DELEITURAS

Egypt has become the latest launching point for rocket and artillery strikes against Israel joining the Gaza Strip and Syria in unprovoked attacks on the Jewish state.

The Jerusalem Post reported on Friday that rockets were fired from the Sinai Peninsula towards an Isreali village on the southern border. No injuries were reported.

These latest attacks come after President Obama spoke with Egypt’s President Morsi on Wednesday and Egypt’s Prime Minister Hesham Qandil visited Gaza to show solidarity with Hamas on Thursday.

Speaking in Cairo on Thursday, President Morsi said that in his conversation with Obama, he told the U.S. President that Israel’s offensive must stop while calling Israel’s defensive actions “unacceptable aggression.” President Mohammed Morsi pledged Egypt’s support of Hamas as he said that Cairo “would not leave Gaza on its own.”

The Egyptian government’s actions are no surprise. Since the rise to power of the Islamist Muslim Brotherhood in the Arab Spring, Egypt’s interest in peace with Israel has steadily lessened. It is unlikely that President Obama will be able to affect the situation as the U.S.’s influence in the region has significantly weakened over the last four years. In a separate statement, President Morsi said that “Egypt today is not the Egypt of yesterday, and Arabs today are not the Arabs of yesterday” heightening fears that Egypt is no longer a diplomatic partner in the region.

In sending the leader of the Egyptian government to Gaza in a friendly gesture to Hamas, Egypt is openly partnering with a group designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, Canada, Japan, the European Union and Israel. There is some concern that some of the more than $2 Billion in annual U.S. military and economic aid to Egypt may be funneled to Hamas.

The current crisis began as Palestinian rocket attacks against Israel were joined by Syrian artillery positions firing on the Israeli region known as the Golan Heights. Israel returned fire against the Syrian artillery.

In order to defend itself, Israel began Operation “Pillar of Defence” during which it killed the military commander of Hammas and struck numerous rocket launchers in the Gaza Strip.

News reports offer confusing timelines often tuned to show Israel as the first aggressor. These reports often ignore the continual and escalating rocket attacks that pre-dated the Isreali offensive. Isreali President Shimon Peres briefed the U.S. President informing him that the current operation was in response to Palestinian rocket attacks from Gaza.  During a visit to an Israeli border town, Peres said “”Israel is not interested in stoking the flames, but for the past five days there has been constant missile fire at Israel and mothers and children cannot sleep quietly at night.”

In response to reporting and editorials tilted against Israel, National Director of the Anti-Defamation League Abraham H. Foxman submitted a letter to the editor at the New York Times in which he pointed out some unfair editorialization on the conflict and how a failure to condemn Hamas’ constant attacks on Israel may have missed opportunities to prevent the escalation of hostilities.

Real understanding would be shown in discussion about how Israel is being surrounded by states and entities controlled by Islamic extremists, either the Muslim Brotherhood or Hezbollah, all committed to Israel’s destruction.

Real recognition of the problem would have been articulated by words calling on the international community to condemn Hamas attacks on Israeli civilians long before it came to this.

Three Israelis were killed and 18 injured by rockets fired from Gaza and 19 Palestinians were killed as Israel counter-attacked in defense of herself. 75,000 Israeli reservists have been called up for duty following the Palestinian attacks and resulting tensions.

Hamas is heavily supported by Iran and the Muslim Brotherhood, all vocal adversaries of the Jewish state. Armaments are steadily streaming into Gaza from Africa through smuggling tunnels in Egypt. The latest Hamas attacks included the Iranian Fajr-5 medium range guided missiles which can strike anywhere in Israel. These more dangerous Iranian arms are credited as the real reason for the Israeli counter-attack.

• The OMB has been operating under the orders to cause as little disruption as possible during the partial government shutdown.
• The response differs greatly from that of the previous administration.
• Critics charge that acting Directer Russ Vought’s push to keep services functioning may land the administration in legal trouble.

Services typically suspended during government shutdowns have continued to operate under the Trump administration, with insiders pointing to acting Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought as the reason why.

Agencies impacted by government shutdowns are forced to severely cut back on operations, suspend services and often send workers home without pay. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has been using creative solutions to blunt the burden, according to a senior administration official and several prominent Republicans.

Vought joined the OMB in early 2018, and assumed the role of acting director on Jan. 3 after Director Mick Mulvaney became President Donald Trump’s chief of staff.

