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71
on: January 10, 2019, 04:22:07 PM
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Started by nChrist - Last post by nChrist
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The Patriot Post - Alexander's Column 1-9-2019
From The Federalist Patriot
Free Email Subscription
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The Patriot Post® · Pelosi's MSM 'Wrap-Up Smear' Collusion Against Trump
By Mark Alexander · Jan. 9, 2019 · https://patriotpost.us/alexander/60446-pelosis-msm-wrap-up-smear-collusion-against-trump
“The known propensity of a democracy is to licentiousness which the ambitious call, and ignorant believe to be liberty.” —Fisher Ames (1788)
Just before the November midterm election, in which the Trump administration’s extraordinary record of achievement1 couldn’t prevail over the Democrats’ “Hate Trump2” campaign, the Democrat Party and its Leftmedia propagandists3 repeatedly denounced Donald Trump4 for suggesting that the most blatantly biased elements of the mainstream media were the “enemy of the people5.”
According to Trump, in his brash rhetorical style: “There is great anger in our country caused in part by inaccurate, and even fraudulent, reporting of the news. The Fake News Media, the true Enemy of the People, must stop the open & obvious hostility & report the news accurately & fairly. That will do much to put out the flame of Anger and Outrage and we will then be able to bring all sides together in Peace and Harmony. Fake News Must End!”
When Trump says “fake news” is the “enemy of the people,” he clearly means the enemy of Liberty6, which has sustained our Republic — and, ironically, freedom of the press — since our nation’s inception.
A case in point would be the Leftmedia’s response to his remarks7 this week regarding the humanitarian and security crisis on our southern border8. Many of the Demo public-relations outlets debated whether they would even broadcast9 Trump’s first Oval Office speech.
Trump first referred to the mainstream media’s insidious and fallacious reporting a week after his inauguration in January of 2017, when he opined, “The FAKE NEWS media (failing @nytimes, @NBCNews, @ABC, @CBS, @CNN) is not my enemy, it is the enemy of the American People!”
But Leftmedia protagonists and their ideological conscripts have no idea what Trump — and grassroots Americans10 living outside the Beltway — mean when they assert that the media’s erroneous and prejudiced news coverage is the enemy of Liberty and, by extension, the enemy of the people.
Regarding Trump’s MSM callout, distinguished journalist Brit Hume observed, “I don’t think the press is the enemy of the people, but I do think the mainstream media have proven themselves to be the enemy of Trump. … There has been more bad and biased reporting such as I have never seen in the 50 years I have been in this business.”
For the record, The Washington Post has never in its history endorsed a Republican for president, and the last time a Republican was endorsed by The New York Times was 1956.
And regarding the Times, according to Jill Abramson (its executive editor from 2011 to 2014), that rag has become “unmistakably anti-Trump.” In her upcoming book, Merchants of Truth: The Business of News and the Fight for Facts, Abramson slams the NYT’s unapologetic leftist bias11. She writes, “Though [Dean] Baquet [her successor and current executive editor] said publicly he didn’t want the Times to be the opposition party, his news pages were unmistakably anti-Trump. Some headlines contained raw opinion, as did some of the stories that were labeled as news analysis.”
Indeed, the Times and The Washington Post have become leftist tabloids, the latter as the ideological megaphone of its billionaire socialist owner, Jeff Bezos12, one of this era’s leading “Archenemies of Liberty13.” But the print media is moderate compared to CNN and the cable collective’s dezinformatsia campaign14 against Trump.
Media bias is nothing new, but in concert with the Democrat Party’s15 most vociferous gang of socialist deniers16 and the ability to reach virtually every American 24/7/365, that bias is a more formidable threat to Liberty than at any time in our history.
Remarkably, the Democrats’ primary tactic for mastering that threat was inadvertently outed by then-Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi a month after Trump took office — but received little attention at the time.
In a March 2017 interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper, Pelosi outlined the “wrap up smear” tactic that has become the Demo’s political black bag go-to strategy to undermine the Trump administration. She did so framing the smear tactic as something Republicans used against Barack Obama17. According to Pelosi: “It’s called a wrap-up smear. You make up something. Then you have the press write about it. And then you say, ‘Everybody is writing about this charge.’ It’s a tool of an [authoritarian regime] to just have you always be talking about what you want them to be talking about.”
The problem with Pelosi’s explanation is that even those with the most rudimentary brainstem activity know that Republicans can’t “have the press write about” whatever they dictate, and then use that as bona fide to make their point. That tactic belongs exclusively to the Democrats, whom the media have long favored.
