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Monthly Archives: August 2021
Chetek Police investigating theft of 14 catalytic converters | Top Stories | chetekalert.com – Chetekalert
Posted: August 4, 2021 at 2:16 pm
Fourteen catalytic converters were stolen from a Chetek business last month and local police are asking people to be on the lookout for suspicious activity.
Chetek Police Chief Ron Ambrozaitis said the items were stolen from vehicles parked at Blackjack Towing, sometime between July 20 and July 28. Everything from passenger vehicles to U-Haul trucks were targeted. The CPD is investigating and is asking people to report any suspicious activity the may have seen during this time to their department. The thefts likely happened at night.
Catalytic converters are a hot item. A lot of departments are having problems with catalytic converters getting stolen off of vehicles, Ambrozaitis said.
The itemswhich are part of a vehicles exhaust system and are used to reduce toxic emissionscan be sold for scrap. They fetch from $500 to as much as $2,500 due to the precious metals in them, Ambrozaitis said. Thieves can use simple tools to cut the parts from underneath vehicles.
Brad Ingram, owner of Blackjack Towing, said whoever did it, used jacks to get under the vehicles and cut the converters off with a power saw. Four of the vehicles were his personal vehicles, several others were U-Haul trucks and others were towed vehicles that had been abandoned and would be scrapped. All told, the stolen parts were valued at $6,950.
Ingram said they have a fence around the property, but fences only stop honest people. He did not have any security footage of the area. Neighboring business may have video, but there would be hours and hours of footage to review.
Ingram said he would be installing more lights and cameras in his lot to prevent future problems. For now he was submitting the claim to his insurance and looking at getting the vehicles fixed, which would add to the cost of damages.
But it can be a difficult crime to detect, stop or prevent.
People dont know it until they start their car up and theres no exhaust, Ambrozaitis said. He urged car owners to take precautions to avoid becoming a victim. Park your vehicle in your garage if you have one, or park your vehicle in a well lit area or in areas with motion sensor lights, he said. Having security cameras, doorbell cameras or trail cameras can help identify suspects if you are targeted.
If a suspect is seen, dont take matters into your own hands, Ambrozaitis cautioned. Call the police. Call Barron County Dispatch, he said. Police can be reached at 911 for emergencies, or 715-537-3107 for non-emergencies.
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7 Ways to Have More Fun Playing Slots – Online Gambling Tips – BestUSCasinos.org
Posted: at 2:16 pm
When it comes to casino games, real money slot machines often get tagged as a more relaxed option when compared to strategic table games like blackjack and craps. While the latter involves complex rules, strategic implications, and crowded tables, the slots provide many players who prefer a more laidback experience with their own private oasis on the casino floor.
But even if spinning the slots can be a bit boring at times, avid players can always find ways to mix things up on their favorite machines. The next time youre gearing up for a slot excursion at the casino, try some of these fun tips to spice up your next session.
When most of us picture slot players, we see a solitary figure sitting sullenly at the machine in silence. And indeed, many slot aficionados do prefer to grind the reels by their lonesome rather than banter with strangers in the pit.
With that said, asking a few buddies who arent avid gamblers to come along for the ride the next time you play can be a blast. You get to play tour guide in a way, leading your friend through the casino and explaining various aspects of the gaming floor.
And when you get seated at the machines, youll have an opportunity to demonstrate firsthand just how entertaining slots can be. Find a cool new video slot packed with bonus games and features, preferably one offering low-volatility gameplay. On the right machine, your friend can nurse a small starting credit count and enjoy a string of small winners to get started on the right foot.
When they do manage to unlock a bonus game feature, be sure to hype up the experience by pointing out the various mini-jackpots up for grabs. Heres hoping your friend finds Lady Luck waiting for them, and you make a new convert to the world of slot devotees.
Speaking of devotees, every town in proximity to a regional or tribal casino is home to some sort of club organized around a groups shared love of the slots.
You can typically find your nearest slot club online by searching on sites like Facebook or Reddit. When you do, simply send a request to join their ranks and introduce yourself, along with your slot specialist resume.
Clubs like this are always on the lookout for new members, so it shouldnt take long for you to get a response. Once youre in the fold, take full advantage by joining the discussion group and meeting up whenever the club hits the casino.
