Ridgewood NJ, Councilmen Ramon Hache reminds everyone to ,”Get out there and vote today, regardless of who your candidate is. You can’t complain about what’s wrong if you don’t do anything about it. And if you think your vote doesn’t count, it actually counts a lot less if you don’t vote. Voting is not just a right, it’s a privilege. If you can vote, it means you have the privilege of being a citizen of the United States. Despite all our problems, this is still the greatest country in the world. We are fortunate to live in a country where there can be an orderly transfer of power every four years. This country is still the number one destination for people all over the world who are looking for opportunities and a better way of life. Don’t throw away your privilege.”
‘I’ve never said what he said in my life!’ Trump blasts Hillary for appearing onstage with Jay-Z after the rapper drops F-bombs and N-words during concert rally – and draws a larger crowd all by himself!
Donald Trump clobbered Hillary Clinton on Saturday morning for appearing with Jay-Z in Cleveland The rapper dropped one F-bomb and N-word after another, and then Hillary embraced him onstage Clinton has been openly critical of Trump’s ‘tone’ and the ‘lewd’ language he has used in the past ‘I tell you what: I’ve never said what he said – in my life!’ Trump declared in Tampa, Florida Clinton held her campaign rally with Jay-Z and Beyoncé, drawing 10,000 people with free tickets Many of them exited before Clinton spoke, and Trump drew a larger crowd by himself in Pennsylvania He told a crowd in the town of Hershey: ‘I’m here all by myself… No guitar, no piano, no nothing’ See more news on the 2016 U.S. election as Trump mocks Clinton for appearing on stage with Jay Z
By DAVID MARTOSKO, US POLITICAL EDITOR FOR DAILYMAIL.COM IN TAMPA, FLORIDA and GEOFF EARLE, DEPUTY US POLITICAL EDITOR FOR DAILYMAIL.COM IN CLEVELAND, OHIO
PUBLISHED: 12:30 EDT, 5 November 2016 | UPDATED: 13:21 EDT, 5 November 2016
Donald Trump mocked Hillary Clinton on Saturday for appearing alongside Jay-Z on a Cleveland, Ohio concert stage after the music superstar dropped F-bombs and rapped with N-word after N-word.
‘I actually like Jay-Z. But you know, the language last night! Ohhh! Ooooh!’ Trump said in Tampa, Florida. ‘Maybe I’ll just try it. Should I use that language? Can you imagine if I said that?’
‘So he used every word in the book,’ the Republican presidential nominee fumed. ‘I won’t even use the initials, because I’d get in trouble. It’ll get me in trouble. He used every word in the book last night.’
‘I tell you what: I’ve never said what he said – in my life!’
Ridgewood NJ, In 4 days, millions of Americans will go to the polls to decided everything from local ballot questions to the next President of the United States.
This year has been a busy one for tax policy. Throughout this year’s election, every major presidential candidate put forth a comprehensive tax plan (in some cases more than one), and at the state and local level, a number of tax policy proposals have made it on to ballots, some of which would be momentous if passed.
All of this can be difficult to keep track of and even harder to understand. The Tax Foundation has worked hard over the past year to provide Ridgewood blog readers and the media with the most accurate, timely, and accessible information possible on the tax policies being proposed.
To that end, here are 3 resources that we hope you and other taxpayers will find useful before entering the voting booth next week:
Our guide to the top state and local tax ballot initiatives to watch in 2016
Since March of 2010, the American people have had to suffer under the incredible economic burden of the Affordable Care Act—Obamacare. This legislation, passed by totally partisan votes in the House and Senate and signed into law by the most divisive and partisan President in American history, has tragically but predictably resulted in runaway costs, websites that don’t work, greater rationing of care, higher premiums, less competition and fewer choices. Obamacare has raised the economic uncertainty of every single person residing in this country. As it appears Obamacare is certain to collapse of its own weight, the damage done by the Democrats and President Obama, and abetted by the Supreme Court, will be difficult to repair unless the next President and a Republican congress lead the effort to bring much-needed free market reforms to the healthcare industry.
But none of these positive reforms can be accomplished without Obamacare repeal. On day one of the Trump Administration, we will ask Congress to immediately deliver a full repeal of Obamacare.
However, it is not enough to simply repeal this terrible legislation. We will work with Congress to make sure we have a series of reforms ready for implementation that follow free market principles and that will restore economic freedom and certainty to everyone in this country. By following free market principles and working together to create sound public policy that will broaden healthcare access, make healthcare more affordable and improve the quality of the care available to all Americans.
