NEW YEAR'S EVE CHALLENGE TO HELP BATTERED WOMEN & CHILDREN WHO LIVE IN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SHELTERS

NEW YEAR'S EVE CHALLENGE TO HELP BATTERED WOMEN & CHILDREN WHO LIVE IN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SHELTERS:

PLEASE GO OUT TODAY AND PURCHASE TOYS, CLOTHES & TOLIETRIES FOR HURTING WOMEN & VICTIMIZED CHILDREN LIVING IN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SHELTERS.

CHRISTMAS & NEW YEARS' IS THE SEASON TO HELP THOSE WHO ARE LESS FORTUNATE AND NEED A HAND TO BOUNCE BACK.


Sources: Naples News


****** Shelter's Volunteer Elves Bring Christmas Joy To Moms, Kids Who Fled Violence


Editor's note: To protect shelter residents and their children, their names have been changed in this story.

In Berta’s world, women are supposed to stay quiet about domestic violence and abuse.

The day she decided to call the police on her husband, the help came with a price. Her family criticized and rejected her.

Her ex-husband’s family threatened her, she said. She left her home with her daughter and ended up at the Shelter for Abused Women & Children in Collier County.

Because she spoke up, Berta and her 6-year-old can have the stable, peaceful life they wanted.

“It was difficult to make that choice, leave everything behind and have to start a new life,” Berta said in Spanish. “But it was for the best.”

When she and her daughter first arrived, they spent some time in the emergency shelter before being admitted to the organization’s Transitional Living Program and moving into a cottage near the shelter campus, where they have been living for about three months.

With the support she received from the staff, Berta enrolled in English-language courses, found a part-time job and bought a car.

The shelter also is giving her daughter the kind of Christmas she never had at home.

“We’d celebrate Christmas, but it was always tarnished by sadness,” Berta said.

Every family staying in transitional living cottages gets a decorated Christmas tree. Kids and parents are asked to make wish lists for Christmas gifts.

Shelter volunteers work year-round on their Christmas drive. They partner with local businesses and individuals to sponsor “Giving Trees” and give Christmas presents to families.

Volunteers gather hundreds of donated gifts and set up shop in a room inside the shelter that could rival Santa’s workshop.

The gifts aren’t just for families staying in the emergency shelter. Families in transitional housing and those who participate in the shelter outreach programs at the main campus and the Immokalee outreach office also receive gifts.

On Christmas morning, hundreds of shelter participants and their children will have a big breakfast, meet Santa and open gifts.
“A lot of families usually come here without a planned exit,” said Tami Welford, the shelter’s development and volunteer manager. “We do everything we can to make sure they have a home away from home, security and a merry Christmas.”

Lois Castronova and Maxine Robbins have volunteered in the shelter’s holiday operations for the past 11 years and have been in charge the past three years.

They call themselves the “Head Elves.”

The two delight in finding the perfect gifts for kids and their moms.

“A lot of women come here with nothing,” Robbins said. “They’ll ask for things they need, but we like to give them something they want. Something to make them feel special — perfume, a purse, some makeup.”

“It may be the only time they can express something they want instead of putting their kids’ needs first,” Castronova said.
Kids will ask for toys ranging from basketballs to bicycles.
When they arrive at the shelter, many of the moms ask for self-improvement books.

“They’re here to heal,” Castronova said. “They get here and they’re safe, and they realize they can be themselves again.”
Maria kept giving her abusive relationship a chance because she wanted a family.

“I also felt fear of never finding true love,” Maria said. “Fear of getting old and being alone.”

A mother to three children, she knew she had to leave when one of her daughters called 911 after seeing her father lay his hands on Maria. Her kids were taken from her that day and sent to live with other relatives, she said.

“It felt like my world crumbled that day,” Maria said.

She got her kids back after about three months, she said, and now the four of them live in another one of the transitional housing cottages.

Maria works full-time and attends therapy sessions at the shelter. The sessions help her "think about not making the same mistakes,” she said.

Maria and Berta said they felt lost while experiencing the abuse, but now they feel grounded in having an army of people supporting and encouraging them to stand on their own two feet and make better lives for themselves and their children.

“It took a great deal of courage for them to leave those situations,” said Carol Roldan, the women’s transitional living program advocate. “They’re motivated, courageous and faithful. They cut the thread of their fear and are stronger for it.”

Their faith, gratitude and the friendships they’ve formed at the shelter have helped them get through tough times.

They encourage anyone in an abusive relationship to ask for help.

“One of my biggest lessons was that just because it’s hard, it’s not impossible,” Maria said. “Keep faith in God, or whoever you put your faith in. It might look rainy now, but the sun will come out.”

If you are in an abusive relationship and need help, call 911 or the Shelter for Abused Women and Children’s 24-hour crisis line at 239-775-1101.

MERRY CHRISTMAS 2017

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE:

"For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."
ISAIAH 9:6

GOP VOTES TO PASS TAX BILL WHILE DEMS PROTECT SEXUAL HARASSERS (2018 & 2020)

GOP WORKS TO PASS TAX BILL WHILE DEMS PROTECT SEXUAL HARASSERS:

IS THIS HOW THE GOP PLANS TO WIN IN 2020?


Sources: NY Times, Bloomberg Politics, Youtube


****** Senate Weighs Changes to Tax Bill on the Same Day They Could Vote


• The Senate will convene at 10 a.m. Friday to continue the debate on taxes, ahead of a possible final vote later in the day.

• Republicans seemed to be inching toward victory on Thursday and picked up the support of Senator John McCain of Arizona.

• But they faced a setback late in the day when they were left scrambling to find hundreds of billions of dollars in extra revenue to satisfy concerns about the bill’s deficit effects.

• Lawmakers are now mulling options that would result in a tax increase down the road, including a possible increase in the corporate tax rate and the revival of the alternative minimum tax on wealthy individuals and some companies.

Republican leaders ended Thursday with the same problem they started with: They still need to secure 50 votes to be able to pass their tax bill.

Their effort appeared to be gaining momentum on Thursday, with talk of a final vote later that night or early Friday.

But by the end of the day, they were contending with twin setbacks, both involving how the bill would affect federal budget deficits.

The congressional Joint Committee on Taxation said in an analysis released on Thursday afternoon that the legislation would add $1 trillion to federal budget deficits over a decade, even after accounting for economic growth.

In addition, a provision meant to prevent ballooning deficits ran into parliamentary problems. The provision would have increased taxes if economic growth fell short of expectations, but it was deemed by the Senate parliamentarian to run afoul of budget rules that must be followed if the bill is to be shielded from a Democratic filibuster.

Without the so-called trigger, the votes of a handful of Republicans, including Senator Bob Corker of Tennessee, appeared at risk.

“Senator Corker has been pretty clear he doesn’t want any deficit spending,” Senator John Cornyn, Republican of Texas, said on Thursday, adding that he did not agree with the Joint Committee on Taxation’s assessment.