“My marching orders from Russ is to make this shutdown as painless as possible,” a senior administration official, who was not authorized to speak on the record because they are not a principal, told The Daily Caller News Foundation.

The response by the Trump administration has differed greatly from that of the previous administration during the 2013 shutdown.

“What the marching orders in the last administration were was to weaponize the shutdown, to make it as painful as possible,” the official continued. “They did things as a policy matter, to not keep programs running, to not keep services running, to not have federal workers delivering services as a policy matter and as a political matter.”

The Republican-led House passed a stopgap funding bill on Dec. 20 that included appropriations to construct a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border. However, with a 51-seat majority, Senate Republicans fell short of the necessary 60 votes needed to send it to Trump’s desk for his signature. Consequently, a partial government shutdown has been in effect since funding expired Dec. 21.

“In many cases, Russ has been the one keeping things straight at OMB [while Director Mulvaney has been running the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau],” Marc Short, the former White House director of legislative affairs, told TheDCNF. “Nobody wants the shutdown, but it’s not as if Russ was thrown into the fire. The reality is that Russ was already managing the OMB, and he’s very capable to handle the challenges the shutdown presents.”

Skeptics, however, charge that Vought’s limited governing experience has prevented the OMB from providing a clear direction during the shutdown.

“I feel like they are making up the rules as they go along here and are going to get themselves in trouble legally,” William Hoagland, a Republican who served as staff director on the Senate Budget Committee during a government shutdown in 1995 told The Washington Post. “I’m not sure Russ’s strong suit is on the legal side and the management side.”

One example of the differences in action is this year the Internal Revenue Service will be able to, for the first time, issue tax refunds during the shutdown.

“I don’t know anybody who has greater expertise at the budget [than Vought] … he’s got an incredible work ethic,” former Texas Rep. Jeb Hensarling, who chaired the House Financial Services Committee, told TheDCNF. “I’ve got to tell you, he doesn’t lose his head in a fight. He is committed, he is focused, he is smart and I just don’t know of any body on Capitol Hill who can match his budgetary expertise.”

The senior administrative official noted that other agencies are also implementing Vought’s directive to make the shutdown as painless as possible. An example of this is the IRS’s move to restart verifying mortgage applications.

“We give guidance to the agencies about how to look at things, how to have the mindset that where can we find money,” the official explained. “[The Deptartment of the Treasury] determined that even though the program has run out of funding, they were able to identify fees that they had collected that they could actually transfer into this program. Perfectly legal. They came to OMB to approve it.”

The OMB also amended budgeting rules to extend Coast Guard salaries through the end of 2018 and the Department of Agriculture announced on Tuesday that low-income Americans will continue to have access to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits through the month of February.

“I don’t wish to make light of the families who very much count on [a federal] paycheck. But I think for the vast majority of Americans, they are not seeing this temporary lapse in appropriations,” Hensarling continued. “That’s attributed to [Vought’s] skillful ability to manage this process.”

President Barack Obama was accused of political theater after he fenced up war memorials, preventing veterans from honoring their fallen brethren. In 2013, after the Republican House and Democratic Senate failed to come to terms, the federal government spent money to maximize disruption, including shutting down parking lots to President George Washington’s privately owned home, removing the handles from bike path water pumps, closing private shops and restaurants on federal lands, fencing off a Capitol Hill turtle statue, creating new government websites to explain the existing websites weren’t funded, and taping Capitol Hill community notice boxes shut.

Conversely, the Trump administration has kept national parks and monuments open by tapping into entrance fees to generate the revenue needed to provide basic services. Former National Park Services Deputy Director P. Daniel Smith hailed the move as an “extraordinary step.”

“You’re always going to have criticism, but I’ll take our record of trying to make it as painless as possible against the last administration, or any administration for that matter,” the senior official said.

“Any time there’s a shutdown the media will look to drive hysteria about it, so that makes anyone’s job tough,” Short told TheDCNF. “By all accounts I think Russ is doing a great job.”

