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The Democratic National Committee (DNC) issued a Fourth of July message in which it urged Americans to “reelect President Joe Biden” to protect our “fragile democracy” from the threat of Donald Trump, a “wannabe dictator.” Its full statement follows: On July 4, 1776, our country’s forefathers declared the United States’ independence and laid the foundation for our nation’s founding principles of equality, freedom, and liberty that we still strive to live up to today. Since that time, generations of Americans have dedicated their lives to preserving our freedoms and working toward a more perfect union – from our men and...

Former President Bill Clinton did his part to propagate Democrat messaging for the midterm elections at an event Saturday with Tom Hanks, telling the audience that democracy is fragile and must be saved. Clinton appeared Saturday at A+E Networks and the History Channel’s History Talks, according to a Variety report. Along with Hanks, the former commander in chief was joined by his daughter, Chelsea, and celebrity chef José Andrés. “What’s more important? Our common humanity or differences?” Clinton reportedly said on stage. “And what works better to build the kind of future we all want? Does cooperation work better or...

This is a rare combination thread with another Asked & Answered thread on Vortex-L combined with some Vanity Level thoughts on LENR. Asked & Answered on Vortex-L -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Recently the sidebar moderator posted this about LENR: Updated No Internal Trolling Rules for FR per Jim Robinson If someone says stop, then stop. Do not enter onto a thread on a topic you don't like just to disrupt, rattle cages, poke sticks, insult the regulars, or engage in trolling activities, etc. ~Jim Robinson ---------------------------------------------------- The issue isn't whether we allow skepticism, it is whether we allow hyperskeptics and skeptopaths to ruin...

According to a statement from his doctor, Kevin O'Connor, Biden sustained a sprain of his right foot and while “initial X-rays are reassuring that there is no obvious fracture," he'll be receiving a CT scan for further review. Reporters covering the president-elect were not afforded the opportunity to see Biden enter the doctor's office, despite multiple requests. Leaving the doctor's office to head to an imaging center for his CT scan, Biden was visibly limping

Markets are reeling again on Thursday, after the U.S. reported its first coronavirus case involving a person who didn’t travel to an infected country, and didn’t knowingly interact with someone who did. Experts are becoming increasingly resigned to a worldwide spread of the disease, even as China’s new infections slow. 4:00 p.m. ET: Dow drops more than 1,100 points after news California is monitoring thousands of possible casesS&P 500 (^GSPC): -4.43% or -137.94 points to 2,978.45 Dow (^DJI): -4.43% or -1,194.98 points to 25,762.61 Nasdaq (^IXIC): -4.61% or -414.29 points to 8,566.48 Crude oil (CL=F): -3.67% or -1.79 to 46.94...

The official opening of the 9/11 museum brought President Obama to New York and sparked fresh reminders of the horror of that awful day. The president called the site ­“sacred” and gave a moving speech about the American spirit, saying, “Like the great wall and bedrock that embrace us today, nothing can ever break us.” It is the right thing to say and the right place to say it. But is it true? Is the American spirit really unbreakable? I have my doubts. There are many examples that say our spirit is breaking if not already broken. One involves a...

Senate Democratic majority becoming more fragileBy Bob Cusack - 02/18/11 02:33 PM ET Democrats' Senate majority has become more fragile since the November elections, and Republicans appear more confident they can retake the upper chamber next year. Sen. Jeff Bingaman's (D-N.M.) decision to retire, announced Friday, is the latest blow to the Democratic majority. Democrats enjoy a 53-47 advantage over the GOP, but are defending 23 seats next year to Republicans’ 10. There are now four senators in the Democratic caucus who will not run for reelection in 2012. Retirements always pose a threat to congressional majorities. Before he took...

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Federal Reserve on Tuesday took fresh steps to lower borrowing costs amid a softening economic recovery, announcing it would use proceeds from its maturing mortgage bonds to buy more government debt. The decision to reinvest proceeds from the more than $1.3 trillion in mortgage-related debt the Fed holds, an effort to keep market-set borrowing costs down, represents a significant policy shift. Just a few months ago, the central bank had been avidly debating an exit strategy from the extraordinary stimulus delivered during the financial crisis. "To help support the economic recovery in a context of price...

WASHINGTON – Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke told Congress Thursday that the fragile economy still needs government stimulus spending to strengthen the recovery and help reduce unemployment. Testifying before the House Financial Services Committee, Bernanke did urge lawmakers to come up with a credible plan to reduce the government's record-high budget deficits in the long run. But he said they shouldn't move now to slash spending or boost taxes, or undertake some combination of both. "I believe we should maintain our stimulus in the short term," Bernanke said as he spoke about the economy's challenges for the second straight day...

