BREAKING NEWS: THE MANAFORT/ GATES INDICTMENT

Manafort - Photo from InfoForYour.com

The Paul Manafort/ Rick Gates Indictment

EDITOR'S NOTE:  This document was obtained by Brian Clark, staff writer for The Middletown Insider, via a connection to a reporter at a major American newspaper.

Bear in mind, this is merely an indictment, not a conviction.  Know also, grand jury investigations are notoriously slanted toward the prosecution and everything alleged therein should be taken with a grain of salt.

Roots in Ripon - My, How Time Flies

Image from Unique and Original

Roots in Ripon

Chuck Roots

30 October 2017

www.chuckroots.com

Yup! It was forty-eight years ago on October 27^th that I arrived at Marine Corps Recruit Depot (MCRD), San Diego. Thus began one of the more interesting, if not challenging experiences of my life. 

 

I was twenty-one, wondering what the next four years of my enlistment in the Marine Corps might entail. There were the rumblings that President Nixon was going to get out of Vietnam. But in the latter-half of 1969 the war was still in full swing. I wondered if I would ever see this Far-Eastern nation that was the cause of so much discord, not only in our own country, but around the world.

As it turned out, by the time I finished my training in my MOS (Military Occupational Specialty) and off to my first operational commands at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS), El Toro in Southern California, it looked like an overseas tour was never going to happen. Or at least not to Vietnam.

Did I really want to go to Vietnam? Of course! You don’t enlist in the toughest military branch of the service to stay home! Someone might say, “But it’s dangerous!” Yes, it is. But I would ask in return, “Is the United States of America worth defending?” Absolutely! Unequivocally, Yes!

While stationed with an F4 squadron at El Toro in 1971, I played football with the squadron team. In the last practice we had before the final game, I sustained a broken rib. Since my MOS was an Aviation Electrician, I was climbing into and onto planes all the time. With a broken rib, the doctor taped up my chest making it difficult to move. He also prescribed Darvon for the discomfort of pain. This troubled me because it made me light-headed. So, I was assigned to mess duty for a month while the rib healed.

Roots in Ripon - Author Chuck Roots

Well, mess duty usually is wet, sloppy work, often slinging a mop and carrying lots of cases of food from freezers to the kitchen and so on. This didn’t seem like a good idea for trying to give a broken rib a chance to heal. I mentioned this to the senior enlisted guy who then assigned me to work in his office taking care of his daily reports and other administrative matters. I only had a couple of more days to go before I was to return to my squadron when one of the Marines from my squadron walked in and dropped a set of orders on my desk, and said, “Good Luck! You’re going to WestPac.” At that time, WestPac (which stands for Western Pacific) was a euphemism for “You’re going to Vietnam!”

The White House - 1600 Daily: An Economy That Works For Hardworking Americans

Under the current tax code’s uncompetitive corporate tax rates, wage growth stagnates. Hardworking Americans don’t experience the wage growth they should. But fixing our broken tax code can help make our economy more productive and more profitable. Read more about the Unified Framework for Tax Reform supported by President Donald J. Trump here.

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Kick-Starting the American Economy into High Gear
There’s a disconnect between America’s corporate profits and America’s real wages. On Friday, the Council of Economic Advisers released a report on the relationship between the corporate tax rate and gross domestic product (GDP). GDP growth has stalled below its post-World War II average (about 3 percent) for the last decade. Improving our tax policies, such as cutting corporate taxes and allowing capital investments to be written off, will jumpstart America's economic engine.

See the full report here.
President Trump Takes Action Against the Nation's Opioid Crisis
Last week, President Trump continued the mobilization of his Administration to address drug addiction by directing the declaration of a Nationwide Public Health Emergency to address the opioids crisis. The action allows for expanded access to telemedicine services, including services involving remote prescribing of medicine commonly used for substance abuse or mental health treatment.
In 2016, more than two million Americans had an addiction to prescription or illicit opioids. This directive will help states and local communities better fight this battle, and strengthen the tools available at the federal level, ensuring people have access to the help they desperately need, and deserve.
See more here.
Vice President Pence Delivers Remarks at Minot Air Force Base
On Friday, Vice President Pence gave remarks to Airmen at Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota. He expressed gratitude on behalf of the President and citizens of the United States for their service to our Nation, and dedication to defend our freedom and way of life. The Vice President also reassured the Administration's commitment to strengthening the United States’ Armed Forces, proclaiming that the era of budget cuts to the American military has ended.
“Our President has already signed the largest increase in defense spending in nearly 10 years. And as we speak, we're working with the Congress to pass the largest investment in our national defense since the days of Ronald Reagan. Under this Commander-in-Chief, the era of budget cuts to the American military are over,” Vice President Pence said.
Read the Vice President's full remarks here.