• Top scoring brands in the new study include Acura, BMW, Chevrolet, Ford, Honda, Lexus, Mercedes-Benz and Toyota
• Study measures and compares six areas of performance relevant to a franchise dealer’s ability to succeed
• The Retail Brand Scorecards, an annual study launched today at NADA, are compiled by Cox Automotive in association with Automotive News

As auto dealers from across the country gather in San Francisco for the annual NADA convention, top honors were given to Ford and Mercedes-Benz in the non-luxury and luxury categories, respectively, in a new study released today. The comprehensive study measures and compares core brand attributes that most impact dealer performance.

The Retail Brand Scorecards are compiled by Cox Automotive in association with Automotive News. Scorecards provide a comprehensive and data-driven framework for comparing auto brands, using multiple performance metrics relevant to a franchise dealer’s ability to succeed. Considering both non-luxury and luxury brands, the study indicates which automakers are best in class, above average, or just getting by. The underlying metrics cover key performance indicators across a range of attributes, from consumer brand perceptions and loyalty to product range, shopping traffic and geographic sales consistency.

“This study represents a comprehensive review of brands from a unique perspective—how well they support the success of dealers,” said Cox Automotive Chief Economist Jonathan Smoke. “As we assembled the data and began to see how the brands performed differently, we started looking at the results as grades in high school, where the most well-rounded and high-achieving students are those who perform well across a wide range of disciplines. With that scorecard framework, we found a clear set of brands that are honor-roll worthy, as they are in essence the hardest-working, most successful students.”

In developing the Retail Brand Scorecards, Cox Automotive’s industry analysts assembled data and created metrics to grade automotive brands across six core subjects:

1. Best Customers: Analyzing segmentation data from Claritas, the team identified a brand’s ability to capture ideal customers—those who, among other traits, are most likely to buy new; buy frequently; obtain financing from the dealership; and return to the dealer for parts and service.
2. Range of Offerings: Assessing the strength of a brand’s products across the segments driving volume and growth in the market. The more complete the offerings, the more likely a brand will attract the best customers.
3. Age of Offerings: Grading the “newness” of a brand’s vehicle line-up by looking at specific models and their life cycle. As is well documented in the industry, a fresh product line drives interest and traffic and more profitable sales.
4. Digital Traffic: Measuring website traffic from Autotrader.com and KBB.com, two of the largest consumer shopping sites – both Cox Automotive properties. This data set grades consumer interest by measuring average new car shopping activity by model.
5. Shopper Loyalty: Assessing shopper loyalty on KBB.com developed by observing consumers who price a trade-in from one brand and then price a new vehicle from the same brand. Higher shopper loyalty increases the likelihood of satisfied customers and repeat purchases.
6. Attitudinal: Using data from Kelley Blue Book’s Brand Watch study, all brands are rated in the key attributes that most drive purchase behavior, including reputation, durability, affordability, and safety.

In the study, 20 non-luxury and 14 luxury brands were considered. In either category, the brands were ranked top-to-bottom and then graded on a curve relative to the other brands in the category. As in school, the top grade assigned is an A, the bottom an F. All six attributes were then equally weighted to develop a final score, presented as a grade-point average (GPA). A “straight A” brand would receive a score of 4.0.

Additionally, the analysis identified two other ways in which brand performance could have a positive or negative impact on a dealer. These attributes were judged less important as the subject areas, but extreme performance differences merited bonus or penalty points for the top and bottom brands. The bonus attributes considered were:

1. Geographic Consistency—Not all brands are consistent in their market share across the country. Some show extreme variation, which can positively or negatively impact dealer performance.
2. OEM Mandates and Restrictions—Data from the Cox Automotive Dealer Sentiment Index was used to measure the likelihood for dealers to report issues in working with their auto manufacturers.

The Grades are Posted
In the final rankings, strong brands with diverse product lines and consistent performance across the country scored best. Five brands out of the 34 studied—BMW, Chevrolet, Ford, Mercedes-Benz and Toyota—received straight A’s across the six attributes, although Chevrolet, Ford and Mercedes-Benz received a few A- rankings. Only BMW and Toyota were perfect, 4.0 students.

While all six attributes were equally weighted in the final scores, the analysts at Cox Automotive noted the importance of “Best Customers” and “Attitudinal” scores.

“Customers who are loyal in nature, who are new-car buyers and likely to return for parts and service are key to any dealers’ long-term success,” noted Smoke. “The best customers will always be a consistent source of revenue for a dealer, in good times and bad.”