To pass the tax bill in the Senate, Republican leaders can lose only two of their members, assuming Democrats are unified against the measure.

The Senate will convene on Friday morning and the debate on taxes will continue. At some point, the Senate will undertake a marathon of amendment votes known as a vote-a-rama. Eventually, there would be a final vote on the legislation.

But in the meantime, Republicans need to decide how they want to change their bill. To satisfy Mr. Corker, for example, Republicans were discussing putting in place tax increases that would take effect some years from now, a step that would soften the deficit effects of the legislation.

Will they decide to raise taxes?

The options under discussion to satisfy the deficit hawks could essentially result in a tax increase down the road. Lawmakers have talked about raising the corporate tax rate above 20 percent after a period of years. There’s also discussion about reviving the alternative minimum tax, or A.M.T., on high-net individuals and some companies.

Both of those ideas are unlikely to sit well with some Republicans, including those in the House, who could be criticized for essentially voting to increase taxes.

Lawmakers may decide that’s a risk worth taking or they could ultimately decide to jettison the deficit hawks’ concerns and lose their votes.

Several senators are worth watching.

As Republicans mull changes to their tax plan, the spotlight will focus on several senators with varying concerns.

Republican leaders do not need to win over all of these lawmakers. In fact, they could decide that some demands are simply not worth meeting — assuming they can satisfy other Republicans and therefore get the 50 votes they need. Vice President Mike Pence can also provide a tiebreaking vote.

At least a handful of senators have expressed concerns about the deficit, including Mr. Corker and Senators Jeff Flake of Arizona and James Lankford of Oklahoma. Now that the trigger is dead, Republicans may need to come up with another idea to protect against piling up debt as a result of the tax overhaul.

Two Republicans, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin and Steve Daines of Montana, have objected to how the bill treats pass-through businesses, whose profits are distributed to owners and taxed at individual rates. In light of their concerns, Republicans plan to sweeten the tax treatment of these businesses.

Finally, there is Susan Collins of Maine, a moderate Republican who has her own concerns about the tax overhaul. She wants the bill to allow individuals to deduct up to $10,000 in property taxes, and adding that provision could help win her over.

CHRISTMAS CHALLENGE 2017 (THE BIG GIVE)

CHRISTMAS CHALLENGE 2017 (THE BIG GIVE):

HELP SHINE THE LIGHT OF JESUS ON LIVES OF HURTING PEOPLE.

ADOPT-A-FAMILY AND SHOP TO BLESS THEM NOT JUST YOURSELF.


Sources: YouTube


"For I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in;

I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me."

MATTHEW 25:36, 36

HAPPY THANKSGIVING 2017 TO THE U.S. MILITARY & ALL FIRST RESPONDERS EVERYWHERE

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO THE ENTIRE U.S. MILITARY & ALL FIRST RESPONDERS EVERYWHERE.

GOD BLESS.

"Have I not commanded you?
Be strong and of good COURAGE.
Do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your GOD is with you wherever you go.”

JOSHUA 1:9

Sources: Youtube

GOP 2017 TAX BILL PROVES THEY STILL CONTROL THE MONEY IN POLITICS (BILL HIGHLIGHTS)

GOP 2017 TAX BILL PROVES REPUBLICAN PARTY STILL CONTROLS MOST OF THE MONEY IN POLITICS: (BILL HIGHLIGHTS)

WHAT CAN DEMOCRATS DO BEFORE 2020 TO PUT SOME OF THAT MONEY BACK INTO HANDS OF "AVERAGE, HARDWORKING JOE" VOTERS??

TRUMP CALLED FOR CHANGES TO THE HOUSE TAX BILL BEFORE IT PASSED.

13 HOUSE REPUBLICANS VOTED AGAINST THIS OMNIBUS "RICH GET RICHER" TAX BILL.


Sources: AP, Fox News, MSN, NY TIMES, Youtube


**** The House just passed its big tax bill. Here's what is in it.


President Trump and GOP House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (Wis.) won a major victory as the House passed the tax bill Thursday, the central piece of the Republican plan to boost the U.S. economy.

No Democrats voted for the bill. Ryan could lose 22 GOP votes, but in the end, he only lost 13.

The legislation would affect every American household and business owner.

The bill was first introduced Nov. 2 and was voted on just two weeks later, leaving little time for analysis or debate on the 440-page legislation.

The next step is for the Senate to pass its version and then for both chambers to reconcile their substantial differences.

The main goal of the House's “Tax Cut and Jobs Act” is to lower taxes on companies in an effort to make them more competitive and discourage them from moving abroad.

The bill reduces the corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 20 percent and the rate for pass-through businesses down to 25 percent (with some restrictions).

Many families would also pay less, although Ryan has admitted that won't be the case for everyone. Here's a rundown of what is actually in the final version of the bill that passed.

It keeps the Affordable Care Act's individual mandate.

The House voted on a tax bill only.

The Senate bill includes a provision to scrap the legal requirement that almost all Americans buy health insurance or pay a penalty.

The House isn't touching that, which may lead to a showdown between the two chambers if they have to resolve their very different versions of the bill

Big businesses win.

The House bill cuts the top rate that large corporations pay from 35 percent to 20 percent, the biggest one-time drop in the big-business tax rate ever. It is a permanent change that does not expire.

On top of that, companies would get some new tax breaks to help lower their bills, such as the ability to deduct all the costs of purchasing new equipment for five years, as well as a special low rate on any money they bring back to the United States from low-tax countries such as Ireland.
Many businesses have been holding cash overseas to avoid 35 percent U.S. taxes.

Now they would get to bring the money home at a tax rate of 12 percent.

The entire business tax system would also change from a worldwide system, in which money anywhere around the globe is taxed, to a territorial system in which it's mostly money made in the United States that is taxed.

Businesses have long lobbied for this change.

Small businesses get a mini-win.

The National Federation of Independent Businesses, the largest small business lobby, initially was against the House bill, but Republicans made some changes and now the NFIB is giving its blessing.

95 percent of American businesses are organized as pass through companies (LLCs, S-Corps, partnerships), and they “pass through” the business income to the owner's individual tax rate.

The House plan lowers the top rate from 39.6 percent to 25 percent for small businesses (excluding “service companies” like consultants and lawyers) and requires a complex formula where the 25 percent rate only applies to about 30 percent of the business income.

But the reality is most small businesses — 85 percent — already pay taxes at rates of 25 percent or less.

To help out the small “mom and pops,” the final bill has a 9 percent rate on the first $75,000 in income for business owners making $150,000 or less.

But that tax break phases in, meaning it isn't fully available until 2022.

<<<<< The rich do very well. The wealthy get a lot of benefits in the bill.

The estate tax, which is paid only when property and other assets worth over $5.5 million are passed on to heirs, doubles to about $11 million in 2018 (around $22 million for couples), meaning a lot fewer people have to pay it.

And the estate tax goes away entirely in 2024.