Photo of the Day

President Donald J. Trump and First Lady Melania Trump deliver remarks on combatting drug demand and the opioid crisis | October 26, 2017 (Official White House Photo by Andrea Hanks)

POTUS TODAY

This morning, the President Trump will receive his daily intelligence briefing, followed by a meeting with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. In the afternoon, the President will have lunch with Vice President Mike Pence and Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Later, the President will meet with Secretary of the Defense James Mattis.
The Vice President will participate in a swearing-in ceremony for Steve King as U.S. Ambassador to the Czech Republic.
This evening, the White House will welcome local students, military families, and community groups for an afternoon of Halloween festivities on the South Lawn. President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump will hand out cookies created by the White House Pastry Kitchen, and various departments and agencies such as the United States Secret Service, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Federal Emergency Management Agency, National Park Service, and the Department of Education will also be on hand to give out various items and participate in the festivities. Watch live here at 5:45 ET.

COMING UP

On Friday, President Trump departs on a 10-day trip to Asia, his fourth international trip as President. The President will participate in a series of bilateral, multilateral, and cultural engagements demonstrating his continued commitment to the alliances and partnerships of the United States in the region, and strengthening international commitment to the denuclearization of North Korea.

Trump - Week 40: Morning in America

TRUMP PENCE WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
10.29.17

MORNING IN AMERICA… AGAIN

This week marked Ronald Reagan’s Tax Reform Act of 1986 and the start of one of the longest economic booms in American history. Unfortunately, since that time our government officials have let us down and we have reverted to becoming one of the highest taxed nations in the developed world. But, President Trump plans to change that. In promoting his historic tax plan, The President said: “The tax cuts and reforms of the 1980s show that when we empower the American people to pursue their dreams, they will not only achieve greatness and create prosperity beyond imagination, they will build an entirely new world.” Hard working Americans desperately need tax cuts to begin recovering from our decade of economic stagnation. It is time we ignite America’s middle-class miracle once again.


BUILDING POSITIVE ALLIANCES IN ASIA

President Trump hosted Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong of Singapore, at the White House this week. The leaders highlighted the strong relationship between our two countries, demonstrated in the purchase of 39 Boeing wide-body aircraft by Singapore Airlines, valued at $13.8 billion dollars! And all that money comes straight to Boeing, right here in the USA. Singapore has been an anchor for the presence of the United States in the Indo-Pacific, underpinning regional peace and prosperity for the region and the United States. We look forward to President Trump’s historic trip to Asia next month, including stops in Japan, Vietnam, South Korea, the Philippines, and China where he will build positive alliances with our other allies in the region.


ADDRESSING THE OPIOID CRISIS

Rootstown man charged with child pornography violations

Christopher T. Fowler, 47, of Rootstown Township, was charged with receiving, distributing and possessing visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, said U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman and FBI Special Agent in Charge Stephen D. Anthony.

Fowler knowingly received and distributed numerous computer files which contained visual depictions of real minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. This took place between June and December 2016, according to the indictment

Fowler also possessed three micro-SD cards, each of which contained child pornography, according to the indictment.     

If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant's role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation.  In all cases the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael A. Sullivan. 

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.  A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Combating sexual exploitation of children.
 

Sen. Portman - Rob's Rundown: Week of October 23-27, 2017

Senator Portman started his week in Cleveland where he hosted another tax reform roundtable to receive input from local business leaders. He also visited the Cleveland Clinic with Seema Verma, Administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to see the innovative work being done at the hospital. In D.C., Portman continued to focus on simplifying and reforming our broken tax code to help create more jobs, boost wages, and give our economy a shot in the arm. He also continued his push to get the Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act signed into law to help end online human trafficking. In addition to his focus on tax reform and ending sex trafficking, Portman attended President Trump’s White House speech on the opioid crisis, urged the State Department to designate North Korea a state sponsor of terror, and more. For a more in depth look at Senator Portman’s week, please see the following:
Monday, October 23

Portman Hosts Tax Reform Roundtable, Receives Input from Cleveland Small Business Leaders

hosted a roundtable discussion in Cleveland with the Council of Smaller Enterprises (COSE) and small business leaders to receive input on Congress’ effort to simplify and reform our tax system in a way that creates more jobs, increases wages, and encourages more investment in America. Earlier this year, Portman hosted a similar roundtable discussion with the Greater Cleveland Partnership. Portman released this video and the following statement:

“Our tax code is too burdensome, too complicated, and decades out of date. With small business leaders in Cleveland today, I was able to receive a lot of input on how we can make our tax code work better for small businesses, Ohio workers, middle-class families, and investment by bringing money locked out overseas back to America. Instead of encouraging our companies to take jobs and investments overseas and making it easier for foreign corporations to buy up our companies, we should be creating incentives to create jobs here and give American workers a competitive advantage and better wages. I am optimistic that Congress can deliver soon for workers and small businesses here in Cleveland and across Ohio who deserve a better tax system.”

