SandyPundits.com: January 2014

Recently, I read an article about an elementary school principal who was suspended for using the "N" word. The teacher was getting the kids ready for a play about Martin Luther King, Jr. After using the word "Negro" several times, one of the children said he was uncomfortable with that word and refused to participate in the play. Ultimately the principal was called in for backup, and during the course of explaining the differences between the two "N" words, Negro and Ni***r, ended up getting herself in trouble. She has been suspended pending an investigation. But why? [more...]

Americans' Disillusionment with the Political Class... And the Future of Politics

On this week's POLITICAL INSIDERS, we explore the real State of the Union: a deeply alienated American public which views D.C. - both political parties and the media that covers them - as corrupt and out for themselves; a "rigged" system filled with corrupt arrangements - with the American people no longer giving their leaders the "consent of the governed." Watch our two shows here: Sunday Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 and Monday on the Dot Com. [more...]

New Short Film Exposes Milwaukee Schools’ Efforts to Block High-Performing Competitors

Hundreds of Milwaukee families have discovered in recent years that having a school voucher doesn’t mean much if your private school of choice doesn’t have the classroom space to accommodate additional children. Such is the case for the city’s St. Marcus Lutheran School. The high-performing private school has a long waiting list for any available seats that open up, and it’s not difficult to understand why. By virtually all measures, St. Marcus Lutheran is outperforming Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) – its government-run counterpart – by a wide margin. The most telling statistic is probably the schools’ graduation rates: St. Marcus succeeds in getting a diploma into the hands of 96 percent of its students, compared to MPS’ dismal 65 percent graduation rate. [more...]

The Iranian Threat & Obama’s Deception

By Joseph Klein

President Obama misled the American people in his January 28th State of the Union address regarding what Iran is required to do under the six-month interim nuclear agreement reached between Iran and the P5+1 nations - the five permanent members of the UN Security Council (the United States, United Kingdom, France, Russia, and China) plus Germany. Obama made the following patently false claim about the implementation of the interim agreement: "As we gather here tonight, Iran has begun to eliminate its stockpile of higher levels of enriched uranium." [more...]

Suspicions Mount over D'Souza Indictment

When reports surfaced regarding Dinesh D'Souza's indictment on charges of violating federal campaign finance laws, some serious questions were raised about the criminal investigation of the author and filmmaker. Although the FBI and Justice Department did not explicitly reveal to which election the charges had referred, Federal Election Commission records indicated that the only political candidate to which D'Souza had ever donated was Wendy Long, a former New York senatorial candidate. [more...]

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

New Short Film Exposes Milwaukee Schools’ Efforts to Block High-Performing Competitors

EAGnews is a national, non-partisan organization devoted to school spending reform and ensuring that accountability and parental choice exist in public education. Go here for more: eagnews.org

Obama's State of the Union: How the Mighty Have Fallen

By Wayne Allyn Root

My how the mighty have fallen! I was going to report on all the lies in Obama’s State of the Union last night, but it appears he’s more than a pathetic liar; he’s actually a thief, too. Obama started out his career at the Brandenburg Gate in Germany with thousands watching. Now he plagiarizes George W. Bush’s speeches? That’s a pretty long fall.

Large swaths of this speech appear to have been lifted directly from Bush’s 2007 State of the Union. So say Bush’s speechwriter - and he should know his own words. Now from plagiarism, we move to the original lies of Obama. The question is does he believe this stuff? Obama actually reported the U.S. economy is in "recovery." Bernie Madoff has nothing on this guy. In Obama’s economy, the food stamp rolls are growing 75 times faster than the job rolls!

Obama said there are 8 million new jobs. Maybe he’s counting people who have stopped looking for work forever, as "getting a job?" I have news for you, Mr. President: They didn’t get a job; they went on disability, food stamps or welfare - probably all three. There are almost 100 million working-age Americans not working. That’s almost exactly how many Americans are on entitlements. Coincidence? [more...]

