 979 and 381 registered voters, respectively.

Those registered as unenrolled make up the majority of voters for the primary election this year, at 52 per cent. The trend is consistent in each town, with 8,014 total voters registered as unenrolled, 5,766 registered as Democrats and 1,305 registered as Republicans.

Libertarian, Green-Rainbow and other smaller party designations make up the rest of registered voters at just over one per cent.

The deadline to register to vote in the primary election was Feb. 12, and voters can no longer change their party affiliations. However, unenrolled voters will be able to vote for candidates of either party without permanently changing their affiliation. After choosing a party designation to cast a ballot in the primary, voters will return to their designation as an unenrolled voter.

Its just for a moment in time that they have to go one way or another, said West Tisbury town clerk Tara Whiting-Wells. They just want the freedom to choose . . . Im not sure why the numbers are historically more than any other party [on the Island].

Ms. Christy said that the trend of voters registering as unenrolled has been on the rise over the last decade.

Im sure it can be chalked up to quite a lot of factors, she said. Its sort of an Island-wide situation.

Earlier this year the League of Women Voters launched a campaign to register every eligible person on the Island to vote, in honor of the centennial of the historic suffrage movement that granted women the right to vote.

Every election and primary is extremely important, said member Beatrice Phear. We need voters to pay attention.

To kick off early voting on Monday, the towns of Edgartown, Oak Bluffs and West Tisbury are unveiling new voting machines to their residents.

The new machines are slightly slower, they have to think a little more than the old machines, said Ms. Whiting-Wells. Some are excited by it and other are terrified. But I think I can speak to the three town clerks when I say, we all like it . . . it has better security and more reliable technology.

Chilmark and Aquinnah will be sticking to their historic, wooden ballot boxes that require a team of longstanding volunteers to count the votes by hand.

We stick with it because, simply, it still works fine, Ms. Christy said. People seem to like that way of slipping their ballot into the box.

Town clerks said that absentee ballots are already beginning to trickle in, with as many as 98 requests in West Tisbury thus far. Voters can cast an absentee ballot until noon the day before the election.

Each election cycle is exciting, Ms. Whiting-Wells said. Ill be interested to see how this one pans out.

Early voting:

Aquinnah Town Hall, 65 State Road, Aquinnah Monday, Feb. 24, noon to 4 p.m.; Tuesday, Feb. 25, noon to 4 p.m.; closed Wednesday; Thursday, Feb. 27, noon to 4 p.m.; Friday Feb. 28, noon to 3 p.m.

Chilmark Town Hall, 401 Middle Road, Chilmark Monday, Feb. 24 through Friday, Feb. 28, 8 a.m. to noon.

Edgartown Town Hall, 70 Main street, Edgartown Monday, Feb. 24 through Friday, Feb. 28, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Oak Bluffs Town Clerks Office, Town Hall, 56 School street, Oak Bluffs Monday, Feb. 24 through Friday, Feb. 28, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Tisbury Emergency Services Facility, 215 Spring street, Tisbury Monday, Feb. 24 through Friday, Feb. 28, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

West Tisbury Town Hall, 1059 State Road, West Tisbury Monday, Feb. 24 through Friday, Feb. 28, 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

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Voter Registration Is Up as Island Prepares for Presidential Primary - The Vineyard Gazette - Martha's Vineyard News

Justice Neil Gorsuch

Criticizing U.S. Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch can generate some interesting rebukes from, of all places, libertarian Twitter. In some ways, I can understand the libertarian fanfare for Gorsuch. After all, I myself have praised the man for authoring some astoundingly refreshing opinions. The reason so many libertarians support Gorsuch is because, in the past, he has heavily criticized the discretional power given to the [u]nbridled [b]ureaucrats that run our countrys vast administrative state due to the Auer and Chevron doctrines. Before we get into how shockingly fast Gorsuch squashed all hope he would meaningfully challenge the discretion given to the administrative state, we should get into some necessary background regarding the Auer and Chevron doctrines.

The Auer doctrine is named after the 1997 case Auer v. Robbins, which established judicial deference to executive agency interpretation when gaps between federal law and agency regulation exist. Similar to Auer, the Chevron doctrine grants deference to an executive agencys reasonable interpretation of a federal statute. Taken together, both doctrines establish a great deal of flexibility for executive agencies without judicial review, and as I hope you can imagine, these doctrines are heavily criticized by libertarian voices. So, it was to many libertarians joy when Gorsuch made his desire to overrule Auer abundantly clear. Moreover, as Reasons Jacob Sullum has pointed out, this position has made Gorsuch a perceived threat to progressive economic, environmental, anti-discrimination, and public safety regulations. Given his further opposition to Chevron, Gorsuchs ascension to the Court was portrayed at the time as a possible monumental shift to how our government is shaped.

To be clear, as I point out above, in some cases, Gorsuch has acted in accordance with these expectations. He unambiguously argued for overturning Auer, for example. In more recent cases however, he has bristled at the very idea of judicial review over unelected, unbridled bureaucrats. In fact, Gorsuch has recently argued that commissioners of executive agencies should be given carte blanche authority that is never subject to judicial review.

The case where Gorsuch found himself on the side of deference to the unelected bureaucrat was the recent one involving the citizenship question on the national census. As discussed by Elie Mystal here at Above the Law at the time, in the census case the evidence unambiguously demonstrated not only that the head of the executive agency (Wilbur Ross), lied about why a particular regulation was being implemented, the lie was on behalf of an expressly racist reason. Despite this abundantly clear evidence, Gorsuch ultimately disagreed with Chief Justice John Roberts that when evidence does not match agency explanation, judicial review requires something better than the explanation offered for the action.

Continuing down a path of seemingly shocking reversal from prior principles, in a more recent case, Gorsuch criticized the practice of nationwide injunctions against executive regulations. Ill let Harvard Law Professor Benjamin Spencer put this criticism into context: In an era when the power of the executive is being expanded in varied and disconcerting ways, this effort to denigrate and eliminate the nationwide injunction should be seen for what it is: an attempt by those who favor a more powerful executive to get the federal courts out of the way.

The amount of deference and power Gorsuch was willing to extend to the executive in just these two cases alone is not only unprecedented, perhaps more unfortunately, by any logical sense it should destroy the image of Gorsuch as the great weapon against an ever-increasing and all-powerful administrative state. Moreover, it makes any future criticism or opinion by Gorsuch regarding Auer or Chevron entirely suspect.

With the census case certainly, there was a real, transformative, and a once in a generational chance to reel in the discretion given to unelected bureaucrats, even if only in specific cases where they are caught lying and therefore judicial review becomes most necessary. Responding to that moment, where the evidence does not match the agency explanations, by declaring the agencies reasoning and action are beyond the scope of judicial review rightfully undercuts any attempt by Gorsuch in the future to criticize, say, the Environmental Protection Agency under a president Bernie Sanders.

Of course, as Sullum also rightfully points out, during Gorsuchs time on the Tenth Circuit, his critique of the administrative state was applied in cases that involved issues and defendants from across the ideological spectrum. Therefore, although I can see why some thought Gorsuch would be their champion who would fight the administrative state, it is simply undeniable that when given the chance to do just that, he has repeatedly refused.

Tyler Brokers work has been published in the Gonzaga Law Review, the Albany Law Review, and is forthcoming in the University of Memphis Law Review. Feel free toemail himor follow him onTwitterto discuss his column.

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Bbb-but, Gorsuch? - Above the Law

Its time for a new party to take over center stage in the political arena. Time to walk away from the Democrats and Republicans, as neither party has our interest at heart anymore.