The coolest slot clubs Ive seen form a tight bunch, usually showing up in matching T-shirts and other gear. Everyone plays at the same bank of machines, encouraging one another while celebrating winners and commiserating over missed bonus features.
In the end, whether each member manages to squeeze out a profit really is secondary. Slot club players enjoy each others friendship and camaraderie, so wins and losses are quickly put in their proper perspective.
Once youve met a few fellow diehard slot friends, why not see who has the stuff with a creative slot challenge?
You can set up any sort of system for the rules that youd like, but the basic premise goes a little something like this. Both players start with the same bankroll and are free to play games of their choosing. Using a set time limit (one hour works just fine), every player participating tries to maneuver their way around the machines to build the biggest profit margin.
Whoever winds up winning the most, or losing the least on some days, is awarded that challenges special prize.
Friendly challenges like this are a great way to turn the normally placid slot parlor into a competitive arena. And when you use your players club card, youll be rewarded for those hours of consistent play by accumulating extra points and comps.
In case you havent heard, most casinos are relaxing their notorious rules against filming on the gaming floor.
Prior to the social media age, casinos expressly forbid players from whipping out a camera at the tables or on the machines. This rule was designed to prevent cheaters from gaining an edge on how the house safeguards its games.
Nowadays, however, youll often see slot players spinning away while somebody standing nearby films away on their smartphone. These guys and gals arent up to no good though, theyre simply adding content to their slot-themed YouTube channel.
Bonus hunting slot channels on YouTube have become increasingly popular over the years, with the biggest names drawing hundreds of thousands of loyal subscribers.
You dont have to reach an audience of that size, but setting up a live stream to record your next slot session can be a cool way of thinking outside the box.
If you though private challenges amongst pals were fun, wait until you take a seat in your first slot machine tournament.
Casinos organize slot tournaments to reward their most loyal regulars, while also attracting new players who are looking for a fresh way to gamble. In a typical slot tournament, youll pony up a small entry fee (between $25 and $100 for the most part). Once the assembled field has taken their seats, the organizer will announce the rules and regulations.
Most slot tournaments use special machines designed to start with the same credit count across the board. These machines use the same reel design and payline system as the ones youre used to, they just dont pay out cash jackpots.
The name of the game here is to build your credit count as high as you can within the set time limit. Tournaments often use several rounds to widdle the playing field down, before the final round settles the score once and for all.
The player who winds up topping the credit count when the timer goes off is awarded the lions share of the prize pool, while other top players earn smaller payouts. Some local slot tournaments even send their champions onward to Las Vegas to compete in much larger versions. Knowing this, be prepared to play at a brisk pace if you hope to beat out more experienced opponents.
One fun way I like to enhance my slot sessions is to stroll the floor and look for the largest progressive jackpot in the house.
In a Sin City slot parlor, that usually means hitting the iconic Megabucks machine, home to a massive $10 million starting seed progressive jackpot. At my locals joint, I mostly see the topline jackpots on offer via Wheel of Fortune.
In any event, what I like to do is bring a portion of my bankroll and do my best to win the whole darned thing. Ill play the same game, occasionally switching off from cold machines, over a set timespan of 60 minutes.
As you might suspect, I havent quite hit the big time just yet, but I always have a good time playing when I know theres a chance the next spin might be ticket there.
I like games like Megabucks and Wheel of Fortune just fine, but its also a useful exercise to branch out and try slot games youve never played before.
The major manufacturers like International Game Technology (IGT) and Konami are churning out awesome new titles like clockwork. Youll literally find hundreds of games to choose from at any casino worth its salt, and each one has its own unique gameplay structure and bonus game system.
Youll run into your fair share of clunkers along the way, thats to be sure, but its all about exploring, expanding your scope, and hoping to find a new favorite game.
Slot machines can get a bad rap within the world of casino gambling, mostly based on their status as mindless sucker games. But in an industry defined by every games inherent advantage to the house, theres really no such thing as a sucker game at all.
Slot machines have remained the most popular gambling game for 80 years and counting, so they must be doing something right. If youre an avid slot player, you already know why these games are so special, but everybody can benefit from a change of pace. On that note, give a few of the tips above a try the next time you feel like spinning the reels.
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The Cuomo brothers and other liberal, privileged men have finally outdone themselves – New York Post
Posted: at 2:16 pm
So, will Chris Cuomo, CNNs most favored blowhard, report tonight on the bombshell findings into his brothers long-term sexual predation?