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

1-22-14 Great Guests for Your Show

1. Dr. Larry Kawa: President Obama Succeeding at Insuring Those Already with Insurance

2. Joe Messina: I Pity New York but Not New Yorkers

3. Kerry Lutz: Why New York City Shouldn't Be in the Education Business

4. John Leboutillier: The Deterioration of the Two Major Parties, Income Disparity, The NSA Decision, Iran and Obamacare

5. Kyle Olson: Media Matters Gropes to Defend Union Opposition to Federal Classroom Predator Bill

President Obama Succeeding at Insuring Those Already with Insurance

By Dr. Larry Kawa

Our beloved President Barack Obama apparently forgot to tell the American people the small print when he announced that over 2 million Americans are now insured because of Obamacare. As it turns out, 89 percent of all people who have signed up for health insurance on the monstrosity known as healthcare.gov already had health insurance. According to the Wall Street Journal, respected management consulting firm McKinsey & Co. found that only 11 percent of Americans who bought healthcare insurance through healthcare.gov were previously uninsured. Only this administration can force an insurance company to cancel an individual's policy, then force that individual to buy health insurance from the government, and call it a success story. [more...] Watch Dr. Kawa on FBN

I Pity New York but Not New Yorkers

New York has always been a micro history of this great country... Well, NO MORE! New York and its politics is becoming a symbol for the very things this country has always fought against. Freedoms in New York are being lost at an alarming rate. The Twitchy.com staff summarized Governor Andrew Cuomo best as basically saying, attention all wingnuts bitterly clinging to the "extreme" notion that there's a "right to life," there's "no place" for you in the state of New York! Here’s what the Governor said about New York state elected Republican representatives: "Are they these extreme conservatives who are right-to-life, pro-assault-weapon, anti-gay? Is that who they are? Because if that's who they are and they're the extreme conservatives, they have no place in the state of New York, because that's not who New Yorkers are." There is a very large number of New Yorkers who are religious, God-believing, right-to-life-believing people and, obviously, voters. Many of whom just simply want to go about their business and let people live their lives. Those people are about to get bitten. Between Cuomo and DeBlazio, they are almost guaranteed that there really is no place for them in New York. [more...]

Why New York City Shouldn't Be in the Education Business

By Kerry Lutz

I draw liberally from a recent expose in the New York Post which clearly demonstrates why the limited government espoused by our founders is the best way to go, especially when it comes to education. Public School 106, located in an extremely poor section of Far Rockaway Queens in New York City, is perhaps the worst public school in the nation. As the Post reported extensively, the principal runs a school of "no." The kids had gotten no math, reading or writing books for the rigorous Common Core curriculum. (We won't even go into the efficacy of this misguided anti-American educational effort here). The 234 students received no gym or art classes. Instead they watched movies every day. The school nurse has no office equipped with a sink refrigerator or cot. The library is a mess with nothing in order. [more horrors at this and other schools...]

The Deterioration of the Two Major Parties, Income Disparity, The NSA Decision, Iran and Obamacare

On this week's POLITICAL INSIDERS, we discuss the President's NSA decision, the Democrats' deterioration due to Obamacare, the shocking Gallup finding that 42% of Americans say they are worse off today than one year ago, and the long-term political fall-out from income disparity. Watch our two shows here: Sunday Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 and Monday on the Dot Com. [more...]

Media Matters Gropes to Defend Union Opposition to Federal Classroom Predator Bill

Since when did the effort to keep sexual predators away from children become a controversial issue? When the National Education Association and American Federation of Teachers decided to put collective bargaining and adult employees' so-called rights ahead of child safety. A bill in Congress – introduced by Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives and passed by a voice vote in that chamber – would require a background check for government school employment applicants and would bar those with certain serious felonies from being hired. The felonies? Murder, rape, spousal abuse, arson and kidnapping. [more...]

Monday, January 20, 2014

Meryl Streep Attacks Walt Disney

Meryl Streep stunned an audience at a recent National Board of Review awards ceremony, a highly watched pre-Oscar affair. The perennial Oscar nominee let loose with an odd verbal assault on Walt Disney, saying that the entertainment mogul "had some racist proclivities." Streep additionally commented that Disney had "supported an anti-Semitic industry lobbying group" and characterized him as "a gender bigot."