The Democrats are a mess between Albany, bail reform, and the Iowa caucus. Whether it is the rigging of the primaries in 2016 for Hillary or blaming everything on Russia, how can anyone trust this party anymore? Just this week, Nancy Pelosi childishly ripping up President Trumps speech. How do you let her represent you? Her actions are outright disrespectful. She may not like the President, but she should still respect the office.

The Republicans have given up in such states as New York and California. Did you know its been over 20 years since a Republican has won a statewide election here in New York? Twenty years, with most of the representatives giving up and quitting, such as Peter King. They claim to cut taxes, but what they really do is rearrange them, to make it appear like they do. They have let our federal budget grow to 23 trillion dollars. So much for our kids having a great life. Maybe our grandchildren will? President Trump continually shows the country his childish side. Yes, Pelosi impeached him. However, I feel he shouldve acted like the better person and shook her hand regardless.

One of the fastest growing parties in the country is the Libertarian Party. We had 23 wins this past election cycle; 7 of them right here in New York state. The enrollment went from 2,000 to over 13,500 people this past year. We have great candidates running across both the state and country.

This brings me to Staten Islands Libertarian Party, which has also significantly grown. We now have 251 registered party members; most attributing the change to the realization that the two big parties dont have our backs anymore. Most feel the two parties have stomped all over the United States Constitution. One member said she has joined the party because she feels, government isnt the answer for everything and has only made things worse through its corruption. Another member joined the Libertarian Party, after being a life-long Republican from the time of Ronald Reagan. I was unhappy with the way things changed after 9/11. War-hawk, neo-cons and the further left/Socialist Democrats just made it unbearable. It seems like most people lost the idea of a Constitutional Republic, where everyone leaves everyone else to live in peace to follow what the Founding Fathers envisioned for us.

If you feel you have some of the same concerns and want true change, please look into the Libertarian Party. We truly are a party for the people, by the people. We want people to live the way they want, without causing harm to others. The Libertarian Party is truly socially liberal, but fiscally conservative. We dont need or want government in every aspect of our lives. Come check us out at LP.org. The state website is LPNY.org and our local site is statenisland-lp.org.

(Joseph Portelle is a Sunnyside resident.)

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Libertarian party gives us a choice (letter to the editor) - SILive.com

Businessman Andrew Yang, a longshot candidate for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination, has dropped out of the race in advance of what are expected to be disappointing results in the New Hampshire primary.

"I am a numbers guy," said Yang, according toThe Washington Post. "I'm not going to be at a threshold where I get delegates, which makes sticking around not necessarily helpful or productive in terms of furthering the goals of this campaign."

Yang's candidacy was predominantly based on a specific proposal, akin to a universal basic income: Yang wanted to give every adult American $1,000 each month. He described his policy approach as "humanity first," and he wanted to use the powers of the federal government to ease the burdens on Americans whose short-term job prospects have suffered due to outsourcing and automation.

That was never a particularly libertarian agenda, but Yang's practical approachfind ways to help people who may have been hurt by capitalism, rather than destroy capitalism itselfnevertheless made him popular with a diverse range of people, including some libertarians. Former Libertarian Party vice presidential candidate Bill Weld recently cited Yang as his dream running mate. Yang and Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (DHawaii) have been the only Democratic candidates thus far this year to make any sort of explicit pitch to libertarians. (Indeed, they are the only two candidates on the New Hamphire ballot to plausibly demonstrate that they know what a libertarian is.)

Yang also generated headlines for denouncing cancel culture. He criticized Saturday Night Live's firing of comedian Shane Gillis, and he earned the endorsement of Dave Chapelle.

"I believe that our country has become excessively punitive and vindictive about remarks that people find offensive or racist and that we need to try and move beyond that, if we can," Yang said. "Particularly in a case where the person isin this casea comedian whose words should be taken in a slightly different light."

Yang's friendly, upbeat approach made him extremely hard to dislike. If elections truly came down to Which candidate would you like to get a beer with?, he would undoubtedly have fared better.

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Andrew Yang, Who Wanted Libertarians in His Coalition and Opposed Cancel Culture, Exits the Democratic Race - Reason

MANCHESTER, New Hampshire Its impossible to drive nearly anywhere in southern New Hampshire without seeing the name of Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard.

Gabbards face and name loom from yard signs and billboards all over the place here, in some spots outnumbering those of top-tier candidates like Bernie Sanders. Polls of New Hampshire have shown her pulling in a relatively small but significant amount of support: A CNN/University of New Hampshire poll put her at 6% last week, and the most recent CNN/University of New Hampshire poll showed her winning 5%.

Gabbard has gone for broke in New Hampshire, barely campaigning anywhere else and even renting a house in the state late last year. She says shes getting on a plane to South Carolina to continue campaigning after the primary here on Tuesday, but New Hampshire is where she has her strongest base of support, and where a disappointing finish could damage her rationale for continuing. At her second-to-last town hall, in Concord on Sunday evening, Gabbard spoke in front of a huge New Hampshire state flag. She brought enough of her moms macadamia nut toffee for everyone in the audience. She clearly feels at home.

And Gabbard does have real support here, her anti-interventionist foreign policy message appealing to the libertarian-minded voters who form a key constituency in a state where independents can vote in party primaries. Its very likely not enough to win the state, and Gabbards campaigns profile has lowered after failing to qualify for a debate since November. But its enough to affect the outcome, potentially pulling anti-establishment votes away from Sanders, and it demonstrates her enduring appeal to a small but vocal faction of people who dont fit in anywhere else in the Democratic Party.

Were flying to South Carolina early Wednesday morning, Gabbard told reporters at an Elks lodge in Rochester after a student journalist asked her if she had a path forward if she doesnt win New Hampshire. Were continuing our campaign.

(Her plan for Nevada, the next state to vote after New Hampshire, is less clear. When a reporter asked her whether she would campaign there, she demurred, saying again, Were going to South Carolina.)

Gabbard has rooted her campaign for New Hampshire in appealing to independents, libertarians, and Republicans, and she asks the crowd at the beginning of each event to raise their hands if they are Democrats; if they are Republicans; and if they are independents or libertarians. At three consecutive events over the weekend, a large portion of the audience raised their hands at the third question.

On Sunday, Gabbard emphasized her willingness to appear on conservative media, saying at her Portsmouth event, It's gotten to a point now, and I've experienced this and continue to experience this firsthand, where people say, Tulsi, I won't support you because you go on Fox News.

Ill go on every platform possible, because Im not only running for president to lead the viewers of MSNBC, Gabbard said.

She has intensified her longstanding critique of the Democratic establishment, calling for DNC chair Tom Perez to resign after the chaotic disaster in the Iowa caucuses. Voters, she told reporters Sunday, are increasingly wondering if this system, if this election, is going to be fair, is it going to be transparent, and is actually going to work.

She slammed the DNC for changing rules regarding the number of individual donors a campaign has to have that had previously prevented Michael Bloomberg, who is funding his campaign himself, from qualifying for the debates. This is yet another example of what frustrates voters most, is that the DNC is making decisions about who they get to hear from, who they don't get to hear from, before they cast their votes, Gabbard told reporters on Saturday when I asked.

Her continual dismissal of the Democratic establishment is part of her attempt at casting herself as the one Democratic candidate who can appeal across party lines, and several voters I spoke with in New Hampshire were Republicans or independents who wanted to vote for her.

One, Mark Bessette, 54, already had voted by absentee ballot. He drove all the way from North Conway, in the north of the state, to Portsmouth, in the south, to see her; I like her style, he said. And I like her stances. Slightly different from Trump on some things, but I like her aloha spirit. Bessette said he voted for Trump in the 2016 election.

