The Front Page Cover
"I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened"
Featuring:
The $15 Billion Failure to Store Nuclear Waste
Alan Caruba
"Rise up together as one voice"
"Be careful where you stand"
~~~lll~~~
Poor Jobs Report Shows Need for GOP Alternative
Over the long Easter weekend, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that job growth during March did not reach the 245,000 jobs economists predicted -- not even close. While the unemployment rate stayed flat at 5.5% and the U-6 measure of labor underutilization edged down to 10.9%, the U.S. economy added only 126,000 jobs in March. Furthermore, BLS revised its job numbers for January and February down 69,000. To put this in perspective, 150,000 jobs must be added per month to keep up with population growth. And there were two times as many unemployed people as people who got a job. Barack nObama's rosy rhetoric on his economic legacy has washed away with the snowmelt. Columnist George Will told Fox News, "If the workforce participation rate today were as high as it was on the day Barack nObama was inaugurated, the unemployment rate in this country would be 9.7%. We wouldn't be complaining about the bad recovery because we wouldn't call it a recovery." We've had years of this tepid economy. It's time for Republicans to champion an alternative. More... -The Patriot Post 
Indiana and Arkansas Concede to Politics in Religious Liberty Fight
State-level conservatives confronted with the sea of change that homosexual rights activists bring to society must choose between what is moral and what is political. Bowing to national pressure, the Indiana lawmaking machine weakened its Religious Freedom Restoration Act, essentially creating a protected class of "LGBT" people, writes Heritage Foundation's Ryan Anderson. Similarly, Arkansas weakened its RFRA bill Thursday. Matt Lewis writes in The Telegraph, "[W]hile conservatives tend to view this as nothing more than a power grab by gay rights activists, others truly view this as a great civil rights cause. In their minds, protections allowing a devout believer to decline to photograph a gay wedding would be tantamount to Jim Crow laws where African-Americans were turned away at lunch counters. While this analogy seems a stretch, the notion of comparing one's own cause to the civil rights struggle is some mighty high moral ground to seize -- and seize it they have." Due to leftists' successful and emotionally evocative rhetoric, Republicans are stuck. Should they once again concede ground as the Left labels them bigots? Or do they stand firm to fight for Liberty? Lawmakers made their choice plain. -The Patriot Post
How to Make a Million Bucks Running an Indiana Pizza Parlor
Maybe someone will blame this one on Hilly Clinton's vast right-wing conspiracy. After a reporter asked Indiana pizzeria Memories Pizza if it would cater a same-sex marriage ceremony, the mom-and-pop pizza pie factory said no, they wouldn't. Enraged that someone would dare utter a legitimate expression of religious conscience, leftists grabbed their pitchforks and torches to protest the restaurant into oblivion. In response, a producer from The Blaze set up a donation page on GoFundMe. The producer, Lawrence Jones, said, "The intent was to help the family stave off the burdensome cost of having the media parked out front, activists tearing them down, and no customers coming in. Our goal was simply to help take one thing off this family's plate as the strangers sought to destroy them." To date, the page brought $842,592 and the Left can only explain the phenomenon as some sort of conspiracy. The pizzeria knew it would make a killing by playing the controversy, they somehow reason. Or decent people, upset that the Left would go after anybody and everybody that disagrees with them, voted with their dollars, instead of staying silent. More... -The Patriot Post
Rolling Stone Rolls Back It's False Story
Rolling Stone published quite the blockbuster story last November about an awful gang rape at a University of Virginia frat house. The only trouble was the story was false. Police investigated and found no evidence to support the story. Now even the iconic music magazine is admitting the gig is up and formally retracting the story. Fox News reports that a "review, undertaken by the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism at Rolling Stone's request, produced a 12,000-word report that documented lapses in standard journalistic procedure at every level of the magazine during the reporting and editing of the story." But other than the retraction, it'll be business as usual -- no one will be fired or even disciplined, and no changes will be made. Writer (it's hard to call her a reporter) Sabrina Erdely will even continue contributing after apologizing. When relaying a leftist narrative, sometimes a story is just too good to check, no matter what it does to the victims -- in this case, the falsely accused young men in the fraternity.
-The Patriot Post
NJ Gov. Chris Christie Pardons Mom Facing Stupid Gun Charge
Even though common sense prevailed when New Jersey dropped the prosecution of two individuals who ran afoul of its gun laws, the state's broken laws need a change. Shaneen Allen thought she was in the clear when she drove into New Jersey with her Pennsylvania-legal handgun. Instead, she faced years in a New Jersey jail. The state dropped the prosecution, but Allen still needed to attend a pre-trial intervention class. On Thursday, Governor Chris Christie pardoned Allen, and the move possibly sets a precedent for other out-of-state travelers caught in Jersey's gun laws. "It was quite a fight for her down there in Atlantic County, and it led to significant changes. Hundreds of folks were helped by her case," Allen's lawyer Evan Knappen said. "It's a little absurd to take someone who's a law-abiding citizen in their home state but then put them into a New Jersey state prison for a mandatory three- to five-year sentence and make them a felon." In February, the Garden State dropped the prosecution of Gordon van Gilder, a former teacher who was caught with -- the horrors! -- an antique flintlock pistol. Some in the state realize there is a problem. But the problem now is that citizens only rely on the state's benevolence, not a law that rules over everyone equally. More... -The Patriot Post
1.
