Drop Dead Ted..

The feud between the Texas senator and America's largest city escalated when the New York Daily News told Cruz, in bold, headline font on the front page of the paper: "Drop dead, Ted."

"Hey Cruz: you don't like N.Y. values? Go back to Canada!" the cover read, with an image of the Statue of Liberty giving the middle finger.

The Texas senator launched the first volley on this line of attack when he criticized Donald Trump for embodying "New York values" in an interview on a New Hampshire radio show. He repeated the attack on Fox News and on the Republican presidential debate  hosted by Fox. 

During Thursday night's debate, Trump delivered a withering rebuke to Cruz's attack, praising New York City's resilience after 9/11.

"I saw something that no place on earth could have handled more beautifully, more humanely than New York," Trump said. "The people of New York fought and fought and fought. We saw more death and even the smell of death and it was with us for months."

"We rebuilt downtown Manhattan and everybody in the world watched and everybody in the world loved New York and loved New Yorkers," he continued. "And I have to tell you, that was a very insulting statement that Ted made."

Ted said "I think most people know exactly what New York values are: socially liberal, pro-gay marriage, pro-abortion, focused on money and the media," he said.

Winning?

Hillary Clinton's attacks on Bernie Sanders' proposal for universal healthcare drew swift rebuke from Sanders campaign and some progressive groups. 

The Sanders campaign pointed to a video of Clinton campaigning in 2008, where she took on then-Senator Barack Obama for criticizing her universal health care plan.

National Nurses United, which endorsed Sanders, said the Clinton campaign was purposely misconstruing Sanders’ health care plan by claiming it would give autonomy to state governors.

Charles Chamberlain, Executive Director of Democracy for America, which endorsed Sanders, called Clinton’s attack “bald faced lies” that have “no place in a Democratic primary.”

“The goal of Democrats holding on to the White House in 2016 is being made more difficult every second the Clinton campaign continues to distort the facts on Bernie Sanders's strong record against gun violence ” Chamberlain wrote in a statement.

A Quinnipiac University survey released on Tuesday showed Sanders taking the lead over the former secretary of state for the first time in Iowa, with 49% of Democratic caucus-goers in the state supporting him and 44% supporting Clinton.

The attacks on Sanders for his vote on gun control is severe. But on the other hand Clinton is avoiding another issue completely. What would she do with illegal immigrants, New Migrants and Immigrants who fake their way to become legal aliens in the USA?
Just a thought.

Trump or ....

Trump's populist and nativist politics earned him support among working-class voters and voters without college educations.

Trump's most widely reported statements have been on issues of immigration and border security. He proposed deportation of all illegal immigrants, a wall on the Mexican border, and better control of the borders, "No Borders no Country".

He focuses on creating Jobs for the American People, taxing the rich, improved healthcare than the current, no more war in the troubled areas in the world, better trade with China and other countries and caring for the poor.  He is on the top of the list in the Republican party.

Ted Cruz is looking to slash corporate tax rates to 15 percent. End some programs like the Export-Import bank and federal subsidies for renewable fuels. Simpler tax code with no IRS.  End some current tax breaks and lower tax rates. Cruz is from Cuban background and born in Canada.

Marco Rubio is very hawkish, criticizing the Obama administration's nuclear nonproliferation deal with Iran and the president's decision to reestablish relations with Cuba. He talks fast, then attack the Obama in the same time avoiding to say what is he going to do. Rubio is born to Cuban parents.

So on the Republican side if not Trump, the alternative is scary. Just a thought.

End of an Era

  

German chancellor Angela Merkel is facing increasing pressure at home after her justice minister warned that attackers identified as migrants in Cologne on New Year's Eve were members of an organised crime network.

Heiko Maas said the mass sexual assaults and robberies that took place in the centre of the German city as thousands celebrated were co-ordinated by men using smart phones and social networks.

His claim came as Ms Merkel cancelled her regular trip to the Davos World Economic Forum, the global leaders' gathering, this month in the wake of growing public outrage, mounting criticism of her refugee policy and worries over integrating migrants.

More than 500 women have now filed criminal complaints over the new year attacks in Cologne, with 40 per cent alleging sexual assaults and many victims identifying their attackers as men of Arab or North African origin.
                        
Police said the Cologne assailants were part of a crowd of around 1,000 young men of Arab or North African origin, with 22 asylum seekers among the 32 people suspected of crimes. He said: "It is normal to suspect that a specific date was chosen and a certain number of people were expected. 

Many are calling for Merkel Resignation, and her Migrant policy problems have begun.
Just a thought.

A price to pay.

A Missouri lawmaker introduced a bill that would require lobbyists to report "sexual relations" with state legislators as a "gift" in their disclosures to the state ethics commission.