Last week, Gabbard appeared on Ron Pauls Liberty Report YouTube channel Paul captured second place in New Hampshire in the 2012 Republican primary and on Sunday Business Insider reported that Gary Johnson, the 2016 Libertarian Party presidential candidate, had offered (in a voicemail to a campaign volunteer) to endorse her. Johnson later clarified to Reason magazine that although he likes Gabbard, he is supporting his former running mate Bill Weld, who is challenging President Trump for the Republican nomination.

And although Gabbard sounds exasperated when asked about the persistent speculation that she would consider leaving the Democratic Party altogether and has ruled the idea out many times, she spoke warmly about the concept of third parties in general at her Portsmouth town hall.

An attendee asked her, Would you be receptive to a third political party, one that was perhaps oriented to veterans?

Of course, Gabbard said. I think that in our democracy there should be an openness or a viability for those seeking to form a party, whether it's veterans or based on other interests. I think the problem that we have now is the two-party system doesn't really allow for that, because of how much power and how much money is centralized in the national political parties. Gabbard said the party organizations shut out any kind of viable third party from really standing up and representing a unique constituency within this country.

When I asked her during her press gaggle afterward if her embrace of the idea of a third party indicated any kind of shift on her part, she said several times, I am not running as a third-party candidate.

Gabbards critique of the Democratic Party is stronger and more difficult to dismiss from the inside. And the reality is that most voters in this primary will be Democrats. One couple in Rochester, Claire and Bruce Tessier, 64- and 65-year-olds from Nashua, told me they were choosing between Gabbard and Amy Klobuchar; Pat N, 50, a voter from Nashua who attended Gabbards town hall in Concord, said he was between Gabbard and Pete Buttigieg.

Gabbard even extends olive branches to these kinds of moderate Democrats, telling her Concord audience that although she is against crony capitalism, I do not see the future of our country being a socialist nation.

Her campaign has been idiosyncratic shes a Democrat but shes taken shots at everyone in the party, including what sounded like a veiled one at Sanders, whom shed allied with in 2016. And even as shes appealed to similarly idiosyncratic voters here, itd be a surprise if she manages to get anywhere close to the top in Tuesdays primary. What her path forward is without a strong performance is unclear.

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Tulsi Gabbard Hopes Libertarian-Minded New Hampshire Will Save Her Presidential Run - BuzzFeed News

Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images

Andrew Yang is out of the race. The Silicon Valley entrepreneur, whod run for president on a platform of giving every American a $1,000-per-month, no-strings-attached benefit payment, withdrew from the Democratic presidential primary before official New Hampshire results were even announced. Endings are hard, New Hampshire, the candidate told supporters on Tuesday night. But this is not an ending. This is a beginning. This is just the starting line. This campaign has awakened something fundamental in this country and ourselves.

Hes right. It would be easy to attribute the unlikely success of the Yang campaign even in his last week of campaigning, the non-billionaire political neophyte was still earning a consistent 4 percent in national polls to the candidates easy accessibility to journalists, or his charming shamelessness when it came to internet-friendly gimmicks, or even to the goofy, improbable charisma he developed on the campaign trail. But the Yang campaign wasnt a sideshow, a stunt, or a vanity project. Even though Yangs quasi-libertarian platform, orthogonal as it was to traditional Democratic politics, was unlikely to assemble a coalition broad enough to secure the nomination, it still activated a group of devoted supporters the YangGang whose insistent, zealous advocacy for their candidate and his signature proposal revealed a strain of politics with a significant and passionate constituency, one thats unlikely to evaporate in the sudden absence of its figurehead. The Yang campaign may be over. But Yangismis here to stay.

The best way to understand Yangism might be as a strain of post-libertarianism one of a handful of descendent, related ideologies now emerging from the wreckage of American libertarianism in the Trump era. Over the last decade, split apart by the response to the global financial crisis and the rise of Donald Trump, the broad libertarianism once regularly touted as insurgent in electoral politics has more or less collapsed. Some supposed libertarians have simply become (or revealed themselves as) Trumpists, or out-and-out white nationalists; others have taken up the project of reconstructing a kind of left-wing libertarianism they call liberaltarian; still others, calling themselves state-capacity libertarians, now advocate for greater government intervention in and support of markets. (Dont even get me started on the ones calling themselves classical liberals.)

And then theres the YangGang, encompassing everyone from the rich, middle-aged cranks and curmudgeons that the Outlines John Ganz calls New American Tories to the alienated teenage doomers of Reddit and Instagram. I doubt that many YangGangers would call themselves libertarians at the moment, or for that matter that many of them called themselves libertarians in the recent past. But they strike me as obvious descendants of the digital activists who drove the Ron Paul campaigns of 2008 and 2012: Mostly young, mostly male, highly online, impatient with politics and confident theyve found the One Weird Trick to get the country back on track.

In his essay, Ganz identifies the Yang platforms three central premises as general social liberalism (let people do what they want!), a rejection of identity politics (this political correctness stuff is out of control!), and UBI (just give people $1,000!). This sort of interpersonal libertarianism essentially, a desire to be left alone matched to an ambitious state program to ensure that the continued feasibility of being left alone provides what Ganz calls a way out of politics and its constant tensions.

Various forms of this sick-of-politics ideology have cycled through the American electoral landscape for decades, and Yangs campaign harks back not just to Pauls, but to Ross Perots straight-talking businessman bid of 1992. But Yangism is a particularly 21st-century edition: Yang supporters are animated by a deep belief that the world is undergoing dramatic environmental and economic change, probably for the worse, andfor which a sclerotic Establishment is unprepared. To prevent or mitigate these changes and to restore and preserve the individual freedom and economic stability that allow people to be left alone politicians must develop creative, disruptive policies premised on straightforward, engineer-minded rationality.

The scale of its ambitions aside, the Yangist varietal of post-libertarianism is not particularly radical. Its quintessential policies are those that are eminently respectable as matters of academic debate, but nearly impossible to imagine being implemented under current political conditions. Its not intently ideological, and it owes much more to the futuristic, information-wants-to-be-free libertarianism of 90s Silicon Valley than it does to the paranoid end-the-Fed libertarianism out of which the Paul campaign originated. As such, its generally amenable to conventional Democratic Party politics in a way that various solutionist libertarianism ideologies of the past were not.

Its in this context that the future of Yangism becomes particularly interesting. The relative success of Yangs run has demonstrated that theres a real appetite for his brand of techno-libertarianism and that its not wedded to the Republican Party. Democrats who can tap into the sentiments that animate Yangism urgency, ambition, skepticism of political Establishment have a good chance of keeping his supporters in the party, and potentially turning them into a significant bloc within Democratic politics. On the other hand, Democrats shouldnt take it for granted. Before the Iowa caucus, Yang suggested that he and Bernie Sanders have a lot of overlap in support. But, he confessed, I frankly think Id have a hard time getting them to do anything that theyre not naturally inclined to do.

Daily news about the politics, business, and technology shaping our world.

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Yang Is Out. Yangism Is Here to Stay. - New York Magazine

The deadline to register to vote in the presidential primary election in Ohio on March 17 is Tuesday.

CANTON If youre not registered to vote, you have until 11:59 p.m. Tuesday to register for the March 17 presidential primary.

To be eligible, you must be a U.S. citizen whos lived in Ohio for at least 30 days prior to the primary and be age 18 or older by the Nov. 3 general election.

Those who are 17 but will turn 18 by Nov. 3 can vote March 17 for candidates. But they cannot vote in elections for party state central committee, party county central committee or on issues such as school levies.

If you havent voted for six years and your local county Board of Elections hasnt heard from you in at least six years, your voting registration may have been canceled.

