Tag Archives: GOP

Election, Featured, Politics, US

WWE Ex-Champ Glenn “Kane” Jacobs Victorious in GOP Primary for Knox Co. Mayor

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The nearly seven-foot-tall, three-hundred-plus pound internationally-renowned WWE pro wrestler and local insurance businessman Glenn “Kane” Jacobs has declared victory in the Republican primary for mayor of Knox Co., Tennessee, the deeply-Republican county seat of Knoxville and home to the University of Tennessee.

According to WATE-TV with 100 percent of precincts reporting, Jacobs narrowly prevailed by a 17-vote lead. While 43 provisional ballots, many of which lack voter registration information, still must be evaluated to determine if they should be counted, the outcome is not expected to change before the official results are announced next week.

The Republican primary was a hard-fought triple-threat match between Jacobs and popular local county commissioners Brad Anders and Bob Thomas. Thomas, a former local radio personality who also appeared in movies like Friday Night Lights, is the father of actor Jake Thomas of the show Lizzie McGuire on the Disney Channel.

24 Wrestling notes that many WWE superstars, including Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, Titus O’Neil, Natalya, and Goldust took to social media on election day to encourage their fans in the area to vote for Jacobs.

“You better vote for Kane or he’ll hit you with that fire, brother,” joked iconic pro wrestler Hulk Hogan in comments to TMZ. “He’s a sharp guy so I hope he does well there.”

Jacobs is now set to face former Knox Co. Democratic Party chair Linda Haney in the August 2 general election.

The libertarian-leaning Republican Jacobs, a friend and supporter of former Texas U.S. Congressman Ron Paul and current U.S. Senator from Kentucky Rand Paul, evoked Reagan to describe his leadership style on his campaign website.

Jacobs told Fox News, “Knox County, Tennessee is a great place to live, work and raise a family. And I just want it to see it become even better. And I think that I can have a small part in doing that… But, really, it’s — the motto of my campaign was together we win. And I really believe that I can hopefully bring all of us in our community, in Knox County, together to build an even better place.”

He added, “I think, as Republicans, we have to stick by what we believe in. And that is fiscal conservatism and individual freedom. And I think what happens is when Republicans get into positions of power, they forget about that. And in many cases, they become part of the problem.”

Jacobs most popular in-ring wrestling persona is the masked Kane, the Undertaker’s deranged pyromaniac half-brother. Kane is a 3-time world champion, 16-time tag-team champion, 2-time intercontinental champion, Money in the Bank winner, and a Grand Slam champion. Jacobs holds the most eliminations in Royal Rumble matches and also has appeared in more pay-per-view matches than any wrestler in WWE history.

Jacobs’ Democratic opponent Linda Haney said, describing her campaign approach, “I know they’ll probably think I’m a fly on the wall, and I plan to be a very vocal fly. And I plan to really work hard and gain the trust of the people of Knox County.”

Election, Featured, Politics

GOP Debate: Trump Calls on Republican Party to ‘Be Smart and Unify’

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While previous GOP debates have been highlighted by insults and crude comments from Donald Trump, Thursday’s debate proved to be a more subdued event as the frontrunner called for unity within the Republican Party.

In his opening statement, Trump noted the record turnout of voters thus far in the GOP primaries, calling it one of the “biggest political events anywhere in the world.”

[pull_quote_center]One of the biggest political events anywhere in the world is happening right now with the Republican Party. Millions and millions of people are going out to the polls and they’re voting. They’re voting out of enthusiasm. They’re voting out of love. Some of these people, frankly, have never voted before—50 years old, 60 years old, 70 years old—never voted before.[/pull_quote_center]

Trump claimed that voters are turning to the Republican Party, and he said he thinks the Republican establishment “should embrace what’s happening.”

[pull_quote_center]We’re taking people from the Democrat Party. We’re taking people as independents, and they’re all coming out and the whole world is talking about it. It’s very exciting. I think, frankly, the Republican establishment, or whatever you want to call it, should embrace what’s happening. We’re having millions of extra people join. We are going to beat the Democrats. We are going to beat Hillary or whoever it may be. And we’re going to beat them soundly.[/pull_quote_center]

[RELATED: Reality Check: Why Donald Trump’s South Carolina Win was a Historic Defeat of Neocons]

According to reports from the Washington Times, Republican voter turnout broke records in New Hampshire with “nearly 285,000 voters to the polls, which was 15 percent more than in 2012, and just shy of the all-time record of 287,000 voters that Democrats drew in their marquee 2008 battle.” and in South Carolina, with “more than 737,000 votes,” which is “more than 20 percent higher than 2012.” Trump was declared the winner in both states.

Following Super Tuesday on March 1, the Washington Post reported that over “1 million more people have voted in Republican primaries than Democratic ones” and that Democratic turnout has fallen since the last contested nomination in 2008, while it has risen for Republicans since 2012.

[RELATED: GOP Establishment Reportedly Considering Contested Convention to Counter Trump Win]

Although there have been reports of GOP elites preparing for a contested convention if Trump does not receive the 1,237 delegates needed to qualify for the Republican nomination, Trump said at Thursday’s debate that he thinks the GOP should seize the opportunity to “embrace millions of people” he is bringing to the Republican Party.