In June, during a House Minority Leader Weekly Briefing recorded by C-SPAN18, Pelosi went into more detail about the “wrap-up smear” strategy:
“It’s a diversionary tactic. It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy. You demonize, and then you — we call it the wrap-up smear. You want to talk about politics? It’s called the wrap-up smear. You smear somebody with falsehoods and all the rest, and then you merchandise it, and then you write it, and they’ll say, ‘See, it’s reported in the press that this, this, and this,’ so they have that validation that the press reported the smear, and then it’s called a wrap-up smear. ‘Now I’m going to merchandise the press’s report on the smear that we made.’ It’s a tactic.” |
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72
on: January 10, 2019, 08:54:47 AM
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Started by Soldier4Christ - Last post by Soldier4Christ
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The Power of the Comforter
“It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.” (John 16:7)
Declaring the gospel becomes a delightful use of the “power of God” (Romans 1:16), speaking God’s words to a heart that has been prepared by the trifold ministry of the Holy Spirit, who will “reprove [convict] the world” (John 16:8).
Conviction of Sin
“Of sin, because they believe not on me” (John 16:9). All sin has been forgiven (1 John 2:2). The only sin that condemns is unbelief (John 3:19), or conscious rebellion against the Holy Spirt’s conviction of the need for salvation through Christ. Rejecting that is blasphemy and unforgiveable (Matthew 12:31).
Conviction of Righteousness
“Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more” (John 16:10). When the Lord Jesus went up into heaven, there was “none righteous” (Romans 3:10) on Earth. The Holy Spirit must convince people that righteousness exists. Otherwise, they wouldn’t understand why they need to be saved.
Conviction of Judgment
“Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged” (John 16:11). Some suggest the ruler is Satan, but there’s no need to convince us that Lucifer needs to be condemned. But that the sinless Son of God was condemned on calvary for your sin and mine—that needs supernatural convincing!
Our powers of persuasion could never bring about a spiritual conviction of these matters in the heart of an ungodly and sinful person. However, the “One who comes alongside us” could indeed bring about such conviction. Our job is to speak the truth. The Holy Spirit’s job is to be the supernatural Convictor and Persuader of that truth. HMM III
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73
on: January 09, 2019, 10:37:29 AM
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Started by nChrist - Last post by nChrist
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From Grace Gems - Free and Public Domain:
Very Old - But Beautiful and Timeless Treasures.
http://www.gracegems.org/19/literature.htm
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How Prayer Helps us
J.R. Miller
(1840-1912)
Prayer's best help is not in the earthly good things it gets for us from God. These are blessings indeed — but there are better things than these in prayer's storehouses for us. Oft-times there is greater benefit in God's denial — than there would have been in his granting what we sought. We have not begun to learn the meaning or to appreciate the privilege of prayer, if we ask only for things which our body needs, things for the comfort of our physical life — for health, for plenty, for friends, for success.
This is only John Bunyan's story of the man with the muck-rake over again — with weary pain, gathering up the rubbish of the dust, not seeing the crown which hangs above our head. Jesus taught the great lesson in a single sentence when he said, "Seek first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." With undivided heart and singleness of quest, we are to seek the things of God, and then the promise is that he will look after the supplying of our earthly need.
The same lesson is taught in the Lord's Prayer, which, we should remember, Jesus gave the disciples in answer to their request that he would teach them how to pray. Instead of beginning with requests for earthly things, the first three petitions are for the hallowing of God's name, the coming of his kingdom, and the doing of his will. Not until we come to the latter half of this divine model of prayer, are we led to ask for anything for ourselves. Then we have the petitions for daily bread — only enough, however, for the one day; for the forgiveness of sins; and for deliverance in temptation.
When we do come to pray for ourselves, it is not the mere earthly side of our life which should first concern us. The deepest yearning of our heart, should be for spiritual growth, that our life may be conformed to the will of God. This should be our first object indeed in everything we do.
We are not in this world simply to make a living — but to build a life. We are not here primarily to do good farming or carpentering or housekeeping, or to be a good business man or a successful physician, or to do any kind of work well. These things are all right and important in their place, and we are to put our life into our calling whatever it is, and do our very best in it. But our earthly vocation is only the scaffolding — the real life is that which rises within. We are here to grow into Christly manhood.
So in prayer the first thing is not to have our physical needs supplied — a far more important matter is to grow in spiritual life. We go to God to get grace from him, that we may be strong and that our life may be enriched. An old promise says: "Those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength."
"Lord, what a change within us one short hour
Spent in your presence will avail to make,
What heavy burdens from our bosom take,
What parched grounds refresh, as with a shower!
We kneel, and all around us seems to lower;
We rise, and all the distant and the near,
Stands forth in sunny outline, brave and clear;
We kneel how weak — we rise how full of power!"