To check, go to the Stark County Board of Elections website at starkcountyohio.gov/board-of-elections. Click Am I registered?

Enter your name and date of birth. If youre registered, your name, address and polling location will be displayed. To see which contests would be on your ballot, scroll down to Sample Ballot and select Dem for Democratic, Lib for Libertarian, NP for Non-partisan and Rep for Republican ballot.

You can only vote in one partys primaries to select a nominee such as for president to run in the general election on Nov. 3. If you choose to vote in the Democratic primary, you cant vote in the Republican primary or vice versa. If you select the nonpartisan ballot, you will not be able to select any candidates and can only vote on issues.

Online option

You can register online or by submitting a paper form. The option to register online has been available since January 2017. You need to submit your name, address, date of birth and either the last four digits of your Social Security number or Ohio drivers license number. You can also submit by paper an official document like a utility bill or bank statement with your address instead of the last four digits of the Social Security number or drivers license number. Those registering with a paper form must sign it.

To register online, update your voter registration address or download a paper voter registration form, go to: olvr.ohiosos.gov.

You can also get paper ballot forms at your county Board of Elections, public libraries, Bureaus of Motor Vehicles offices and high schools. They must be filled in, received and time stamped at the above locations in person or by mail until they close Tuesday.

The Stark County Board of Elections is closed Monday for Presidents Day. But its offices at 3525 Regent Ave. NE in Canton will be open 8:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday for people wishing to register to vote in person.

Travis Secrest, administrative assistant for the Stark County Board of Elections, said some links on social media that offer voter registration appear to go to private websites that are apparently seek to mine peoples personal information. He recommends going directly to the Ohio Secretary of States website.

Also, filling out and giving voter registration forms to an individual doing a voter registration drive does not guarantee the forms will be submitted to the Board of Elections. Its best to register online or submit the forms by mail or in person.

Residents are encouraged to later confirm online that theyre registered or call the Stark County Board of Elections at (330) 451-8683.

Early voting

Early voting in Ohio starts Wednesday. Stark County voters can vote in person at 3525 Regent Ave. NE until March 16. They will be required to show ID or provide an official document with their address or fill out an absentee ballot application.

Between Feb. 19 and March 6, early voting will take place 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. From March 7 to March 14, the hours will be 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays. Then 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, March 15 and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday, March 16.

Secrest said a significantly larger number of voters cast ballots in a March presidential primary in contrast with an odd-numbered year May primary with local races. Between Wednesday and March 16, the board will be 15 to 20 employees on hand to help minimize waits. The board will set up 20 touchscreens for early voting this year, up from 10 for prior votes.

People can request a paper absentee ballot that they can mail to their county board of elections or submit in person. As of Friday, 1,362 had requested absentee ballots in Stark County. The breakdown was 542 Republicans, 740 Democrats, three libertarians and 78 who wanted issues-only non-partisan ballots.

To do so, go to starkcountohio.go/board-of-elections and select on the menu on the left Absentee/Early Voting. Then click on Request an absentee ballot by mail. You must say on the form whether you want a Republican, Democratic, Libertarian or non-partisan ballot. If you don make a selection, it will delay you getting your ballot.

Requests for an absentee optical scan paper ballot must be received by a local county board of elections by noon March 14.

Voters then mark their selections on an absentee ballot with a blue-ink or black-ink pen, seal it in a provided envelope and must sign the envelope or the ballot is invalid. If you mail it in, it must be postmarked by March 16. If you or a close family member turns it in person at the Board of Elections, it must be done by 7:30 p.m. March 17. It cannot be submitted at a polling location.

If you request an absentee ballot but you forget that you did so and you go to your polling location to vote on March 17, you will have to fill out a provisional ballot. The votes will count once the Board has verified that you cast your absentee ballot.

Voting hours at Stark Countys 120 polling locations on March 17 will be 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Reach Repository writer Robert Wang at (330) 580-8327 or robert.wang@cantonrep.com. On Twitter: @rwangREP

Read more from the original source:

Tuesday is the deadline to register to vote in March primary - The-review

The funds are being dispensed amid growing public exhaustion in the United States with American military action overseas. Congress is moving to restrain the executive branchs power to wage war. Some Democratic presidential candidates are running on promises to end the endless wars in places like Afghanistan and Iraq. And even President Donald Trump, who has yet to deliver on his campaign pledge to reduce the U.S. military footprint abroad, claims to be bringing U.S. troops home.

Will Ruger, vice president for research and policy at the Charles Koch Institute, the vehicle for the grants, said its high time that the concepts of realism and restraint got a second look. We think that the marketplace of ideas has been too narrow and has not been healthy, Ruger said. There are a lot of important ideas that either need to be leveraged in our policy analysis or discovered or re-discovered.

Around $4.5 million will go to the Atlantic Council, which will use it to establish what it is calling the New American Engagement Initiative. The grant will support five scholars and activities related in part to how the U.S. balances its use of diplomacy, international alliances and the military.

This is our biggest engagement to date with the Koch Institute, and its because we both recognize that the world were facing cant be addressed with the tools weve used in the past, said Fred Kempe, president and CEO of the Atlantic Council. We just need to be more creative to address a dramatically changed international landscape, including new major power competition.

RAND is receiving $2.9 million over five years to support a new center focused on the concept of grand strategy. The initiative, called the Center for Analysis of U.S. Grand Strategy, will be led by scholar Miranda Priebe. It will look at how various grand strategies are affected by technological change and other global trends.

The Chicago Council has been granted $1.9 million over five years. The funds will cover two think tank positions; the council also will hold events and other outreach in the Midwest to foster discussions about the role of the U.S. internationally and how the notion of restraint fits in.

The Center for the National Interest, which already leans to the right and has long advocated a realist foreign policy, is receiving $900,000 over two years to support three new roles and one existing position. One of the new positions will focus on Asia specifically China.

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Last year, Koch turned heads when he gave nearly $500,000 to help establish the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, a new think tank devoted to reining in the use of U.S. military action. The institute also received roughly the same amount from liberal billionaire financier George Soros.

Charles Koch also helped co-found the libertarian Cato Institute in the 1970s and has provided it with financial support for many years. But his relationship with Cato has at times been acrimonious.

Koch, who leads the diversified, multinational Koch Industries, is now looking to expand his influence in the foreign policy space through other means. For instance, hes offering grants for academics and others seeking to research topics such as relations with China and the future of U.S. alliances.

Ruger stressed that the Koch Institute respects the freedom of the think tanks it is funding and realizes that the research they do may not always produce results that align with the pro-restraint model.

What matters more, he said, is simply to get people to think beyond the conventional wisdom that places a priority on military force.

There is an inflection point in American politics right now, Ruger said. Theres a real opportunity for good scholarship to impact the debate.

See the article here:

Koch showers millions on think tanks to push a restrained foreign policy - POLITICO

Sen. Bernie Sanders' success in the Democratic presidential primary contests Iowa and New Hampshire suggests that voters are moved by his message that rich people have rigged the economic system to their advantage, and that government should do something to change that.

Both Sanders, I-Vt., and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., have promised to tax wealth and deliver universal health care, free public preschool and college education, and a stronger social safety net. The two candidates have also promised to reform the campaign finance system so politicians are less beholden to the wealthy, and have focused on raising money through small donations.

What's puzzling is that both Sanders and Warren are millionaires. Although somewhat more moderate on policy, the two billionaires in the Democratic race - Tom Steyer and Mike Bloomberg - also say they want to reverse the nation's growing economic disparities. Last week, The New York Times published an opinion article from Bloomberg outlining initiatives to reduce economic inequality.