In 2015, two Show-Me State legislators [both are married to other people] left office after being accused of sexual misconduct.

The House speaker, a Republican, resigned in May following a Kansas City Star report he sent illicit text messages to a teen intern.

Over the summer, a Democratic state senator faced with allegations he sexually harassed two interns left office in what Gov. Jay Nixon called "a necessary step."

Asked why he didn't create a separate reporting requirement for sex between consenting adults, married couples and those in relationships before one was elected or began lobbying are exempted, Korman said he "didn't want to create a larger bureaucracy or a lot of additional extra laws."

"I just put it as the gift section because it's the closest thing I could come up with," he explained. Other options already on the books include "printing and publication expenses," "media and other advertising expenses" "travel, "the time, venue, and nature of any entertainment," "honoraria, "meals," and "food and beverages."

So for any Sexual relationship with any body, regardless how much the seduction is, there is a price to pay.

Just a thought.

Booing the Couple.

pro-refugee protester has been evicted from Melbourne's Department of Immigration building while breastfeeding her toddler

Rose Hamid, a 56-year-old flight attendant sitting in the stands directly behind Trump, stood up during Trump's speech when the Republican front-runner suggested that Syrian refugees fleeing war in Syria were affiliated with ISIS.

Despite her silence, Trump supporters around her began chanting Trump's name and pointed at Hamid and Marty Rosenbluth, the man alongside her who stood up as well.

As they were escorted out, Trump supporters roared booing the pair and shouting at them to "get out.

Major Steven Thompson of the Rock Hill Police Department told CNN Hamid was kicked out of the event because the campaign told him beforehand that "anybody who made any kind of disturbance" should be escorted out.

Trump commented on Hamid as she was being ejected. “There is hatred against us that is unbelievable. It’s their hatred, it’s not our hatred,” Trump said.

She has no right to disturb the meeting for thousands who are in the process of choosing the President of the United States of America. Freedom of Speech is for all 

 Just a thought.

Crude reality...

The row started after the execution of Shia cleric on terrorism offences and 43 Sunni al-Qaeda militants. Iran warned Saudi Arabia to stop working against it as their diplomatic crisis intensified despite efforts to defuse the problem that has raised fears of greater regional instability.

Sunni Arab allies cut diplomatic ties with Tehran. Qatar has been at odds with Saudi Arabia, supporting different rebel groups in Syria and backing the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt. Now is changing its stance. [BBC]

Iranian Foreign Minister accused the Saudis of acting against the Iranian people by keeping oil prices low. Today's oil is collapsing amid fears that tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia will lead to a deeper price war in an oversupplied crude market. Oil prices went down 70% or more to $34 per barrel from around $100 last year and $147 the highest.

On the other hand we may have less problems in the Middle East as a result of less revenue from crude oil. Less support to various rebels, terrorists and others. Moreover, this will cause economical difficulties to the oil producer countries. A Crude Reality to the oil producers but better time for the consumers.        Just a thought.

Break...?!

Pennsylvania company that publishes business newsletters will pay about $1.75 million to thousands of employees who had to clock out while going on short breaks, including for the bathroom.
 

The bill includes back pay and damages to 6,000 employees at 14 Progressive Business Publications call centers located in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Ohio used a timekeeping system that was associated with logging on and off their computers between 2009 and 2013.

The Department of Labor filed a lawsuit in 2012 claiming the company violated the federal Fair Labor Standards Act because employees weren't earning minimum wage when the company required them to clock out for breaks.

“For far too long, American Future Systems, [Progresive's parent company,] penalized its employees for taking breaks to meet the most basic needs during the work day – stretching their legs, getting a glass of water or just using the restroom,” said Jim Cain, district director for the department’s Wage and Hour Division, in a statement.

The court also ruled the company failed to keep proper record keeping requirements. Both the lack of records and the unpaid breaks are considered violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act, reported the Philadelphia Business Journal.

Just a thought.

He's back...

The explainer-in-chief is back.  Bill Clinton made his first public campaign trail appearance for his wife's 2016 campaign.

Opened on Sunday ?

Chick-fil-A is known for more than just food: it's also famous for being closed on Sundays.
But in the name of a good cause, some locations in Texas northeast of Dallas turned the lights on Sunday after tornadoes ripped through the state and killed 11 people.

The locations were not open to the public, but team members from various restaurants in the area did volunteer to prepare and distribute free food to responders and others affected by the tornadoes—serving those in need during this tragic event," said Amanda Hannah, a spokeswoman for the chain.

Chick-fil-A has maintained its rare Sunday closure policy since the chicken chain opened. The weekly day off is meant to encourage employees to rest, spend time with family and worship if they choose.

I am impressed.  Just a thought.