My educated guess: No. Why would he? He didnt last night, he wont tonight, and he never will, no matter how his brother goes down.
Cuomo the Younger is but one example of privileged, liberal men, high on their own self-regard, who have really outdone themselves this week.
Lets look at our disgraced governor Andrew. The deluge of credible accusations leveled against him months ago truly despicable stuff wasnt enough to shame him from office. (Nor were the nursing home deaths he covered up, but thats another story.)
No, this self-styled feminist doubled down, seeming to out one of his own family members in telling the attorney generals independent investigators that he only kept asking one young staffer about her sexual assault because a very close family member had been sexually assaulted in high school and this had made him extra-sensitive.
A new low, even for him.
There is no longer any debate as to what Gov. Cuomo did, how he abused his power, and what he truly thinks of women.
If #MeToo is to mean anything, Andrew Cuomo must go.
So too must Chris be ousted from his perch at CNN. As we now know, Chris secretly advised his brother to gut out this scandal, over a series of crisis talks, despite a pronounced conflict of interest.
Not only that the AG report reveals that Chris was also given secret and privileged information from the Executive Branch during the crisis, helped draft at least one of his brothers denials, and made decisions that impacted employees of the State. These are serious breaches of journalistic ethics.
I know, I know: Chris isnt really a journalist. He just plays one on TV. But still how can CNN expect to be taken seriously with this guy still on the air?
Remember, it was Chris who told his audience, with his usual soupon of smugness, that he couldnt cover the governors scandal because they were brothers. This, despite Chris hosting his brother near-nightly at the height of the pandemic.
If logic has no place in Chris Cuomos ethical code, how can he be trusted to deliver the news?
And lets not forget Chris faking his re-entry from the basement, where hed been isolating with COVID, even though hed been breaking quarantine all over the Hamptons like the entitled, virtue-signaling hypocrite he is.
But this was Tuesday, and the news cycle can give you whiplash. Perhaps the Cuomos were hoping reports of President Obamas massive, 500-guest birthday blowout at his $12 million Marthas Vineyard estate this weekend, with 200 servers on hand, might become the next focus of public outrage.
After all, as one set of rules for me, another for thee goes, this was pretty egregious stuff.
But Obama, in an unusual show of humility, reconsidered. Hes reportedly scaling way down. Perhaps this howl from a local worker resonated:
His birthday party is insane, one of Obamas caterers told The Post on Monday. His bash is a nightmare to pull off this time of year on the tiny island especially due to the lack of labor due to the coronavirus. What is he thinking?
Obama was probably thinking that super-spreader events are only for Trumpers and that he, of course, was doing it right. But if theres one thing weve learned about Obama in his brief time since leaving office, its that he cares more about wealth, celebrity and Netflix deals than lending his halo effect to any substantial, non-profit-making post-presidential work.
Alas.
And this brings us to Matt Damon, last week the subject of glowing profiles as the savior of movies for grown-ups. So confident is Damon in his greatness that he told the UK Sunday Times that, up until a few months ago, he often tossed around what he called the f-word for homosexual until his daughter told him it was wrong.
Matt Damon, 50 years old, raging liberal and self-identified intellectual one who preaches to us all on climate change while flying private, or the importance of public schools while sending his kids to private ones expects us to believe that he didnt know the meaning and weight of this word?
It gets even better. After massive backlash online Damons new movie, in which he plays an American oil rigger in MAGA drag, already a bomb he issued a statement claiming that he never, ever, ever used the f-slur. Ever.
Heres the thing: If Matt Damon had never said that word or told that story, if the UK Sunday Times got it wrong or made it up, Matt Damon would be suing that paper for millions in libel damages and not for nothing, libel laws in the UK are harder on the press than they are here.
If Damon had a case, youd better believe hed make it.
But hes not. Instead, Damon is running to Variety and after reading this fantasy version of events, you have to wonder why any publication would dare give it their imprimatur.
During a recent interview, I recalled a discussion I had with my daughter where I attempted to contextualize for her the progress that has been made though by no means completed since I was growing up in Boston and, as a child, heard the word f-g used on the street before I knew what it even referred to, Damon said in part. I have never called anyone f-t in my personal life and this conversation with my daughter was not a personal awakening.