The mega-wealthy also would get to keep charitable deductions, a popular way that lowers their tax bills, and they no longer would have to pay the alternative minimum tax (AMT), a safeguard against excessive tax dodging that's been in place since 1969.

Some wealthy business owners would be able to take advantage of the lower pass-through rate as well.

Overall, the Tax Policy Center found that half the benefits of the bill go to the top 1 percent by 2027.

Donald Trump would probably benefit a lot.

As The Washington Post explains, many parts of the bill help Trump.

One of the interesting ones is that the lower 25 percent pass-through rate would apply to all income for passive real estate investors like Trump, a much better deal than most active pass-through business owners get.

Most Americans pay the same — or lower — taxes until 2023. For the next five years, the vast majority of Americans (92 percent) would either pay less or see little change, according to the official estimates from the Joint Committee on Taxation.

But that shifts sharply after five years. In 2023, only 40 percent of Americans would pay less. Twenty-two percent would pay more (the rest see little change), JCT found

Taxes will get simpler for many. The House bill collapses the seven tax brackets the country has down to just four (12 percent, 25 percent, 35 percent and 39.6 percent).

The top rate becomes a “millionaire rate” applying to income of $1 million or more a year for couples (and of $500,000 or more for individuals).

In an effort to simplify, the House bill also does away with many of the credits and deductions and replaces them with a larger standard deduction, a slightly larger child tax credit ($1,600 per kid versus $1,000 now) and a new Family Flexibility Credit worth $300 a year for individuals and $600 for couples.

The larger standard deduction means the first $12,000 for individuals and $24,000 for couples is tax-free

Say goodbye to most deductions. Almost all itemized deductions are going away, except for three.

The final House bill keeps the deductions for charitable donations, property taxes up to $10,000 a year and the mortgage interest deduction.

The mortgage interest deduction would be capped at $500,000 for mortgages (down from $1 million now).

About 30 percent of filers itemize. Most of the people who itemize claim the state and local tax deduction (SALT) where they deduct their state and local sales, income and property taxes.

Under the House bill, only the property deduction would remain. This hurts people living in high-tax (and often blue) states like New Jersey, New York and California. Several GOP representatives from these states plan to vote no on the bill in protest.

The adoption credit stays. The 401(k) exemption stays.

But . . .

Say goodbye to the tax credits for plug-in motor vehicles. It gets repealed in 2018.

Say goodbye to the deduction for medical expenses. It goes away in 2018.

Say goodbye to being able to write off the costs of your tax preparer. That goes away in 2018.

Say goodbye to the deduction for moving expenses. It goes away in 2018, except for members of the military.

Say goodbye to most tax benefits for college.

At the moment, low and middle income Americans can deduct up to $2,500 a year in student loan interest.

That benefit would go away in 2018.

In addition, grad students who get tuition waivers because they teach or do research would now have to pay income tax on the waiver, a big change.

For students currently in school, the American Opportunity Tax Credit would remain, which allows a $2,000 credit for higher education expenses.

HURRICANE HARVEY'S REAL DEATH TOLL NOT REVEALED JUST AS KATRINA'S NEVER WAS (DEPOPULATION)

HURRICANE HARVEY'S REAL DEATH TOLL NOT REVEALED JUST AS KATRINA'S NEVER WAS (DEPOPULATION):

FED GOVT WON'T ADMIT KATRINA'S DEATH MUCH HIGHER THEN 1800 AND HARVEY'S MUCH HIGHER THAN 50.

MANY OF KATRINA'S DEAD REMAIN ENTOMBED FOREVER IN HIDDEN GRAVES; SAME WILL OCCUR WITH HARVEY'S DEAD.

MOST OF THE DEAD WILL BE POOR AND BLACK.

FEEL-GOOD STORIES ABOUT RESPONSE RECOVERY TIMES FREQUENTLY USED TO HIDE REAL DEATH TOLLS.


Sources: TIME, MSN, NBC News, YouTube


***** Hurricane Harvey's Death Toll Rises to 30 as Floodwaters Recede


Now that the sun is finally shining and the murky, brown floodwaters are slowly receding in much of the Houston area, grim reality is setting in.

Harvey is about to release its dead.

In Texas, the official death toll surpassed 30 on Wednesday and was expected to climb as authorities investigated several other deaths to determine whether they were storm-related.

Officials fear that the number of fatalities will climb sharply in coming days as neighbors, emergency workers and family members search for the missing — and discover the bodies of people trapped in waterlogged homes or encased in underwater graves inside cars.

And the death toll might rise even further in the recovery phase, from car crashes, carbon monoxide poisoning or other accidents during cleanup.

"Historically all estimates of deaths are wrong in the beginning," said Craig Fugate, who was the Federal Emergency Management Agency director from 2009 until earlier this year.

Already, the nation is shocked by the horrors revealed as the storm moves out of the area and east toward Louisiana and points north.

The first confirmed fatality came early: A man in the Gulf coastal city of Rockport was killed in a fire late Friday as the storm raged ashore.

On Wednesday, officials located a submerged van that seven members of a Houston family had been traveling in when it was swept off a bridge and into a storm-ravaged bayou.

Samuel Saldivar told police he was trying to bring his elderly parents and his brother's four grandchildren to safety from their flooded home on Sunday when the van he was driving was tossed by a strong current into the bayou as it crossed the bridge.

He escaped through a window but the six others were trapped when the van's partially submerged sliding door wouldn't open.

Also Wednesday, authorities said 65-year-old Donald Rogers and his 58-year-old wife, Rochelle, drowned when they were swept away by a current after driving their pickup truck into floodwaters in a rural area southwest of Houston.

Fort Bend County Sheriff's Maj. Chad Norvell said the couple was on the phone with 911 asking for help when the line went silent. When officers found the truck, it was completely submerged.

Sunlight Returns to Houston, Revealing the Grim Reality of Harvey's Aftermath

On Tuesday afternoon, a 3-year-old girl was found alive in a rain-swollen canal, clinging to the body of her drowned mother in Beaumont, Texas.

A second woman was confirmed dead in Beaumont on Wednesday.
Earlier Tuesday, the body of 61-year-old Houston Police Sgt. Steve Perez was found in his car. He'd been swept down a flooded road as he drove to his precinct, determined to serve his community.

Eleven other confirmed deaths, some of which were listed on a Harris County database, showed people were found floating in waters — some in homes or businesses, others near cars.

Among those victims was Ruben Jordan, a high school football and track coach, who was last seen late Saturday helping people through floodwaters.

His family was informed on Monday that he had died in the floods.

"The sad thing is, of the deaths we've seen, we're going to see more, unfortunately," said Jeff Schlegelmilch, the deputy director of the National Center for Disaster Preparedness at Columbia University. "That number doesn't stop moving up until we're well into the recovery phase."

No official number of the missing has been released, and a spokesman for the Harris County Sheriff's Office, where Houston is located, said there isn't a specific strategy in place to look for additional bodies.

"We are going to go out and try to find any potential victims that may be there," said the spokesman, Jake Smith. "We are also encouraging the public if they come across anything, we strongly urge them to call 911 if they find a body or a potential victim."

Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo said the department had received 47 missing persons reports since Harvey inundated the city and 27 of those individuals have been located.

Photos with pleas for help have been posted on social media, cut-and-pasted and retweeted by thousands of people as desperate family members seek loved ones they fear may be dead — but who may only have a cellphone without power.

The uncertainty is terrifying.
One of the worries, said Schlegelmilch, is that many of the severely flooded neighborhoods weren't in evacuation areas.

Additionally, the people most likely to be found dead are the elderly, the infirm and the people who were isolated from others — along with folks who didn't have the means or wherewithal to flee.

Sometimes it's a matter of having the strength to wade through floodwaters a few blocks to safety, or to pull one's self up onto a roof.

"Those who are the most vulnerable when the sky is blue, they are also the most vulnerable when the sky is gray," Schleglemilch said.

Fugate, the former FEMA head, said it's also common for people to die during the recovery phase, when stress levels are high and people aren't making clear-headed decisions.

"Stay safe, stay home, stay off the roads if you can. Don't go sightseeing," he warned.
Still, experts say there is some good news:

They don't expect the death toll from Harvey to come anywhere close to that of Katrina, when 1,800 people died.

Many of those flood-related fatalities came when a levee broke and water inundated New Orleans.

People were stranded in extreme heat and the federal response was slow.

Emergency managers learned painful lessons during Katrina, and have put those lessons to use in this storm.

Residents of New Orleans during Katrina saw top-to-bottom failures at every level, experts said.

During Harvey, "state and local officials and FEMA were mobilizing, water rescue teams were prepared, in anticipation of this," said Fugate, adding that safe shelters were almost immediately in place for Texas residents, unlike New Orleans. "That provided faster rescues."

One other thing seems to have helped Houston in its time of need: the residents themselves.

"Neighbors helping neighbors," Fugate said. "That will keep the death toll down."

VETERAN HOMELESSNESS - SEN RICHARD BURR WANTS TO END IN AMERICA

VETERAN HOMELESSNESS - SEN RICHARD BURR (NC) WANTS TO END IN AMERICA:

HOMELESS VETS CAN'T EVEN GET HOUSING ON US MILITARY BASES.

MANY HOMELESS VETS ARE FORGOTTEN.


Sources: Senate.gov, PBS, 60 Minutes, YouTube


***** US Senators Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Reduce Veteran Homelessness


In May 2017, Senators Richard Burr (R-NC), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), and Jon Tester (D-MT) introduced the Homeless Veterans Prevention Act of 2017.

This legislation would build on existing homeless veterans programs at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) by investing in established programs that are proven to be effective and removing any residual barriers to housing for veterans.

“Veteran homelessness is a heartbreaking issue,” said Senator Burr. “We are making progress in combating veterans’ homelessness, and over the last 2 years, we have seen the number of homeless veterans decrease to around 40,000, but that is still far too many, and I will continue to address this problem until the number is zero. In particular, many women have been unable to fully participate in existing programs because their children were not allowed to live in the transitional housing. The Homeless Veterans Prevention Act bill addresses this shortcoming and increases the availability of housing for homeless veterans.”

“As we continue to work toward ending veteran homelessness, we can and must do more to ensure veterans have access to the services they have earned with their service to our country,” Senator Mazie K. Hirono said. “By expanding existing VA partnerships that provide Hawaii veterans with legal assistance, housing, and health care, the Homeless Veterans Prevention Act will not only help prevent veterans from becoming homeless, but also assisting them in moving out of homelessness.”

“It’s our responsibility to ensure that veterans facing homelessness have the resources they need to get back on their feet,” said Tester, Ranking Member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee. “This bipartisan bill makes sure that these veterans have access to health care, legal services and a safe and warm place to call home.”

Key Points for the Homeless Veterans Prevention Act of 2017:

Keeps veteran families together by allowing the VA to house the children of homeless veterans in transitional housing programs.
Requires the VA to enter into partnerships with public and private entities to provide legal services for homeless veterans and veterans at risk of becoming homeless.
Provides VA with the authority to provide dental care to homeless veterans.
Extends and increases the amount of money available for supportive services to very low-income veteran families in permanent housing.

HANDEL vs OSSOFF - GEORGIA SPECIAL ELECTION CONGRESSIONAL RACE (POLLS)

HANDEL vs OSSOFF - GEORGIA SPECIAL ELECTION CONGRESSIONAL RACE:

CURRENT POLLS ARE TOO CLOSE TO SPECULATE.


Sources: Newsweek, WSB-TV, YouTube


****** GEORGIA SPECIAL ELECTION BETWEEN HANDEL AND OSSOFF TOO CLOSE TO CALL, POLL SUGGESTS


Democrat Jon Ossoff holds a very slight lead over Republican Karen Handel in Georgia’s 6th Congressional District as Tuesday’s much-anticipated special election runoff approaches.

The most recent poll, from Atlanta local television station WSB and Landmark Communications, has Ossoff up by just under two points. Ossoff is supported by 49.7 percent of likely voters, while 48 percent support Handel.

The runoff election in the traditionally solidly Republican district has attracted immense national attention as Democrats look for their first major electoral victory during President Donald Trump’s presidency. It is the most expensive congressional race in history, with over $50 million spent, mostly from out-of-state donors.

"Ossoff has the lead.… Handel is very close behind him,” pollster Mark Rountree told WSB. “So either candidate could win.”

Ossoff and Handel are running to fill the seat left vacant by Tom Price, appointed by Trump as secretary of health and human services. Ossoff, a former congressional staffer, nearly won the election outright with 48.1 percent in the primary. Handel, the former Georgia secretary of state, topped nearly a dozen other Republicans with just under 20 percent of the total vote.

Both sides have poured money into the campaign, which many are calling a referendum on Trump. The poll, which surveyed 800 likely voters, found that 91 percent of Ossoff voters had an unfavorable opinion of Trump, while 78 percent of Handel voters have a favorable opinion of the president. While Price won the suburban Atlanta seat by 23 points in 2016, Trump only edged Clinton by 1.5 points.

In response to the poll, Handel and Ossoff both said the race was too close to call.

"It's about where we would've expected,” Handel said. “It's a dead heat, neck and neck, and is all about turnout.”

Ossoff has maintained a lead over Handel since the primary, with a late May poll putting him seven points ahead. More recent polls have shown a tighter race.

Last week’s shooting at a GOP congressional baseball practice and subsequent threats against Handel may be last-minute game changers. Police blocked streets in Handel’s neighborhood after packages “with threatening letters and a suspicious substance” were delivered to her and her neighbors, according to her campaign.

The suspicious packages have increasingly become a campaign narrative. Some believe the shooting and threats may be able to push Handel to victory.

“I think the shooting is going to win this election for us,” Brad Carver, chairman of the Republican party in the neighboring 11th congressional district, told The Washington Post. “Because moderates and independents in this district are tired of left-wing extremism.”