The actress shared her critique while presenting the best actress trophy to Emma Thompson. In the current Disney film "Saving Mr. Banks," Thompson plays the role of P.L. Travers, who penned "Mary Poppins." Streep is no doubt aware that the charge of bigotry is a toxic accusation that can travel at warp speed across the entertainment industry. Interestingly, her timing happened to coincide with the period in which Academy members were in the process of deliberating over Oscar nominees. [more...]

Thursday, January 16, 2014

1-16-14 Excellent Guests for Your Show

1. Wayne Allyn Root: Obama is 100% Right About Inequality

2. Kyle Olson: School District: We Spent $24K on Student Bowling to 'Improve Hand-eye Coordination'

3. Rabbi Ganz: The Effects of Negative Political Advertising

4. John LeBoutillier: Christie Will Be Impeached This Year

Obama is 100% Right About Inequality

By Wayne Allyn Root

Obama is obsessed with inequality; he lectures us about it in every speech. His entire agenda and every policy is intended to create equality, fairness, and social justice. He vows to "fundamentally transform the United States." The result? Suddenly the unstoppable American economy is stopped cold in its tracks. Our GDP is in quicksand. The great American jobs juggernaut is in reverse. We have chronic unemployment, the lowest work force participation rate in 35 years, massive deficit and debt. We have millions unemployed, millions more under-employed, forty-seven million on food stamps - more than the population of Spain - and over 10 million on disability. More Americans are on entitlements than working in the private sector. Over 46 million are living in poverty - twice the population of Syria. Over 6 million more Americans are living in poverty just in Obama's first term; and the number of Americans without a job has increased by almost 10 million under Obama. [more...]

School District: We Spent $24K on Student Bowling to 'Improve Hand-eye Coordination'

The Camden, New Jersey school district has been a mess for years, despite a 14-to-1 student to teacher ratio and spending over $26,000 per student every year. The district's graduation rate is under 50%. ABC News recently reported only three Camden students who took the S.A.T. test last year scored as "college ready." This all shows something is not working in Camden. EAGnews recently analyzed the district’s 2012-13 spending. One of many things that stuck out: nearly $24,000 was spent at bowling alleys and skating rinks. One might assume the district is paying for field trips and that could be justified in many people’s minds. When we asked why the district spent money this way, in particular at a bowling alley, the district’s response? “Improve hand eye coordination.” [more...]

The Effects of Negative Political Advertising

By Rabbi D.B. Ganz

Negativity plays a major role in modern political punditry. It seems as if rightwing opinion makers have reached a new high (or low) when it comes to viciously bashing the political Left and its leader. In print, TV, and radio, President Obama has been openly referred to as a liar, a want to be dictator, a closet Muslim who is out to destroy the U.S., and so forth. What, if anything, does this negativity accomplish? There are three possibilities:

• The Liberals are weakened when being depicted as flawed.

• The attacks do not matter at all. The Conservatives are already convinced, and the Liberals ignore what those on the Right say anyway.

• A third counterintuitive possibility is that these attacks on the Left backfire; they actually help the Liberals and their objectives. [more...]

Christie Will Be Impeached This Year

It is more likely that Governor Chris Christie will be impeached and removed from office (in 2014) than he ever runs for the GOP nomination for President. Why? Because Democrats – unlike our current House Republicans – know how to run a gut-cutting, down-and-dirty-if-necessary investigation against a political opponent. They know how to take aim and then keep their eye on the target no matter what. They know they have most of the media with them – and they thus are not afraid of "overreach," and they have the killer instinct that almost all Republicans lack. The Bridge-Gate Scandal is the latest perfect example: the e-mails ordering up the traffic jam first made it into the public domain last Wednesday, January 8th. By the following Monday – January 13th – a mere five days later, the Assembly and Senate Democrats had already named not one but two special investigative committees armed with special counsels and widespread subpoena power. The Assembly Speaker said, "The investigation will go where it goes." In other words, they are free to go down any tributary – as long as it helps them sink Governor Christie. [more...]