If you believe that, Chris Cuomo has a story tonight hed rather not tell you.
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Opinion | How Liberals Can Attack From the Left and Win – The New York Times
Posted: at 2:16 pm
Mr. Nader and his allies were right about the dangers of a government captured by industry and labor and unchecked from the outside. In their time, the government was testing nuclear weapons in the atmosphere, encouraging the spraying of millions of tons of pesticides across the land and plowing highways through urban neighborhoods. The government was allowing strip mines to ravage the Appalachian Mountains and leaving coal miners to suffer from black lung disease with little compensation. Government policies were letting oil refineries, factories and power plants to discharge toxic emissions into low-income communities and communities of color.
But as the liberal coalition that supported and relied on a strong and active federal government broke down, it became harder for the government to do big things. The liberal attack on big government, big business, and big labor all combined into one giant coalition, as the 1972 best seller Who Runs Congress, phrased it, left the administrative state vulnerable to challenges from the right.
When Ronald Reagan announced his first presidential campaign in 1975, he mirrored this liberal critique by framing his candidacy as an attack on Congress, the bureaucracy, the lobbyist, big business and big labor. The survival and progress of the American people, Mr. Reagan declared, depended on a leadership that listens to them, relies on them and seeks to return government to them.
Mr. Reagan and the conservatives broke with the liberal critics, however, in questioning whether the federal government had any productive role to play in so-called free markets. When former President Donald Trump chose appointees who were actively hostile to the missions of their own agencies, his administration embodied this decades-long conservative attack on government.
Now, liberals want to do big things again, including remaking American energy and transportation systems to address climate change. The lessons of the 1970s show why the better is so vital in President Bidens Build Back Better slogan. Some parts of the new bipartisan infrastructure bill would still lock us into old errors, like the highway network that traps us in a petroleum-centered landscape. Other provisions would do more, by fixing the messes of the past: reconnecting communities divided by those very same highways, for example, and replacing lead pipes that can poison drinking water.
Thats welcome, but the best parts of the proposed new spending and regulating would actively move the country forward. They would create new systems, like an energy grid that could better distribute wind and solar power and a clean energy standard that slashes air pollution and improves public health. Thats how liberalism responds to its own critique of government and propels itself into the future.
Paul Sabin is a history professor at Yale. He is the author of the book Public Citizens: The Attack on Big Government and the Remaking of American Liberalism, which will be published this month.
The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. Wed like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips. And heres our email: letters@nytimes.com.
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Cameron Smith: Too much conservative headspace is lost to liberal outrage – AL.com
Posted: at 2:16 pm
This is an opinion column.
One of the unexpected consequences of regularly sharing my opinions in print and online is that Im frequently asked to respond to my colleagues columns. I totally understand it. Conflict drives entertainment in the media. Without it, theres no story arc, no villains, and no heroes. Those interesting clashes prevent the drone of an endless monologue. While we can learn from our disagreements with liberal friends and colleagues, conservatives are losing way too much headspace to meaningless outrage.
You would not believe the number of emails I get when Kyle Whitmire begs Kay Ivey to expand Medicaid...again. When Roy Johnson writes critically about race or John Archibald shakes the gates of hell, somebody invariably asks me to attack them or accuses me of being less conservative because I write on the same pages they do. I even received a message today letting me know that Josh Moon, who writes for a completely different publication, got upset that Dana McCain criticized the Alabama Education Association (AEA). Im puzzled how this concerns me, but apparently, I should get bent out of shape over it.
Thats a path for folks without any sense of priority or purpose. Conservatives shouldnt lose sleep over Whitmires Medicaid perspectives, but its not a bad idea for legislators to be able to address his arguments competently. I dont always agree with Johnsonss takes on racial issues, but hes taught me plenty about race relations. Ive learned to be a better writer by reading Archibalds columns.
Each of them are my friends and quality men who make me think deeply even where I disagree with them. When we clash, sometimes we talk about it. I learn what I can and move on. I dont lie awake at night and think about Whitmires musings because that would be super creepy.
But thats exactly the kind of crazy thats beset so many conservatives. We cant tell the difference between social media battles and actually governing. We have deluded ourselves into believing that slap fighting with liberals on cable news is useful in advancing our real priorities. Were outraged when President Joe Biden acts like a progressive liberal. Whoa, Nancy Pelosi wants to advance policies only a San Francisco Democrat would love? How dare Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez behave like a New York socialist!