True prayer promotes holiness of heart and life. When we have looked into God's face, even for a brief season — we cannot be altogether as we were before. We cannot go back into the world — and be again like the world. We cannot return to the follies and sins which we committed yesterday so easily. We have seen God, and this puts a new reverence into our soul, and sets our life apart to a new sacredness. Having looked into the face of Christ there are new visions in our soul. We have caught a glimpse of higher things, and there is instilled in us a new longing to reach them. Thus true prayer ever uplifts the heart and life. We should always be holier, even after a few moments with our Master.
No day is well begun, which is not begun with Christ. When during an engagement Wellington had given one of his officers a perilous duty to perform, the officer held out his hand to his commander, saying, "Let me have the clasp of your all-conquering hand before I go," and then went forth bravely to fulfill his command.
Just so, as we go into any new day, we need the clasp of the Master's hand to inspire and nerve us for the tasks, the duties, the struggles and the dangers of the day. This is one of the ways prayer helps us. The morning devotions, if they are really talks with Jesus — make us braver, stronger and truer, for the whole day. For not only do we thus begin the day with Christ — but we then take Him with us from our closet of prayer, into all the day's paths and experiences. We need never to be a moment away from His side, unless we sinfully leave Him to go forth into some path of wandering of our own choosing.
These are suggestions of the way true prayer helps us. It brings Christ into all our life. It holds us continually under the power of his grace. It inspires us ever to seek better things. It makes us strong for duty and struggle. It sweetens our spirit, it cheers us for the roughest way, it helps us to be victorious over all that would hinder or hurt us. |
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74
on: January 09, 2019, 10:35:55 AM
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Started by nChrist - Last post by nChrist
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Two Minutes With The Bible
From The Berean Bible Society
Free Email Subscription
For Questions Or Comments: berean@execpc.com
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A Guilty Conscience
by Pastor Paul M. Sadler
Four of our grandchildren have a large high-spirited dog named Molly. Molly is like most dogs; she loves to eat and romp with the kids. But she also likes to roam the neighborhood, crashing through the neighbor's flowerbeds and vegetable gardens. Needless to say, a dog her size could do a lot of damage in short order. To correct the problem, Kevin and Jessica purchased an electronic collar. They merely set the transmitter in the house to all the boundaries of the yard. When Molly approaches one of the borders, her collar begins to beep, and then the unit gives her a mild shock when she gets too close to the perimeter. It didn’t take Molly long to realize that, when she hears a beeping sound, she knows to stop before she gets zapped.
Along these same lines, God has put an invisible beeper, a conscience, inside every human being, which warns us when we're about to do something wrong. At his second appearance before the Diet of Worms, Martin Luther stated about his stand, "To go against conscience is neither right nor safe."
"For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses" (Rom. 5:13,14).
The term impute in this passage is an accounting term; it simply means "to put to one's account." While men sinned during the period between Adam and Moses, they were not held accountable for those sins because God had not yet given the commandments that prohibited them. This does not mean that they were any less guilty of sin or any less deserving of eternal judgment. It is important to remember that, during this period, men were living under the dispensation of conscience; therefore, they were without excuse. This is what Paul means in Romans 2:
"For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: Which show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another" (Rom. 2:14,15).
Conscience means "to know" or "with knowledge." Under that dispensation, conscience was to govern mankind. It required men to do all known good, and abstain from all known evil.
After Adam and Eve had sinned, "they knew that they were naked" and consequently, they sewed figs leaves together to cover themselves (Gen. 3:7). In other words, their consciences were activated to know the difference between good and evil, and right and wrong. They knew they had sinned against God and felt guilty as a result of it.
Cain knew that God required a blood sacrifice, but he did evil in the sight of the Lord and brought an offering from the fruit of the ground. He sinned and had to deal with the guilt of his decision (Gen. 4:5). God would not receive Cain's offering because it came from the earth, which had been cursed. Abel, on the other hand, responded to God in faith and brought what God required of him.
God is teaching us that, even though there was no Law between Adam and Moses, we are to understand that conscience was their guide, for they were "a law unto themselves." As a result, they were without excuse. You see, God is demonstrating that, no matter what dispensation He has placed man under--Conscience, Law, Grace--all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.
With this in mind, Paul adds, "Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses." Even though the Law of Moses hadn't been implemented at that time, death still reigned supreme in that, eventually the people died. But that raises this question: if the sins of men were not charged to their account, why did death still have mastery over them? Simple: they had sinned in Adam, which is true of the entire human race. Since we are Adam's posterity, we are all born in him. He is our federal head. What was true of him is true of us as well.
God, in His infinite knowledge, sees what we are unable to see. When Adam reached for that forbidden fruit, we were in him; consequently, we are identified with his sin. Another example of this principle is found in Hebrews 7:9,10. So then, the trio of death-- physical, spiritual and the possibility of eternal death--reigned because we have all sinned in Adam. This also explains how a newborn, who has never committed one sinful act, sometimes dies due to complications. They sinned in Adam! Personally, I believe God has made a very special provision for these little ones (II Sam. 12:22,23).
"Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound" (Rom. 5:20). The Law magnified sin! It shined a spotlight on it to show man how exceedingly sinful he really is. When the Law says, "Thou shalt not steal," man's natural response is to question the law rebelliously and disobey it. When you tell a toddler that he is not allowed to open the basement door and then move out of their range of sight, he will put his hand on the door knob and look to see if you're watching. You see, it shows us that there is a natural tendency to do wrong. God magnified that a hundredfold when He gave the Law. Once again, it was to demonstrate that all are sinners in word, thought, and deed.
From the beginning, conscience has been woven through all the ages and dispensations. It is what's known as a trans-dispensational truth. But we find it interesting that there is very little emphasis placed on conscience under the Mosaic system, which shouldn't surprise us (Heb. 9:9). The commandments served as the conscience of the people of God in time past: "Thou shalt not…," "This do and thou shalt live…," "If you hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep His commandments and His statutes…." There was a law or statute to govern every step of their lives.
When we turn to the Gentile epistles, Paul makes frequent references to the conscience under grace. Today we have liberty in Christ, but we are never to use that liberty for an occasion to the flesh, whether it's to entertain impure thoughts or commit an immoral act. Grace teaches us to deny ungodliness and worldly lust. The Law demands; grace beseeches! As God implores us to walk worthy of our calling, He uses His Word, the Spirit, and our consciences as an early warning system, to assist us in living a life that is well pleasing to Him. Remember and remember well: it's a dangerous thing to disobey your conscience. |
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75
on: January 09, 2019, 10:34:34 AM
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Started by nChrist - Last post by nChrist
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_______________________________________________
Two Minutes With The Bible
From The Berean Bible Society
Free Email Subscription
For Questions Or Comments: berean@execpc.com
_______________________________________________
The Fruit Of Grace
by Pastor Cornelius R. Stam
When John the Baptist and the Lord Jesus Christ appeared on earth, God’s people had been under the law of Moses for fifteen hundred years. Little wonder John and his Master looked for fruit among them.
When the hypocritical religious leaders came to join John’s growing audience and asked to be baptized, John called them a “generation of vipers” and bade them “bring forth… fruits meet for repentance” (Matt. 3:7,8). True repentance, with fruit to prove it, was the basic requirement of the kingdom John proclaimed. This is evident from his declaration:
“And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire” (Matt. 3:10).
Our Lord appeared, proclaiming the same message as John, and also sought for fruit among His people (Matt. 7: 16-20; 21:33-43). We know, however, that John the Baptist was beheaded and Christ crucified. The fruit produced under the Law was meager indeed. Even after the resurrection of Christ the majority of His people refused to repent and failed to bring forth the required fruit.
But what the Law requires grace provides. It was at this time that God raised up the Apostle Paul, whose “preaching of the cross” showed that Christ had not died an untimely death, but in infinite love had come into the world to die for sinners so that they might be saved by grace, through faith (Eph. 2:8,9). Paul’s message was called “the gospel [good news] of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24), and where the Law had failed to bring forth fruit, grace brought it forth abundantly.
God’s grace in Christ, when accepted in true faith, always brings forth good fruit. Thus Paul wrote to the Colossians that his good news was going forth into all the world, adding: “and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you since… ye knew the grace of God in truth” (Col. 1:5,6 cf. Rom. 6: 21,22).
Accept God’s message of grace, trust in Christ as your Savior and He will help you to produce the fruit. |
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76
on: January 09, 2019, 10:31:32 AM
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Started by nChrist - Last post by nChrist
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Prepare to meet the monster!
(David Harsha)
This young lady had been confined to a bed of severe suffering for one year. At last her soul was ripened for glory. The time came that she must die, and her death-bed was a scene of triumph. Christ was very precious to her, and His love was wonderfully manifested to her soul. She often exclaimed, "My Beloved is mine, and I am His."
The following are among her last words:
To her distant brother she thus dictated a letter: "Dear brother, I know not whether I shall meet you again on earth; but I hope to meet you in Heaven, where we shall be forever singing the praises of God; where the Lamb, who is in the midst of the throne, shall feed us, and lead us unto living fountains of waters, and where God shall wipe away all tears from our eyes."
To her father, who said to her, "I fear I must lose you." She replied, "Your loss will be my gain! I have a building from God, a house, not made with hands, eternal in the heavens." And again when he said, "I think you will fall asleep in Jesus;" she responded, "It will be a happy change!"
She exclaimed in a transport of joy, "Oh! I would not give up Christ for all the world!"
Her earthly course being nearly finished, she opened her eyes, which were soon to be closed in death, and in the language of strong, unshaken faith, exclaimed with Job, "But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and that he will stand upon the earth at last. And after my body has decayed, yet in my body I will see God! I will see him for myself. Yes, I will see him with my own eyes. I am overwhelmed at the thought!"