Portman has been a leader in efforts to simplify and reform our broken tax code.  This year, Portman has also hosted tax reform roundtables in Columbus with local business leaders, in Dayton with the Dayton Chamber of Commerce, in Cincinnati with the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber, and most recently in Springfield with the Springfield Chamber of Commerce.   Last week, Senator Portman embarked on an Ohio Auto Manufacturing Jobs Tour, during which he covered more than 700 miles crossing Ohio over three days and discussed how tax reform will benefit auto manufacturers. Portman recently jointed House and Senate GOP leaders in unveiling a unified framework to achieve pro-growth tax reform. The full framework can be found here, and a one page overview can be found here.
Last Congress, three Portman-authored bills designed to help in this effort to stop IRS abuses were signed into law by then-President Barack Obama. Portman has been named a “Hero of Main Street” and “Fiscal Hero” for his work on these issues.
In 2015, Portman reached a bipartisan agreement with Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY), who is now the Senate Minority Leader, on a framework for international tax reform, an effort that could serve as a basis for broader reforms.
Photos from the event can be found here.

Portman Announces New CARA Grant for Franklin County, Ohio to Help Combat Opioid Crisis

Portman issued the following statement after the U.S. Department of Justice awarded a Comprehensive Addiction & Recovery Act (CARA) grant of $399,999 to help prevent and treat opioid addiction gripping communities in Franklin County, Ohio:

“This grant will help those on the frontlines in Franklin County combat this crisis as we work together to help turn the tide of addiction. We need more partnerships line this one between health officials, law enforcement, prevention experts, and treatment providers all working together to address the prescription drug and opioid epidemic. This funding will help them to develop alternatives to incarceration as well as comprehensive programs to expand outreach, treatment, and recovery efforts for those impacted by the epidemic in the justice system community. I’m pleased to see that my CARA legislation is being implemented to address the comprehensive challenge of combatting addiction. In the coming months, I hope Congress will continue to act on this epidemic by passing my bipartisan STOP Act, legislation to help stop dangerous synthetic drugs like fentanyl from being shipped into our communities, help stop overprescribing through my bipartisan Prescription Drug Monitoring Program Act, and lift the cap on Medicaid funding for residential treatment facilities through my bipartisan Medicaid CARE Act.”

NOTE: The $399,999 grant was awarded to the Franklin County Office of Homeland Security and Justice Programs for funding in the Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Site-Based Program FY17 Competitive Grant Program administered by the Department of Justice. Portman sent a letter in April 2017 in support of Franklin County’s grant request.
Senator Portman’s bipartisanComprehensive Addiction & Recovery Act (CARA) law ensures that federal resources are focused on evidence-based prevention, treatment, and recovery programs that have proven effective in local communities so that it can make a difference in people’s lives. Portman is currently working to get his bipartisan Synthetics Trafficking & Overdose Prevention (STOP) Act legislation, as well as his Prescription Drug Monitoring Act and Medicaid CARE Act, signed into law.

Portman, Stabenow Lead Bipartisan Senate Great Lakes Task Force Letter to OMB Director Calling for $300 Million for Great Lakes Restoration Initiative in Next Year’s Budget

Senators Portman and Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), co-chairs of the Senate Great Lakes Task Force, today led a bipartisan letter to Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney calling for $300 million for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) to be included in the Fiscal Year 2019 budget request.  Great Lakes Task Force Vice Chairs Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Todd Young (R-IN) and Task Force members Joe Donnelly (D-IN), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Bob Casey (D-PA), Al Franken (D-MN), Gary Peters (D-MI), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) also signed the letter.

Roots in Ripon - Are Guns the Problem?

Image from YouTube

Roots in Ripon

Chuck Roots

16 October 2017

www.chuckroots.com

To follow up on last week’s article, “A Look at the 2^nd Amendment”, I posit the question for serious consideration: Are guns the problem? 

The knee-jerk reaction that has been inculcated into the American psyche for the last several decades is that guns in and of themselves are evil. If this can be proven, then I will be the first to shout for the strictest gun control imaginable. 

As I have taught my daughters, and subsequently my grandchildren, guns are only as dangerous as the person who handles them. 

In previous articles in the past, I mentioned that my father was a member and instructor with the National Rifle Association (NRA). He had numerous guns and enjoyed handling them as well as instructing and engaging in recreational shooting. My brother, sister and I knew about guns from the time we were very small. We were taught to respect all weapons. When I was barely five, I remember the story in our neighborhood of two brothers who were playing around with a BB Gun. Tragically, the one brother shot the other in the eye, causing the eye to be permanently damaged. 