[pull_quote_center]The Republican Party has a great chance to embrace millions of people that it’s never known before. They’re coming by the millions. We should seize that opportunity. These are great people. These are fantastic people. These are people that love our country. These are people that want to see America be great again.[/pull_quote_center]

“So I just say embrace these millions of people that now for the first time ever love the Republican Party,” Trump concluded. “And unify. Be smart and unify.”

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Election, Featured, Politics

GOP Establishment Reportedly Considering Contested Convention to Counter Trump Win

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Current primary results have reportedly led GOP leaders to consider a contested convention if Donald Trump falls short of the 1,237 delegates needed to qualify for the nomination.

According to a report from the Washington Post, recent gatherings of the Republican Governors Association and various conservative financiers have led to the “consensus that Trump is vulnerable and that a continued blitz of attacks could puncture the billionaire mogul’s support and leave him limping onto the convention floor.”

A contested convention occurs when “no single candidate has secured a majority of the delegates ahead of the party convention” which is in July, and as a result, the party’s nominee is “chosen by the delegates who come to the convention, on a series of one or more ballots.”

Out of the 2,472 available delegates in the GOP, Donald Trump currently has 384, Ted Cruz has 300, Marco Rubio has 151, and John Kasich has 37. Primaries will be held in Hawaii, Idaho, Michigan and Mississippi on Tuesday, which will determine the direction of 150 of the remaining 1,585 delegates.

The Post’s report noted that the strategy of pushing for a contested convention is “risky and hinges on Trump losing Florida, Illinois and Ohio on March 15,” which has led some party figures to believe that “any stop-Trump efforts could prove futile.”

According to the report, the movement to stop Trump is led by the super PAC Our Principles PAC, which has devoted “more than $3 million in television advertisements, plus direct-mail pieces, digital ads, phone banking and emails — all designed to sow doubts about Trump’s character, convictions and fitness for office,” just in the state of Florida.

As previously reported, GOP officials were discussing the possibility of a contested convention in December, when more than 20 members of the Republican National Committee attended a dinner held by Chairman Reince Priebus.

Appearing on NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday, 2012 GOP Nominee Mitt Romney said he does not plan on running, but that if the GOP were to reach a contested convention, he wouldn’t rule out becoming the party’s nominee if he received the support.

“I don’t think anyone in our party should say, ‘Oh no, even if the people of the party wanted me to be president, I would say no to it.’ No one is going to say that,” Romney said. “But I can tell you this, I’m not a candidate, I’m not going to be a candidate, I’m going to be endorsing one of the people who’s running for president.”

During a phone interview on Fox’s “Fox and Friends” on Tuesday morning, Trump said he is bothered by the possibility of a contested convention, and he thinks, “It’s really not fair.”

“I think that whoever is leading at the end should sort of get it,” Trump said. “That’s the way that democracy works. I don’t know that that’s going to happen. But I’ll tell you, there are going to be a lot of people that will be very upset if that doesn’t happen.”

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Editor’s Pick, Election, Technology

Report: GOP Leaders Met With Elon Musk, Tim Cook To Discuss Stopping Trump

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By Blake Neff – Apple CEO Tim Cook, Tesla CEO Elon Musk and several other tech titans held a private retreat with GOP leaders over the weekend where the main topic was how to stop Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump, the Huffington Post reports.

The meeting was held at Sea Island, Ga., the site of the American Enterprise Institute’s World Forum. GOP figures at the gathering reportedly included Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , House Speaker Paul Ryan , and Karl Rove. Sens. Tom Cotton , Rob Portman , Tim Scott , Cory Gardner and Ben Sasse (who has already said he would not back Trump in the general election) where also present, while House representation included Reps. Cathy McMorris Rodgers , Tom Price , Kevin Brady , and Fred Upton , among others.

Other tech figures who reportedly attended the meeting included Google co-founder Larry Page and Napster founder Sean Parker.

The whole affair was off the record and closed to the press, so exactly what happened and what viewpoints were expressed is unclear. But according to HuffPo, the primary topic of conversation was Trump’s rise, what caused it and what, if anything, might undermine him. One highlight of the event was a presentation by Rove, who reportedly argued Trump’s biggest political weakness is the public’s difficulty viewing him as a “presidential” figure.

While Silicon Valley is generally known as a liberal place, there may be ample reason for Republicans and tech leaders to form a common cause against Trump. While Republicans fear Trump is hijacking and derailing the party and dooming them in November, tech bosses are menaced by Trump’s rhetoric on trade and his promise to cut down on the number of H-1B visas for skilled immigrant workers.

Sometimes the attendees clashed with one another, though. Notably, Cotton allegedly became “hostile” towards Cook when discussing Apple’s battle with the FBI about decrypting cell phones.

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Election, Politics

GOP Candidates Call Snowden a ‘Traitor,’ U.S. Has Yet to Charge Him with Treason

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While the remaining GOP candidates have spoken out against National Security Agency whistleblower Edward Snowden, calling him a “traitor,” the United States government has yet to formally charge him with treason.

Federal prosecutors filed a criminal complaint against the former NSA contractor in June 2013, after he leaked a collection of mass surveillance documents which revealed to the public that the NSA was collecting the phone records of American citizens.