Her faith remained firm unto the end, and her hope and confidence unshaken to the last. Her sky was clear and serene, her mind calm and composed--and thus she fell asleep in Jesus and entered into the joy of her Lord.
A few days before this young lady died, she requested the following lines to be read at her funeral.
To my young companions:
"My youthful mates, both small and great,
Stand here, and you shall see,
An awful sight, which is a type
Of what you soon will be!
"I used to appear once fresh and fair
Among the youthful crowd;
But now behold me dead and cold,
Wrapped in a sable shroud!
"My cheeks once red, like roses spread,
My sparkling eyes so gay;
But now you see how 'tis with me,
A lifeless lump of clay!
"When you are dressed in all your best,
In 'fashion' so complete,
You soon must be, as you see me,
Wrapped in a shrouding sheet!
"Ah, youth beware, and do prepare
To meet the monster, death!
For he may come when you are young,
And steal away your breath!
"When you unto your frolics go,
Remember what I say;
In short time, though in your prime,
You may be called away!
"Now I am gone, I can't return;
No more of me you'll see;
But it is true that all of you,
Must shortly follow me!
"When you unto my grave do go,
That gloomy place to see,
I say to you who stand and view,
Prepare to follow me!"
What an awful thing it is to die without salvation by Christ, without a saving interest in him; and yet millions live without God, and without hope in the world. And millions more die in the same awful condition, and plunge into a dark and miserable eternity!
"Let me die like the righteous--let my life end like theirs!" Numbers 23:10 |
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77
on: January 09, 2019, 10:30:11 AM
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Started by nChrist - Last post by nChrist
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Better to rot in prison!
(J.R. Miller, "Practical Lessons from the Story of Joseph")
"How can I do this great wickedness--and sin against God!" Genesis 39:9
"After hearing his wife's story, Potiphar was furious! He took Joseph and threw him into the prison!" Genesis 39:19-20
Sometimes it costs very dearly to be true to God. Joseph lay now in a dungeon. But his loss through doing right, was nothing in comparison with what he would have lost--had he done the wickedness to which he was tempted. His prison gloom, deep as it was--was as noonday, compared with what would have been the darkness of his soul under the blight of evil, and the bitterness of remorse. The chains that hung upon him in his dungeon, were but like feathers--in comparison with the heavy chains which would have bound his soul, had he yielded to the temptation. Though in a prison, his feet hurt by the fetters--he was a free man because his conscience was free and his heart was pure!
No fear of consequences should ever drive us to do a wrong thing.
It is better to suffer any loss, any cost, any sacrifice--than be eaten up by remorse!
Better be hurled down from a high place for doing right--than win worldly honor by doing wrong.
Better lose our right hand--than lose our purity of soul.
Better to rot in prison--than to sin against God!
It was the prayer of a young queen, which she wrote with a diamond point on her castle window, "Keep me pure--make others great." That is the lesson of Joseph's victory over temptation: dishonor, loss, dungeon, death--anything before sin! |
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78
on: January 09, 2019, 10:28:06 AM
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Started by nChrist - Last post by nChrist
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________________________________
The Patriot Post Digest 1-8-2019
From The Federalist Patriot
Free Email Subscription
_______________________________
FEATURED ANALYSIS
The Economy’s Roaring, Stupid43
Lewis Morris
Leftists will tell you that 2018 was the worst year ever if for no other reason than Donald Trump is still president. They will also tell you that the economy is tanking because of a bad December in the stock market. Some media voices reported, with a bit of schadenfreude no doubt, that it was the worst year for stocks in a decade, and the worst December for the market since the Great Depression.
If that sounds dramatic and a bit of a stretch, it’s supposed to. To Democrats, any sign of a troubled economy is one more negative thing that can be pinned to Trump. So, when the markets hiccuped last month, we were treated to a deluge of doom and gloom.
There were some notable points missing in all this reporting and the endless speculation in which TV economists and pundits love to engage.
One reason the markets may have dropped is investor fear of Democrats taking over Congress. Democrats in power means reckless spending (though, unfortunately, Republicans weren’t enough different in that regard), burdensome regulations, and policies that stifle innovation and crush small-business investment and growth. Investors know this to be the case, and not because they are Republicans. When it comes to money, a good investor is dispassionate about politics. He calls it as he sees it, and many seasoned investors see a shaky economy when Democrats are in charge.
Thankfully, Dems only took control of the House, but they can still do plenty of damage. That is one reason why we witnessed a stock market course correction in December, some sell-offs and repositioning to prepare for what lies ahead.