Ossoff, who said he has also received threats, condemned the shooting and called for unity.

MEMORIAL DAY 2017 (TRUMP'S ARLINGTON SPEECH)

Sources: Arlington Cemetery, YouTube

WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS' DINNER DISSED BY MEDIA MOGUL AND 45TH PRESIDENT DONALD J TRUMP (BRILLIANT)

WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS' DINNER DISSED BY MEDIA MOGUL AND 45TH PRESIDENT DONALD J TRUMP:

TRUMP SHOWS MEDIA HE WON'T KISS A&$ TO WIN THEIR FAVOR.

MEDIA STILL KEEPS TRUMP RELEVANT DESPITE HIS ABSENCE.


Sources: The Blaze, Fox News, Twitter, Youtube


***** Gutfeld bashes White House Correspondents’ Dinner: ‘Trump Kicked the Media’s Rump’


On Saturday night’s episode of the “Greg Gutfeld Show” on the Fox News Channel, Gutfeld slammed the liberal media’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner and praised President Donald Trump for choosing to bypass the event, which is usually attended by presidents on both sides of the aisle.

“He’s like the cool outcast at school who tells the snotty, rich kids, ‘I don’t want to go to your stupid party, I’ll throw my own, thank you very much! And I’m going to invite all my friends!'” Gutfeld said.

Gutfeld called Trump’s decision to hold a rally in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, a key swing state for Trump, a “stroke of brilliance” and referred to the Correspondents’ Dinner as an “orgy of preening self-importance.”

Trump’s rally in Harrisburg attracted thousands of supporters, and the president used the opportunity to jab the media.

“As you may know, there’s another big gathering taking place tonight in Washington, D.C., did you hear about it?” Trump said. “A large group of Hollywood actors and Washington media are consoling each other in a hotel ballroom in our nation’s capital right now.”

“They are gathered together for the White House Correspondents’ Dinner without the president,” Trump said. “And I could not possibly be more thrilled than to be more than 100 miles away from Washington’s swamp, spending my evening with all of you and with a much, much larger crowd and much better people, right?”

Trump also took the opportunity to list the accomplishments his administration has achieved in its first 100 days.

“For the last 100 days my administration has been delivering every single day for the great citizens of our country, whether it’s putting our coal miners back to work, protecting America’s steel and aluminum workers or eliminating job killing regulations, we are keeping one promise after another and frankly the people are really happy about it,” Trump said.

IMPEACH TRUMP RUMORS - DIRTY DEMOCRAT POLITRICKS

IMPEACH TRUMP RUMORS - DIRTY DEMOCRAT POLITRICKS:

OBAMA & DEM LEADERS WANT TRUMP IMPEACHED.

THEY'RE WORKING BEHIND SCENES WITH SOROS TO DISCREDIT TRUMP'S ADMINISTRATION.

PRAY FOR TRUMP TO SUCCEED NOT FAIL.


Sources: Fox News, NBC, Radar Online, National Enquirer, YouTube


****** Nancy Pelosi cools Trump impeachment


Impeach fever: “When and if he breaks the law, that is when something like that will come up”
Democrats in Congress are under immense pressure to resist President Donald Trump at every turn, with a historic 40 percent of Americans already clamoring for the new president to be impeached. But the top Democrat in the House, Nancy Pelosi, is ruling out the extreme measure — at least for now.

At a Monday news conference with the top Democrats on the House Financial Services Committee, the California Democrat took steps to distance the party’s leadership from the comments of a fellow Democratic congresswoman: Maxine Waters of Los Angeles. On Friday Waters had said it was her “greatest desire” to lead Trump “right into impeachment.”

On Monday, Waters clarified her comments without backing down. “I have not called for the impeachment yet,” Waters said. “He’s doing it himself.”

She further explained: “Let me just say the statement I made was a statement in response to questions and pleas that I am getting from many citizens across this country: What are we going to do?”:

How can a president, who is acting in the manner that he’s acting, whether he’s talking about the travel ban, the way that he’s talking to Muslims or whether he’s talking about his relationship to Putin and the Kremlin — and knowing that they have hacked our [Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee], DNC and knowing that he is responsible for supplying the bombs that killed innocent children and families in, um – in, um – yeah, in Aleppo.

Waters continued:

And the fact that he is wrapping his arms around Putin while Putin is continuing to advance into Crimea — I think that he is leading himself into that kind of position where folks will begin to ask, what are we going to do? And the answer is going to be, eventually, we’ve got to do something about him. We cannot continue to have a president who’s acting in this manner. It’s dangerous to the United States of America.

Trump may dismiss the concerns of Waters’ California constituents as being just as “illegal” as their votes, the desire to push him out of office is hardly a fringe notion.

More than a third of the country wishes to see the president impeached, according to a national poll released late last week. This 40 percent of Americans who said they want to see Trump removed from office is greater than the 35 percent desiring to see him go a week prior to this.

to the inauguration, freshman Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin, a Democrat, said in an interview that he expected Trump to head down the impeachment path.

“But I would say if you were taking odds, this president appears to be on a course in which he is going to be engaged in a lot of impeachable activities,” Raskin said.

In the two weeks since Trump’s inauguration, Democrats have struggled to contend with the Republican president and Congress while satisfying a swelling demand from their progressive base to resist Trump’s actions in total.

Pelosi made clear on Monday that, despite the newly elected president’s “reckless” and seemingly unpopular actions during his first weeks in office, they are “not grounds” for impeachment. “I’m not here to talk about impeachment today,” she told the gathered reporters shortly after Waters made her comments. “Any of the things that the congresswoman said are grounds for displeasure and unease in the public about the performance of this president, who has acted in a way that is strategically incoherent, that is incompetent, that is reckless.” But, Pelosi added, “That is not grounds for impeachment.”

Pelosi continued, “When and if he breaks the law, that is when something like that would come up.” Of course, since they are outnumbered by Republicans in both the House and Senate, Democrats would have an uphill battle if they sought to impeach Trump.

The House minority leader’s comments came after a Sunday appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press” in which she indicated Democrats won’t try to blindly obstruct the Trump administration in the way Republicans did to former president Barack Obama.

“If we can talk about job creation and infrastructure legislation, that’s a real infrastructure bill and not a tax break for his rich friends, then there’s something we can talk about,” she said. “If we can talk about work and family balance, about child care and early childhood education, paid sick leave,” let’s see where that takes things.

HAPPY VALENTINES' DAY 2017

HAPPY VALENTINES' DAY EVERYONE:

GOD IS LOVE.

PRAY FOR ALL U.S. MILITARY TROOPS EVERYWHERE.

"Faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love."
1 CORINTHIANS 13:13

Sources: TD Jakes, YouTube

PRES TRUMP SIGNS EXEC ORDER TO UNRAVEL OBAMACARE'S WEB OF DECEIT

PRES TRUMP SIGNS FIRST EXEC ORDER TO UNRAVEL OBAMACARE'S WEB OF DECEIT:

TRUMP DOESN'T NEED TO DELIVER LONG LYING SPEECHES TO TAKE ACTION.