The complaint stated that Snowden is facing a charge of “theft of government property,” along with charges of “unauthorized communication of national defense information” and “willful communication of classified communications intelligence information to an unauthorized person,” which were both brought under the Espionage Act of 1917.

However, Snowden is not facing charges of treason. Article 3, Section 3 of the Constitution defines “treason” as:

[pull_quote_center]Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort. No Person shall be convicted of Treason unless on the Testimony of two Witnesses to the same overt Act, or on Confession in open Court. The Congress shall have Power to declare the Punishment of Treason, but no Attainder of Treason shall work Corruption of Blood, or Forfeiture except during the Life of the Person attainted.[/pull_quote_center]

The Washington Post noted that under this definition, the U.S. government would have to “demonstrate that Snowden was actively trying to provide aid and comfort to a specific entity, such as al-Qaeda, with which the U.S. is at war,” and it would have to find two witnesses who “observed Snowden leaking the information.” 

Despite the fact that Snowden is not facing treason charges, the remaining GOP candidates have openly called him a “traitor.”

During the GOP Debate hosted by Fox News Thursday night, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz was asked why he did not immediately condemn Snowden when the documents were leaked in 2013.

“You were open to the possibility that Edward Snowden had performed a considerable public service, you said back then, in revealing certain aspects of the NSA procedures,” Fox News host Bret Bair said. “Many of your colleagues in the Senate, including Senator Rubio, called him a traitor. It took you until January of this year to call him a traitor and say he should be tried for treason.Why the change of heart? And why did it take you so long?”

Cruz insisted that when the leaks were first reported, it was unclear whether Snowden had committed treason, and he said that since then it has become clear that Snowden’s leaks provided “aid and comfort to the enemies of America,” by making it “easier for terrorists to avoid detection.”

[pull_quote_center]When the news first broke of the United States government engaging in massive surveillance on American citizens, that was a very troubling development, and it’s why the United States Congress acted to correct it. Now, at the same time, I said in that initial statement that if the evidence indicated that Edward Snowden violated the law, he should be prosecuted for violating the law. And, indeed, since then, the evidence is clear that not only does Snowden violate the law, but it appears he committed treason. Treason is defined under the Constitution as giving aid and comfort to the enemies of America, and what Snowden did made it easier for terrorists to avoid detection.[/pull_quote_center]

Business mogul Donald Trump chimed in and said Snowden was a “spy and we should get him back,” insisting that because Russia granted asylum to Snowden, it shows a lack of respect for the U.S. This follows previous comments in July 2013 when Trump called Snowden a “terrible traitor,” and alluded to the idea that he should be killed.

During a campaign forum in August 2015, Ohio Gov. John Kasich called Snowden a “traitor” for releasing classified information.

Florida Sen. Marco Rubio has called Snowden a “traitor” on multiple occasions, claiming in Nov. 2013 that the “intelligence programs” used by the NSA were necessary, and should not be deterred by the “conspiracy theories sparked by Edward Snowden.” 

“We must respond to the valid concerns of Americans, who are alarmed by reports regarding their civil liberties,” Rubio said. “But we must also distinguish these reasonable concerns from conspiracy theories sparked by Edward Snowden. This man is a traitor who has sought assistance and refuge from some of the world’s most notorious violators of liberty and human rights.”

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Election, Featured, Hot, Polls

Poll: Who Do You Think Won the 2/25/16 CNN Debate?

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Election, Featured, Politics

GOP Nevada Caucus Results in Accusations of Polling Irregularities, Double Voting

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GOP officials are reportedly looking into accusations of voting irregularities including ballot shortages and double voting, after reports of a chaotic scene unfolded during Tuesday’s Nevada Caucus.

RNC spokesman Fred Brown acknowledged that there were reports of “long lines and not enough ballots at Palo Verde High School” Tuesday night, which resulted in some voters being “turned away and directed to another location.”

In response to reports of double-voting, political reporter and commentator Jon Ralston reported that one GOP official said the party takes “reports of double voting very seriously and we will be reviewing ballots.”

[pull_quote_center]Obviously we take reports of double voting very seriously and we will be reviewing ballots. There is a master sign in and that we will be checking closely as well. In terms of running out of ballots, we were prepared for that, and more were on site in a matter or minutes. Other thing to know is because you have multiple precincts in one spot, not the entire place was in chaos, just a select few that were rushed, which contained the problems.[/pull_quote_center]

Business mogul Donald Trump was declared the winner of the Nevada Caucus, taking 45.9% of the vote.

In a rally prior to the caucus, Trump warned voters to watch out for Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, claiming that he is the “single biggest liar” Trump has ever known.

“Watch out for dishonest stuff because I’ll tell you what, a lot of dishonesty with this,” Trump said. “You just gotta be careful. They have paper ballots. They have the whole deal going. So just watch out.”

Trump claimed Cruz is “the best I’ve ever seen” when it comes to lying, and then added, “Of course, really, the great liars are the ones that don’t get caught, right?”

However, many of the polling irregularities that were reported Tuesday night were in connection with Trump supporters.

Twitter user Josh Jordan posted a series of pictures of caucus-goers in Trump gear, claiming that ballots were “being tucked under envelopes,” and voters were “not being checked for ID.”