Any reform effort must begin with Congress. Since Obamacare became law, conservative Republicans have been offering reforms that can be delivered individually or as part of more comprehensive reform efforts. In the remaining sections of this policy paper, several reforms will be offered that should be considered by Congress so that on the first day of the Trump Administration, we can start the process of restoring faith in government and economic liberty to the people.
Congress must act. Our elected representatives in the House and Senate must:
Completely repeal Obamacare. Our elected representatives must eliminate the individual mandate. No person should be required to buy insurance unless he or she wants to.
Modify existing law that inhibits the sale of health insurance across state lines. As long as the plan purchased complies with state requirements, any vendor ought to be able to offer insurance in any state. By allowing full competition in this market, insurance costs will go down and consumer satisfaction will go up.
Allow individuals to fully deduct health insurance premium payments from their tax returns under the current tax system. Businesses are allowed to take these deductions so why wouldn’t Congress allow individuals the same exemptions? As we allow the free market to provide insurance coverage opportunities to companies and individuals, we must also make sure that no one slips through the cracks simply because they cannot afford insurance. We must review basic options for Medicaid and work with states to ensure that those who want healthcare coverage can have it.
Allow individuals to use Health Savings Accounts (HSAs). Contributions into HSAs should be tax-free and should be allowed to accumulate. These accounts would become part of the estate of the individual and could be passed on to heirs without fear of any death penalty. These plans should be particularly attractive to young people who are healthy and can afford high-deductible insurance plans. These funds can be used by any member of a family without penalty. The flexibility and security provided by HSAs will be of great benefit to all who participate.
Require price transparency from all healthcare providers, especially doctors and healthcare organizations like clinics and hospitals. Individuals should be able to shop to find the best prices for procedures, exams or any other medical-related procedure.
Block-grant Medicaid to the states. Nearly every state already offers benefits beyond what is required in the current Medicaid structure. The state governments know their people best and can manage the administration of Medicaid far better without federal overhead. States will have the incentives to seek out and eliminate fraud, waste and abuse to preserve our precious resources.
Remove barriers to entry into free markets for drug providers that offer safe, reliable and cheaper products. Congress will need the courage to step away from the special interests and do what is right for America. Though the pharmaceutical industry is in the private sector, drug companies provide a public service. Allowing consumers access to imported, safe and dependable drugs from overseas will bring more options to consumers.
The reforms outlined above will lower healthcare costs for all Americans. They are simply a place to start. There are other reforms that might be considered if they serve to lower costs, remove uncertainty and provide financial security for all Americans. And we must also take actions in other policy areas to lower healthcare costs and burdens. Enforcing immigration laws, eliminating fraud and waste and energizing our economy will relieve the economic pressures felt by every American. It is the moral responsibility of a nation’s government to do what is best for the people and what is in the interest of securing the future of the nation.
Providing healthcare to illegal immigrants costs us some $11 billion annually. If we were to simply enforce the current immigration laws and restrict the unbridled granting of visas to this country, we could relieve healthcare cost pressures on state and local governments.
To reduce the number of individuals needing access to programs like Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program we will need to install programs that grow the economy and bring capital and jobs back to America. The best social program has always been a job – and taking care of our economy will go a long way towards reducing our dependence on public health programs.
Finally, we need to reform our mental health programs and institutions in this country. Families, without the ability to get the information needed to help those who are ailing, are too often not given the tools to help their loved ones. There are promising reforms being developed in Congress that should receive bi-partisan support.
To reform healthcare in America, we need a President who has the leadership skills, will and courage to engage the American people and convince Congress to do what is best for the country. These straightforward reforms, along with many others I have proposed throughout my campaign, will ensure that together we will Make America Great Again.
S&P 500 down 3.2% since Aug. 8, a good sign for challenger Market correctly signals outcome 86 percent of time since 1928
Few institutions have a better track record calling presidential races than the U.S. stock market. At the moment, it’s sending information that counts against Democrat Hillary Clinton.
The performance of the S&P 500 Index has signaled the outcome of every presidential election since 1984, according to an analysis by Strategas Research Partners LLC. A gain in the benchmark for American equity in the three months prior to the vote has seen the incumbent party win 86 percent of the time since 1928. Right now, the benchmark gauge is down 3.6 percent since Aug. 8 with just a week until the vote, a fact that in isolation augurs well for Donald Trump.