Has the market hit bottom yet? It depends on who you listen to. Democrats certainly hope not44. They’ll have a much stronger case against Trump in 2020 if the economy tanks. But there is more to the economy than just the stock market. After all, Barack Obama loved to tout the roaring markets during his second term, but working people everywhere knew that those gains weren’t making one wit of difference in their wallets and weren’t creating jobs.
A big indicator of a healthy economy is jobs and wages. The country added 312,000 jobs in December45, far more than expected. November and October’s jobs numbers were amended to show greater gains as well. And 2018 as a whole turned out to be strong year with 2.6 million jobs added.
There is more good news to be found by diving deeper into the jobs data. The labor participation rate was at 63.1% for December. This means that people who had left the job market during the Great Recession and the Obama “recovery” are getting back in the game. So, remember, if unemployment rises in the near term, it’s most likely because of the greater number of workers in the market for a job, not because companies are laying off workers.
Job gains46 were particularly strong last year among small businesses, according to a recent survey by the National Federation of Independent Business. And virtually every sector of the economy gained jobs, including health care, construction, manufacturing, retail, and professional services.
Wages were also strong in 2018. Average hourly earnings grew by 3.2%, the fastest growth since 2008. This is a trend that may continue for the time being since there are still more jobs than workers, which gives workers leverage in negotiating salaries.
We should hold the applause, though, and temper expectations. Reduced taxes and deregulation under Trump have given this country the robust economic rebound we’ve needed for years. Fortunately, Republicans still hold the Senate, but the incoming Democrat House majority will be pushing an agenda that could send the economy into a tailspin. Get ready for “Medicare for All20,” the “Green New Deal17,” “free” college, “living” wages, and all sorts of snake oil that leftists try to sell.
Minimum-wage hikes are also a favorite for leftists on the state and municipal level, with scores of states and cities raising — in some cases doubling — their minimum wage. This will not put more money in workers’ pockets, but it will put more low-income people out of work as businesses can’t afford to hire as many people or even shutter entirely47.
The full impact of the trade war with China has also yet to reach its conclusion. While it seems that Trump currently has the edge in this fight, the cost to American business is real. No one ever really wins a trade war; they just lose less than their opponent.
The economy is subject to a variety of factors, some of which are beyond our control or ability to predict. Right now, the generally pro-business, pro-worker policies of the Trump administration are paying off. It will be important to make sure we stay the course. There are those who would like to see America fail, and unfortunately, many of them are inside our own country. Let’s disappoint them in 2019.
https://patriotpost.us/articles/60397-the-economys-roaring-stupid
OPINION IN BRIEF
Stephen Moore: “If it ever came to this, I suspect that conservatives would not have a big problem with blue states legally separating from red states. Liberals would greatly resist red states from separating from blue states. That is true because a) liberals believe in big centralized government having authority over the citizenry (they are more elitist and authoritarian), and b) they know that the low-tax, less-regulation, right-to-work, economic-freedom model of the red states would economically crush a nation with socialist impulses ruled by Bernie Sanders or another Barack Obama.”
SHORT CUTS
Facts are stubborn things: “I think that there’s a lot of people more concerned about being precisely, factually, and semantically correct than about being morally right.” —Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (Or, as The Babylon Bee put it48, “‘It Is More Important To Be Morally Right Than Factually Correct,’ Says Woman Who Is Neither.”)
Good advice: “Sit still for a minute and learn the job … before you start pooping on people.” —Whoopi Goldberg to fellow socialist Ocasio-Cortez
Non Compos Mentis: “Now that we’re all on the same page that capitalism is designed to emotionally destroy us with burnout — let’s all take heart that capitalism is also incompatible with a living planet. The problem has been capitalism all along. A better world is possible. We need a Green New Deal.” —Eric Holthaus
The BIG Lie: “I think people now are looking to blame somebody because of the terrible things that happened, but [the killing of Cpl. Ronil Singh49] had nothing to do with the law of California.” —former California Gov. Jerry Brown
Braying Jenny: “The impression you get from the president is that he would like to … abolish Congress, so the only voice that mattered was his own.” —Nancy Pelosi, who never seemed to mind when the president was Barack Obama
Belly laugh of the year: “Democrats will restore budget rules to ensure that Congress returns to fiscal sanity.” —Pelosi and Jim McGovern in a joint op-ed
Non sequitur: “We want the symbol of America to stay as the Statue of Liberty, not a big concrete wall.” —Chuck Schumer (Last we checked, the Statue of Liberty was a symbol for legal immigration.)
Delusions of grandeur: “A wall is a colossal waste of money for a crisis that doesn’t exist.” —Rep. Adam Smith
And last… “The debate over the ‘wall’ shows how the immigration debate has moved to the left, not the right. More physical structure at the border used to be what both parties agreed on while pushing ‘comprehensive immigration reform’ bills.” —Rich Lowry
https://patriotpost.us/articles/60396-tuesday-short-cuts
Join our editors and staff in daily prayer for our Patriots in uniform — Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen — standing in harm’s way in defense of Liberty, and for their families. We also humbly ask prayer for your Patriot team, that our mission would seed and encourage the spirit of Liberty in the hearts and minds of our countrymen.