National Review reporter Elaina Plott posted on Twitter that one Nevada precinct did not have its site set up, while another precinct had “40-50 loose ballots on the table” that were put under envelopes.

https://twitter.com/elainaplott/status/702323423901458432?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

https://twitter.com/elainaplott/status/702326376305528832?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Campus Reform correspondent and Marco Rubio supporter Letty Burgin posted on Twitter claiming that some of the poll workers at her precinct were wearing Trump pins and t-shirts.

https://twitter.com/LettyBurgin/status/702319498481651713?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

According to the National Association of Secretaries of State, in the state of Nevada, electioneering activities including “wearing or displaying any badge, button or other insigne which is designed or tends to aid or promote the success or defeat of any political party or a candidate or ballot question to be voted upon at that election,” is prohibited.

In response to the accusations, the Nevada GOP claimed, “It’s not against the rules for volunteers to wear candidate gear.”
NV GOP
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Election, Politics

Gov. Nikki Haley Endorses Marco Rubio for President Ahead of SC Primary

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South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley announced that she was endorsing Florida Sen. Marco Rubio for president on Wednesday, as voters prepare for the state’s primary on Saturday.

Haley made the announcement during an event in Chapin, South Carolina, where she said that if Rubio is elected, “everyday will be a great day in America.”

“When it was time to look at this presidential race, I thought from a different perspective,” Haley said, noting the challenges the state has faced in the last year.

Haley said she wanted to endorse a president who “would have the back of our military veterans and those in active duty,” and who is “all about term limits in D.C.”

“I wanted somebody humble enough that remembers that you work for all of the people,” Haley said. “I wanted somebody who reminded my parents that the best decision you can make is coming to America.”

Rubio came in fifth place in the New Hampshire primary on Feb. 9 with 10.6% of the vote, and third place in the Iowa Caucus on Feb. 1 with 23.1% of the vote.

While Haley did not announce who she was endorsing prior to Wednesday, she made it clear on Tuesday that she would not be endorsing business mogul Donald Trump, calling him “everything a governor doesn’t want in a president.”

Haley also said she wants someone “who is going to hold Republicans accountable,” and “who is going to make a difference, not just for our party but for every person they represent in the country.”

The State noted that Haley endorsed Mitt Romney in the 2012 presidential race, and while he lost the South Carolina primary to Newt Gingrich, he went on to win the GOP nomination.

Rubio has also been endorsed by Republican politicians in South Carolina such as Sen. Tim Scott and Rep. Trey Gowdy.

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Election, Featured, Politics

Rand Paul Declines to Endorse Any Candidate in GOP Primary Race

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After dropping out of the 2016 presidential race Wednesday, Rand Paul’s campaign declared that he will endorse the chosen GOP nominee, but he will not endorse any of his former rivals while they are still in the running.

During a conference call with reporters following Paul’s announcement, his top campaign strategist Doug Stafford said that the Senator from Kentucky made the decision to drop out in part because he was likely to be excluded from the next GOP debate Saturday night.

In the Iowa Caucus on Monday, Paul came in fifth place with one delegate, behind Texas Sen. Ted Cruz with eight delegates, Donald Trump with seven, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio also with seven, and Ben Carson with three.

Stafford said Paul has no plans to endorse any of his former competitors before one is chosen to be the GOP nominee. While former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee made a similar decision when he ended his presidential campaign following Monday’s caucus, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum announced that he was endorsing Rubio when he ended his campaign Wednesday evening.

Paul announced Wednesday morning that he intends to focus on running for re-election as a Senator in Kentucky. “Although, today I will suspend my campaign for President, the fight is far from over,” he said. “I will continue to carry the torch for Liberty in the United States Senate and I look forward to earning the privilege to represent the people of Kentucky for another term.”

While Paul had initially counted on receiving the support of those who backed his father Ron Paul in the 2008 and 2012 elections, Stafford said that the “Ron Paul movement” still exists, but that “voters shift from time and what’s most important to them is hard to capture.” 

Stafford also noted that having Trump in the race changed the dynamic because it “took all the oxygen out of the room,” and made it “very difficult to have what you believe is a stronger message and a stronger candidate but you can’t break through because celebrity became the largest thing.”

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Editor’s Pick, Election, Politics

BREAKING: Rand Paul Ends 2016 Presidential Campaign

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Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul announced Wednesday morning that he is suspending his 2016 presidential campaign.

Paul released a statement saying that he intends to end his campaign where he began, “ready and willing to fight for the cause of Liberty.”

[pull_quote_center]It’s been an incredible honor to run a principled campaign for the White House. Today, I will end where I began, ready and willing to fight for the cause of Liberty. Across the country thousands upon thousands of young people flocked to our message of limited government, privacy, criminal justice reform and a reasonable foreign policy. Brushfires of Liberty were ignited, and those will carry on, as will I.[/pull_quote_center]

Paul’s announcement follows the Iowa caucus on Monday, where he came in fifth place behind GOP contenders Ted Cruz, Donald Trump, Marco Rubio and Ben Carson.

In his statement, Paul said although he is suspending his campaign, “the fight is far from over,” and he will focus his efforts on his work as a senator.