GOD BLESS AMERICA & U.S. MILITARY.


Sources: Fox News, Reuters, YouTube


**** Trump, in Oval Office, signs first executive order on Obamacare

President Donald Trump signed his first executive order on Friday in the Oval Office shortly after his inaugural parade ended, directing agencies to ease the regulatory burdens associated with Obamacare as the U.S. Congress determines how to repeal and replace the health care law.

Trump also signed the commissions for his Defense Secretary James Mattis and his Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly, who were confirmed by the Senate on Friday.

White House spokesman Sean Spicer also told reporters that Trump's Chief of Staff Reince Preibus is sending a memo to agencies directing an immediate regulatory freeze.

DONALD J. TRUMP'S INAUGURATION SPEECH - CONGRATS (TRANSCRIPT)

DONALD JOHN TRUMP'S INAUGURATION SPEECH - CONGRATS (TRANSCRIPT):

MELANIA IS BEAUTIFUL.

GOD BLESS AMERICA; IT'S TIME TO COME TOGETHER.

GOD BLESS THE UNITED STATES MILITARY.


Sources: ABC News, CNN, Independent.co.uk, YouTube


**** "Chief Justice Roberts, President Carter, President Clinton, President Bush, fellow Americans and people of the world- thank you.


We the citizens of America have now joined a great national effort to rebuild our county and restore  its promise for all our people. 


Together we will determine the course of America for many, many years to come.
Together we will face challenges. We will confront hardships. But we will get the job done.

Every four years we gather on these steps to carry out the orderly and peaceful transfer of power.

And we are grateful to President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama for their gracious aid throughout this transition. They have been magnificent, thank you.

Today’s ceremony, however, has very special meaning because today we are not merely transferring power from one administration to another- but transferring it from Washington DC and giving it back to you the people.

For too long a small group in our nation's capital has reaped the rewards of government while the people have borne the cost.

Washington flourished but the people did not share in its wealth. Politicians prospered but the jobs left and the factories closed.

The establishment protected itself but not the citizens of our country.

Their victories have not been your victories. Their triumphs have not been your triumphs. While they have celebrated there has been little to celebrate for struggling families all across our land.

That all changes starting right here and right now because this moment is your moment. It belongs to you. It belongs to everyone gathered here today and everyone watching all across America today.

This is your day.
This is your celebration.


And this- the United States of America- is your county.

What truly matters is not what party controls our government but that this government is controlled by the people.

Today, January 20 2017 will be remembered as the day the people became the rulers of this nation again. 

The forgotten men and women of our country will be forgotten no longer. Everyone is listening to you now.

You came by the tens of millions to become part of a historic movement-  the likes of which the world has never seen before.

At the centre of this movement is a crucial conviction- that a nation exists to serve its citizens.

Americans want great schools for their children, safe neighborhoods for their families and good jobs for themselves.

These are just and reasonable demands.

Mothers and children trapped in poverty in our inner cities, rusted out factories scattered like tombstones across the landscape of our nation.

An education system flushed with cash, but which leaves our young and beautiful students deprived of all knowledge.

And the crime and the gangs and the drugs which deprive people of so much unrealised potential.

We are one nation, and their pain is our pain, their dreams are our dreams, we share one nation, one home and one glorious destiny.

Today I take an oath of allegiance to all Americans.

For many decades, we've enriched foreign industry at the expense of American industry, subsidised the armies of other countries, while allowing the sad depletion of our own military.

We've defended other nations' borders while refusing to defend our own.
And spent trillion and trillions of dollars overseas while America’s infrastructure has fallen into disrepair and decay.

We have made other countries rich while the wealth, strength and confidence of our country has dissipated over the horizon. 

One by one, shutters have closed on our factories without even a thought about the millions and millions of those who have been left behind.

But that is the past and now we are looking only to the future.

We assembled here today are issuing a new decree to be heard in every city, un every foreign capital, in every hall of power- from this day on a new vision will govern our land- from this day onwards it is only going to be America first- America first!

Every decision on trade, on taxes, on immigration, on foreign affairs will be made to benefit American workers and American families.

Protection will lead to great prosperity and strength.

I will fight for you with every bone in my body and I will never ever let you down.

America will start winning again.

America will start winning like never before.


We will bring back our jobs, we will bring back our borders, we will bring back our wealth, we will bring back our dreams.

We will bring new roads and high roads and bridges and tunnels and railways all across our wonderful nation.

We will get our people off welfare and back to work- rebuilding our country with American hands and American labour.

We will follow two simple rules- buy American and hire American.

We see good will with the nations of the world but we do so with the understanding that it is the right of all nations to put their nations first.

We will shine for everyone to follow.

We will reinforce old alliances and form new ones, and untie the world against radical Islamic terrorism which we will eradicate from the face of the earth.

At the bed rock of our politics will be an allegiance to the United States.

And we will discover new allegiance to each other.

There is no room for prejudice.

The bible tells us how good and pleasant it is when God's people live together in unity.

When America is united, America is totally unstoppable.


There is no fear, we are protected and will always be protected we will be protected by the great men and women of our military and most importantly we will be protected by God.

Finally, we must think big and dream even bigger. As Amercians, we know we live as a nation only when it is striving.

We will no longer accept politicians who are always complaining but never doing anything about it.

The time for empty talk is over, now arrives the hour of action.

Do not allow anyone to tell you it cannot be done.

No challenge can match the heart and fight and spirit of America. We will not fail, our country will thrive and prosper again. 

We stand at the birth of a new millennium, ready to unlock the mysteries of space, to free the earth from the miseries of disease, to harvest the energies, industries and technologies of tomorrow.

A new national pride will stir ourselves, lift our sights and heal our divisions.


It's time to remember that old wisdom our soldiers will never forget, that whether we are black or brown or white, we all bleed the same red blood of patriots.

We all enjoy the same glorious freedoms and we all salute the same great American flag and whether a child is born in the urban sprawl of Detroit or the windswept plains of Nebraska, they look at the same night sky, and dream the same dreams, and they are infused with the breath by the same almighty creator.


So to all Americans in every city near and far, small and large, from mountain to mountain, from ocean to ocean- hear these words – you will never be ignored again.
Your voice, your hopes and dreams will define your American destiny.

Your courage, goodness and love will forever guide us along the way.

Together we will make America strong again, we will make America wealthy again, we will make America safe again and yes- together we will make America great again.


Thank you.

God bless you.

And God bless America."

MLK JR ASSASSINATED FOR UPLIFTING BLACK PEOPLE (BIRTHDAY COMMEMORATION)

"We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools."
Quote by Dr Martin Luther King Jr

Today is January 16, 2017.

On this day America celebrates the birthday of Dr Martin Luther King Jr, a great man who was Assassinated for trying to uplift and improve the quality of life for Black people in this nation.

