Personally, I support most any of the republican candidates and none of the democrats - ... SamKat

Ben Carson Slams 'PC' Media, Says Muslim Comments Were 'Theoretical' GOP presidential candidate Ben Carson slammed the media and pundits who've been critical of him over "theoretical" comments he made about supporting a hypothetical Muslim president. Sponsor "When the situation arises, and we have someone in that situation, we'll talk about it. Why get off into a theoretical situation? There's so many important issues. Why is it people are not interested in the important issues that are going on?" he said during a Tuesdaypress conference in Ohio. He mentioned the refugee situation in Syria and the problems going on with the American educational system as examples. Carson doubled down saying any president of any faith has to place the Constitution above personal religious beliefs. "They must place it above their personal beliefs," Carson said during an appearance in Sharonville, Ohio. "If you're not willing to do that, you should not be running for president." Special: Dr. Ron Paul: 'Crisis Bigger Than 2008 Is Coming' But Carson said he does see a way to support a more moderate Muslim for office, complaining that his comments were misunderstood and that "it seems hard for people to actually hear English and understand it." "I said I would support anyone regardless of their background, if in fact, they embrace American values and our Constitution, and are willing to place that above their beliefs," Carson told the press conference, held before his scheduled rally. But he said he could not back Muslims who embrace Sharia law, which is "completely antithetical to Americanism." Carson told reporters that he knows he has gotten bad press and criticism from his initial comments, made on NBC's "Meet the Press" program Sunday, but "the only way we fix that is to fix the PC culture in our country [where people] can listen to one narrative and if it doesn't fit their philosophy, then they have to try to ascribe some motive to make it fit." The PC culture, said Carson, means that if a question isn't answered in a certain way, "let's attack and let's not try to actually understand what a person is saying." Carson said he has heard from several Muslim-Americans whom he worked with, trained, or even operated on during his career as a neurosurgeon, and they have told him they understand what he is talking about. But at the same time, "there is no question that our Constitution, and our traditions, have a Judeo-Christian base," and most Americans believe in those values, "but we never should have a theocracy." Carson supporters attending the rally said they agree with his comments on a Muslim president, reports The Cincinnati Enquirer. "And I think it's awesome he's doubled down (on his comments about a Muslim president)," one supporter told the newspaper. Late Monday night, Carson also retreated slightly from his Sunday comments, telling Fox News that he would be open to a moderate Muslim who denounced radical Islam as a White House candidate. But he also said he stood by his original comments, saying the country cannot elect people "whose faith might interfere with carrying out the duties of the Constitution." "If you're a Christian and you're running for president and you want to make this into a theocracy, I'm not going to support you," Carson told Fox News host Sean Hannity in an interview to be broadcast later Monday. "I'm not going to advocate you being the president." Carson said members of the Islamic faith who are willing to accept the American way of life "will be considered infidels and heretics, but at least then I will be quite willing to support them." The intensifying political fallout is a distraction at least as the retired neurosurgeon tries to capitalize on recent momentum in the unruly GOP field. But it also highlights a sentiment among voters in both parties who agree with Carson's reluctance to elect a Muslim to the nation's highest office. Carson's campaign reported strong fundraising and more than 100,000 new Facebook friends in the 24 hours after he told NBC's "Meet the Press" on Sunday: "I would not advocate that we put a Muslim in charge of this nation." His campaign manager Barry Bennett told The Associated Press on Monday: "While the left wing is huffing and puffing over it, Republican primary voters are with us at least 80-20." "People in Iowa particularly, are like, 'Yeah! We're not going to vote for a Muslim either,'" Bennett said. "I don't mind the hubbub. It's not hurting us, that's for sure." The head of the nation's largest Muslim advocacy group called on Carson to drop out of the 2016 presidential contest during a Capitol Hill press conference on Monday, declaring him "unfit to lead because his views are in contradiction with the United States Constitution." "Not long ago, some people thought that a Catholic cannot be a president, an African-American cannot be a president," said Nihad Awad, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic relations. "They were wrong then, and they are wrong now." He cited Article 6 in the Constitution, which states, "no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States." A couple of Republican candidates joined a chorus of Democrats condemning Carson's statement. South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham said Sunday that the comment "shows that Dr. Carson is not ready to be commander in chief." Businesswoman Carly Fiorina also denounced rival Carson's recent comments about not wanting a Muslim elected to the White House. "Well I think that's wrong," said Fiorina. "You know it says in our Constitution that religion cannot be a test for office." The leading Democratic presidential candidate, Hillary Rodham Clinton, addressed the issue Monday on Twitter: "Can a Muslim be President of the United States of America? In a word: Yes. Now let's move on." While the law is clear, the politics of Muslim culture in America are not. Fourteen years after Islamic extremists executed the deadliest terrorist attack in U.S. history, a suspicious stance resonates with some voters despite the fact that — as Democratic Sen. Harry Reid put it Monday — "they teach in our schools, fight in our military and serve in Congress." The U.S. Muslim population is growing, according to a May survey by the Pew Research Center, which found the group represented just under 1 percent of the U.S. population. A June Gallup poll found that 54 percent of Republicans would not vote for a well-qualified Muslim nominee from their own party; 39 percent of independents and 27 percent of Democrats said the same. "Carson is not going to lose any votes in a GOP primary with those comments," said GOP strategist John Feehery. "He could probably gain a few." Indeed, conservatives have repeatedly embraced anti-Muslim sentiment in recent years. Nineteen states introduced legislation in 2015 to restrict the use of foreign law in state courts, Republican-backed steps largely designed to block the influence of Shariah — the legal framework that regulates many aspects of life based on the Quran and Islamic tradition in some Muslim countries. Nine states have already implemented such laws, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. And conservatives have consistently tried to link President Barack Obama to Islam throughout his presidency, using imaginary religious ties. Republican front-runner Donald Trump declined last week to correct a voter who inaccurately stated that Obama is a Muslim. For Trump, the election of a Muslim president was "something that could happen. Would I be comfortable? I don't know if we have to address it right now." The Associated Press contributed to this report.  © 2015 Newsmax. All rights reserved. You received this Ben Carson's America email because you subscribed to it or someone forwarded it to you. Recommend Ben Carson's America to a friend or unsubscribe from our list. We respect your right to privacy. View our policy. This email was sent by: Ben Carson's America 1501 Northpoint Parkway, Suite 104 West Palm Beach, FL 33407 USA