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

1-14-14 Expert Guests for Your Show

1. Dave Bego: An Opportunity to Protect Fundamental Freedoms

2. Lowell Ponte: Obama Should Be Penalized for Obamacare Dishonesty

3. Joe Messina: Government Mathematics 101

4. Christina Tobin: How Our Laws are Turned against Us

5. John LeBoutillier: The Shocking Decline in the Two Political Parties, the Bob Gates' Revelations and Gov. Christie's Serious Troubles

An Opportunity to Protect Fundamental Freedoms

By Dave Bego

The U.S. Supreme Court failed the American people by dismissing a recent case involving the Neutrality Agreement, but has an opportunity to redeem itself and reign in Obama's lawlessness by agreeing with the U.S. District Court that Obama's recess appointees to the NLRB were unconstitutional. The case was heard yesterday (see SCOTUS begins hearing on recess appointments), and initial impressions are that the U.S. Supreme Court will uphold the District Court's decision (see Supreme Court Likely to Rein In President's Recess Appointments Power). This would be a terrible blow to President Obama's agenda of paybacks and favors to his big labor buddies! [more...]

Obama Should Be Penalized for Obamacare Dishonesty

By Lowell Ponte

I propose that politicians who win by cheating, i.e., lying, using dirty money, or rigging votes, be given at least a year's "suspension." President Barack Obama promised that if we like our health insurance and doctor we can keep them... "period." Evidence shows that at the time of such promises, he knew his statements were untrue. Mr. Obama and all his presidential powers should be suspended for at least a year. When a presidential candidate knowingly lies to get a major law enacted - claiming, for example, that Obamacare will cut the average family's insurance cost by $2,500 per year - then such laws as were passed by this kind of deceit should be suspended until voters become referees and elect lawmakers to repeal them. [more...]

Government Mathematics 101

Nancy Pelosi says, "Every dollar we spend on unemployment puts two dollars in the system." Really? In what universe? Under government math, if Susie has three pieces of cake and Johnny only has 1, there is an obvious inequity. The fact that Susie's daddy is a banker and Johnny's daddy is a cab driver obviously means that Johnny hasn't had the same opportunities as Susie. This means we need to find Frankie because he always has 4 pieces of cake. He's looking a little chunky, so we need to save him from himself and give one of his pieces to Johnny. Then we need to take one from Suzie and give it to Johnny as well. Now Johnny won't feel bad because based on government math, everyone has been equalized. Confused? I am writing it and I'm confused. But this is government math! [more...]

How Our Laws are Turned against Us

By Christina Tobin

There are some who live in the U.S. who are so free that their liberties far surpass anything Francis Scott Key could ever have imagined. There are some for whom laws simply do not apply. These few have acquired so much power that they even help write laws to benefit themselves - to the detriment of everyone else. They get laws passed on holidays, in the middle of the night, after most Congressional representatives have gone home. They bury offensive legislation in phone-book-length bills. They use "fast track" legislation, which circumvents the democratic process. Such freedom from responsibility and accountability diminishes the freedom of the rest of the population who live by the laws that their free masters impose. Such is the price the rest of us pay for their freedoms. [more...]

The Shocking Decline in the Two Political Parties, the Bob Gates' Revelations and Gov. Christie's Serious Troubles

On this week's POLITICAL INSIDERS, we examine the deterioration of the two major parties and the rise of people who now identify themselves as "Independent." What does this portend for 2014 and 2016? What of the revelations from former Defense Secretary Robert Gates' tell-all? And is Governor Christie's White House dream about to be dashed on the New Jersey side of the George Washington Bridge? Watch our two shows here: Sunday Part 1, Part 2 and Monday on the Dot Com. [more...]