Additionally, the Attitudinal score measures consumer perception of the brand and the overall strength of the product line. Strong product across many segments, Cox Automotive analysts note, can overcome many shortcomings in the market.

Best Non-Luxury

Ford lands best-in-class—valedictorian—in the non-luxury category. The Blue Oval earned an A or A- in every subject, with its highest finish at #4 in Range. What pushes Ford to the top were the extra credit points for both Geographic Consistency and a low number of dealer complaints concerning OEM Mandates and Restrictions.

Toyota landed in second place with an adjusted GPA above 4.0. Toyota receives an A in every subject but falls short of being named valedictorian by not receiving bonus points for Geographic Consistency. Toyota is exceptionally strong in Range (#2), Loyalty (#3) and Attitudinal (#3).

Best Luxury
Lexus is second-best in the luxury class, receiving an A in every subject except Range, where it received a B+. Lexus is exceptionally strong in Attitudinal (#2), and the brand ranks well in Range (#3) and Loyalty (#4).

On top of the luxury class is Mercedes-Benz. The brand earned perfect A’s in all subjects except Range, where it was awarded a solid A-. Range is also ironically where the brand had its highest finish at #2.

Visa is an essential document that you will need to enter the Indian Territory. The Government of India has its own rules and regulations for permitting the visa to the foreigners. These rules and regulations change from time to time depending on the political and socio-economic conditions. There have been some critical changes in the types of visa that the Government is currently permitting. These regulations have been in effect from 1st April 2017. Here is a vivid detail about the types of visa that you can procure depending on the purpose of your entrance in India.

• Tourist Visa: If you want to visit India just for touring, you can apply for the tourist visa. You get the permission for including sightseeing or even short-term yoga programs. Usually, the visa term depends on your nationality. On an average, the Government allows a maximum time of six months for a tourist visa. No foreigner receives permission to stay at a stretch for more than a period of six months. The Indian Government had to make amendments to the rules to stop the increasing misuse of the tourist visas. As per the earlier specifications, you would not have been allowed to re-visit India without at least a two months gap from the last visit date. But from November 2012 onwards, this particular order was overruled. If you are applying for the visa even within one month of the expiry, it might take about 45 days to get the approval from the Ministry of Home Affairs.

• Entry visa: You can apply for the entry visa or the X-visa if you are not falling under the category of any other type of applicants for the visa. Currently, the X-visa is only applicable to you if you who fulfill the following requirements:

1. You are of Indian origin but a foreigner residentially.

2. You are the child or spouse of an Indian citizen or the foreigner having an Indian origin.

3. You are the dependent child or spouse of a foreigner who has been in India for a long time and held the Business visa or the Employment visa.

4. You are joining any specific ashrams or some spiritual community like the Missionary of Charities in Kolkata, Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Auroville, or other Buddhist monasteries for social work or religious programs.

5. You are an athlete and participating in the international sports event on the professional ground.

You are not eligible to work in the country if you are holding the X-visa. But the benefit is that you can extend the stay permit if required. You don’t need to leave the country after six months. You have to register your name at the Foreigners Regional Registration Office.

• Employment visa: You can apply for this visa if you need to work in India on behalf of an Indian registered organization. You can procure the Special Project Visa if you intend to work in the power and steel industrial segment of India and you possess the extraordinary skill that will be beneficial for the industrial development in the country. You will also get the Indian visa if you have been working in the country for a long time in volunteer jobs. The employment visa is generally for a year or the term mentioned in the official contract paper. You can apply for an extension if the contract renews. To apply, you need to produce the contract paper that will be proof of your association with the Indian organization. The latest amendment on 1st April 2017 states that you can get the visa with an income level below 16.25 lakh rupees or about $26,000. This rule will encourage foreigners like you to start teaching in the Central Institutes of Higher Education. The exception will also be applicable if you are a translator, ethnic cook, member of Embassies, volunteers, or non-English language teacher.

• Intern visa: Before 1st April 2017, you would have to procure the employment visa even if you wanted to pursue an internship program in India. But from April 2017, you will eligible for the Intern visa if you fulfill a set of other requirements. But you have to keep in mind that the internship must start within a year of the completion of your graduation or the post graduation. The term of stay will be as per the internship program duration or one year, whichever will be lower. You won’t be able to convert the Intern visa to Employment visa under any condition.