It cannot be simultaneously true that "millionaires and billionaires" are rigging the system and yet are also trying to level an uneven playing field. Are these affluent Democratic contenders' political views characteristic of millionaires and billionaires generally? In short, no. Our research finds that wealthy people are more likely than others to believe the system is fair, and are more economically conservative than others. These Democratic candidates represent a small but significant minority.

- - -

What do the rich think about the fairness of our economy?

Wealthy people have a great deal of power to influence economic and political outcomes in the United States, and so it's important to understand what they believe to be the causes of - and possible solutions to - economic inequality. The economic elite are, by definition, members of a small group not well represented in typical surveys. They tend to keep their views on economics and politics to themselves. The few high-quality surveys of this group confirm that, on average, wealthy Americans are more libertarian than the general population, but there's certainly more to learn.

To better understand the perspectives of the economic elite, we worked with the company YouGov to survey online a broad and diverse sample of 450 highly affluent Americans, whom we defined as those living in households with pretax incomes of more than $350,000 per year and/or more than $2 million in financial assets. The resulting sample represents about the top 3% to 5% of U.S. households in income and wealth. In addition, we surveyed 450 Americans from the general population as a comparison group. YouGov is the industry leader in assembling representative samples from its millions of opt-in participants. We also demonstrate that our samples reflect the populations they are intended to represent by comparing their characteristics to the probability-based Survey of Consumer Finances and employing population weights.

We began by asking why our respondents thought some people are more successful than others in life. Is success a result of hard work, intelligence, luck or being born into wealth? We also asked respondents why they thought people differed in drive or intelligence - because of upbringing, choices, DNA? We asked respondents to award such factors a score on a seven-point scale, with seven being very important and zero not important at all.

To better understand the political implications of these beliefs, we asked for respondents' views on economic policy, including the government safety net, taxes on the wealthy and economic inequality.

Finally, we asked people to share their age, gender, race, education, region and religiosity. We control for these characteristics throughout our analyses.

- - -

Wealthy people are more likely than others to believe the United States is a meritocracy

All economic groups in our survey viewed "hard work" and "being intelligent" as better explanations for success than "coming from a wealthy family" and "being lucky." This is consistent with the nation's long-standing belief in meritocracy: that people become successful via hard work combined with talent.

Nevertheless, our affluent respondents were even more likely than others to attribute success to individuals' characteristics and behavior, on average awarding "hard work" and "intelligence" close to the top score. Further, respondents from the top 1% of U.S. households in income and wealth were the most likely to insist that these success-linked traits are either chosen or innate rather than environmentally caused.

- - -

What are the political implications of believing in meritocracy?

Not surprisingly, respondents' beliefs about what causes economic inequality correlated with their beliefs about what policies the U.S. government should enact. The affluent with the most economically conservative political beliefs were the most likely to say that inequality comes from character traits such as hard work or intelligence, especially when they believed those character traits come from either individual choices or genetics. Meanwhile, affluent respondents had more liberal policy leanings when they said inequality grows from forces outside the individual such as luck, family ties or upbringing. As a result, there's a noticeable ideological divide among the affluent.

Our comparison group of the less affluent wasn't as consistent in connecting their beliefs about meritocracy to politics. On the one hand, like the affluent, middle- and lower-class Americans who said outside forces shape individuals' economic fortunes tended to support progressive economic policies. On the other hand, there was little evidence that ordinary Americans who thought inequality boiled down to character were especially conservative.

- - -

Is there an ideology of affluence (or two)?

In a nation well-known for its belief in meritocracy, those at the very top are, on average, the most likely to view our deep economic divides as fair. Our billionaire president has frequently echoed this. He is particularly enamored of genetic theories, saying, for example, "Some people aren't meant to be rich. . . . It's just something you have, something you're born with."

Our study suggests that the belief that people deserve whatever success or failure comes their way results in the libertarian ethos many highly affluent people hold. In keeping with these views, the Trump administration has reduced taxes on the wealthy, diminished government services for lower-income Americans and plans to shrink the safety net further.

Our data also suggest that Sanders, Warren, Bloomberg and Steyer are not outliers. A nontrivial minority of the wealthy disagree with their economic peers, believing that the system is rigged and that the government should do something about it.

- - -

Suhay is an associate professor and graduate program director in the department of government at American University's school of public affairs, and lead editor of the forthcoming "Oxford Handbook of Electoral Persuasion," with Bernard Grofman and Alex Trechsel. Klasnja is an assistant professor in the school of foreign service and department of government at Georgetown University. Rivero is a research data scientist at Westat. For other commentary from The Monkey Cage, an independent blog anchored by political scientists from universities around the country, see http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/monkey-cage.

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Sanders and Bloomberg want to redistribute wealth. Most millionaires and billionaires don't. - Thehour.com

In order for creative juices to flow continuously, writers need to have some form of inspiration. Regardless of genre, there should be something inside them that can help them focus on. In fact, if someone lacks inspiration, it can be pretty challenging to force the issue of writing.

If you are an aspiring writer, perhaps you are wondering where you can get inspiration so you can write from the heart. To be good at writing, the first step you need to do is to read plenty of books in various genres. For example, do not just limit yourself into fiction novels, rather, try reading autobiographies, art, sports, among others. Analyze the writing styles of each author and learn from them.

If you are a college student, essay writings are part of the learning process. Even if the topic is not of your interest, thinking that you will receive good grades if you write well is a form of inspiration in itself. You may ask your friends help to write essay for me or do deep researches on your own.

Here are some of the effective ways of where you can get inspiration to write excellently:

A lot of literary works talk about the previous experiences of the authors. There are those who had dramatic and emotional past and these experiences could be used to create stories that others with similar experiences can relate to.

If you have some experiences that have a strong impact on you, perhaps you can write something about these. It is good to narrate personal stories because people enjoy reading about other peoples life experiences.

One way to become a successful writer is the ability to establish an emotional connection with your readers.

People-watching is one of the things that great writers do. Why? Because beautiful stories can be told by merely watching people go about their daily lives. In the words, not only do you get inspired from your personal experiences but you may also get inspiration by the lives of others.

Reading a lot of materials is the best way to achieve your goal of becoming an awesome writer. As mentioned earlier in the article, read different genres. Try your best to widen your interest in other subject matters. Read novels in various categories-romance, science fiction, fantasy, just to name a few.

By doing so, you will discover new words and new writing styles that can help you write better.

There will be days when you will not be inspired to write. But, you have to find ways on how to kindle that love for writing. The best way to do this is to research especially if the subject matter is technical in nature.

Take time to research well so you can collect valuable information about the topic that you are writing about.

You can get inspiration from the lives of the people you know. Being a writer, you can conduct interviews and discover what others are going through. Take note though that you have to respect their privacy by not divulging information about them. You can share their stories but let them remain anonymous to your readers.

The best way to document their stories is to use a recorder. This aspect is very important so you do not miss out on important information.

Writing a good article requires inspiration. You can do this by looking deeply into yourself and by looking into the lives of others to tell a good and inspiring story to your audience.

Additionally, by reading extensively, you can analyze the writing styles of successful authors to guide you in your search for your own manner of writing.

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Where to Get Writing Inspiration? - The Libertarian Republic

Eight Senate Republicans voted Thursday for a resolution that would curb President TrumpDonald John TrumpRussian sanctions will boomerang States, cities rethink tax incentives after Amazon HQ2 backlash A Presidents Day perspective on the nature of a free press MOREs ability to take military action against Iran without congressional approval.