Monday, January 13, 2014

Hollywood Stunned by Box-office Success of 'Lone Survivor'

New English Review: Flight from an Afghan Seraglio

"Lone Survivor" just reeled in two-times the box office take than Hollywood experts had been anticipating. A number of executives in the entertainment industry have been trying to figure out why the muscles of "The Legend of Hercules" and the animated charm of "Frozen" couldn’t top a military drama.

"Lone Survivor" tells the true story of a 2005 Navy SEALs mission. The film grossed $38.5 million domestically, according to studio estimates, which made it this past weekend’s #1 movie and put it in the record books as having the second-biggest January debut ever, besting the 1997 hit "Star Wars: Special Edition" ($35 million) and almost beating the 2008 film "Cloverfield" ($40 million). The movie actually had a limited U.S. release on Christmas Day 2013. However, it debuted across all of North America on January 10, 2014. As the Hollywood Reporter recently pointed out, the film’s opening weekend box-office performance was "far more than expected and the best showing of any post-9/11 war film." [more...]

Friday, January 10, 2014

Chris Christie Got What He Deserves

By Wayne Allyn Root

I’m a Tea Party Libertarian-conservative Republican. Mitt Romney was not my cup of tea (excuse the pun). But once I choose sides, I’m "all in." There is no 90% or even 100%. Either you give everything you have, or don’t get involved. So I gave Mitt 110%. I knew the re-election of Obama would devastate the economy and kill more jobs. I knew the implementation of Obamacare would annihilate the middle class. I knew Romney was the only alternative. So I was "all in." I gave Mitt everything I had. His loss was devastating to me.

But not Chris Christie. He sold Mitt out for ego, media spotlight and his own political future. As soon as Christie saw the opportunity to advance his own future Presidential prospects, he dumped Mitt like yesterday’s news. He didn’t just stab Mitt in the back and kiss Obama’s ring. He went a step further - he French-kissed Obama at the New Jersey airport.

As my butcher grandfather taught me, you never betray your friends like that. Never. There would have been nothing wrong with shaking Obama’s hand at the airport and announcing when there is a natural disaster we all come together, Republican and Democrat. That would be fine.

But Christie became BFF (best friends forever) with Obama that day. Christie’s over-the-top love-fest destroyed Romney’s presidential ambitions. At the time several national polls had Romney up by 5 to 7 points. His ratings sunk like quicksand after Christie’s embrace. With friends like Chris Christie, who needs enemies? [more...]

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Chesler Memoir Powerfully Illustrates Muslim Misogyny

Reviewed by Abigail R. Esman

Special to IPT News

Phyllis Chesler, who set out to write An American Bride in Kabul as a memoir of her life as the young, Jewish-American wife of a wealthy Muslim in Kabul in the 1960s has penned something much more: an analysis of the plight of women in the Muslim world.

Chelser was a wide-eyed college student in 1961 when she met the man she calls Abdul-Kareem, scion of one of Afghanistan's wealthiest families. He was charming, elegant, romantic, and Muslim. She was a bright young Orthodox Jew from Brooklyn, eager for adventure, lured by the exotic. Abdul-Kareem offered both; and when he asked her to marry him and join him in his privileged life in his home country of Afghanistan, she joyously said "yes."

But the fantasy she envisioned was nothing like what she found once they arrived at his family compound in Kabul. The first sign of this reality comes when she is ordered to relinquish her passport on arrival in Afghanistan, leaving her effectively stateless. As a woman, she is now property, belonging not to a nation or a people, but to the man to whom she's wed. And things will only grow more horrific. [more... ]

Some Excellent Recent Reviews of An American Bride in Kabul:

Washington Times

WND

Investigative Project on Terrorism

About the author: Phyllis Chesler is an Emerita Professor of Psychology and Women's Studies at City University of New York, the best-selling author of 15 books, and psychotherapist. Chesler has lectured and organized women's rights and human rights campaigns all over the world and has also appeared on numerous national and international media outlets. Her writings have been featured in The Washington Post, The International Herald Tribune, The Times of London, The Weekly Standard, National Review, Israel National News, The New York Times, and in the Jewish and Israeli media.