Semper Vigilans Fortis Paratus et Fidelis
Nate Jackson, Managing Editor
Mark Alexander, Publisher |
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79
on: January 09, 2019, 10:27:04 AM
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Started by nChrist - Last post by nChrist
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The Patriot Post Digest 1-8-2019
From The Federalist Patriot
Free Email Subscription
_______________________________
The Patriot Post® · Mid-Day Digest
Jan. 8, 2019 · https://patriotpost.us/digests/60402-mid-day-digest
THE FOUNDATION
“Newspapers … serve as chimnies to carry off noxious vapors and smoke.” —Thomas Jefferson (1802)
https://patriotpost.us/fqd/60401-founders-quote-daily
IN TODAY’S EDITION
Folks who spend 24/7 in outraged rebuttal aren’t sure they want to give Trump airtime.1
Why is Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez getting so much attention? Millennial voters.2
Daily Features: On the Web3, Columnists4, Headlines5, Memes6, Cartoons7, Opinion in Brief8, and Short Cuts9.
Featured Analysis: Many signs still point to a healthy economy in 2019.10
IN BRIEF
Leftmedia Disingenuously Debates Airing Trump Address11
Nate Jackson
With the partial government shutdown12 now 18 days old, President Donald Trump will give his first prime-time Oval Office address at 9:00 p.m. EST tonight on what he calls “the Humanitarian and National Security crisis on our Southern Border.” Indeed, given that he has floated declaring a national emergency so as to facilitate construction of a border barrier without further congressional approval, his brief address could yield big news. Trump will also travel to the border on Thursday to meet with men and women on the front lines of securing that border.
Amidst the debate, remember a key fact: Democrats once supported securing our southern border with a wall but have totally reversed course. For the entirely cynical political calculus of reaping votes from certain constituents, they now vehemently oppose authorizing a dime for its construction.
In another cynical calculation, mainstream media broadcast networks reportedly hotly debated whether to air Trump’s address before eventually granting the White House request for eight minutes of airtime.
CNN’s Brian Stelter relayed a text he says he received from a TV executive: “[Trump] calls us fake news all the time, but needs access to airwaves… If we give him the time, he’ll deliver a fact-free screed without rebuttal. And if we don’t give him the time, he’ll call every network partisan. So we are damned if we do and damned if we don’t.”
Such handwringing is amusingly phony. News networks fill up airtime 24/7 with Democrats, lobbyists, and partisan pundits venting outrage at the president for every policy or social-media post. They’re earning big bucks on one-sided bashing of Trump’s celebrity, yet they balk at giving him eight minutes of airtime to make his case for a significant national policy during a government shutdown triggered by a fight over that policy.
As we argued in 201613, the media was rooting for Trump to win the GOP nomination, giving him (and even his empty podium14) what ended up being $5 billion in free (and vastly disproportionate) coverage because they thought him most likely to lose to Hillary Clinton. “It may not be good for America, but it’s damn good for CBS,” said then-CBS Chairman Les Moonves.
The plan backfired, but media moguls are still heavily invested in their own love-hate relationship with Trump; they hate him even though he’s great for ratings. Ultimately, the almighty dollar led them to open the airwaves tonight. Just expect it to be followed by countless hours of rebuttals — and that doesn’t even include Democrats’ hilarious demand15 for “equal airtime” to combat his “malice and misinformation.” After all, if anyone knows malice and misinformation, it’s Democrats.
https://patriotpost.us/articles/60399-leftmedia-disingenuously-debates-airing-trump-address
Why the Ocasio-Cortez Media Overload?16
Thomas Gallatin
Freshmen Democrat Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY) appeared on CBS’s “60 Minutes” Sunday, where the rising Millennial political star sought to promote her “Green New Deal17” and other pie-in-the-sky socialist programs such as health care for all, “free” college, and universal income. These extreme socialist programs have an astronomically high cost, and Ocasio-Cortez’s assertions are so grossly inaccurate that even The Washington Post recently called her out with Four Pinocchios18 and then chastised her for “very bad defense of her falsehoods19” in Sunday’s interview.
Anderson Cooper asked Ocasio-Cortez about being called out for presenting false “facts,” to which she offered this little gem: “If people really want to blow up one figure here or one word there, I would argue they’re missing the forest for the trees. I think there’s a lot of people more concerned about being precisely, factually, and semantically correct than about being morally right.” So proposing legislation that would fundamentally and radically change the U.S. both economically and socially and then promoting it as a good idea by using grossly inaccurate claims is okay because you believe that your cause is moral?