[pull_quote_center]Although, today I will suspend my campaign for President, the fight is far from over. I will continue to carry the torch for Liberty in the United States Senate and I look forward to earning the privilege to represent the people of Kentucky for another term.[/pull_quote_center]

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Election, Featured, Polls

Poll: Who Do You Think Won The Fox News GOP Debate?

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Election, Featured, Polls

Poll: Do you support Donald Trump’s decision to boycott the upcoming GOP debate?

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Election, Featured, Politics

National Review Publishes ‘Against Trump’ Issue, Loses Debate Sponsorship

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The editors of the conservative magazine National Review released an issue Thursday night, titled “Against Trump,” which led to the publication losing its sponsorship of the GOP debates and ending its partnership with the Republican National Committee.

The issue called real estate mogul and GOP frontrunner Donald Trump “a menace to American conservatism” whose politics are those of “an averagely well-informed businessman,” and who is “by all outward indications, the most poll-obsessed politician in all of American history.”

[pull_quote_center]Some conservatives have made it their business to make excuses for Trump and duly get pats on the head from him. Count us out. Donald Trump is a menace to American conservatism who would take the work of generations and trample it underfoot in behalf of a populism as heedless and crude as the Donald himself.[/pull_quote_center]

The editors concluded that Trump is “not deserving of conservative support in the caucuses and primaries,” calling him a “philosophically unmoored political opportunist who would trash the broad conservative ideological consensus within the GOP in favor of a free-floating populism with strong-man overtones.”

The issue criticized Trump’s tendency to change positions on policies, noting that while immigration is one of the issues he has been the most vocal about, he previously criticized Mitt Romney for having a “crazy policy of self-deportation,” which he referred to as “maniacal,” and the reason why Romney lost the vote of “everybody who is inspired to come into this country.”

In response, Trump took to Twitter, calling the National Review a “failing publication that has lost its way,” and claiming that “very few people read the National Review because it only knows how to criticize, but not how to lead.”

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/690382564494839809

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/690382619213742082

Less than two hours after the issue went live online, NR publisher Jack Fowler released a blog post titled “Houston, we have a problem” in which he wrote that the publication would no longer be sponsoring the upcoming GOP debate on Feb. 25 in Houston, Texas.

Fowler said the editors “expected this was coming,” and he called it a “Small price to pay for speaking the truth about The Donald.”

RNC spokesman Sean Spicer confirmed that National Review has been “disinvited” from the upcoming GOP debate, and said it was on account of the fact that “a debate moderator can’t have a predisposition.” 

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Activism, Civil Liberties, Election, Government Accountability, Politics, US

Evangelist Franklin Graham Leaves GOP Due To Planned Parenthood Funding

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The Republican Party has been abandoned by Evangelist Franklin Graham following last week’s passage of a budget by the Republican-led Congress. Graham called the budget “wasteful” and criticized continued government funding of Planned Parenthood, which he compared to the Nazis.

“Seeing and hearing Planned Parenthood talk nonchalantly about selling baby parts from aborted fetuses with utter disregard for human life is reminiscent of Joseph Mengele and the Nazi concentration camps!” Graham wrote. “That should’ve been all that was needed to turn off the faucet for their funding.”

In previous statements Graham has spoken of not having faith in any of the parties. Rejecting his affiliation with the GOP is a sign of continued discontent with the right and the continuation of a trend among evangelicals supporting non-establishment candidates such as Donald Trump.

Trump has drawn praise from Graham in the past including siding with the GOP frontrunner on issues such as a proposed ban of Muslims in the U.S.

Graham’s criticism of the budget deal centers around the continued funding of Planned Parenthood to the tune of $528 million annually. This accounts for upwards of 40% of the organizations budget and comes mostly by way of Medicaid payments from services rendered to low-income Americans. Planned Parenthood is prohibited from utilizing federal taxpayer dollars to pay for abortions.

The defunding of Planned Parenthood has been a long time priority for social conservatives, an effort that was renewed earlier this year after undercover videos were released by an anti-abortion activist.

The videos appeared to show officials at Planned Parenthood negotiating prices of fetal organs for sale to medical researchers, a practice which could be considered illegal and unethical. The organization has since denied all claims it profited from these sales and announced it would no longer carry on the practice.

Following the 2014 midterm elections, the GOP took control of both the House and Senate. Expectations from some in the party were that funding for Planned Parenthood would be eliminated from the 2016 budget. Some social conservatives in the party threatened a government shutdown if action wasn’t taken against the organization.

An event in November when Robert Lewis Dear, a lone gunman who called himself “a warrior for the babies” and shot and killed three at a Colorado Springs Planned Parenthood, changed the dynamic for politicians.

The result was funding of Planned Parenthood at previous levels. Graham, the son of well known evangelist Billy Graham, was among many religious conservatives incensed by the lack of action.

“This is an example of why I have resigned from the Republican Party and declared myself Independent. I have no hope in the Republican Party, the Democratic Party, or Tea Party to do what is best for America,” said in a Facebook Post last Monday.

Over the course of Billy Graham’s years in the public eye, he withdrew from politics, claiming it took focus away from his evangelism. His son, however, has been more vocal in offering his take on electoral issues and politicians.

