Associated Press: President Obama: 'GOP 'Not Serious About Deficit Reduction'

Source:Associated Press- President Barack H. Obama (Democrat, Illinois) campaigning for reelection somewhere in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

"President Obama called on Republicans to extend tax cuts for all Americans earning up to $250,000 a year. The President was campaigning in Virginia, a key swing state." 

From the Associated Press

Don't get me wrong, because I don't think Barack Obama has the best credibility and record when it comes to deficit reduction and fiscal policy. But he doesn't talk like a fiscal Conservative and then governs like a borrow and spender. He's a true Center-Left Progressive that believes that government can play a big role in helping people move forward with their own lives. 

President Obama is very different from today's Republican Party that talks like Barry Goldwater Conservatives, but then governs Jack Kemp supply-siders, who when they're actually being honest or are in private will tell you that deficits and debt doesn't matter. They only act like it matters when there's a Democratic President, especially a Progressive Democratic President. 

President Obama's basic point here is correct. If you think the deficit and debt is actually a big deal and real threat to the economy, but aren't willing to do anything about the trillions in tax cuts that only benefited the wealthy the last ten years, that were never paid for and I would add you think the military budget should be off table when it comes to deficit reduction, and no plan to reform entitlements to make them financially affordable for generations to come, then you are not serious about deficit reduction. 

Nancy Pelosi: 'Leader Pelosi on GOP Repeal of Patient Protections'

Source:House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi- (Democrat, California) speaking on the U.S. House floor about House Republicans plan to repeal the Affordable Care Act.

"Leader Pelosi speaks on the House floor against the GOP repeal of patient protections." 

From Nancy Pelosi

The U.S. Supreme Court (thanks to Chief Justice John Roberts) just saved the Affordable Care Act, which gives President Barack Obama, as well as House Democrats (led by Nancy Pelosi) and Senate Democrats (led by Harry Reid) and every House and Senate Democratic candidate whose running for Congress this year, who needs Democratic votes to get elected to Congress this year, a huge political victory. 

The Supreme Court ruling in favor of the constitutionality of the ACA is a huge victory for national Democrats, not just because of the benefits that comes from the ACA (also known as ObamaCare) which are actually popular, but now this bill is officially constitutional. (According to the U.S. Supreme Court) 

House Republicans, especially the House Republican Leadership knows this and now knows that the ACA will be with us until Congress (House and Senate) and the President (Democratic or Republican) repeals the law. And now they're going to have to deal with questions on the campaign trail, as well as their Republican presidential nominee, who passes almost the exact same law in Massachusetts, when he was governor of that state, they're going to have to deal with questions like: "We know you are against the ACA, but what would you do instead?" knowing that they don't have an answer for that question.

The House Republican Leadership knows that their ObamaCare repeal with no replacement will pass in the House, with just Republican votes and that they may even lose some Republican votes and it will die in the Senate and perhaps not even come up for a vote, unless Senate Democrats led by Majority Leader Reid wants to use that vote against vulnerable Senate Republicans who are up for reelection this year. 

But House Republicans want to give their right-wing, Republican base something that says that they're trying to repeal ObamaCare, but simply don't have the power in Washington to do that right now. Their ObamaCare repeal attempt, is nothing but partisan, Washington politics.

Associated Press: Terry Caffey- 'New Show Recounts Crimes From Victim's View'

Source:The Associated Press- Terry Caffey, talking about his experiences as a crime victim.

Source:The Daily Press

"Terry Caffey of Texas shares the horrific story of his family's murder and how he came to forgive his daughter who helped plot the attack in the new ABC crime show 'Final Witness.' It tells true crime stories from the victim's perspective."

From The Associated Press

Discovery ID which is definitely one of my favorite cable networks, especially as a true crime junky. And for anyone who’s really into reality TV instead of celebrity TV, is a channel that anyone of this genre should checkout. Because they mostly cover stories that happened in real-life. Crimes that made the headlines, but also interesting stories that were either underplayed by the media, or have been forgotten, but are still very important. And they cover the people who made these stories either happen, like the criminals and victims and their friends and families.

But also the people who deal with the aftermath of these stories. Law enforcement, lawyers, the media and others, people who covered these stories. They cover murderers, especially serial murderers, rapists, gangsters and others and many times they even cover these stories from the vantage point of the offenders. Not to take their side, but just to hear what their side is, as well as cover the people who brought them justice. And many times what you hear from these offenders is a lot of truth. They admit to what they had done and layout, without getting themselves into further trouble with what they had done.

Discovery ID broadcasts a lot of programming from other media organizations. Like CBS News which has a lot of programming on DID, like 48 Hours. But also ABC News shows 20/20 on DID and NBC News shows Dateline on DID as well. But DID also produces a lot of their own programming. Like I Almost Got Away With It, one of my favorite shows on anywhere right now, that’s about criminals on the run, life on the run and cover criminals who’ve actually escaped from both prison and jail. And in sometimes from both.