Iran Framework Deal: Greatest Political Hoax Ever?
(William A. Jacobson) - I have fallen into the trap almost everyone has, in referring to an Iran “nuke deal” and “Framework deal.”...Based on what the White House has revealed, the “deal” is a very bad deal, as we have explored here repeatedly: It purports to give Iran its dual goals of maintaining and improving its nuclear infrastructure while removing sanctions and ensuring the economic viability of the oppressive Mullah regime. But it’s even worse. Based upon statements made after the initial announcements, it’s clear that there is no deal, just enough vague vergiage to allow each side to portray the “deal” however it wants. There is no meeting of minds, not binding contract, nothing. http://legalinsurrection.com/2015/04/iran-framework-deal-greatest-political-hoax-ever/
2.
Dianne – Wishes Netanyahu Would Just Sit Down, Shut Up, And...
(rickwells.us) - Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), is just four months removed from her politically motivated release of a “torture report” which was damaging to American interests, based solely upon the socialist Democrats’ desire to inflict maximum political damage on their opposition...The small-minded political hack is hardly one to give Benjamin Netanyahu advice on anything. She does so anyway, telling the “State of the Union” host that Netanyahu’s said what he needs to say and now he should just sit down and let nObama seal the deal for his nation’s destruction. She offers her awkwardly delivered, thinly-veiled threats that “this can backfire on him and I wish that he would contain himself.” Feinstein then takes the familiar leftist tack of claiming that the opposition has no plan when they simply find it more politically advantageous to ignore it, along the lines of a Republican alternative to obamacare that they insist has never existed in spite of the contrary evidence in black ink on white paper. Feinstein needs to be replaced or voted out. http://www.rickwells.us/stifle-yourself-dianne-wishes-netanyahu-would-just-sit-down-shut-up-behave-himself-and-submit/
3.
ICBMs And Terrorism Never Addressed, No Time To Surrender
(rickwells.us) - On ABC’s This Week, Benjamin Netanyahu is asked a question that he can’t answer in public, not truthfully anyway. He’s asked, “Why do you think ‘president’ nObama and Hanoi John Kerry would want an agreement that as you say threatens the survival of Israel and paves the path a bomb.”...Netanyahu has to be diplomatic in his response, so he replies, “I’m sure they think it’s a good deal but we differ. I think this is a bad deal, leaves Iran with a vast nuclear infrastructure. It lifts the sanctions on them fairly quickly and enables them to get billions of dollars into their coffers. They’re not going to use it for schools or hospitals or roads, Martha, they’re going to use it to pump up their terror machine worldwide and their military machine that is busy conquering the Middle East now. He also notes that sanctions under this agreement are removed rather quickly, after just a few years leaving them with a vast arsenal and the ability to produce many nuclear bombs. I strongly believe Benjamin Netanyahu is correct. http://www.rickwells.us/netanyahu-u-s-must-change-iran-deal-icbms-and-terrorism-never-addressed-no-time-to-surrender-on-sanctions/
4.
Pat Caddell Trashes Holder on Menendez Indictment
(nicedeb.wordpress.com) - On Fox News’ Political Insiders, Easter Sunday, Doug Schoen, John LeBoutillier, and Pat Caddell joined host Julie Banderas to talk about the federal charges against Senator Bob Menendez, which came the same week the DOJ decided not to prosecute Lois Lerner...The insiders all agreed that the indictment is politically motivated and designed to send a message to the rest of congress. “It sends a chilling feeling to any other Democrats who are thinking about crossing the nObama White House,” LeBoutillier said. https://nicedeb.wordpress.com/2015/04/05/pat-caddell-trashes-holder-on-menendez-indictment-doj-is-run-by-a-political-hack/
5.