With prayer rallies scheduled in advance of the the Iowa caucus, Graham will likely continue his denunciation of the establishment wing of the Republican Party, emphasizing his desire to “challenge Christians to live out their faith at home, in public and at the ballot box.”

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Election, Politics

Ben Carson Threatens to Leave GOP if Leaders Engage in ‘Back Room Deals’

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GOP presidential candidate Ben Carson repeated his threat to leave the GOP on Sunday, claiming that he was “out of here” if Republican leaders were going to engage in “back room deals.”

More than 20 Republican officials reportedly met last week at a dinner held by Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus to discuss the possibility of “a brokered convention” if billionaire mogul Donald Trump emerges as the GOP nominee, according to a report from the Washington Post.

A brokered convention, where delegates would select the GOP nominee for 2016 through a vote on the convention floor in Cleveland, would only occur if the leading GOP candidate “failed to win a simple majority of 2,472 delegates by the time the final state primary contests complete in June of next year.”

Carson responded on Friday, claiming that “if the leaders of the Republican Party want to destroy the party, they should continue to hold meetings like the one described” in the report.

[pull_quote_center]These are the kinds of things that have resulted in the very corrupt system that has no integrity. And it’s why people don’t trust government anymore. We need to get away from that.[/pull_quote_center]

Carson went on to suggest that he would consider leaving the GOP if the report proved to be true, due to the fact that he believes such meetings are “the beginning of a plan to subvert the will of the voters.”

“If this was the beginning of a plan to subvert the will of the voters and replace it with the will of the political elite, I assure you Donald Trump will not be the only one leaving the party,” Carson said. “I pray that the report in The Post this morning was incorrect. If it is correct, every voter who is standing for change must know they are being betrayed. I won’t stand for it.”

[RELATED: Reality Check: Is Ben Carson the Latest Victim of Flawed Media Investigations?]

During an interview with George Stephanopoulos on ABC’s This Week, Carson was asked if he was “prepared to make good on that threat.”

“Well, one of the reasons that I got into this is because I heard the frustration in the people who are so tired of back room deals, of subterfuge, of dishonesty,” Carson replied. “And, you know, if that is the case, then you know I’m out of here.”

Carson claimed that he has “subsequently spoken to Reince Priebus,” who assured him that the kind of meeting described was a routine meeting, and that “the last thing they would do is engage in back room dealing.”

“But, you know, the jury is out,” Carson concluded. “We’ll certainly be keeping a close eye on things.”

On Friday, Carson said he has no intention of running as an independent candidate if he is to drop out of the GOP race. “I have no intention of running as an Independent,” he said. “But I certainly don’t want to be part of the corruption.”

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Election, Featured, Politics

Trump’s Proposal to Ban Muslim Immigration Draws Criticism From Political Figures

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GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump’s immigration policies drew criticism on Monday after he released his proposal to prevent Muslim immigration to the United States.

Trump released a statement on Monday calling for a “total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States until our country’s representatives can figure out what is going on.”

Highlighting a poll from the Center for Security Policy, the statement claimed that “25% of those polled agreed that violence against Americans here in the United States is justified as a part of the global jihad.”

“Without looking at the various polling data, it is obvious to anybody the hatred is beyond comprehension,” Trump said. “Where this hatred comes from and why we will have to determine. Until we are able to determine and understand this problem and the dangerous threat it poses, our country cannot be the victims of horrendous attacks by people that believe only in Jihad, and have no sense of reason or respect for human life.”

The Intercept described the Center for Security Policy as a think tank “led by Frank Gaffney, a far-right activist who theorized that the Muslim Brotherhood has infiltrated the U.S. government,” and pointed that the poll cited by Trump has “no statistical validity” because it was a “non-probability based, opt-in online survey.”

House Speaker Paul Ryan criticized Trump’s proposal on Tuesday, saying that although he usually does not comment on the Republican presidential race, he was making an exception.

“Freedom of religion is a fundamental constitutional principle. It’s a founding principle of this country,” Ryan said. “This is not conservatism. What was proposed yesterday is not what this party stands for. And more importantly, it’s not what this country stands for.”

Trump’s proposal received criticism from GOP rivals such as former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who called the proposal “the kind of thing people say when they have no experience and don’t know what they’re talking about.”

“What we need to do is increase our intelligence capabilities activity both around the world and in the homeland,” Christie said. “We need to back up our law enforcement officers, who are out fighting this fight everyday, give them the tools they need.”

When asked by The Hill if Trump’s proposal would go as far as to exclude Muslim-American citizens who are currently out of the country, Trump spokeswoman Hope Hicks said, “Mr. Trump says, ‘everyone.’ ”

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush criticized Trump on Twitter, describing Trump as “unhinged.”

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC.), who has made questionable remarks in the past such as reportedly saying that “Everything that starts with ‘Al’ in the Middle East is bad news,” took to Twitter to criticize Trump.

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fl.) referred to Trump’s proposal as another one of his “offensive and outlandish” statements.

When asked for their opinions on Trump’s proposal to ban Muslim immigration, both Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tx.) and Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) did not criticize their rival, and instead presented their own proposals for how they would deal with refugees.

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton called Trump’s proposal “reprehensible, prejudiced and divisive,” and insisted that it would make the U.S. less safe.