We can and should point out the Democratic policies that arent working. Bidens mishandling of Americas immigration crisis is a perfect example. But its not sufficient to simply repeat that on a loop and believe were somehow winning. Its like trying to play football with only a defense.
Who cares if I ring up the score with people who are already inclined to agree with me by telling them that their political opponents are the worst? We need to figure out what were actually going to do about it. Conservatives should be proactive.
The conservative obsession with liberal Democrats is tremendously toxic. Imagine that Alabama football players spend all their time explaining why Auburn is awful. As much as Bama fans might enjoy watching the Crimson Tide engage in a battle of words with the Tigers on social media, those arent the wins we actually care about.
Nick Sabans famous process keeps players focused on areas of the game where they have personal control and accountability. Dont think about the national championship, he says. Think about what you need to do in this drill, on this play, in this moment. Thats the process: Lets think about what we can do today, the task at hand. For conservatives, the task is building an agenda and the majorities to advance it rather than securing rhetorical victory or owning the libs. We must learn the difference between entertainment and effectiveness.
To borrow another Saban metaphor, the vain slap fights on cable news and social media are rat poison that distracts conservatives from building coalitions, taking over swing districts, and enacting legislation. If conservatives won decisively over the last several decades, all wed have to do is put people in charge who could vote no on liberal policies. Now were in a situation where conservatives must actually move legislation to rein in government and expand liberty. Yes, its a dark irony that conservatives rightly skeptical of government power must now use it effectively to contend for our future.
Next time youre letting a liberal friend or colleague get you all spun up, ask whether you care more about getting a snap reaction or actually doing what it takes to win where it matters. The answer makes all the difference in the direction of our nation.
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Letter to the editor: Real shame goes to liberal politicians – TribLIVE
Posted: at 2:16 pm
Regarding S.E. Cupps column Officers testimony at Jan. 6 hearing exposes GOPs shame (July 29, TribLIVE): The real shame should go to the liberal state governors and city mayors who turn their backs when out-of-control rioters loot, burn and assault people, and yet support defunding the police. I would bet theyre not members of the GOP, and I would bet protesting was just an excuse to steal, destroy and cause havoc. Some admitted to being bused in and being paid.
Some bad examples were set, and now that its Washington, D.C., that experienced a riot by a conservative group (if in fact they were), now its not to be tolerated. Barricades were installed, police and military reinforcements called in, and people arrested and charged, all done to protect politicians who I believe want to take away our Second Amendment rights and weaken our law enforcement officers.
In other words, you dont need protection, but they do. Where does the shame belong?
Ron Maxson
Hempfield
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Justice Stephen Breyer didnt retire. Why conservatives and liberals care – Deseret News
Posted: at 2:16 pm
This article was first published in the State of Faith newsletter. Sign up to receive the newsletter in your inbox each Monday night.
As the Supreme Courts latest term drew to an end earlier this summer, court watchers like myself were waiting for more than the last few rulings. We were also standing by for retirement news from Justice Stephen Breyer, who, at 82, is the oldest member of the court.
For months, liberals have been calling on Breyer to retire and, in so doing, clear the path for Democratic President Joe Biden and the Democrat-led Senate to confirm a liberal replacement. The thinking goes that if he waits too long to retire, then conservatives will control the search for his replacement.
Liberals can point to former Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg to justify these concerns. She ignored calls to retire while President Barack Obama was in office and then passed away while still on the bench, which enabled former President Donald Trump to pick her replacement.
Her decision will give the conservative wing of the court the advantage in battles over culture war issues for years to come, argued David Leonhardt in a recent New York Times newsletter.
Ginsburgs decision may cost millions of American women access to abortion as well as shape policy on voting rights, climate change, gun control, religion and other issues, he said.
In recent decades, liberal justices, in general, have not made strategic retirement decisions, Leonhardt argued, claiming that theyve prioritized their personal interests over the needs of their party. Conservative justices, on the other hand, seem to proactively retire in order to be certain they wont die on the bench.
Thats part of the reason that Democratic presidents have so rarely had the chance to flip a court seat, Leonhardt wrote.
I did some research into recent departures from the Supreme Court, and I can see where Leonhardt is coming from. Ginsburgs decision not to retire under Obama looms large in recent history, especially when you compare it to Justice Anthony Kennedys retirement under Trump at age 82.