• Business visa: If you are seeking business opportunities in India or you want to start a business in the country, you can apply for the Business visa. The primary difference between Employment and Business visa is that you will not be working for or earning any salary from an Indian organization if you hold the Business visa. You need to produce the letter from the organization that is keen to start a business dealing with you. The letter must elaborately describe the nature of the business, places that you intend to visit, the average stay duration, and expense management planning. The visa has a validity of five years during which you can enjoy multiple entries. But you cannot stay in India for more than six months at a time that might alter from the business type. If you have a joint venture, the visa will be for ten years.

• Student visa: If you want to study for an extended period in India under an officially registered educational institution, you can apply for the Student visa. The study may include subjects like Vedic culture, music, classical dance, or yoga. You need to show the registration papers as well as admission related documents of the institution. The standard term is for five years. But the stay extends if the course duration is longer. For studying yoga, the Yoga visa term has special mention. The official and certified Indian yoga centers always ask for the Yoga visa as the tourist visa is not sufficient to allow you enough time for learning yoga.

Many consumers don’t do their research when it comes to credit cards, according to U.S. News & World Report, the global authority in rankings and consumer advice. In its most recent survey of credit card holders, U.S. News found that nearly half of respondents didn’t research their card before signing up. Further, more than 50 percent of those surveyed don’t regularly shop around for better cards.

U.S. News Money, which publishes the Best Rewards Credit Cards of 2018, conducted the survey to learn more about cardholders’ rewards preferences and redemption habits. According to its 2018 Rewards Credit Card Survey:

• Cash back is the most popular reward, followed by airline rewards and gift cards. The highest number of respondents (43 percent) said they redeemed cash back or a statement credit within the last 12 months, followed by airline rewards (23 percent) and gift cards (16 percent).
• The top three stated reasons consumers choose specific cards are no annual fees, the rate of earning rewards and loyalty perks or rewards.
• Most cardholders don’t maximize the value of their rewards cards. More than 25 percent of those surveyed carry a balance from month to month at least seven times a year, potentially costing them more than the rewards they earn.

“There are dozens of rewards credit cards to choose from,” said Kimberly Castro, executive editor at U.S. News. “But, consumers need to do their research to find the right card for their specific financial situation. By carrying a balance or not shopping around, they’re leaving money on the table.”

New Jersey state legislators are reportedly threatening to withhold President Donald Trump’s name on the 2020 ballot if he refuses to release his tax returns, according to a report.

The state Senate passed a resolution Thursday that would leave off the names of candidates for president who are unwilling to make their tax returns public, according to NorthJersey.com. A similar effort was devised in 2017, but then-Republican Gov. Chris Christie vetoed the bill calling it a “transparent political stunt,” squashing Democrat hopes.

New Jersey would become the first state to enact such a measure should the be approved by the Assembly and Democratic New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy. At least 30 other states have launched efforts to pass similar legislation, but none have become law.

These actions, primarily under the direction of Democratic lawmakers, were sparked after then-candidate Trump turned down requests to publish his tax returns, hindering the public’s ability to glimpse his personal finances.

“It is so obvious with this president that had voters known some of what seem to be his business interests, he may not have been elected president,” Democratic state Sen. Loretta Weinberg, a sponsor of the legislation, told the Courier-Post.

The law raises questions about whether it violates aspects of the U.S. Constitution. Proponents of the bill argue that states have the right to regulate their ballot requirements under the Constitution.

“It sends a message that states can tamper with the ballot in any way that pleases the majority party politically, and taxpayers will be the ones who pay the price when this ends up in court,” Republican state Sen. Joe Pennacchio said in a statement.

Pennacchio says that the bill should instead be targeted at all elected officials, rather than merely spotlighting the presidency.

“If this really is about making sure voters are well-informed, then common sense dictates that S-119 should apply to all of us,” Pennacchio continued.

Tim McGraw and Faith Hill sing together on their highly anticipated new song “Speak to a Girl.”