Aside from the three-month interval, the S&P 500 fell Tuesday by the most in three weeks, slipping for a sixth day to 2,111.72, making its first foray below 2,100 since July 7 before rebounding. The gauge is in its longest slide since August 2015 amid polls showing the race for the White House is tightening. The CBOE Volatility Index surged Tuesday by 9 percent to the highest since June 27.
The FBI says there is no definitive connection between Donald Trump and the Russian government, reaching that conclusion after a wide-ranging investigation that stemmed from concerns about the Republican presidential nominee’s foreign associations.
In a New York Times report published Monday night, the newspaper cited law-enforcement officials who said, if anything, the cyberattacks that US intelligence agencies suspect Russia of carrying out against Democratic Party organizations were “aimed at disrupting the presidential election rather than electing Trump.”
“I need to open with a very critical breaking news announcement. The FBI has just sent a letter to Congress informing them that they have discovered new emails pertaining to former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s investigation, and they are reopening the case into her criminal and illegal conduct that threatens the security of the United States of America.
“Hillary Clinton’s corruption is on a scale we have never seen before. We must not let her take her criminal scheme into the Oval Office.
“I have great respect for the fact that the FBI and the DOJ are now willing to have the courage to right the horrible mistake that they made. This was a grave miscarriage of justice that the American people fully understand. It is everybody’s hope that it is about to be corrected.” – Donald J. Trump
The rise of social media would seem an unmitigated boon for free speech, providing a platform to anyone with an internet connection. But recent news about Facebook illuminates pitfalls that belie that optimistic view.
“Some of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump’s posts on Facebook have set off an intense debate inside the social media company over the past year,” The Wall Street Journal reports. Some employees argued that “certain posts about banning Muslims from entering the U.S. should be removed for violating the site’s rules on hate speech, according to people familiar with the matter.”
WASHINGTON (AP) — Premiums will go up sharply next year under President Barack Obama’s health care law, and many consumers will be down to just one insurer, the administration confirmed Monday. That’s sure to stoke another “Obamacare” controversy days before a presidential election.
Before taxpayer-provided subsidies, premiums for a midlevel benchmark plan will increase an average of 25 percent across the 39 states served by the federally run online market, according to a report from the Department of Health and Human Services. Some states will see much bigger jumps, others less.
Moreover, about 1 in 5 consumers will only have plans from a single insurer to pick from, after major national carriers such as UnitedHealth Group, Humana and Aetna scaled back their roles.
“Consumers will be faced this year with not only big premium increases but also with a declining number of insurers participating, and that will lead to a tumultuous open enrollment period,” said Larry Levitt, who tracks the health care law for the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation.
Republicans pounced on the numbers as a warning that insurance markets created by the 2010 health overhaul are teetering toward a “death spiral.” Sign-up season starts Nov. 1, about a week before national elections in which the GOP remains committed to a full repeal.
“It’s over for Obamacare,” Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump said at a campaign rally Monday evening in Tampa, Florida.
Ridgewood NJ, U.S. Term Limits (USTL), the leader in the movement to limit terms for politicians, releases the following statement on Donald Trump’s “Drain the Swamp” plan for congressional term limits:
“Yesterday, GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump endorsed a constitutional amendment for term limits on Congress. His specific plan calls for three House terms (six years), two Senate terms (12 years) and no longer limit.
These specifics are consistent with the amendment advocated by U.S. Term Limits.
First, it’s important to correct a misconception about the president’s role in enacting term limits. While term limits on Congress do require a constitutional amendment and the president does not have an official role in that process, the presidential pulpit can add critical momentum to this effort.
That’s why the term limits movement has concluded that a supportive president would be a game-changer for our issue.
The American people – Republicans and Democrats alike – are fed up with the broken system in Washington. Career politicians and special interests have teamed up to cheat the public out of the democracy they deserve. Congress has become the place where new and dynamic ideas go to die. We will work together with anyone who shares the vision of bringing term limits to Congress.
We invite all presidential candidates to join this movement to fix Washington by bringing career politicians home. So far, Donald Trump, Gary Johnson and Jill Stein have endorsed congressional term limits. Hillary Clinton hasn’t stated her position on the issue.
USTL President Philip Blumel commented “U.S. Term Limits does not endorse any candidate for any office, but we encourage every candidate to endorse term limits.”
TERM LIMITS FACTS
-Gallup polling shows that 75% of Americans back congressional term limits, including 82% of Republicans, 65% of Democrats and 79% of independents.