However, conservatives have also benefited greatly from other factors, including the Republican-controlled Senates refusal to confirm Obamas pick to replace former Justice Antonin Scalia, who died unexpectedly in 2016 at age 79. Its also notable that Republicans controlled the White House from 1981 all the way until 1993.
What I kept returning to as I researched shifts of power on the Supreme Court is that history is full of surprises. In recent decades, many justices who were appointed by Republican presidents became liberal over time. And many liberal justices have joined with their colleagues on rulings that seem to be very conservative, including in the religious freedom sphere.
Its safe to say that calls for Breyer to retire wont die down anytime soon. I hope the situation inspires more people to explore the Supreme Courts interesting past, instead of just worrying about the future.
Republican Sen. John Kennedy, of Louisiana, raised eyebrows last week when he asked a nominee for a position in the Justice Department whether he believes in God. Organizations like American Atheists claim the question violated the Constitution. Amid the conflict, I wrote about what legal scholars have previously said about religions role in confirmation hearings.
On Friday, President Joe Biden unveiled his picks for a few key faith-related positions in his administration and I wrote about his choices. If confirmed, Rashad Hussain, who currently works for the National Security Council, would be Americas first Muslim ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom.
Hajj refers to the holy pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, undertaken by around 2 million Muslims in non-pandemic years. Every able-bodied Muslim is required to complete the ritual at least once in their life, since participating in the Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, just 60,000 people took part in the event this year, which took place in mid-July, according to CNN.
Facebook is amping up its outreach to people of faith, according to Reuters. A few weeks ago, company leaders held a virtual summit for religious leaders and, earlier this year, they released a new prayer tool to all U.S. groups. The tool enables group members to request prayers; those who agree to pray get reminders about it from Facebook.
Like many teenagers, Jalue Dorje loves video games, rap music and Pokemon cards. Unlike his peers, hes been recognized as a reincarnated religious leader by members of his faith community. Because of that recognition, Dorje will join a Buddhist monastery in India after he graduates high school in 2025. I really enjoyed The Associated Press look at his fascinating life.
Michael Dimock, president of Pew Research Center, recently published an essay explaining why the organization invests so many resources into religion surveys. His thoughts on the value of tracking faith-related trends in the U.S. and around the world remind me of things Ive said in the past when people ask me why I became a religion reporter.
In June, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops voted to draft a document on the sacrament of communion, a move that many saw as an attack on President Joe Biden, who, although he is Catholic, supports abortion rights. Last week, Georgetown Universitys Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life hosted an online discussion about the bishops decision, which helped me better understand the surrounding debate.
The Olympics is the ultimate tearjerker. Ive teared up dozens of times watching everything from beach volleyball to water polo. Here are videos of a few of my favorite moments so far: 1. Swimmer Caleb Dressel celebrating one of his many gold medal performances with happy tears. 2. Detroit Lions quaterback David Blough watching his wife, Melissa Gonzalez, qualify for the 400-meter hurdles semifinal. 3. Fencer Lee Kiefer freaking out about winning gold.
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Justice Stephen Breyer didnt retire. Why conservatives and liberals care - Deseret News
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Liberal agenda driving government spending – The Highland County Press
Posted: at 2:16 pm
By U.S. Rep. Roger WilliamsR-TexasIn every business, you need to create, balance, and manage your budget. As a small business owner for over 50 years, I know the importance of keeping your finances in order so you can prepare for the future.
The government should be no different, especially because the money it spends comes from American taxpayers, who rely upon their lawmakers to be good stewards of their hard-earned tax dollars.
In Congress, budgets force lawmakers to work inside a framework that prioritizes the needs of the nation, and to do so responsibly every fiscal year.
Sadly, Congress has in the last few years fallen well short in the budget and appropriations process that has for far too long relied upon a continuing resolution, which makes way for temporary funding for essential government spending but pushes off any long-term solutions.
This year, Democrats decided to forgo the budget process altogether and begin working on next years spending bills without any guardrails in place to protect the taxpayers best interest. The result? Democrats proposals have increased their spending to almost 10% higher than the funding levels for 2021 without any input from Republican lawmakers or any earnest effort to pay for their capital investments.