HATE KILLS; LOVE HEALS.

Sources: News 5 Cleveland, YouTube

TRUMP'S INAUGURATION CEREMONY: FLOYD MAYWEATHER & PRAYER LEADERS

TRUMP'S INAUGURATION CEREMONY COUNTDOWN:

BOXING LEGEND FLOYD MAYWEATHER TO ATTEND.

HIS CHOICE OF PRAYER LEADERS DISPLAYS TRUMP'S VALUES AND FAITH.


Sources: NPR, Fox News, TMZ Sports, YouTube


***** With His Choice Of Inauguration Prayer Leaders, Trump Shows His Values

The six faith leaders President-elect Donald Trump has invited to pray at his inauguration come from diverse backgrounds, but they have something in common: All have personal ties to Trump or his family or have in some way signaled their approval of him, his politics or his wealth.

The group includes an African-American megachurch leader from Detroit, a Florida woman known for her lavish lifestyle and preaching on "abundancy," a rabbi from Los Angeles, and a Hispanic evangelical — as well as Franklin Graham (son of Billy Graham) and Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the archbishop of New York.

Bishop Wayne T. Jackson, who leads Great Faith Ministries in Detroit, played a key role during the presidential campaign by inviting candidate Trump to visit his church. For Trump, it was a rare appearance before a black congregation.

Presenting Trump with a Jewish prayer shawl during his visit, Jackson said, "There are going to be times in your life that you are going to feel forsaken ... but the anointing is going to lift you up."

With his invitation to Jackson to pray at his inauguration, Trump returned a favor.

Jackson lives in a multimillion dollar mansion in Detroit and drives luxury cars. He preaches that being rich is not bad and that Trump's wealth shows he is "blessed by God."

Such teachings exemplify the "prosperity gospel," which holds that God rewards faithful Christians with financial success. It is a faith tradition with which Trump long has been associated. His "spiritual adviser" is Paula White, who as the leader of New Destiny Christian Center near Orlando, Fla., is perhaps the best known prosperity preacher in the country.

"Every day you're [living] your destiny, designed by God and discovered by you," White said in a recent sermon. "You're either in a position of abundance, you're in a position of prosperity, or you're in a position of poverty. Now that's in every area of your life. ... You're living abundant in your affairs of life — and that includes your financial conditions — or you're living in poverty."

Not surprisingly, Donald Trump is drawn to those preachers who say that one's wealth is a sign of God's approval. Paula White has her critics in the evangelical world, some of whom consider her a heretic, but she endorsed Trump's candidacy, and he reciprocated by inviting White to pray at his swearing-in ceremony.

Another pro-Trump evangelist who will be praying at the inauguration is Franklin Graham. During a recent interview with Lou Dobbs on the Fox Business Network, Graham said "the hand of God" was evident in Trump's election.

"I think God intervened and put his hand on Donald Trump for some reason," Graham told Dobbs. "It's obvious that there was something behind this, and it was more than people understand. I just think it was God."

By appearing at Trump's swearing-in, Franklin Graham will be following family tradition: His 98-year-old father, Billy, prayed at the inauguration of several presidents, from Richard Nixon to Bill Clinton, and Franklin prayed at the inauguration of George W. Bush in 2001.

His inclusion as a prayer leader may also signal Trump's comfort with Graham's political positions. During his campaign, Trump focused a lot of attention on the threat from "radical Islam," a theme Franklin Graham also has emphasized.

Shared political views may also explain Trump's invitation to Rabbi Marvin Hier, the founding president of the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Los Angeles. In a recent television interview, Hier said it was "outrageous" that the Obama administration chose not to veto a recent United Nations resolution condemning Israel's settlement policy, echoing Trump's own criticism.

Hier, the first rabbi asked to pray at a presidential inauguration since 1985, says he will hit "modern themes" during his inauguration appearance. "It will be a short prayer, but it will reflect on the 21st century," he says.

Hier also has ties to the Trump world through Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law and close adviser. Kushner's parents are old friends with Hier and his wife.

One indication of Trump's unorthodox approach in choosing inauguration prayer leaders is the absence of any representative of mainline Protestantism, the dominant faith tradition of U.S. presidents throughout the country's history. On the other hand, Trump is the first to invite a Hispanic evangelical leader, Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference (NHCLC) and senior pastor at New Season Christian Worship Center, an Assemblies of God congregation in Sacramento, Calif.

Rodriguez accepted the invitation despite some misgivings about Trump's hard-line immigration views.

"There was a bit of angst due to the fact that throughout the course of this campaign, the rhetoric and tone, as it pertained particularly to the immigrant community, did not line up with the ethos or the values of the NHCLC," Rodriguez told NPR. He agreed to come to Washington for the inauguration after "prayerful deliberation and discussion" and a conclusion that he could not pass up an opportunity to pray on "the quintessential political platform on the planet."

Among Hispanic evangelicals, Rodriguez is one of the more conservative leaders. While he did not endorse Trump, he told NPR that he has heard a "change of tone" from Trump in the past few weeks, and now has high hopes for better relations between Hispanics and the Trump administration.

"Thirty percent of Latinos voted for Donald Trump," Rodriguez points out. "There's a great possibility that the president-elect and his team have come to the realization that this constituency could be engaged successfully."

Generally, Trump's selection of inauguration prayer leaders reflects his tendency to break with mainstream thinking — and the importance he places on loyalty. With his invitations, he has rewarded clergy members who support him politically, endorse his views, or even offer a religious approval of his great wealth.

The least surprising prayer leader choice is Cardinal Dolan. Most U.S. presidents in recent years have asked a prominent Catholic bishop or theologian to pray at their inaugurations, and as fellow New Yorkers, Dolan and Trump have known each other for a long time.

PAUL RYAN MAINTAINS HOUSE SPEAKER ROLE (GET TO WORK)

PAUL RYAN MAINTAINS HOUSE SPEAKER ROLE:

NOW GET TO WORK HELPING TRUMP PROTECT US MILITARY TROOPS & GOVERN OUR NATION PROPERLY.


Sources: AP, Washington Post, YouTube


****** Paul Ryan is easily reelected House speaker


Lawmakers reelected Paul D. Ryan as House speaker Tuesday, choosing the Wisconsin Republican with a fraught history with President-elect Donald Trump to serve as Trump’s chief legislative partner.

Ryan won the support of all but one Republican, winning with many fewer GOP defectors than when he first won the speakership in 2015. The vast majority of Democrats voted for Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who was reelected as party leader last year despite an abortive effort among some colleagues to oust her after November’s disappointing election results.

The near-unanimous vote for Ryan stands as a strong show of Republican unity as the party embarks on an ambitious legislative agenda that, for the first time in eight years, has a real chance to be signed into law.

But the 24 hours preceding the vote showed that unity can be fleeting: His reelection came less than two hours after Republicans held an emergency meeting to reverse proposed changes that would roll back the authority of the independent Office of Congressional Ethics. Ryan opposed those changes ahead of a Monday night conference meeting, but lawmakers voted for them anyway — then agreed to reverse course Tuesday after a public firestorm.