Cartoons, Political funny but sad and true ... Thx Paul C!

Why Amerika has no jobs ... Thx Paul C!

This Is Why There Are No Jobs in America By Porter Stansberry Tuesday, September 22, 2015

I'd like to make you a business offer. Seriously. This is a real offer. In fact, you really can't turn me down, as you'll come to understand in a moment… Here's the deal. You're going to start a business or expand the one you've got now. It doesn't really matter what you do or what you're going to do. I'll partner with you no matter what business you're in – as long as it's legal. But I can't give you any capital – you have to come up with that on your own. I won't give you any labor – that's definitely up to you. What I will do, however, is demand you follow all sorts of rules about what products and services you can offer, how much (and how often) you pay your employees, and where and when you're allowed to operate your business. That's my role in the affair: to tell you what to do. Now in return for my rules, I'm going to take roughly half of whatever you make in the business each year. Half seems fair, doesn't it? I think so. Of course, that's half of your profits. You're also going to have to pay me about 12% of whatever you decide to pay your employees because you've got to cover my expenses for promulgating all of the rules about who you can employ, when, where, and how. Come on, you're my partner. It's only "fair." Now… after you've put your hard-earned savings at risk to start this business, and after you've worked hard at it for a few decades (paying me my 50% or a bit more along the way each year), you might decide you'd like to cash out – to finally live the good life. Whether or not this is "fair" – some people never can afford to retire – is a different argument. As your partner, I'm happy for you to sell whenever you'd like… because our agreement says, if you sell, you have to pay me an additional 20% of whatever the capitalized value of the business is at that time. I know… I know… you put up all the original capital. You took all the risks. You put in all of the labor. That's all true. But I've done my part, too. I've collected 50% of the profits each year. And I've always come up with more rules for you to follow each year. Therefore, I deserve another, final 20% slice of the business. Oh… and one more thing… Even after you've sold the business and paid all of my fees… I'd recommend buying lots of life insurance. You see, even after you've been retired for years, when you die, you'll have to pay me 50% of whatever your estate is worth. After all, I've got lots of partners and not all of them are as successful as you and your family. We don't think it's "fair" for your kids to have such a big advantage. But if you buy enough life insurance, you can finance this expense for your children. All in all, if you're a very successful entrepreneur… if you're one of the rare, lucky, and hard-working people who can create a new company, employ lots of people, and satisfy the public… you'll end up paying me more than 75% of your income over your life. Thanks so much. I'm sure you'll think my offer is reasonable and happily partner with me… but it doesn't really matter how you feel about it because if you ever try to stiff me – or cheat me on any of my fees or rules – I'll break down your door in the middle of the night, threaten you and your family with heavy, automatic weapons, and throw you in jail. That's how civil society is supposed to work, right? This is "Amerika," isn't it? That's the offer Amerika gives its entrepreneurs. And the idiots in Washington wonder why there are no new jobs… Regards, Porter Stansberry

Israel builds memorial out of 911 WTC destruction .... Thx Clay V!

IN GOD WE TRUST !

I must have missed  this in the Press?