This increased funding comes at a time when our country is running record high deficits. In July, the national debt increased to over $28 trillion. Small business and families know that running proportional deficits of that magnitude is unsustainable, as the cost of borrowing will inevitably outpace revenue.
The continuous disregard to address our debt from the Democrats will put future generations in a state of financial hardship thats almost unimaginable. And to top it off, President Biden, Senate Democrats, and Speaker Pelosi support another $4.1 trillion human infrastructure bill with money the U.S. government doesnt have.
As spending and debt increases, inflation is beginning to appear one of our most timely enemies, as the price of goods and services increases to levels not seen in decades. We have seen this with the price of everyday goods, from milk at the grocery store to gas at the pump, costs are going up and the value of the dollar is not.
Last month, U.S. inflation reached its highest in 13 years as prices surged 5%, the largest since August of 2008, and economists predict there will be an average annual inflation increase of 2.58%, putting inflation at levels last seen in 1993.
The American people should be alarmed by these economic trends and the Democrats attempt to spend more than what is available. As lawmakers prepare to head back to Washington, D.C. to work on funding the government before the fiscal year, the Democrats mission to raise taxes, increase wasteful government spending and threaten the economy is sadly now being realized, and we are about to foot the bill.
Congressman Roger Williams represents the 25th congressional district of Texas. In 2012, he was elected to Congress. In Congress, he has been the voice of small business owners across America, and his real world business experience has made him an effective leader and legislator. Last Congress, he authored a tax reform package called Jumpstart America, which served as a framework for the historic Tax Reform package that modernized Americas outdated tax code from a true business perspective. In the 117th Congress, he serves on both the Subcommittee on Consumer Protection and Financial Institutions and the Subcommittee on National Security, International Development and Monetary Policy within the Financial Services Committee, and brings his extensive knowledge of Main Street America to the Small Business Committee.
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Liberal agenda driving government spending - The Highland County Press
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PMs actions raise the question: How liberal is the Liberal Party? – Sky News Australia
Posted: at 2:16 pm
The exodus of three prominent former Liberal politicians to the Liberal Democratic Party raises questions as to whether Scott Morrison's party is still living up to its name.
What happened to the Liberal in Liberal Party? Its a question that many former top Liberals are clearly asking, with a mini-exodus of three former Queensland premier Campbell Newman, former Parramatta MP Ross Cameron and former Warringah operative John Ruddick to the Liberal Democrats.
Mainstream Australians would more than blush at the no-holds-barred extreme libertarianism of the minor party Ruddick even attended the idiotic anti-lockdown protest in Sydney but these diehard freedom-fighters could be forgiven for finding the nominally Liberal Prime Minister Scott Morrison a very Liberal fish indeed.
One of the things that turned their stomach was the PMs willingness to roll out massive government spending programs to prop up workers and businesses during the peak of the COVID-19 crisis.
In fact this is one of the things Morrison deserves great credit for. A PM abandoning party ideology in a time of national crisis in order to pursue the best possible practical outcome is precisely what a prime minister should do. To reverse-ferret a certain Dan Andrews quote, thats not being a Liberal, thats being a leader.
But the PMs latest contortions on border closures and vaccine passports have him sounding more like the protectionist premiers of Queensland and WA than someone with traditional Liberal values of freedom of movement, individual rights and personal responsibility.
To be clear, I am all for pragmatism over principle. Otherwise you end up with the old socialist academics lament of Thats all very well in practice, but how does it work in theory?
But Morrisons newly acquired love of hard border closures and lockdowns is neither principled nor pragmatic. It might be politically popular or at this point in his popularity politically vital but that is not the same thing.
Research conducted before the Sydney outbreak found that the number one non-health reason for Australians not getting vaccinated was that they felt they didnt have to because the borders were shut. And of course the borders were shut because not enough people were getting vaccinated.
And so the governments lockout had in fact locked itself in to a Mexican stand-off. Just as almost every state bar NSW relied upon snap border shutdowns to shield their sub-par contact tracing programs, the commonwealth was relying upon a national border shutdown to shield its sub-par vaccination program.
But it is now clear to Blind Freddy that with the doubly-virulent Delta variant our only way out of this mess is with mass vaccination. Even with the best contact tracers in the world and a two-tiered lockdown Sydney can at best keep the numbers at bay.
Elimination is as some of us have always said a false idol. We need to fight the virus, not hide from it.