The Senate passed the resolution in a 55-45 vote, sending it to the House, where Speaker Nancy PelosiNancy PelosiMalaysia says it will choose 5G partners based on own standards, not US recommendations Pelosi warns allies against using Huawei Budget hawks frustrated by 2020 politics in entitlement reform fight MORE (D-Calif.) has said the measure will come up for a vote after lawmakers return from next week's recess.

The resolution requires Trump to remove U.S. troops against hostilities against Iran unless Congress authorizes military action. Tensions between Washington and Tehran escalated earlier this year in the wake of airstrikes that killed Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani.

The measure garnered support from every Democrat, including the chamber's three 2020 contenders who returned from the trail for the vote. It also won over twice as many Republicansincluded libertarian-minded senators to moderatescomparedd a failed effort in June to block Trump from using funding to carry out military action against Iran.

Here are the eight GOP senators who voted to rein in Trumps war authority:

Sen. Lamar AlexanderAndrew (Lamar) Lamar AlexanderThe Hill's Morning Report AG Barr, GOP senators try to rein Trump in Overnight Defense: Senate votes to rein in Trump war powers on Iran | Pentagon shifting .8B to border wall | US, Taliban negotiate seven-day 'reduction in violence' The 8 Republicans who voted to curb Trump's Iran war powers MORE (Tenn.): Alexander, a Senate institutionalist who is retiring, opposed the June proposal to block Trump from using funding, but has also broken with Trump on significant votes including supporting nixing the border wall emergency declaration. He said after the vote that it was"about the United States Constitution."

"It preserves the commander in chiefs Article II constitutional responsibility to defend the country and Congress Article I responsibility to declare war," he added.

Sen. Bill CassidyWilliam (Bill) Morgan CassidyThe Hill's Morning Report AG Barr, GOP senators try to rein Trump in Overnight Health Care: Nevada union won't endorse before caucuses after 'Medicare for All' scrap | McConnell tees up votes on two abortion bills | CDC confirms 15th US coronavirus case Overnight Defense: Senate votes to rein in Trump war powers on Iran | Pentagon shifting .8B to border wall | US, Taliban negotiate seven-day 'reduction in violence' MORE (La.): Cassidy was one of eight Republicans who voted to take up the resolution earlier this week. He declined to say earlier Thursday if he would support it on final passage, saying that he wanted to see how it would be amended but noted his support on the procedural vote.

Sen. Susan CollinsSusan Margaret CollinsSenate braces for fight over impeachment whistleblower testimony Toward 'Super Tuesday' momentum, money and delegates Trump unleashed: President moves with a free hand post-impeachment MORE (Maine): Collins, who is up for reelection, was one of four Republicans who also voted to block Trump from using funding to take military action against Iran.

She positionedher support as about reclaiming Congress's constitutional authorities, telling reporters that it's "important to reassert the legislative branchs role regardless of which party occupies the Whie House."

Sen. Mike LeeMichael (Mike) Shumway LeeThe Hill's Morning Report AG Barr, GOP senators try to rein Trump in Overnight Defense: Senate votes to rein in Trump war powers on Iran | Pentagon shifting .8B to border wall | US, Taliban negotiate seven-day 'reduction in violence' The 8 Republicans who voted to curb Trump's Iran war powers MORE (Utah): Lee, a libertarian-leaning Republican, has been at the center of the chamber's debates over Congress's war authority. He announced after a closed-door briefing with the administration that he would support Kaine's resolution, calling the meeting "the worst briefing I've seen, at least on a military issue."

Sen. Jerry MoranGerald (Jerry) MoranThe Hill's Morning Report AG Barr, GOP senators try to rein Trump in Overnight Defense: Senate votes to rein in Trump war powers on Iran | Pentagon shifting .8B to border wall | US, Taliban negotiate seven-day 'reduction in violence' The 8 Republicans who voted to curb Trump's Iran war powers MORE (Kan.): Moran was viewed as a potential swing vote on the war powers resolution. He voted against the June amendment to block funding for military action against Iran, but has also supported previous war powers resolutions targeting the Saudi-led military campaign in Yemen.

He said in a statement after the vote that any military action against Iran "ought to be considered by the full Congress on behalf of the people it represents."

Sen. Lisa MurkowskiLisa Ann MurkowskiThe Hill's Morning Report AG Barr, GOP senators try to rein Trump in Overnight Defense: Senate votes to rein in Trump war powers on Iran | Pentagon shifting .8B to border wall | US, Taliban negotiate seven-day 'reduction in violence' Ocasio-Cortez blasts Trump as 'corrupt' for blocking Global Entry for New Yorkers MORE (Alaska): Murkowski had indicated last month that she was a likely no vote, telling an Alaska radio station that she was "hesitant to sign on to it for a host of different reasons.

But Murkowski hinted that she could be changing her mind, telling reporters last week during the impeachment trial that Congress needed to "wake up" and become more assertive and noted that there was a war powers debate coming up.

She said as recently as Tuesday that she had not made a decision on Kaine's resolution, which underwent revisions since its introduction.

Sen. Rand PaulRandal (Rand) Howard PaulSenate braces for fight over impeachment whistleblower testimony Pelosi names first-ever House whistleblower ombudsman director The Hill's Morning Report AG Barr, GOP senators try to rein Trump in MORE (Ky.): Paul is viewed as an outlier within the Senate GOP caucus when it comes to foreign policy and, like Lee, routinely teams up with Democrats on war powers resolutions. He announced with Lee after the closed-door briefing last month on the Soleimani strike that he would support Kaine's resolution, noting he had been waiting to see the administration's intelligence before finalizing his decision.

Sen. Todd YoungTodd Christopher YoungThe Hill's Morning Report AG Barr, GOP senators try to rein Trump in Overnight Defense: Senate votes to rein in Trump war powers on Iran | Pentagon shifting .8B to border wall | US, Taliban negotiate seven-day 'reduction in violence' The 8 Republicans who voted to curb Trump's Iran war powers MORE (Ind.): Young signed onto the resolution after Kaine made changes to the proposal, including removing references to Trump in the "findings" section. He said on Thursday that he supports the Soleimani strike but that Congress has been "AWOL" on national security in recent decades.

Read more here:

The 8 Republicans who voted to curb Trump's Iran war powers | TheHill - The Hill

What type of person do we want in charge?

Re: Michael Bennet drops out of race for president, Feb. 11 news story

In an increasingly deranged world, there are insufficient awards for rationality, thoughtfulness and maturity. This is especially true in todays politics.

Coloradans have every right to be proud of Michael Bennets campaign for the presidency. Though the prizes go to the winners, there is more at stake than political victory. Quite often those who are not victorious add considerable value to the nations future.

Sen. Bennet substituted rationality for shouting, dignity for drama and vision for cleverness. During a sentimental return to New Hampshire on his behalf, I was impressed by the number of people who spoke highly and respectfully of him.

Alas, there should have been more who voted for him.

Politics is not for the fainthearted. National campaigning is among the most trying and relentless efforts anyone can undertake.

But, as he has in public office, Sen. Bennet made us proud that he represented us and our state.Sen. Bennet may or may not ever become president. But the doors of opportunity for service in a national capacity will open more widely for him now. He earned the respect of all who heard him and listened to his ideas for the future.

He has by no means left the national stage. At a time when statesmanship in America is in very short supply, his remarkable talent is all the more visible.

In the future, if you pass Michael Bennet on the streets of Colorado, and you are so inclined, thank him for his effort and tell him you are proud of him for it.

Gary Hart, KittredgeEditors note: Gary Hart was Colorados U.S. senator from 1975 to 1987 and is a former presidential candidate.

Re: Moving past impeachment, Feb. 9 editorial

Your Sunday editorial, Moving past impeachment was fairly impartial until the last paragraph.