Israel Built A 9/11 Memorial Out Of Ground Zero Wreckage – You Have To See it

This is Israel’s memorial to 9/11.

It is called the 9/11 Living Memorial Plaza.

Image Credit: Creative Commons

Completed in 2009 for $2 million, it sits on 5 acres of hillside, 20 miles from the center of Jerusalem.

Image Credit: Screen Shot

The memorial is a 30-foot, bronze American flag.

That forms the shape of a flame to commemorate the flames of the Twin Towers.

Image Credit: funjoelsisrael.com

The base of the monument is made of melted steel from the wreckage of the World Trade Center.

Image Credit: Creative Commons

And includes this engraving in Hebrew and English.

Image Credit: jnf.org

“This metal remnant was taken from the remains of the Twin Towers, that imploded on September 11th disaster. It was sent over to Israel by the City of New York to be incorperated in this memorial. This metal piece, like the entire monument, is a manifestation of the special relationship between New York and Jerusalem.”

Image Credit: jnf.org

Surrounding the monument are plaques with the names of the victims of 9/11.

Image Credit: Creative Commons

It is the only memorial outside the U.S. that includes the names of all who perished in the terrorist attacks.

Image Credit: Creative Commons

Including 5 Israeli citizens.

Image Credit: jnf.org

The site solemnly overlooks Jerusalem’s largest cemetery, Har HaMenuchot.

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Don't pay Congress during shutdown ... Thx Marge R!

First major agency offers phased retirement; shutdown tips for contractors; a bid to freeze congressional shutdown pay

 

GovExec Today Problems viewing? View as a web page     September 22, 2015     HUD Becomes First Major Department to Offer Phased Retirement for Employees // Kellie Lunney Department is restricting the opportunity to partially retire while working part-time to certain workers for now. Contractors Reminded the President Always Wins in Shutdown Battles // Charles S. Clark Veterans of past stalemates stress that when agencies close, the situation stays fluid. Brought to you by Thomson Reuters BRING THE FACTS INTO FOCUS Thomson Reuters CLEAR is a powerful investigative platform with a comprehensive collection of public and proprietary records providing the most up to date information about people and businesses to help you build safer communities. Further advance your capabilities with real-time incarceration and arrest records, batch alerts, and 50 state DMV data, all accessible from CLEAR's easy-to-use online platform. See how CLEAR can work for you. Congress Should Not Get Paid During a Government Shutdown, Says Lawmaker // Kellie Lunney Bill would prevent future legislative bodies from receiving salaries during a government closure. IRS Phone Service Got Much Worse in an Otherwise Solid Filing Season // Charles S. Clark Watchdog says agency planned ahead for last-minute tax law changes. What Facebook's 'Lean In' Guru Can Teach Troops // Mohana Ravindranath "If the U.S. military can get this right, other industries will follow," Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg said. Study: Drivers Have More Stressful Commutes Than Transit Riders or Walkers Do // Eric Jaffe Transit riders and walkers, who avoid the "unexpected delays" of traffic, stack up better in a new survey. Papal White House Visits Are Special, But They Sometimes Get Awkward // George E. Condon Jr. Meetings between popes and presidents have ranged from memorable to prickly. Vetoed Drone Legislation the Right Step for Growing Industry // Gary Shapiro and Brian Wynne Drones may represent the ultimate in disruptive technology. 'Appalling' Is the Right Word for the Civil Service System // Howard Risher Let's fix workforce management once and for all. Your State's Tax System Probably Isn't Fair // Dave Nyczepir The fairest structures generally have lower sales and excise taxes, a new WalletHub survey shows. Video: Spy Agency's Open Source Mapping Tool Helps First Responders Save Lives // Caitlin Fairchild GeoQ has helped in crises around the world. Life Won't Get Better for Renters // Gillian B. White Millions more will struggle to make monthly payments in the next decade. The Future of Space Exploration, According to Congress // Clare Foran Mars, Europa and the search for life in deep space. Brought to you by Thomson Reuters BRING THE FACTS INTO FOCUS Thomson Reuters CLEAR is a powerful investigative platform with a comprehensive collection of public and proprietary records providing the most up to date information about people and businesses to help you build safer communities. Further advance your capabilities with real-time incarceration and arrest records, batch alerts, and 50 state DMV data, all accessible from CLEAR's easy-to-use online platform. See how CLEAR can work for you.   GOVERNMENT EXECUTIVE // CUSTOMER SERVICE // CONTACT US // PRIVACY POLICY // UNSUBSCRIBE This message was sent from Government Executive to kanzurem@aol.com. You have been sent GovExec Today because you have opted in to receive it. Note: It may take our system up to two business days to process your unsubscribe request and during that time you may receive one or two more newsletters. Thank you for reading GovExec Today.  Government Executive Media Group, 600 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037