Addressing the House after his election, Ryan made a sharp call to action: “We are not here to be; we are here to do.”

“Millions and millions of Americans are deeply dissatisfied with their situation,” he said. “They have let out a great roar. … We hear you, we will do right by you and we will deliver.”

Rep. Thomas Massie (Ky.) was the only Republican not to cast his ballot for Ryan. Massie invoked a Trump campaign mantra as he voted for Rep. Daniel Webster (R-Fla.), saying Webster would “drain the swamp.”

Massie was one of nine Republicans who broke with Ryan in October 2015; seven of the remaining eight continue to serve in the House and supported Ryan on Tuesday.

Republicans currently enjoy a 241-to-194 advantage over Democrats in the House, though that margin stands to narrow slightly in the coming weeks as the Senate takes up nominations of several House members to the Trump administration. Should those members be confirmed, their seats would be filled through special elections to be held later this year.

Trump has picked Rep. Mick Mulvaney (R-S.C.) to serve as White House budget director, Rep. Mike Pompeo (R-Kan.) to serve as CIA director, Rep. Tom Price (R-Ga.) to serve as health and human services secretary, and Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-Mont.) to serve as interior secretary. One Democrat, Rep. Xavier Becerra (Calif.), is expected to depart the House soon to become his state’s attorney general.

Democrats prefaced their votes with a short script before casting their votes for Pelosi: “Because the people’s House should be ethical, accountable and open to free debate,” several of them said. Rep. John Lewis (Ga.), for one, delivered his vote from the well of the House.

One Republican had a sharp retort: “Because the people’s House should be in order, Paul Ryan,” said Rep. Mike Bost (R-Ill.).

Four Democrats opposed Pelosi: Rep. Kyrsten Sinema (Ariz.) voted for Lewis; Reps. Jim Cooper (Tenn.) and Kathleen Rice (N.Y.) voted for Rep. Tim Ryan (Ohio); and Rep. Ron Kind (Wis.) voted for Cooper.

TRUMP'S CAMPAIGN PROMISES (ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION)

"You look at our Borders, they're like Swiss cheese."
Donald J. Trump, 2016


TRUMP'S CAMPAIGN PROMISES (ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION):

HE FOCUSES ON PROTECTING AMERICA'S BORDERS.

CRITICIZES GENERAL MOTORS FOR MANUFACTURING CARS IN MEXICO.

PLEASE PRAY FOR ALL U.S. MILITARY TROOPS & VETS.


Sources: DonaldTrump.com, CNBC, Fox News, Reuters, Youtube



***** Donald J. Trump’s 10 Point Plan to Put America First


1. Begin working on an impenetrable physical wall on the southern border, on day one. Mexico will pay for the wall.

2. End catch-and-release. Under a Trump administration, anyone who illegally crosses the border will be detained until they are removed out of our country.

3. Move criminal aliens out day one, in joint operations with local, state, and federal law enforcement. We will terminate the Obama administration’s deadly, non-enforcement policies that allow thousands of criminal aliens to freely roam our streets.

4. End sanctuary cities.

5. Immediately terminate President Obama’s two illegal executive amnesties. All immigration laws will be enforced - we will triple the number of ICE agents. Anyone who enters the U.S. illegally is subject to deportation. That is what it means to have laws and to have a country.

6. Suspend the issuance of visas to any place where adequate screening cannot occur, until proven and effective vetting mechanisms can be put into place.

7. Ensure that other countries take their people back when we order them deported.

8. Ensure that a biometric entry-exit visa tracking system is fully implemented at all land, air, and sea ports.

9. Turn off the jobs and benefits magnet. Many immigrants come to the U.S. illegally in search of jobs, even though federal law prohibits the employment of illegal immigrants.

10. Reform legal immigration to serve the best interests of America and its workers, keeping immigration levels within historic norms.

---------------------------------------------



**** Trump team seeks agency records on border barriers, surveillance

In a wide-ranging request for documents and analysis, President-elect Donald Trump's transition team asked the Department of Homeland Security last month to assess all assets available for border wall and barrier construction.

The team also asked about the department's capacity for expanding immigrant detention and about an aerial surveillance program that was scaled back by the Obama administration but remains popular with immigration hardliners. And it asked whether federal workers have altered biographic information kept by the department about immigrants out of concern for their civil liberties.

The requests were made in a Dec. 5 meeting between Trump's transition team and Department of Homeland Security officials, according to an internal agency memo reviewed by Reuters. The document offers a glimpse into the president-elect's strategy for securing the U.S. borders and reversing polices put in place by the Obama administration.

Trump's transition team did not comment in response to Reuters inquiries. A spokeswoman for the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Customs and Border Protection declined to comment.

In response to the transition team request, U.S. Customs and Border Protection staffers identified more than 400 miles along the U.S.-Mexico border, and about the same distance along the U.S.-Canada border, where new fencing could be erected, according to a document seen by Reuters.

Reuters could not determine whether the Trump team is considering a northern border barrier. During the campaign, Trump pledged to build a wall and expand fencing on parts of the U.S.-Mexico border but said he sees no need to build a wall on the border with Canada.

One program the transition team asked about, according to the email summary, was Operation Phalanx, an aerial surveillance program that authorizes 1,200 Army National Guard airmen to monitor the southern border for drug trafficking and illegal migration.

The program once deployed 6,000 airmen under President George W. Bush but was downsized by Barack Obama, a move blasted by some conservatives who argue the surveillance is vital to border security.

POLICY SHIFT

The transition team also asked for copies of every executive order and directive sent to immigration agents since Obama took office in 2009, according to the memo summarizing the meeting.

Trump has said he intends to undo Obama's executive actions on immigration, including a 2012 order to allow children brought to the U.S. illegally by their parents to remain in the country on temporary authorizations that allow them to attend college and work.

The program, known as DACA, collected information including participants' addresses that could theoretically be used to locate and deport them if the policy is reversed. Another request of the transition team was for information about whether any migrant records have been changed for any reason, including for civil rights or civil liberties concerns, according to the internal memo seen by Reuters.

WELCOME 2017 - HAPPY NEW YEAR ("PUT A PRAISE ON IT")

WELCOME 2017 - HAPPY NEW YEAR ("PUT A PRAISE ON IT"):

GET READY FOR NEW THINGS; GOD IS WELL ABLE.

GOD BLESS PRES TRUMP, ISRAEL & THE U.S. MILITARY.

THERE IS POWER IN THE NAME OF JESUS.

DON'T LOOK BACK - MOVE FORWARD:

BE AT PEACE AND KNOW THAT GOD IS THE LORD.


Sources: Motown Records, YouTube


"Do not remember the former things,
Nor consider the things of old.
19 Behold, I will do a new thing,
Now it shall spring forth;
Shall you not know it?
I will even make a road in the wilderness
And rivers in the desert."

ISAIAH 43:16, 17