Our economy is booming: more jobs, low unemployment and higher salaries.

You think we should vote against the person who created all that success?

The Democrats have caused all the divisiveness by not accepting Trumps presidency, lying about Russian collusion for three years and putting us through that ridiculous impeachment a waste of time and taxpayer money.

We Republicans are gasping for air from all the hatred and lying of the Democrats since Trump was elected. Voting for Trump will ensure our democracy and continued success.

Carol Czaplinski, Golden

In the Sunday editorial you urged us to vote for candidates willing to think independently, seek compromise and behave with human decency, kindness, and integrity.

Whats missing in this president, and what has made him an embarrassment to America both within the U.S. and overseas, is his lack of character, which youve covered, but also his lack of education. If he had a knowledge of American history and a respect for law, he would not choose to repeatedly undermine the values of democracy. Education is hard to evaluate in a candidate, but its one more value we have to have in our leaders.

Danielle Dubas Steinfeld, Morrison

Sundays editorial was very good. I hope some of the folks read it but I doubt it changed any minds. Thanks for trying.

Jim Hall, Denver

Tolls arent the only answer to congestion

Re: Solving I-70 ski traffic would be easy, Feb. 8 guest commentary

I found some of the ideas about a new toll to pay for buses to ski resorts well intentioned but do people who have a car really want to take a bus? No!

The simple solution to the I-70 skier nightmare of traffic is a simple one and no cost to taxpayers.Gov. Jared Polis and the Colorado Department of Transportation should seek federal approval to ban large trucks from I-70 during peak travel periods.

Toll lanes leave those unwilling to pay watching a small fraction of the cars use the toll lanes while the other two lanes crawl. Why we think that is a solution just boggles my mind.

James Lasworth, Denver

Re: New tolls proposed as opening nears, Feb. 8 news story

Its clear from your article on the new C-470 toll lanes that CDOTs purpose for these lanes is not to relieve congestion, but to take advantage of congestion.

Otherwise, they would be happy to incentivize commuter vehicles that carry three or more occupants, thereby reducing congestion, while offering single or dual-occupant motorists priority access for a fee.I have no problem with tolls if there is viable public transportation available but there is no such thing in this corridor.

Tom Atkins, Highlands Ranch

When it comes to financing the C-470 Express Lanes, it seems CDOT has identified the enemy: carpoolers!

Why give a break to commuters who go to the trouble of sharing a ride to work when toll revenues will be higher if they each drive by themselves?

Imagine your water bill comes with the note Please waste water, we have to pay off the bonds used to finance the new reservoir.

Carpooling, like conserving water, leads to the better use of common resources. Even with the new lanes C-470 will turn into a traffic nightmare again, just a wider one. CDOT should strongly promote carpooling as a way of delaying that eventuality.

Andrew Bartlett, Longmont

Libertarian will vote for Sanders to drive discussion

As a fiscal conservative and constitutionalist libertarian, I am going to do something I never would have done in the past.

In Colorado, we can vote in any primary as long as we choose to be unaffiliated. I have decided to change my affiliation as a Libertarian and will vote in the Democratic primary.

Why? It is time to have this conversation. Are we going to vote to support our free and constitutional society or are we going to tear up the Constitution and vote to make the U.S.A. a socialist nation?All of the top Democrats running are socialists but only one admits it: Bernie Sanders. So let the Democrats run Bernie. Lets talk about the difference between socialism and a representative republic and how we want to go forward.

I will be voting for Bernie in the primary but not in the general election. Bring it on. Put it out there and let the American people decide how they want their children and grandchildren to live in their future.

Debra Menger, Whitewater

Trump budget harmful

Re: Trumps 2021 budget revisits rejected cuts, Feb. 11 news story

Once again, President Donald Trump and the GOP are poised to inflict more cruelty on the less fortunate, after approving huge tax cuts for the very wealthy and large corporations. The Trump budget calls for $1 trillion in cuts to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act over the next decade.The Trump administration also wants work requirements for Medicaid and to reduce the number of people on food stamps by 3.7 million. This is all kind of ironic, given the GOP tax cut increased the deficit by over a trillion dollars. Now, Trump wants to reduce the deficit by getting rid of more and more of the safety nets for the less fortunate.

During the Obama years, the GOP said how bad deficits were, and how irresponsible Obama was. Now, they simply dont care, either about the deficits or the less fortunate.

Robert H. Moulton III, Commerce City

Bad look for Aurora police

Re: No DUI charges for officer, Feb. 7 news story

Apparently the Aurora police department has instituted a new recruitment policy. Do you want to drink and drive while carrying a loaded weapon? The Aurora Police Department wants you!Do you want to kill innocent black people? The Aurora Police Department wants you!

Ive heard of police states before, but not police cities/counties. What is wrong with this picture? Plenty!

Ellen Derrick, Denver

Feeding wildlife is less unethical than hunting

Re: Evergreen, Bailey residents charged for feeding deer, Feb. 12 news story

According to the Colorado Parks and Wildlife, it is selfish and unethical to feed big game, as opposed to say maybe killing them.

It is argued that they are killed to keep their numbers down. Unfortunately hunters take the biggest and best, whereas in nature the predators take down the sick and weak. Truly a selfish and unethical act if there ever was one.

Also we humans have decided that it is OK to feed one species of animal and neglect (and make illegal) to feed another. I live where there are lots wildlife including plenty of mule deer. If there is a way I could feed only my birds and squirrels (who love seeds, corn, carrots, apples, sliced bananas) without attracting the deer and even raccoons, I am open to suggestions.

Sadly the true selfish and unethical act we have done in Colorado is destroy the habitat where the deer live. This is why they are essentially coming into peoples houses. Adding to the problem is the inconsistent way CPW deals with their numbers. Perhaps if they supplemented their diet, nature would balance itself with humans. Besides if the CPW were consistent with their no feeding the big game law surely all the farmers in Elizabeth and Franktown would be fined since surrounding all their alfalfa bales are about 20 to 30 deer eating daily.

Tracie Knapp, Thornton

To send a letter to the editor about this article, submit online or check out our guidelines for how to submit by email or mail.

Continued here:

Letters: What type of person do we want in charge?; Tolls arent the only answer to congestion; more letters (2/16/20) - The Denver Post

A simple Google search will show any reasonable person, or if you asked 100 people on the street who this person was, they will not be able to tell you that he is running for president, Sink said.

According to a state statute, however, the State Board of Elections may nominate any candidate as long as they are recognized in the news media.

In a letter to the State Board of Elections requesting that Weld be included on the ballot, Natalie Cookson, the chief of staff for the Weld 2020 Presidential Campaign Committee, said Welds campaign team believed Weld met these requirements. The letter said Weld has received contributions from all 50 states and had already qualified for the primary-election ballots in Arkansas, California, Florida, Michigan, New Hampshire and Utah.

Bob Orr, a former N.C. Supreme Court justice and an attorney in Raleigh, advocated for Weld at the meeting.

Governor Weld, as everyone knows, the former governor of Massachusetts, has worked at a number of capacities, he was the Libertarian vice presidential candidate in 2016, but he has been a lifelong Republican, Orr said.

Orr said although he was at the meeting in an official capacity, he was also asking on behalf of a large number of registered Republicans that they be given a choice in the presidential primary.

Weld served two terms as governor in Massachusetts, where he cut taxes 21 times and never raised them. He was ranked as the most fiscally conservative governor in the country by the Cato Institute and Wall Street Journal. He previously served seven years in the U.S. Department of Justice under President Ronald Reagan.

Although Welds website says Weld has been a Republican since the age of 18, Weld was the running mate of Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson in 2016.