Muslim Bakers Refuse “Gays” – No Agitators, No Media, No Problem
(rickwells.us) - You’d almost think it’s a simple matter of the direct targeting Christians by homosexual agitators from the way that Muslim bakeries that refuse to bake cakes for homosexual “weddings” are not attacked...The mainstream faux media is completely silent on the issue although they actively sought out offending Christians in Indiana, as illustrated by the attack against Memories Pizza. The true media of today, the alternative news sources, are not playing along with the portrayal of Christians as bigots or of them as being the only ones who object to being forced by an oppressive government to act in violation of their religious beliefs. The fact that many leftists hate religion and feel compelled to attack it, Christianity in particular, is never raised as a topic of discussion anywhere in the mainstream but it should be. It’s a major component of the story that is being ignored. http://www.rickwells.us/selective-leftist-outrage-muslim-bakers-refuse-service-for-gay-wedding-cakes-no-agitators-no-media-no-problem/
6. (A must view)
Govt And Their World Domination Schemes Behind The UN
(rickwells.us) - Some might balk at the terminology used, as those same influences have conditioned many to reflexively dismiss their activities and plots as ridiculous, impossible fairy tales...For those, this video presentation should prove to be entertaining and perhaps even humorous. For others with an open mind, who know that there is something seriously wrong with where this world and our nation are headed, the information could turn out to be very useful. For many this is already common knowledge, and for that segment of the population, a little refresher never hurt. Exposing their activities by sharing of the information is our strongest defense against this shadowy cabal and against our planned destruction as they move to dominate the planet. http://www.rickwells.us/the-shadow-government-and-their-world-domination-schemes-behind-the-un-myron-c-fagan-warned-us/
7.
Californians to Be Heavily Fined for Long Showers
(Pam Key) - Sunday on ABC’s “This Week,” Gov. Jerry Brown (D-CA) said Californians will face heavy fines for taking long showers...Brown said, “This executive order is done under emergency power. It has the force of law. Very unusual. It’s requiring action and changes in behavior from the Oregon border all the way to the Mexican border. It affects lawns. It affects people’s — how long they stay in the shower. How businesses use water.” Brown said to enforce his order, “Each water district that actually delivers waters — water to homes and businesses, they carry it out. We have a state water board that overseas the relationships with the districts. Hundreds of them. If they don’t comply, people can be fined $500 a day. Districts can go to court to get a cease and desist order. The enforcement mechanism is powerful. In a drought of this magnitude, you have to change that behavior and you have to change it substantially.” It's your doing Jerry with your regulations. http://www.breitbart.com/video/2015/04/05/gov-jerry-brown-californians-to-be-heavily-fined-for-long-showers/?AID=7236
8.
Republican Party Elites Abandon Traditional Marriage
(Cliff Kincaid) - Only six of 54 Republican members of the Senate signed a pro-traditional marriage legal brief to the U.S. Supreme Court that was submitted on Friday. USA Today noted, “By contrast...44 Democratic senators and 167 Democratic House members filed a brief last month urging the court to approve same-sex marriage. The brief included the full House and Senate [Democratic] leadership teams.” These developments strongly suggest that while the homosexual movement remains solidly in control of the Democratic Party, the tactics of harassment and intimidation that we saw wielded against the religious freedom bill in Indiana last week are taking their toll on the Republican Party as a whole. In the Indiana case, a conservative Republican governor, Mike Pence, abandoned the fight for religious freedom in the face of homosexual and corporate pressure. http://www.aim.org/aim-column/republican-party-elites-abandon-traditional-marriage/?utm_source=AIM+-+Daily+Email&utm_campaign=email040615&utm_medium=email
9.
African soccer players were famously subjected to ugly racial slurs by spectators at a 2013 match in Istanbul. Ivory Coast native Didier Drogba wrote on Instagram afterwards, "You called me monkey and forgot that you jumped when my 'monkey' brother scored twice yesterday."
Race, Gender, and Collective Schizophrenia in Turkey
(Burak Bekdil) - If countries were human beings and could be put to a therapist's chair, Turkey would probably be sent to a clinic instead of being prescribed regular sessions. Before one overcomes the shock from one absurdity, one would be showered by five more (often heavier) blows...Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç's recent remarks that "There is no racism in Turkey" and "When we look at Europe and other countries we see how far behind us they are and we feel really sorry" sounded rather like a Saudi prince saying "There is no gender discrimination in the Kingdom" or "When we look at Europe and other countries we see how far behind us they are in gender equality and we feel sorry." In a country where Hitler is almost as popular and publicly praised as he used to be in Germany eight decades ago, (while minors get prosecuted for insulting the president), and polls reveal extremely xenophobic trends, Mr. Arınç prefers not to see what has become a Turkish pastime. http://www.meforum.org/5162/turkey-racism
10.
As reported by CNS News in January, “The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has released the final two volumes of a five-volume safety report that concludes that Nevada’s Yucca Mountain meets all of its technical and safety requirements for the disposal of highly radioactive nuclear waste.” Five volumes!