-The 1995 SCOTUS case U.S. Term Limits v. Thornton decided congressional term limits could only come by constitutional amendment.
-Citizens can bypass Congress to propose the amendment by passing resolutions through 34 state legislatures. This process creates an amendment-proposing convention of states. U.S. Term Limits introduced the Term Limits Convention strategy in 2016 to do just that, and has already passed in the Florida Legislature.
-Despite oft-cited myths, lobbyists and special interests are the primary opponents of term limits, with a long history of bankrolling campaigns to prevent, weaken or abolish term limits.
Trump Up 2 Points Nationwide, While Clinton Campaigns As If The Race Is Already Won — IBD/TIPP Poll
JOHN MERLINE
With 16 days to go until November 8, Donald Trump leads Hillary Clinton by 2 percentage points — 43% to 41% — in a four-way race, according to the latest IBD/TIPP presidential tracking poll.
Libertarian Party candidate Gary Johnson saw his support held steady at 7%, while the Green Party’s Jill Stein dipped to 3%.
Unrounded, Trump leads 42.6% to 40.8% — a 1.8-point edge — with Johnson at 7.2% and Stein at 3.3%.
Trump also holds a nearly one-point lead in a two-way matchup — 43.2% to 42.3%.
Donald Trump FULL Gettysburg Address Speech – October 22, 2016
Here’s a summary of Donald Trump’s Gettysburg speech, via Trump’s website:
“Gettysburg, PA: Today, in historic Gettysburg, PA, Donald J. Trump presented a game-changing plan for his first 100 days in office. This revolutionary “Contract with the American Voter” will ensure that America’s economy is revitalized and citizens are protected.
“I’m not a politician, and have never wanted to be one. But when I saw the trouble our country was in, I knew I couldn’t stand by and watch any longer. Our country has been so good to me, I love our country, I felt I had to act,” said Mr. Trump in his address.
“Change has to come from outside this broken system. The fact that the Washington establishment has tried so hard to stop our campaign is only more proof that our campaign represents the kind of change that only arrives once in a lifetime,” he continued.
“I am asking the American people to rise above the noise and the clutter of our broken politics, and to embrace that great faith and optimism that has always been the central ingredient in the American character. I am asking you to dream big.
“What follows is my 100-day action plan to Make America Great Again. It is a contract between Donald J. Trump and the American voter – and begins with restoring honesty, accountability and change to Washington,” he concluded.
“Therefore, on the first day of my term of office, my administration will immediately pursue the following six measures to clean up the corruption and special interest collusion in Washington, DC:
FIRST, propose a Constitutional Amendment to impose term limits on all members of Congress;
SECOND, a hiring freeze on all federal employees to reduce federal workforce through attrition (exempting military, public safety, and public health);
THIRD, a requirement that for every new federal regulation, two existing regulations must be eliminated;
FOURTH, a 5 year-ban on White House and Congressional officials becoming lobbyists after they leave government service;
FIFTH, a lifetime ban on White House officials lobbying on behalf of a foreign government;
SIXTH, a complete ban on foreign lobbyists raising money for American elections.
On the same day, I will begin taking the following seven actions to protect American workers:
FIRST, I will announce my intention to renegotiate NAFTA or withdraw from the deal under Article 2205
SECOND, I will announce our withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership
THIRD, I will direct my Secretary of the Treasury to label China a currency manipulator
FOURTH, I will direct the Secretary of Commerce and U.S. Trade Representative to identify all foreign trading abuses that unfairly impact American workers and direct them to use every tool under American and international law to end those abuses immediately
FIFTH, I will lift the restrictions on the production of $50 trillion dollars’ worth of job-producing American energy reserves, including shale, oil, natural gas and clean coal.
SIXTH, lift the Obama-Clinton roadblocks and allow vital energy infrastructure projects, like the Keystone Pipeline, to move forward
SEVENTH, cancel billions in payments to U.N. climate change programs and use the money to fix America’s water and environmental infrastructure
Additionally, on the first day, I will take the following five actions to restore security and the constitutional rule of law:
FIRST, cancel every unconstitutional executive action, memorandum and order issued by President Obama
SECOND, begin the process of selecting a replacement for Justice Scalia from one of the 20 judges on my list, who will uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States
THIRD, cancel all federal funding to Sanctuary Cities
FOURTH, begin removing the more than 2 million criminal illegal immigrants from the country and cancel visas to foreign countries that won’t take them back
FIFTH, suspend immigration from terror-prone regions where vetting cannot safely occur. All vetting of people coming into our country will be considered extreme vetting.