Trump’s proposal also received criticism from GOP officials in the first three states to vote in the primary process states, who usually stay neutral when it comes to presidential primary contests.

Jeff Kaufmann, chair of the Iowa GOP, said on Twitter that “our founding principles are stronger than political cynicism,” and that while the GOP believes Obama has failed on ISIS, it also believes “we don’t make ourselves safer by betraying bedrock Constitutional values.”

Jennifer Horn, the chair of the New Hampshire GOP, said “There should never be a day in the United States of America when people are excluded based solely on their race or religion,” and said to do so, “It is un-Republican. It is unconstitutional. And it is un-American.”

Matt Moore, the chair of the South Carolina GOP, called Trump’s proposal a “bad idea” and said it sent a shiver down his spine.

https://twitter.com/MattMooreSC/status/674024894397620224

 For more election coverage, click here.

Civil Liberties, Election, Foreign Policy, Politics

Trump: ‘No Choice’ – Mosques Must Be Closed

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November 18, 2015– Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump says the United States has “no choice” but to close certain mosques around the country.

“Nobody wants to say this and nobody wants to shut down religious institutions or anything, but you know, you understand it,” Trump told Fox News’s “Hannity” on Tuesday. “A lot of people understand it. We’re going to have no choice, there’s absolutely no choice.”

Saying that “some really bad things are happening, and they’re happening fast,” Trump displayed a sense of urgency during the interview.

Tuesday’s statements aren’t a new direction for Trump. In fact, he was simply doubling down on the position.

On Monday, Trump renewed calls for domestic surveillance of mosques in the U.S. after Islamic militants claimed credit for last week’s attacks in Paris.

“You’re going to have to watch and study the mosques, because a lot of talk is going on at the mosques,” Trump said on MSNBC’s Morning Joe.

In an interview on Fox Business News last month, Stuart Varney asked Trump whether or not, if elected president, he would make similar moves as the British government, which has revoked passports of some people and closed select mosques.

“I would do that, absolutely, I think it’s great,” Trump responded. “If you go out, you go fight for ISIS, you can’t come back. Why can’t you do it? You can do it here.”

“Can you close a mosque? I mean, we do have religious freedom,” asked Varney.

“Well I don’t know,” Trump said. “I mean, I haven’t heard about the closing of the mosque. It depends, if the mosque is, you know, loaded for bear, I don’t know. You’re going to have to certainly look at it.”

FOLLOW MICHAEL LOTFI ON Facebook, Twitter & LinkedIn.

Election, Politics

Jeb Bush: ‘Hell Yeah, I Would’ Kill Baby Hitler

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When asked if he would go back in time and “kill baby Hitler” given the opportunity, GOP presidential candidate and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush said, “Hell yeah, I would!”

Bush was asked the question during an interview with the Huffington Post, in which he addressed emails sent from voters to the account jeb@jeb.org.

[RELATED: Jeb Bush Proposes Increasing NSA Spying to Combat ‘Evildoers’]

When asked about the “funniest or most bizarre email” he received, Bush chuckled and said, “I’ve got to figure out which ones are not x-rated. That’s the only problem.”

An individual in the background suggested one message, referring to it as “Baby Hitler.”

“Baby Hitler,” Bush said. “It said, ‘If you could go back in time and kill baby Hitler, would you? I need to know.'”

For his response, Bush said, “Hell yeah, I would!”

“Even if he was really cute?” the figure in background asked.

“You gotta step up, man,” Bush insisted. “That would be key.”

Bush noted a problem with the scenario, and explained that he could run into a situation like one in the film “Back to the Future” where the plan to kill Hitler as a baby “could have a dangerous effect on everything else.”

“I’d do it – I mean [it’s] Hitler,” Bush concluded.

[RELATED: Jeb Bush: ‘People Need to Work Longer Hours’ to Grow the Economy]

The question was in reference to a poll conducted by the New York Times Magazine.

According to the results posted on Twitter on Oct. 23, when asked if they would “Kill a Baby Hitler,” 42 percent of said “Yes,” 30 percent said “No” and 28 percent said “Not sure.”

The same question was posed on Oct. 1 during a sketch on CBS’s The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. In it, Colbert asked guest Tom Hanks what he would do with a time machine.

“What would anyone do with a time machine?” Hanks replied. “Go back in time and hold myself as a baby.”

“And kill Hitler, right?” Colbert added.

“Oh, and kill Hitler. Yeah, sure,” Hanks said.

For more election coverage, click here.

Opinion, Politics

LOTFI: Regarding Racism, Media Bias Against GOP is Glaring

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NASHVILLE, November 7, 2015– Earlier this summer, the nation was saturated with narratives against anyone that identified with southern heritage after 21-year-old Dylann Roof entered a South Carolina African-American church and ruthlessly murdered 9 souls. Afterwards, hundreds of thousands demanded Confederate flags and all other Confederacy associated iconography be removed from public view across the country. The fight took center stage here in Nashville when thousands demanded the removal of Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest’s bust from the capitol. At least two Tennessee legislators, Rep. Bryan Terry (R-Murfreesboro), the only Native American in the legislature, and Rep. Andy Holt (R-Dresden) called for an end to the divisiveness. In return, ridicule ensued from media across the nation. Meanwhile, Democratic Party Chairwoman Mary Mancini recently published an op-ed that praised a man responsible for the death countless Native Americans, and the media was all but silent.