So why is Scott Morrison so suddenly opposed to freedoms for those who have done the right thing and got their two shots as soon as possible? Why should good civic duty go so completely unrewarded?
And indeed why is this Liberal prime minister so adamant that liberty-depriving lockdowns are the only way out of our misery rather than the liberating effects of being fully vaccinated? Surely there could be no greater motivator to get the jab?
On Monday the PM shot down Opposition Leader Anthony Albaneses plan to give a $300 cash payment to those willing to do their duty, saying an easing of restrictions should be the primary incentive.
But then on Tuesday he also shot down NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklians suggestion that her government might ease restrictions for the fully vaccinated.
Talk about vaccination vacillation. This is exactly the kind of sloppy messaging that has caused so much confusion in the first place.
Australians who have done the governments often bewildering bidding, done everything that has been asked of them in these difficult times, should be rewarded with the freedom that all true citizens deserve.
And any anti-vaxxer who whines about the unfairness of such freedom coming at a cost should take a leaf out of the history books or take a look at those who forged them.
Ask any veteran if freedom comes at a cost some of them took bullets for it.
All you have to do is take a needle.
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PMs actions raise the question: How liberal is the Liberal Party? - Sky News Australia
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Liberals only commit to reviewing weak powers of information czar – CBC.ca
Posted: at 2:16 pm
Nova Scotia Liberal Leader Iain Rankin is only committing to review the weak powers of the province's information commissioner, but his rivals are promising to give her office some legal teeth.
Advocates for freedom of information have long argued the authority of the commissioner's office is too weak because it lacks so-called "order-making powers."
Those powers would force the public agency to contest the commissioner's decisions in court instead of that burden falling on citizens.
Applicants have had to go though complex and expensive court proceedings in recent years to enforce decisions to release public information.
The NDP and the Progressive Conservatives say that if they are elected in the Aug. 17 election, they will make Information Commissioner Tricia Ralph an independent officer of the legislature with order-making power.
Rankin, however, promised Friday to havehis justice minister review and modernize the legislation on public information.
Former Liberal premier Stephen McNeil in 2013 had promised to grant the commissioner order-making powers but never fulfilled that pledge, calling it a "mistake."
Rankin said if elected, he's committed to having more "up-to-date legislation that allows easier access to publicinformation."
"What I committed to, which is in the mandate letter to [Justice Minister Randy Delorey], is a full, comprehensive review to legislation that hasn't been amended in decades," he told reporters.
"The review will come out with specific recommendations and we'll accept every one of them."
Tory Leader Tim Houston has tied the issue to an alleged lack of Liberal transparency. He said the Liberal government unlike other provincial governments hasn't found a way to allow the legislature to sit during the pandemic or to allow the public accounts committee to fully operate during the health crisis.
"All of these things are stains on this government because they all undercut democracy and every time you undercut democracy you turn people off from democracy," Houston told reporters last week.
"People think, 'It just doesn't matter.'"
"A Progressive Conservative government is one that will have the courage to be held accountable by the people," he added. "It is one that will be transparent. That means giving order-making ability to the commissioner."
NDP Leader Gary Burrill says his party would be different from the Liberals on the issue of access to public information.
"We believe in this," he said in an interview on July 26 with The Canadian Press. "We've been saying for a long time that the freedom-of-information officer should be an officer of the house and that they should have the capacity to make their rulings stick."
In April, a research group studying how jails and federal prisons across the country handled the COVID-19 pandemic singled out Nova Scotia for the poor response of its access-to-information system.
University of Winnipeg researcher Kevin Walby noted that the projected fees in the province were close to 20 times higher than those in Ontario regarding requests for materials ranging from manuals and policy directives to requests for statistics on prisoner grievances.
Faced with tens of thousands of dollars in fees, Walby abandoned the request in Nova Scotia. He said at the time that even if he would have been successful in obtaining the information about the province's prisons, he might have had to go to court to enforce the decision.
Ralph said at the time that Walby's request would have had to wait "upward of three years" before her office could have dealt with it because of limited resources.
In June 2017, Ralph's predecessor, Catherine Tully, had called for reforms, including to make her position into an independent officer of the legislature, which would have given her office security of tenure and an easier time with budget requests.
She noted at the time Nova Scotia was the only province not to allow its information commissioner that kind of independence. Tully had also argued for order-making powers.
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