Lyrics to Tim McGraw and Faith Hill’s “Speak to a Girl”

[Faith:]
She don’t give a damn ’bout your Benjamin Franklin’s, she wants Aretha
She don’t really care how you’re spending your money, it’s all how you treat her
She just want a friend to be there when she opens her eyes in the morning
She wants you to say what you mean and mean everything that you’re saying

‘Cause that’s how you talk to a woman, that’s how you speak to a girl
That’s how you get with the lady who’s worth more than anything in your whole world
You better respect your Mama, respect the hell out of her
‘Cause that’s how you talk to a woman and that’s how you speak to a girl

[Tim:]
She don’t give a damn ’bout your pride or the lies that you’re hiding behind
She just wanna feel that you’re real, that she’s near to the man that’s inside
She don’t need to hear she’s a queen on a throne, that she’s more than amazing
She just wants you to say what you mean and to mean everything that you’re saying

[Both:]
‘Cause that’s how you talk to a woman, that’s how you speak to a girl
That’s how you get with a lady who’s worth more than anything in your whole world
You better respect your Mama, respect the hell out of her
‘Cause that’s how you talk to a woman, that’s how you speak to a girl

That’s how you speak to, speak to her
That’s how you speak to, speak to her

‘Cause that’s how you talk to a woman, that’s how you speak to a girl
That’s how you get with a lady who’s worth more than anything in your whole world
You better respect your Mama, respect the hell out of her
‘Cause that’s how you talk to a woman and that’s how you speak to a girl
That’s how you talk to a woman, that’s how you speak to a girl

 

by Tim Pearce

Natural gas prices in the New York City region skyrocketed in January, costing New Yorkers roughly 46 times more than the 2017 average for the area, according to a Tuesday report from the Consumer Energy Alliance (CEA).

Despite neighboring natural gas rich Pennsylvania, New York residents pay 44 percent more for energy than the national average. A lack of transportation infrastructure between the two states has effectively cut off New Yorkers from a large supply of fuel.

“Spot market prices in the New York City region jumped to a record high of $140.25 for natural gas, as compared to the average natural gas spot market price for New York in 2017 was $3.08,” CEA found. “New Yorkers were subjected to prices that were $137 higher due to self-inflicted capacity constraints created by their own elected officials.”

Due largely to a lack of oil and gas infrastructure, much of New England was forced to rely on imported natural gas from Russia to keep neighborhoods heated during over the winter. Parts of New England sit on one of the largest deposits of shale oil in the U.S., the Marcellus shale formation that covers parts of New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

Natural gas makes up a significant part of the energy mixture in New York, despite the limits to infrastructure imposed by state officials. More than half of all New York residents heat their homes with natural gas, and the sector supports nearly 200,000 jobs in the state.

“This report highlights the often-overlooked benefits New York’s communities are receiving because of the U.S. energy revolution, enhanced infrastructure, and pipelines,” CEA Mid-Atlantic Director Mike Butler said in a statement. “However, New York families, businesses, and households will not be able to realize the full potential of these benefits until natural gas plays a larger role in the state to offset intermittency issues and the physical realities of the state’s electric grid.”

The first episode of Family Guy premiered on Fox right after Super Bowl XXXIII on Jan. 31, 1999, 20 years ago.

The show follows dad Peter Griffin, wife Lois Griffin and children Meg, Chris and Stewie and their talking dog Brian.

Family Guy has been on entertainment watchdog Parents Television Council’s hit list more than 40 times, was cancelled twice and faced multiple lawsuits over the course of two decades. It was also the first animated program since the Flintstones to receive Outstanding Comedy Series at the Emmy’s, the first show to get back on the air based on DVD sales and is one of the longest-running comedies in the U.S.

Seth MacFarlane created the show and voiced several characters but he stopped writing for the show since 2010.  Family Guy is known to make fun of pop culture and push the limits of comedy, with even an episode getting banned from TV.

Family Guy released an episode in January depicting President Donald Trump groping a teenager despite producer Rich Appel telling Entertainment Weekly that the scene was “clearly offensive and gross and not appropriate.”

Governor Rick Perry has drawn quite a bit of criticism for his recent remarks regarding the country of Turkey during the Fox news/WSJ SC GOP debate on Tuesday night. When asked about his plans for cutting all U.S. foreign aid to zero,and whether Turkey still belongs in NATO, Perry responded as follows: “Obviously, when you have a country that is being ruled by what many would perceive to be Islamic terrorists, when you start seeing that type of activity against their own citizens, then yes — not only is it time for us to have a conversation about whether or not they belong to be in NATO, but it’s time for the United States, when we look at their foreign aid, to go to zero with it,” he said.