The truth is that being concerned about morality includes being factually correct. Peddling misinformation in the name of morality is in fact immoral.
But the bigger question here is why the Leftmedia and Democrats are so eager and willing to give Ocasio-Cortez this much publicity and airtime when she is so obviously and repeatedly inaccurate and flat-out wrong about the facts. The key here for Democrat leadership is less Ocasio-Cortez’s messaging than what she brings to the table: Millennial voters.
Dems are willing to put up with her outlandish, naive, and extremist anti-capitalist political ideals so long as they can use her as a political mascot for “woke” Millennials. In other words, she’s good for attracting the votes of those who “think” with their feelings and equate feelings with morality.
Ocasio-Cortez claims socialism is moral when in reality it is a system predicated upon the false assumption that any inequity is fundamentally immoral and therefore justifies forced wealth redistribution, irrespective of how legitimately an individual may have acquired wealth. Socialism promotes a lie.
https://patriotpost.us/articles/60400-why-the-ocasio-cortez-media-overload
ON OUR WEBSITE TODAY
‘Medicare for All’ Would Exacerbate a Leading Cause of Death20 — “People assume universal health insurance would equal better health outcomes. This isn’t true.”
Did Bolton Really Contradict Trump About Syria?21 — It does seems so, but both men conditioned withdrawal on results, not a timeline.
Video: What Does Diversity Have to Do With Science?22 — Heather Mac Donald explains where these destructive ideas are coming from.
BEST OF RIGHT OPINION
60384 60385 60382 60380 60381
For more of today’s columns, visit Right Opinion23.
TOP HEADLINES
White House orders IRS to pay income tax refunds despite government shutdown (ABC News24)
Trump aides lay foundation for emergency order to build wall, saying border is in “crisis” (The Washington Post25)
Despite media claims, immigration remains among top concerns for voters (Hot Air26)
Democrats prep gun-control vote in the House (Washington Examiner27)
Military approves “conditions-based” Syria withdrawal plan (The Hill28)
U.S. carbon emissions see largest yearly gain in eight years, data show (CNBC29)
Los Angeles County agrees to purge voter rolls in Judicial Watch settlement (The Washington Times30)
Study: Men face more discrimination than women (The Daily Wire31)
American Psychological Association labels “traditional masculinity” as “harmful” (Townhall32)
Humor: Scandal after high school video of Mike Pence dancing surfaces (The Babylon Bee33)
Policy: Trump’s calculated “emergency” plan to build a wall (Washington Examiner34)
Policy: Why 70% tax rates cannot finance socialism (National Review35)
For more of today’s news, visit Patriot Headline Report36.
https://patriotpost.us/articles/60398-tuesday-top-headlines
GOOD NEWS
Mugger vs. World-Champion Kickboxer37
“It was just another Thursday afternoon when Steve Shepherd went to grab some tacos at Anita’s Mexican Grill in suburban West Palm Beach. Shepherd, 68, had recently pulled a muscle in his leg and was walking with a limp to his car. … He seemed like the perfect target for the man who was seen by surveillance cameras pacing back and forth in a nearby alleyway for a few hours, apparently waiting to mug someone.
"Little did the assailant know that Shepherd is a five-time, world-champion kickboxer. ‘He picked the wrong guy,’ Shepherd said.”
For more, visit The Palm Beach Post38.
https://patriotpost.us/articles/60379-mugger-vs-world-champion-kickboxer |
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80
on: January 09, 2019, 09:33:16 AM
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Started by Soldier4Christ - Last post by Soldier4Christ
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The Power of Faith
“Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power.” (2 Thessalonians 1:11)
When God grants the gift of faith to enable us at the point of salvation (Ephesians 2:8), it isn’t a static power that merely resides in our minds but is rather an empowerment that is expected to grow into a dynamic and demonstrable “divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4).
Faith preserves and protects us.
Jesus insists, “He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life” (John 5:24). These words are precise. Once faith is exercised, an eternal transaction takes place wherein a person is passed from spiritual death to eternal life. This is an absolute change and eliminates the possibility of hell (John 10:28-29).
Faith is power for effective prayer.
The “mustard seed” promise in Matthew 17:20 does not refer to size or amount but to quality. The Greek comparative hoce translated “as” in that passage refers to the same kind of faith as the mustard seed. Just so, the promise of Matthew 7:7 (if you ask and seek, you will find) depends on our confidence (faith) in the heavenly Father.
Faith is the shield against the Enemy.
God’s armor in Ephesians 6:10-18 lists “the shield of faith” that provides an ability “to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.” That shield is defensive in the sense that it only provides protection when we use it to block the darts. The active use comes when we “resist the devil” (James 4:7) as we remain “stedfast in the faith” (1 Peter 5:9). HMM III
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