The Spirit of Jewish Conservatism
(Eric Cohen) - Compared with the bleaker moments in Jewish history—and woefully there are many—the present age of Jewish life offers many grounds for celebration and gratitude...In America, Jews are free to build communities and educate their children, free to study and worship without fear, free to pursue the good life without discrimination or disadvantage. In Israel, Jews are sovereign: keepers of their own land, speakers of their own language, shapers of their own national destiny. In these two great centers of modern Jewish life, Jews have the dignity of liberty, and in Israel they enjoy the dignity of Jewish self-government. The old-world problems of the Jews—living in segregated conditions, burdened by humiliating legal restrictions, often impoverished and dispirited—are no longer Jewish problems on any mass scale. Most American Jews have means, and many are wealthy; the Jewish state is strong; and despite the faith-shaking trauma of the Holocaust and the faith-challenging seductions of modernity, many still believe that Jews have a unique purpose in the world. http://mosaicmagazine.com/essay/2015/04/the-spirit-of-jewish-conservatism/
The $15 Billion Failure to Store Nuclear Waste
Alan Caruba
(factsnotfantasy.blogspot.com) - “The American people have spent 30 years and $15 billion to determine whether Yucca Mountain would be a safe repository for our nation’s civilian and defense-related nuclear waste.” That’s a quote of Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-OK) reported in the April issue of The Heartland Institute’s Environment & Climate News.
Compare that with the one year and 45 days it took to build the Empire State Building or the five years it took to build the Hoover Dam in the depths of the Great Depression. In the first half of the last century, Americans knew how to get things done, but the rise of environmentalism in the latter half, starting around the 1970s, has increased the cost and time of any construction anywhere in the U.S. In the case of Yucca Mountain it has raised issues about nuclear waste that is currently stored is less secure conditions.
So why the delay? The NRC says the Department of Energy “‘has not met certain land and water rights requirements’ and that other environmental and regulatory hurdles remain.”
A Wall Street Journal editorial on March 30 asserted that It is not about environmental and regulatory hurdles. It is about a deal that Nevada Senator dinky Harry Reid, the former Senate Majority Leader, cut with President nObama to keep Yucca Mountain from ever opening for use. In return, dinky Reid blocked nearly all amendments to legislation to shield nObama from having to veto bills. He virtually nullified the Senate as a functioning element of our government.
“Since there is no permanent disposal facility, spent fuel from the nation’s nuclear reactors—‘enough to fill a football field 17 meters deep’ according to a 2012 Government Accountability Office report—is currently being stored at dozens of above-ground sites. The GAO expects the amount of radioactive waste to double to 140,000 by 2055 when all of the currently operating nuclear reactors are retired.”
The United States where the development of nuclear fission and its use to generate electrical energy occurred is now well behind other nations that have built nuclear facilities and are adding new ones. As Donn Dear, an energy expert with Power For USA, points out “there are only four new nuclear power plants under construction, all by Toshiba-Westinghouse LLC. One other plant, Watts Bar 2, whose construction was held up for several years, is being completed by TVA.”
Meanwhile, as Dear notes, “South Korea is building four nuclear reactors in the United Arab Emirates. The Russian company, Rosatom, is building power plants in Turkey, Belarus, Vietnam, and elsewhere. The China National Nuclear Corporation is scheduled to build over twenty nuclear power plants.”
These represent jobs and orders for equipment that are not occurring in the United States, along with the failure to utilize nuclear energy to provide the growing need for electricity here. The same environmental organizations opposing construction here are the same ones supporting the Environmental Protection Agency’s attack on coal-fired electrical plants. The irony is, of course, that nuclear plants do not produce carbon dioxide emissions that the Greens blame for the non-existent “global warming”, not called “climate change.”
A cynical and false propaganda campaign has been waged against nuclear energy in the U.S., mostly notably with the Hollywood film, “The China Syndrome” about a reactor meltdown. If you want to worry about radiation, worry about the Sun. It is a major source. Three incidents, Three Mile Island in 1979 and Chernobyl in 1986, added to the fears, but no one was harmed by the Three Mile Island event and Chernobyl was an avoidable accident.
More recent was the March 11, 2011 shutdown of the Fukushima reactor in Japan as the result of an earthquake and subsequent tsunami. Three of its cores melted in the first three days, but there have been no deaths or radiation sickness attributed to this event. That’s the part you’re not told about.
In the end, all it takes is one ignorant President to set progress back for decades. In this case it was President Jimmy Carter for not allowing reprocessing of nuclear waste, a standard practice in France where only one-fifth of spent fuel requires storage. In the 1980s there were three U.S. corporations leading the way on the introduction and use of nuclear energy to produce electrical power; General Electric, Westinghouse Electric, and Babcock & Wilcox. Today only Babcock-Wilcox continues as a fully owned American company.
Thanks to President nObama, we have lost another six years on the Yucca Mountain project. That fits with his refusal to permit the Keystone XL pipeline. No energy project that might actually benefit America will ever see his signature.
Some are arguing that America is a nation in decline and they can surely point to the near destruction of our nuclear energy industry as one example. That decline can begin to end in 2017 with the inauguration of a new President.
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