Divide and Conquer

By Dave Bego

As the New Year begins with the President and Congress returning to Washington, it is evident that President Obama and his liberal cronies are determined to continue to divide the nation. Shortly before returning from his 17-day vacation in Hawaii, the President began the divisive rhetoric by reprimanding House Republicans for going on a “holiday break” and not staying in Washington D.C. to pass a measure to extend unemployment benefits for needy Americans. The benefits were allowed to lapse, as they were not included in the budget signed by the President prior to his vacation.

Now, Congress prepares for a battle over jobless benefits. The first vote by the U.S. Senate was to restore the expired unemployment benefits. The President and his fellow Democrats allowed the benefits to expire and agreed to the budget as part of their plan to distract the American people. The President understands just how important the upcoming 2014 mid-term elections are, and is attempting to deflect the miserable failure that is Obamacare. This is merely their opening salvo in a desperate attempt to “divide and conquer” the Republican Party and the American people. The President clearly understands that Democrats must hold the Senate and take back the House of Representatives during the mid-term elections if he is going to successfully impose his socialistic agenda. [more...]

Tuesday, January 7, 2014

1-7-14 Great Guests for the New Year

1. Lowell Ponte: 2014 Predictions - The Year of the Great Withdrawal

2. Joe Messina: The 1600 Pennsylvania Street Gang

3. Dr. Larry Kawa: Happy New Obamacare Year

4. John LeBoutillier: Have the Democrats Moved Even Farther to the Left? What Will Dominate 2014: Obamacare or Income Disparity?

5. Kyle Olson: Common Core Test Book Brainwashes Kids into Opposing 'Big Box' Stores

2014 Predictions - The Year of the Great Withdrawal

From weather to stocks, to politics, Chinese Astrology, Bitcoin... and more, 2014 could change America forever in many ways, says veteran think tank futurist Lowell Ponte, who for 15 years was the Roving Science, Technology & Health Editor at Reader's Digest Magazine. Lowell's articles have appeared in the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, and many other publications. His four most recent books, co-authored with monetary expert Craig R. Smith, include The Great Withdrawal, The Inflation Deception, The Great Debasement, and Crashing the Dollar. [Here are Lowell's 2014 predictions...]

The 1600 Pennsylvania Street Gang

I grew up in Boston in the days when the Mafia acted in plain view. They were powerful and didn't care who saw what. They were above the law and knew it. They owned the law and the people were afraid, some in fear of their lives, some in fear of their welfare. I’ve been told the Chicago Mafia is much more ruthless and powerful. This is how the American people are feeling about the Obama administration. This "gang" is above the law, with President Obama acting as "Don" or leader and Attorney General Eric Holder as his "Capo" or captain. This gang has so crippled the people of this country that we have gone from a nation to fear and respect to a nation to be ridiculed and laughed at. The gang has ruined our relationships oversees. Nobel peace prize winner and freedom fighter Lech Wałęsa recently said that Mr. Obama has ruined the credibility of America. [more...]

Happy New Obamacare Year

By Dr. Larry Kawa

While everyone was counting down to the New Year, I was counting down to the implementation of Obamacare, the largest federal takeover of healthcare in United States history. In 2014, we’ll end up seeing most of the provisions of Obamacare put into effect, including the individual mandate. What we’ll also see are increased premiums, people who fall through the cracks, and a massive new entitlement that we have no idea how to pay for. We’ve seen the CBO scoring on this bill continually being revised upwards, which leads us to believe that Obamacare could be more expensive than we know. Happy New Year and Happy 2014! Because with this law, we’ll need all the well wishes we can get. [more...] Watch Dr. Kawa on FBN

Have the Democrats Moved Even Farther to the Left? What Will Dominate 2014: Obamacare or Income Disparity?

Has the Occupy Wall Street/Class Warfare/Anti-1%/Tale of Two Countries movement taken over the grassroots of the Democratic Party? Will the Democrats attempt to hold the Senate this year by focusing on income disparity – while the GOP hopes Obamacare continues to dominate all things political? This – and much more – will be discussed by the POLITICAL INSIDERS live on Fox News Channel this Sunday evening – at our new time: 7:25pm ET. [more...]