Note that Perry states in his answer that Turkey is “being ruled by what many would perceive to be Islamic terrorists.” He didn’t call them terrorists or identify any certain individuals as terrorists, but instead stated that many people would perceive the rulers of Turkey to be Islamic terrorists. So does Governor Perry’s statement carry any weight? Yes it does, and there are plenty of facts to back it up, which may be found by doing some very basic research on the subject of Turkey.

While the U.S. State dept, which is currently run by Hillary Clinton, has distanced itself from Perry’s statement, the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs came out with a very U.S. DNC-type statement in which they attacked Perry’s credibility, as opposed to putting up any facts to denounce his statement. “Those individuals who are candidates for positions requiring responsibility such as the U.S. presidency are expected to be more knowledgeable on global affairs and more careful in their statements,” the ministry said in a statement. “Turkey became a member of NATO when the governor was just 2 years old. … The U.S. has no time to lose with such candidates who do not even know America’s allies.” So just because Governor Perry was two years old when Turkey joined NATO., we are led to believe that he could not possibly know anything about the country of Turkey, and their eligibility for NATO admittance. With the Muslim brotherhood surging into power within Egypt due to the recent uprisings across the region, we see the political climate changing at a rapid pace today. The anti-American, anti-Israeli sentiment is at a dangerous level throughout the Middle East and North Africa today. Governor Perry obviously wasn’t referring to the Turkey of 50 years ago when he made his statement.

For some factual history of the examples of historic Turkish genocide, mainly aimed at wiping out Christians in the region, see this article. Millions of people were murdered or fled religious persecution by the Young Turks of the Ottoman Empire, and Turkey’s government has shown the propensity to deny those facts, even today. And recently, William Dalrymple penned “Christians Fleeing the Middle East’ in which he wrote, that Christianity is suffering “a devastating decline in the land of its birth.” While today’s Turkey proclaims itself to be a Republic, it appears to be anything but a free Republic when we read about the Turkish-Muslim Persecution of Christians.

Fast forward to today. In this Fox News article, we see that recently the Turkish government has expelled the Israeli Ambassador, that Turkey’s [lack of] freedom of the press currently resembles that of Russia, and that Turkish authorities have recently met with Hamas leaders. Add to that information the reports that violence against women are up some 1400%, (2002-2009) and that the director of the Turkish Research Program, Mr. Capaptay, wrote an essay that stated that the Turkish government has “neutered domestic checks and balances” since 2002, a “consolidation of power” that could have consequences for its relationship with the U.S. He noted that Turkish officials have demonized Western nations, and polls show the Turkish people mostly do not view the U.S. Favorably. To Governor Perry’s credit, he stands by his statements, as he recently stated, “When you see the number of actions against your citizens that we would consider to be terrorist acts, I stand by my statement,” Perry said. “You need to be putting protections in place for your citizens if you’re seeing those types of attacks against, particularly, well, particularly females. That is particularly heinous from my perspective.”

Finally, some pundits and assorted academics have falsely argued that Turkey does not currently receive and U.S. Foreign aid, in another attempt to discredit Perry’s statements. Apparently, the very same government-paid propagandist who wrote the essay mentioned above, Mr. Capaptay of the “Turkish Research Program” are incapable of telling the truth and doing proper research to back up statements, such as the following: “First, Turkey does not receive U.S. foreign aid. Some time in the 1980s it was phased out, so this is not your mother’s Turkey,” U.S. Aid to Turkey has been “phased out” since 1980? Not according to the U.S. Government it hasn’t, as seen here. That shows Turkey receiving $5.4 million from the U.S. In 2011 and another $5.6 million slated to be given to them in 2012. Keep in mind that those figures are only for “base appropriations.” For instance, in FY 2009, the U.S. Government gave Turkey $7 million tax dollars for.. “economic development.” Mr. Capaptay would be advised to be careful with his own “inaccurate statements” as per his condescending statement to governor Perry concerning U.S. cash being given to Turkey today.

In conclusion, Governor Perry is 100% correct in demanding that the U.S. reset all foreign aid back to zero, reevaluate each case, and then reestablish the programs based on protecting American interests and preventing U.S. tax dollars from funding anti-American regimes. And yes, that should include Islamic-terrorist supporting governments and anyone else caught promoting and/or aiding them. Why in the world does the United States government continue to dole out billions of taxpayer dollars to hostile countries out to destroy America?