The Patriot Post Digest 6-12-2015

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The Patriot Post Digest 6-12-2015
From The Federalist Patriot
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Daily Digest

Jun. 12, 2015

THE FOUNDATION

“If individuals be not influenced by moral principles; it is in vain to look for public virtue; it is, therefore, the duty of legislators to enforce, both by precept and example, the utility, as well as the necessity of a strict adherence to the rules of distributive justice.” —James Madison, in response to Washington’s first Inaugural address, 1789

TOP RIGHT HOOKS

The Effect of China’s Hack Could Be Staggering1

When the Office of Personnel Management announced that the data of four million past and present federal employees were taken by China, it could have been running damage control. The American Federation of Government Employees2, the largest union for federal employees, accused OPM of being not forthright about the hack. The union believes China targeted the Central Personnel File and is now in possession of the information of every federal employee, including those who retired and left the government’s employ. But it could be much, much worse. An unnamed government official told ABC News3 China could have targeted the database that stored government employees' SF-86 forms — the 127-page form public workers fill out when they apply for a security clearance. For a malicious government seeking to recruit spies, it’s the Holy Grail, as the form asks the applicant to list the applicant’s network — the people slept with, the foreign nationals in contact with, family members. We don’t yet know what information is in China’s hands. But one thing is clear: Big government stands directly opposed to privacy, and by extension, Liberty. This is why the big data that comes with ObamaCare is so insidious. When it comes to cybersecurity, Liberty is America’s greatest strength.

It’s Up to Congress to Keep the Internet Tax Free4

The Internet Tax Freedom Act passed the House by voice vote this week, and now heads to the Senate. The best news is that it’s a permanent extension. In place since 1998, Harry Reid’s Senate only permitted a one-year extension last year because he wanted a hostage for other negotiations. But the law becomes increasingly important in the age of so-called net neutrality (which takes effect today5), because it prevents taxation on Internet and email services in America’s 9,600 tax jurisdictions. House Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlatte warned that the FCC’s decision to regulate the Internet like telecommunications “emboldens states to apply these telecom taxes to Internet access immediately, should ITFA lapse.” Goodlatte also laid bare the problem with Internet taxes, saying that granting states such powers would allow “lawmakers to dodge accountability for the burdens associated with their policy choices by shifting them onto non-residents who cannot hold them accountable at the ballot box.” Furthermore, he said, “If Congress lets ‘economic presence’ rather than ‘physical presence’ become the standard, states will mostly exempt resident companies from tax obligations while imposing them on out-of-state companies.” In other words, taxation without representation. For those with any sense of American history, that phrase should ring loud and clear.

Lessons on Picking Your Identity6

The City of Spokane is investigating a critical matter, and the outcome should be black and white. The president of the city’s NAACP chapter likely violated the city’s code of ethics because she’s actually white. Rachel Dolezal identifies as African-American and has even modified her appearance accordingly. She’s also claimed to be the victim of several “hate” crimes. But public records indicate she and both of her parents are white. The obvious comparison is Bruce Jenner7, the former male Olympic decathlon champion who now says he’s a woman. Many leftists gladly accepted him as a her, even giving him awards for “courage.” But while Jenner is affirmed, Dolezal has committed an unforgivable sin by doing pretty much the same thing. Perhaps a less obvious comparison is the example of a prominent man who has a white mother and black father (who abandoned him early on), and yet who identifies solely by the race of his father — well, unless his Irish ancestry happens to be politically beneficial. Any guesses who that might be? Identity sure is an interesting thing with liberal social mores.

FEATURED RIGHT ANALYSIS
What Exactly Are We Trading in the TPA/TPP?8

By Michael Swartz

It’s a deal that’s been in the works since before Barack Obama took office, but as the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a free trade pact, is being hammered into shape, some members of Congress — especially Democrats — are reluctant to give Obama the same “fast-track” authority other presidents have had over the last few decades. Specifically, that would happen through the Trade Promotion Authority (TPA), the full text of which is here9. Some conservatives also have a problem with awarding any authority to this particular chief executive, given his track record of abusing his power on immigration and regulation.

There’s an argument to be had, however, from conservatives who remind us that free trade is the bailiwick of the Republican Party. George Will leads the charge10:

“It is … unnecessary to defeat fast-track authority (thereby defeating freer trade) in order to restrain this rogue president. The 22nd Amendment guarantees his departure in 19 months. His lawlessness has prompted congressional resistance on multiplying fronts. The judiciary, too, has repeatedly rebuked him for illegal executive overreaches. So, it is neither necessary nor statesmanlike to injure the nation’s future in order to protest Obama’s past.”

There’s also the libertarian free-trade perspective11 of the Cato Institute:

“Historically, trade agreements have expanded Americans' economic liberties, even though that outcome has never been the principal objective. It happens residually. Trade negotiators prioritize the export-oriented goals of their business interests and, in the process of reaching those objectives, make Americans more economically free.”

In both instances, we’re reminded that the process doesn’t end with congressional passage of the TPA, which, in short, grants Obama negotiating power and provides for Congress to then hold an up-or-down vote on whatever agreement Obama makes — without being able to amend it. While nothing is certain in Congress, the House is slated to vote12 on the TPA legislation today, following the Senate’s passage of the measure last month.

However, the “sausage-making,” as White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest termed it, has a number of other fillers that could be added to the mix. A previous version of the legislation cuts Medicare to pay for the Trade Adjustment Assistance that Democrats wanted in the bill. However, that particular cut was deleted in favor of measures intended to increase revenue through stricter enforcement of fraudulent claims and enhanced penalties against businesses failing to submit correct 1099 data. It’s also been speculated that the reauthorization of the Export-Import Bank13 — a favorite target of conservatives — may be included with TPA legislation to draw a few additional Democrat votes.

Opponents also have some tricks up their sleeves. While the usual protectionist suspects14 of Big Labor (and some of the 2016 Democrat presidential hopefuls) continually grouse about being “isolated,” “marginalized,”15 and otherwise abandoned16 by their administration allies, immigration hawks are also crying foul about “secret immigration powers”17 they claim are in the TPP, based on leaked information from Wikileaks. This goes back to the lack of trust many have with this president, length of time left in office notwithstanding.