Such horsing around will always put someone at risk, but when proper instruction and respect for weapons, particularly guns is made available to children early on, there is far less of a chance of such accidents occurring. Many of you, like me, remember when guys would drive their pickup trucks to high school with a gun sitting prominently on a rack placed squarely in the rear window. No one messed with it because you simply did not do such a thing. I attended five high schools from 1962-66, from Dallas, Texas, to Oslo, Norway, to New Milford, Connecticut, to Wellesley, Massachusetts, to (finally) Pacific Palisades, California. In all that time and in all those places, I never once heard of someone abusing or indiscriminately handling a gun on campus or anywhere else. 

Do we need more gun control laws? How many are there anyway? Well, there are many gun control laws on the books at the federal, state and local levels. I’m not sure anyone really knows just how many there are. I have researched this question with little to show. It is safe to say there are hundreds of such laws all across the nation at every level – quite possibly in the thousands. The danger with more and more gun laws begs the question, “Where does it stop?”

When the Founding Fathers of our nation included the 2^nd Amendment, it was not an afterthought. It was primary to the rights of all Americans to be able to defend themselves against a government that had overstepped its bounds. In Europe at that time in history, the masses of people were considered to be too dense to take on the responsibility of self-protection. A cursory review of European history will clearly reveal that monarchs and despotic leaders routinely trampled on the God-given rights of the people. James Madison and others understood this and did everything in their power to ensure that this new nation, the United States of America, would not make the same mistakes many of our Founders had experienced in Europe prior to immigrating to America.

Senator Brown - Blocking Foreign Investors from Hurting Ohio Jobs

Senator Brown

Foreign investments should lead to good-paying jobs in Chillicothe and Chardon – not huge payouts for the Chinese government.

That’s why I worked with my Republican colleague, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), to introduce the U.S. Foreign Investments Review Act. It’s simple – before we do business with a foreign entity, let’s make sure it will create jobs and grow the U.S. economy.

We heard reports this summer that a Chinese company, Great Wall Motors, is looking into buying Fiat Chrysler. But right now, no mechanism allows us to evaluate these investments for their long-term economic benefits or consequences for American workers and American businesses.

Sen. Grassley and I want to change that, so that every decision on a foreign investment is made with American businesses and workers in mind.

Our bill requires the Commerce Department to review and evaluate large foreign investments to ensure they’re in America’s interests and will create American jobs.

We’ve seen foreign investments in the U.S. that have raised serious concerns – Senator Brownincluding worries that these foreign competitors are pursuing investments to undermine American industries and give their own companies an unfair advantage. Some of these companies are even owned or controlled by foreign governments.

Any time a foreign competitor talks about coming in and buying a major American company, we need to take a serious look at what that sale would mean for local American workers, and for their entire community.

Our bill would require the Commerce Department to complete reviews of these investments in an efficient, transparent way that allows for a public comment period, and requires all decisions be made public. It would also give Congress the authority to request reviews of investments, regardless of their size, if they think the investment should be subject to additional scrutiny.

Foreign investors determined to put American companies out of business should not be able to invest in our economy at the expense of American workers.
Sherrod

NRA-ILA - Everytown and Hollywood Launch New Campaign Against Pro-gun Legislation

NRA-ILA GRASSROOTS VOLUME 24, NUMBER 41

NEWS Everytown and Hollywood Launch New Campaign Against Pro-gun Legislation

In the wake of the still-unfolding Harvey Weinstein scandal, one might have thought that America would receive a brief reprieve from Hollywood’s ceaseless moralizing. However, on October 18, 2017, Michael Bloomberg’s Everytown for Gun Safety, actress Julianne Moore, and handful of other entertainers launched a new effort aimed at NRA and the right to keep and bear arms.

NEWS  LEGAL & LEGISLATION Anti-Gun Congresswoman Introduces Magazine Ban, Aims Slippery Slope at the Gun on Your Hip

We’ve been down this road before, and we know gun control doesn’t work.

NEWS  SECOND AMENDMENT No Sale: Marketing Tricks in Gun Control

Advertising professionals know that switching to a fresh new moniker and a more

Quote of the Day

Photo from Wikipedia

Contributed by Wayne Kingery.

"If all men are created equal, that is final. If they are endowed with inalienable rights, that is final. If governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed, that is final. No advance, no progress can be made beyond these propositions. If anyone wishes to deny their truth or their soundness, the only direction in which he can proceed historically is not forward, but backward toward the time when there was no equality, no rights of the individual, no rule of the people. Those who wish to proceed in that direction can not lay claim to progress. They are reactionary. Their ideas are not more modern, but more ancient, than those of the Revolutionary fathers."

Speech on the 150th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence Calvin Coolidge July 5, 1926.