North Korean Money Shift Sparks Violence By EVAN RAMSTAD SEOUL -- New reports emerged Tuesday of protests and deadly violence in North Korea as the country's authoritarian regime over the past week seized most of its citizens' money and savings via a new-currency issue. Open Radio for North Korea, a Seoul-based shortwave radio station that broadcasts news to the North, said police killed two men in Pyongsong, a market center outside of Pyongyang, on Friday after they divided their savings among a large group of people and urged them to exchange the money for them, attempting to get around the...

When asked for comment, BHO replied "It's a major award!"

The herky-jerky results of a nine-state economic survey suggest that recovery is at an uncertain stage in the Midwest and Plains. The Business Conditions Index for the Mid-America region slipped below growth neutral again in August, to 48.4, compared with 51.7 in July and 49.3 in June. An index of 50.0 is considered growth neutral. The latest figure surprised Creighton University economist Ernie Goss, who oversees the survey of supply managers and other business executives. He said in a report released Tuesday that the August figures and other data point "to an economic recovery that is much more fragile than...

WASHINGTON – Even with the $700 billion bailout, the financial crisis and fragile economy promise to loom large over the opening days of the next administration. Dealing with the housing and credit problems that President Bush says will take "some time" to clean up could threaten the economic policies advanced by Democratic Barack Obama and Republican John McCain. Obama acknowledges "the next president will have to scale back his agenda and some of his proposals." Yet neither camp is eager to say precisely what changes might have to be made — promises broken or delayed. Obama's running mate, Sen. Joe...

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin would make a "pretty fragile" president, Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton said Friday as politicians trotted out their talking points on Republican presidential hopeful John McCain's surprise vice presidential pick. In a conference call with reporters, Lawton, a Democrat, said she was taken aback by the choice.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 29, 2007 – The situation in Kosovo is “stable, but potentially fragile,” the commander of U.S. forces there said. Army Brig. Gen. Douglas B. Earhart, commander of the American contingent in Kosovo, displays a painting done by the two schoolchildren accompanying him. Earhart's unit will complete its tour of duty in Kosovo Nov. 2. Courtesy photo   (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. Army Brig. Gen. Douglas B. Earhart, commander of the American contingent in the NATO-led Kosovo Force, said he is proud of the job that his 1,500-member force has done and believes the province is...

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Bush administration was running several intelligence programs, including one major activity, that it kept secret from Congress until whistle-blowers told the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee, the committee's chairman said on Sunday. Rep. Pete Hoekstra, a Michigan Republican who chairs the House Intelligence Committee, said on Fox News Sunday he had written a four-page to President George W. Bush in May warning him that the failure to disclose the intelligence activities to Congress may be a violation of the law. In doing so, he confirmed a story that first ran in Sunday editions of the New...

THESE ARE THE SENATORS WHO VOTED TO GIVE SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS TO ILLEGAL ALIENS REGARDLESS OF POLITICAL PARTY, THESE POLITICIANS NEED TO BE DEFEATED IN 2006, 2008 OR 2010, WHENEVER THEY NEXT COME UP FOR OFFICE. SEND THIS TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW; THE ENTIRE POPULATION OF THE UNITED STATES NEEDS TO KNOW THIS INFORMATION -- THAT IS, UNLESS THEY DO NOT MIND SHARING THEIR SOCIAL SECURITY WITH FOREIGN WORKERS WHO NEVER PAID INTO IT AND AMERICAN CITIZENS ARE BEING LEFT OUT. Grouped by Home State Alabama: Alaska: Stevens (R-AK), Yea Arizona: McCain (R-AZ), Yea Arkansas: Lincoln (D-AR), Yea Pryor (D-AR),...

I am curious why none of the media covers the most important aspect of the Malvo shootings. If you look at Newspapers on the dates when the shootings are underway you discover something I find quite interesting. The shootings begin to dominate the news the day before the debate on the Iraq war starts and they catch them the day after the declaration of war??? If you ask most people "do you remember the debate about starting the second Iraq war", they will all answer "yes of course". But if you followup with the question "name one point in the...

I recently received a reply to a post that stated: "This should be beneath a "freeper". Sad." So I asked.. what is it that makes a FReeper? My reply (and I will admit was tasteless) was also questioning. It stirred controversy and was removed? Why Moderators? Can you not tell me? Did it not meet with your "FReeper" mentality? According to all posted guidelines it should be listed but no, you chose to delete it. Yes.. I'm the first one IBTZ, I'm sure you'll nick me for speaking up..

The disciplinary arm of the N.C. State Bar dropped charges of felonious misconduct against two former Union County prosecutors Friday because of a 1999 clerical error at the state Supreme Court. The State Bar had charged Kenneth Honeycutt and Scott Brewer with lying, cheating and withholding evidence in a 1996 death penalty case. The ruling Friday marks the second time that Honeycutt and Brewer won on procedural grounds before the bar's Disciplinary Hearing Commission, which sits as judge and jury in disciplinary cases. . . . Prosecutors around the state are concerned that the case is damaging their reputation and...