Susan Hogarth, chairperson of the N.C. Libertarian Party, said Johnsons decision to include Welds name on his ticket was contentious within the party. She said although the party was happy to see someone of Welds stature and intelligence in the party, he seemed dedicated to running against Trump.

When he moved back to the Republican Party to make the greatest impact against Trump that he could, which is what I assume what his purpose was, we all wished him well in that endeavor, she said. We do think its important to have someone within the Republican Party standing against Trump because its not a very popular position. I cant speak for everyone, but I absolutely respect that.

According to his campaign website, Welds platforms include fiscal conservatism, free trade and international diplomacy, dedication to environmental issues and closing the income equality gap.

Were glad hes on the ballot to offer a more free-market choice, were not glad that it was through state intervention, Hogarth said. We would love to have Weld rather than Trump, besides Trump. The thing thats important, hes saying things most Republicans dont want to say because they have a stake in the political game.

Weld received one of 40 delegates in the Iowa caucus and is preparing for the New Hampshire primary on Feb. 11. North Carolina voters will see Welds name on the Republican ballot in the primary on March 3.

@sonjarao

@DTHCityState | city@dailytarheel.com

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Why Trump won't be the only Republican presidential candidate in the N.C. primaries - The Daily Tar Heel

A little known fact about covering New Hampshire as a journalist: it can be hard to find actual people from New Hampshire to talk to.Outside of Manchester polling location, popular for rallies and press ops I spoke to one of the two Biden supporters holding a sign. Both were from New York City.

David, from Queens told me that he was supporting the former Vice President Joe Biden because, I lived through 1972, and I dont want to repeat it. He was referring to the contentious 1972 Democratic Primary where progressive candidate George McGovern won the nomination and went on to lose to Richard Nixon in a nearly complete national trouncing.

Anyone on the left thats actively on the internet discussing politics will likely be asked at one point oranother, but will you support the Democratic nominee, no matter who it is? Its an annoying question that is usually used to stop criticism of a persons preferred candidate but I asked it anyway. waiting until the last question of my interview.

David, to my surprise, said no. He wouldnt vote for Bernie Sanders or Mike Bloomberg, saying that he would write in a candidate. Most of the other volunteers I spoke to begrudgingly said that, yes, they would vote blue, no matter what.

Milo, a physician also from New York was there for Elizabeth Warren. He was holding a large sign that Dream Big, Fight Hard, Live Proud in rainbow colors. I asked him what attracted him to the Warren campaign, Shes a teacher, I think shes reminding that civic engagement is a human thing, its not this thing that takes place on social media. This was of course immediately after Warren had worked up and down the line of supporters taking dozens of selfies as she was mobbed by the press. She briefly answered questions but then sprinted off to the net event on her schedule.

As former Vice President Biden claims that the Republican Party will suddenly snap back into reality once Donald Trump leaves office, Milo says that Senator Warren has a different, more realistic view, This is a crisis in our democracy, shes the only candidate that speaks specifically to that. This is a democracy problem. Yes, Donald Trump is a great threat to our way of life but the reality is that he is a symptom of a larger disease.

Earlier this year the Libertarian Party held its Presidential primary and a less than mainstream candidate won. He has a policy of free ponies and wears a boot on his head. His name is Vermin Supreme.

This isnt Vermin Supremes first rodeo, hes run for president before but this time he says hes taking it seriously. Hes working to win the Libertarian Party nomination and has already won more states than Joe Biden has. Supremes plan is to get 5% of the national vote using his celebrity to get the Libertarian Party great ballot access. He is easily recognizable, of course, and while we were doing our interview on the streets of Manchester, NH many people called out his name and lined up for selfies.One of the biggest discussions on panel-based news shows for the last year has been which candidate can bring not only the party regulars out to vote, but some of the disaffected Republicans to the polls in November.

Sherry was a Republican in 2016 and says that Donald Trump was the reason shes at the Bernie Sanders rally, and voted for the Senator from Vermont in the primary that day. His ideas of Us not Me are what we need today. I dont think we can keep going the way we are. Everybody needs to start looking out for each other and trying to help each other.

Several hours later the primary vote was called for Bernie closer than many in the crowd would have liked but still Bernies first clear victory of the primary. Almost more importantly though was that Bernies main rival up until then, Joe Biden left the state early to go to South Carolina where, if the former Vice President loses would almost certainly be the end to his campaign.

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New Hampshire 2020: This is just the beginning - NationofChange

OSKALOOSA The lack of attention from the media and the public eye didnt stop the Libertarian Party of Iowa from holding their first-ever Libertarian Presidential Caucus.

With only one caucus-goer present, aside from three county party officials, they all convened on the third floor of the Oskaloosa Library Feb. 8 to elect county officers and select their preferred presidential candidate. Currently there are 20 Libertarians in the running for President of the United States. Receiving two votes, Future of Freedom Foundation Founder Jacob Hornberger was chosen as the preferred candidate in Mahaska County, followed by Lincoln Chaffee and write-in Marco Battaglia with one vote each.

Having almost half the votes from the 22 counties that participated, official results from the Libertarian Party of Iowa show Hornberger was the clear and obvious winner for the state as well with 134 votes.

Hornberger had a total of 134 votes, leaving the other 19 candidates far behind. U.S. Senator Lincoln Chaffee came in 2nd with 36 votes (12.77%), 1996 Libertarian Vice Presidential Nominee Jo Jorgensen with 18 votes (6.38%), followed closely behind Veterans Against the Iraq War Founder Adam Kokesh with 17 votes (6.03%) and software engineer and entrepreneur Daniel Behrman with 14 votes (4.96%).

While the caucus turnout was extremely low, Mahaska County resident Ralph Beck, a member of the Libertarian Party since 1993, said he is excited to finally be able to attend a caucus for his political party.

I have been waiting for this for a long time, he said. It feels great, I think its wonderful that we have finally got enough recognition and got ourselves together enough. I think the Libertarian message really needs to get out.

That message being less government and more freedom, he said. Mahaska County Libertarian Party Chair Brandon Molyneux said the party is still a young party in the state that is still trying to get the message out. During the caucus, Molyneux vocalized his support for Jacob Hornberger as he feels Hornberger is the person to carry the parties message forward.

He is definitely a principle libertarian and would be able to carry our message on a national level, he said. You dont hear a lot of candidates from any party mention the words, liberty or freedom. For me, it goes back to principles. The principles of liberty and I think hes the best person to carry that message.

The partys caucus began with the group electing and nominating county officers. Molyneux will remain chair in Mahaska Co., Abigail Van Voltenburg will remain co-chair, and the Secretary will remain Charles Lucas.

Molyneux said he chose to be a Libertarian because Democrats and Republicans didnt represent the things that were most important to him well. Although he would have preferred a bigger voter turnout Saturday, Molyneux said he is happy with the turnout that they received as the party is still new and establishing its presence here.

Im happy with the turnout; of course, Id like it to be bigger, Molyneux said. Id love to have a full room but we are a young party here, some counties dont even have an affiliate. Were a very young party in the grand scheme of things, so I think were off to a good start.

The Iowa Libertarian Party obtained its official political party status in Iowa in 2017, the party was established in Mahaska County in 2018.

Tiffany McDaniel can be reached by phone at (641) 6609659, by email at tmcdaniel@oskyherald.com or on Twitter @tmcdaniel_osky.

Tiffany McDaniel can be reached by phone at (641) 6609659, by email at tmcdaniel@oskyherald.com or on Twitter @tmcdaniel_osky.

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Low voter turnout at the Iowa Libertarian Party Caucus - Oskaloosa Herald