At the peak of the Forrest controversy, Holt ran an op-ed that called for unity. While Holt acknowledged Forrest’s checkered past and involvement in the Confederacy and KKK, he also re-told a story of Forrest that the media all but refused to report. Forrest was a man redeemed. Holt wrote that Forrest ended up being one of the South’s first civil rights activists who called for the KKK to disband. In addition, it’s widely known fact that Forrest’s funeral was attended more than 3,000 African-Americans in Memphis who wanted to pay their respects for all that Forrest had fought for on their behalf late in his life. Of course, Forrest had committed atrocities. However, Holt wrote Forrest’s heart had changed and we should recognize, celebrate and model such change, not seek to erase it from history.It wasn’t as if Holt had made this narrative up. Historian Gregory Tucker validated Holt’s narrative in his own column published by the Daily News Journal. Regardless, Tennessee and national media lined up in a hurry to ruthlessly attack Holt. Headlines asked “What next, Andy? Ted Bundy was a women’s rights activist?” The Tennessee Democratic Party, which is led by Mancini, even went on to attack Holt on their Facebook page.

A different story:

In preparation for their annual Jackson Dinner, Mancini wrote in an op-ed recently published by the Tennessean that she and the Democratic Party will be forever grateful to party founder, Tennessean, and former President Andrew Jackson for infusing the Democratic Party with the spirit of equality and an understanding that the White House was the people’s house.

“We will be forever grateful to General Jackson for infusing the Democratic Party with that spirit — we were the “party of the people” then and we are the “party of the people” now — and we will continue to honor that legacy,” wrote Mancini.We’re talking about the same Jackson that ruthlessly murdered tens of thousands of Native American Indians. The same Jackson responsible for the Trail of Tears.

According to Mancini, Jackson “captured the imagination of the American people.”

One forgets that Jackson didn’t think Native Americans were people, so he committed genocide against them and made them his slaves.

National media was silent. Not a word. Not a single Tennessee journalist, pundit, professor or talking head questioned Mancini’s praise of a man referred to as “America’s Hitler” by Native Americans. Not one.

The Tennessean did, however, publish an op-ed from a Native American historian that called for an end to the celebration of Andrew Jackson while damning Jackson as a monster, but not before praising Mancini as a “voice of liberalism and reason in the community” which leads the reader to believe that this Historian is a liberal himself. That’s all the scrutiny the chairwoman received for praising and celebrating a man that murdered tens of thousands, enslaved thousands more and quite literally attempted to commit genocide. Seriously?

So, media infers that Republican Holt is a dumb racist who would support abusing women because he called for unity and understanding, and sought to clarify some historical points. Meanwhile, Democrat Mancini is a voice of reason.

A message for media:

If you want to understand why America has lost trust in the media, then look in the mirror. America deserves better. To those editors willing to recognize the state of media and reflect, I applaud you. Hope may yet remain for the Press’ freedom and integrity.

FOLLOW MICHAEL LOTFI ON Facebook, Twitter & LinkedIn.

Election, Politics

Jeb Bush Campaign Orders Major Spending Cuts

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MIAMI, October 23, 2015– Only four short months ago, former Florida Governor Jeb Bush announced his candidacy for the Republican nomination in Miami. Today, the campaign is letting go of various senior advisers and campaign staff. At least 40 percent of the payroll will be cut, and the campaign is also slashing 45 percent of its budget.

One Bush adviser told Bloomberg Politics in an interview Friday morning that the team was “unapologetic” about the changes, saying the moves were from a “position of strength.”

“This is about winning the race,” the adviser said. “We’re doing it now and making the shifts with confidence. We expect to win.”

So far, the establishment pick has raised $24.8 million. Meanwhile, Super PACs supporting his candidacy have raised $108.5 million. However, a war-chest totaling more than $133 million has yet to save Bush’s candidacy.

Almost $25 million has already been spent in support of Bush’s candidacy, which is more than any other candidate. Speaking of money, the campaigns of Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson have each raised more money than Bush. If it weren’t for wealthy Super PAC donors, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Sen. Ted Cruz and Ben Carson would have more cash on hand to support their candidacies that Bush would.

Carson, who now leads the Republican field in Iowa, seemed somewhat shocked by the news that Bush was being forced to make such drastic cuts.

“This is a little bit surprising, but you know a lot of his money, of course, was super-PAC money as opposed to campaign money,” Carson said in an interview that is scheduled to air on With All Due Respect today on Bloomberg TV. “That doesn’t give you as much flexibility, quite frankly.”

As Bush announced his candidacy in July, he did so as a front-runner receiving nearly 18 percent of the vote in polls. Since then, his lead has dropped by nearly 11 points as he currently only captures 7.2 percent of the vote. Businessman Donald Trump, Carson, Rubio and Cruz all currently enjoy more support in the polls than Bush.

Some have questioned if the recent cuts could signal the end of Bush’s candidacy.

For more election coverage, click here.

FOLLOW MICHAEL LOTFI ON Facebook, Twitter & LinkedIn.