Next, I will work with Congress to introduce the following broader legislative measures and fight for their passage within the first 100 days of my Administration:
1. Middle Class Tax Relief And Simplification Act. An economic plan designed to grow the economy 4% per year and create at least 25 million new jobs through massive tax reduction and simplification, in combination with trade reform, regulatory relief, and lifting the restrictions on American energy. The largest tax reductions are for the middle class. A middle-class family with 2 children will get a 35% tax cut. The current number of brackets will be reduced from 7 to 3, and tax forms will likewise be greatly simplified. The business rate will be lowered from 35 to 15 percent, and the trillions of dollars of American corporate money overseas can now be brought back at a 10 percent rate.
2. End The Offshoring Act Establishes tariffs to discourage companies from laying off their workers in order to relocate in other countries and ship their products back to the U.S. tax-free.
3. American Energy & Infrastructure Act.Leverages public-private partnerships, and private investments through tax incentives, to spur $1 trillion in infrastructure investment over 10 years. It is revenue neutral.
4. School Choice And Education Opportunity Act. Redirects education dollars to gives parents the right to send their kid to the public, private, charter, magnet, religious or home school of their choice. Ends common core, brings education supervision to local communities. It expands vocational and technical education, and make 2 and 4-year college more affordable.
5. Repeal and Replace Obamacare Act. Fully repeals Obamacare and replaces it with Health Savings Accounts, the ability to purchase health insurance across state lines, and lets states manage Medicaid funds. Reforms will also include cutting the red tape at the FDA: there are over 4,000 drugs awaiting approval, and we especially want to speed the approval of life-saving medications.
6. Affordable Childcare and Eldercare Act. Allows Americans to deduct childcare and elder care from their taxes, incentivizes employers to provide on-site childcare services, and creates tax-free Dependent Care Savings Accounts for both young and elderly dependents, with matching contributions for low-income families.
7. End Illegal Immigration Act Fully-funds the construction of a wall on our southern border with the full understanding that the country Mexico will be reimbursing the United States for the full cost of such wall; establishes a 2-year mandatory minimum federal prison sentence for illegally re-entering the U.S. after a previous deportation, and a 5-year mandatory minimum for illegally re-entering for those with felony convictions, multiple misdemeanor convictions or two or more prior deportations; also reforms visa rules to enhance penalties for overstaying and to ensure open jobs are offered to American workers first.
8. Restoring Community Safety Act. Reduces surging crime, drugs and violence by creating a Task Force On Violent Crime and increasing funding for programs that train and assist local police; increases resources for federal law enforcement agencies and federal prosecutors to dismantle criminal gangs and put violent offenders behind bars.
9. Restoring National Security Act. Rebuilds our military by eliminating the defense sequester and expanding military investment; provides Veterans with the ability to receive public VA treatment or attend the private doctor of their choice; protects our vital infrastructure from cyber-attack; establishes new screening procedures for immigration to ensure those who are admitted to our country support our people and our values
10. Clean up Corruption in Washington Act. Enacts new ethics reforms to Drain the Swamp and reduce the corrupting influence of special interests on our politics.
On November 8th, Americans will be voting for this 100-day plan to restore prosperity to our economy, security to our communities, and honesty to our government.
This is my pledge to you.
And if we follow these steps, we will once more have a government of, by and for the people.”
“Al Gore did not accept the results of the elections, and he said he would,”
by Jeff Dunetz | Oct 21, 2016 | Politics
As interest in contested elections have grown, based on the tenor of the 2016 presidential race, Fred has agreed to update the guest post below which speaks to some of the other of “rigged” presidential elections You will find that Donald Trump charges are not as unique as you may believe.
Guest post by Fred Lucas
Whatever you think of Donald Trump not promising to immediately accept the election result, don’t believe anyone who says challenging the result would be unprecedented. Donald Trump is not the first candidate to say a presidential election was “rigged.”
Ridgewood NJ, readers were pretty evenly divided for the first two polls with Trump hold a slight edge . Trump pulled way ahead after his better than expected the 2nd debate performance .
Who Would You Rather Buy a Used Car from – Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump? Hillary Clinton 47.2 % Donald Trump 52.8 %
Who Won the First Presidential Debate – Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump? Hillary Clinton 51.9 % Donald Trump 48.1 %
Who Won the Second Presidential Debate – Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump? Hillary Clinton 35.2 % Donald Trump 64.8 %