Common Core Test Book Brainwashes Kids into Opposing 'Big Box' Stores

Many people see the value of so-called big box stores like Walmart or Home Depot: low prices and numerous items under one roof. But the providers of sample Common Core-aligned tests see a more sinister agenda. And they want students to learn about that while they’re preparing for the new assessments. "Show What You Know on the Common Core" is a book published by Show What You Know Publishing. The Grade 6 student workbook features a fictitious article on "Megamart," a seemingly fictitious chain (that turns out to actually exist) that wants to construct a store, supposedly in Florida. [more...]

2014 PREDICTIONS - THE YEAR OF THE GREAT WITHDRAWAL

By Lowell Ponte

2014 could change America forever in many ways. Here are my 2014 predictions:

1. The Sun flipped its magnetic polarity in December 2013, an event some scientists have linked with the 22-year drought cycle in the U.S. Midwest. Do not be surprised if either worsening drought or severe flooding devastates America's croplands in 2014 sending food prices sharply higher.

2. The U.S. stock market will sink by 15-20% before the end of 2014, tipping the U.S. back into a Recession. This will happen despite new Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen's continued commitment, the 'taper' notwithstanding, to print almost $1 trillion of stimulus money out of thin air each year, keep interest rates near zero, and use other monetary methods to prop up a fragile economy where real unemployment today is above 11%. After years of addiction and dependence on the drug of nearly-free stimulus money, the U.S. economy is about to suffer withdrawal symptoms - hence our book The Great Withdrawal.

3. An unstable Asia will tremble as the weekend after January 31 begins the “Year of the Horse” in China's 12 year cycle of animal years. Horse years, according to Chinese astrology, are often associated with bad events: economic collapse and war. We may not believe in such portents, but the Chinese do and may make economic and military decisions accordingly.

4. Facing November 2014 elections, Republican leaders will try to win on Obamacare's problems alone. They will go along with Democrats to depoliticize other matters, such as extending unemployment benefits and easing restrictions on immigration.”

5. If GOP leaders alienate Tea Party conservatives, Republicans will fall at least 1-2 seats short of winning control of the Senate. The Year of the Horse might bring unexpected victory to the political party of the Jackass.

6. President Obama would then use the government bureaucracy, regulatory fines, and executive orders to rule without Congress until he leaves office in 2017. The power to regulate, like the power to tax, is the power to destroy.

7. Organized labor will continue to press for raising the minimum wage. The mainstream media will not report that most union contracts guarantee hourly increases for their workers whenever the prevailing or minimum wage goes up.

8. Obamacare could cause up to 93 million Americans to lose their work-related health insurance before the end of 2014, which will devastate the consumer spending on which our economy depends.

9. Israel will strike Iran to prevent it from acquiring nuclear weapons. Israel might use its own atomic arsenal to do this, because President Obama has refused to provide our most sophisticated bunker buster bombs to Israel.

10. A nuclear-armed Iran would consider using terrorists as its delivery system, instead of aircraft or missiles.

11. This threat will prompt Saudi Arabia to build a nuclear arsenal that, if its monarchy is overthrown, could also end up in the hands of Islamist terrorists and be smuggled across America's porous southern border.

12. Nukes in the hands of Islamist terrorists could destroy whole cities, potentially kill millions, and also devastate America's economy.

13. Property values could fall sharply in New York City and Washington, D.C., two prime targets in the bulls-eye of atom-armed terrorists, as people flee for peace of mind and safety to small cities, towns, suburbs and exurbs.

14. The faddish so-called 'cyber currency' bitcoin, driven by speculators to almost the value of an ounce of gold for a few hours in late 2013, will in 2014 collapse to a value of as little as $10. Gold could rise to more than $1,500 an ounce as the dollar and economy decline.

Monday, January 6, 2014

Hollywood Lobbying Goes Global