DID has a show that covers mob wives, undercover cops, as well as people who have been stalked and many others. And now they are about to release a show that covers what life is like for people who are victims of crimes, how they have dealt with it, what it was like to go through the crimes that were committed against them. And how they are dealing with the aftermath of those crimes. So if you are actually interested in what happens in real-life, Discovery ID is a good channel for you. Especially if you’re also interested in true crime.

So if you are interested in shows like this and are convinced that there is nothing to watch anymore, or perhaps want a break from prime time talking heads, or celebrity TV, or whatever you might be looking for a break from, I suggest you checkout Discovery ID. You’ll find it interesting, you’ll learn about true stories you’ve never heard of, as well as learn new info about true stories, you might think you know everything about.

Associated Press: Sandy Kozel: 'Supreme Court Upholds Health Care Law'

Source:Associated Press- a pro-ObamaCare rally at the U.S. Supreme Court.

"The Supreme Court has upheld the individual insurance requirement at the heart of President Barack Obama's health care overhaul." 

From the Associated Press

Associated Press: Raw Video- ‘Four Arrested in Florida Child Prostitution Ring’

Source:Associated Press- Prosecutor Katherine Fernandez Rundle and her team.

“Four men are accused of operating an underage prostitution ring that lured vulnerable foster girls into the sex trade with cell phones, gifts of clothing and attention they did not get elsewhere, authorities said Tuesday.”

From the Associated Press 

“Miami-Dade police have arrested four South Floridamen in connection with an alleged child prostitution ring that targeted teenagers in foster care.

29-year-old Eric George Earle, 30-year-old Anturrell Nathaniel Dean, 34-year-old David Zarifi and 65-year-old Willie Calvin Bivens now face felony charges for conspiracy, racketeering and unlawful sexual activity with a minor. Investigators say they recruited one teenager living in a group home, who then recruited others to have sex with men for money.”

Source:CBS Miami- 4 suspects in the case.

From CBS Miami 

Hopefully this goes without saying and if it doesn’t, you are really ignorant about me or just some type of jerk something: I’m against juvenile prostitution and I don’t see how any good person could be in favor of it, or even believe it should be legal, whether they are for it or not. But I don’t see how it’s any more of a problem than underage drinking of alcohol or smoking tobacco.

And assuming these guys are guilty of running this child prostitution ring and again at risk of stating the obvious, I don’t know if they are, they’ve only been arrested from what I’ve seen, they should and will probably get what’s coming to them. Florida doesn’t mess around with people who take advantage of juveniles or young adults, this is the State that executed serial murderer/rapist Ted Bundy in 1989.

What I would have a problem with, if these guys were arrested for running an adult prostitution ring, whether it’s made up of female or male prostitutes or pimps: we already have too many people in prison in America, who aren’t actual threats to society, in many cases. Especially thanks to the War on Drugs, a lot of our inmates are in there for using or possessing illegal narcotics. Prohibiting prostitution just adds to this problem.

Like alcohol, tobacco and yes marijuana, prostitution, if its regulated properly, is something we can live with as a country, that is prostitution for adults, if they consent it. Juveniles shouldn’t be involved with this at all. Nevada and perhaps other states as well as countries, have figured out how to live with prostitution through taxation and regulation and so can we, instead of sending people to prison and having them live at taxpayers expense.

We should allow healthy prostitutes and pimps who follow the regulations and pay their taxes from this business, stay in business and have them contribute to society with their taxes and arguably services to their customers. Rather than sending them to prison and wasting their lives and devoting more tax dollars to pay for people who are more than capable of supporting themselves.

There’s of course the argument from both the Right and Left, who support big government and will say how dangerous this would be and so-forth. But these dangers can be handled through regulation. Child prostitution of course should remain illegal, but adult prostitution is not something we should support or subsidize.

But like alcohol, tobacco, gambling and hopefully someday soon marijuana, prostitution is something we can live with, if we regulate it and tax it properly. And if people in this business violate these laws, then of course they should be arrested, tried and convicted, if found guilty. 

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Brookings Institution: Robert Puentes: 'Transportation Bill Is Critical for America's Productivity and Competitiveness'

Source:Brookings Institution- Senior Fellow Robert Puentes.

"Millions of jobs and countless projects from coast-to-coast depend on funding from the federal transportation bill, which, if lawmakers fail to act, expires on June 30. Talks in the House and Senate continue on tough issues such as the Keystone XL pipeline and gasoline taxes and some are calling for another extension of the legislation to keep the money flowing. In this Expert Q&A video, Senior Fellow Robert Puentes says an extension is likely but reauthorization is desperately needed.

Robert Puentes: From our roads, to our bridges, to our railways, the federal highway bill is critical for Americas productivity and competitiveness. States and metros should be able to rely on federal support as they innovate and grow." 

From the Brookings Institution

Associated Press: Mark Sherman: 'Court Decision 'Takes Teeth' Out of Arizona Law'

Source:Associated Press- Supreme Court reporter Mark Sherman.

"The AP's Mark Sherman, who covers the U.S. Supreme Court, breaks down what the Court's decision on an Arizona immigration law means. The justices left one provision of the law intact, but doing so likely takes the teeth out of the measure." 

From the Associated Press