Bullies Meet Their Match

By Shonda Ponder

Senator Kirsten E.Gillibrand (D-NY) attacked Donald Trump and called for his resignation. Conceding that he wouldn't resign, she called on her colleagues to harass him and make life miserable for him until he does. Okay, so she didn't say that exactly, but that's the gist of it. Democrats don't like someone, they punch and punch and punch until they get what they want -- no matter how irrational or wrong they are for doing it, just like the bullies they are.

People, we have a President in office who isn't afraid of bullies. He responded to her attack with:

Of course, this riled the Democrats up, and true to their mob(ster) mentality and circling the wagon, Congressman John A. Yarmuth (D-KY, 3rd) released the statement below on President Donald Trump’s tweet regarding Senator Kirsten Gillibrand:

“Responding to allegations of sexual misconduct by trying to publicly shame yet another woman, the president has shown us exactly what kind of person he is. This is not about politics. Donald Trump has proven to be a poison for the presidency, a cancer on the country, and a truly disgraceful human being.”

Well, what do you expect? He's dealing with disgraceful human beings. In order to deal with the dirt, sometimes you get dirty. The Ponder thinks that what is disgraceful is bullying someone, then whining when you get punched in the face, then calling them a bully because they fight back.

Senator Jeff Flake Will Not Serve Another Term

Washington, D.C. - October 26, 2017 (The Ponder News) -- U.S. Senator Jeff Flake - (R - AZ) spoke on the Senate floor announcing that he will be retiring from the Senate at the end of his first term.

“I have decided that I will be better able to represent the people of Arizona and to better serve my country and my conscience by freeing myself from the political considerations that consume far too much bandwidth and would cause me to compromise far too many principles. To that end, I am announcing today that my service in the Senate will conclude at the end of my term in early January 2019,” said Flake.



Charles W. Dent (R-PA, 15th)

"Today's announcement by my friend Senator Jeff Flake is sad news for the people of Arizona, the U.S. Senate and the entire United States. Jeff has always acted according to a clear compass of conservative principles, with recognition and respect for the responsibility to govern. A true statesman and dedicated public servant--Jeff never shied away from speaking out against the dysfunction and instability that has come to dominate Washington. I wish Jeff, his wife Cheryl, and their family all the best in whatever may lie ahead."

Trent Franks (R-AR, 8th)

“In spite of our sometimes stark political differences, I consider Senator Jeff Flake a truly decent human being and a man who loves God, his country and his fellow human beings. I wish him and his family the very best God can give them during his remaining time in the Senate and going forward in life.”

Jeb Hensarling (R-TX, 5th)

“Jeff is a dear friend and someone I worked closely with in the House of Representatives. His commitment to limited government, freedom, responsibility, and genuine compassion for people across the world will not soon be forgotten. Jeff is a strong leader and fiscal conservative who will be missed in Congress. I wish him the best of luck on his next journey.”

SENATORS YOUNG AND MERKLEY CALL FOR GAO REVIEW OF UN PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS

Source: Senator Todd Young (R - IN)



Washington, D.C. - September 11, 2017 (The Ponder News) -- Senators Todd Young (R-IN) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee that oversees the United Nations, sent a letter to the Comptroller General asking the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to examine United Nations (UN) peacekeeping operations.

Young and Merkley issued the following joint statement today: “Reform of UN peacekeeping is needed, and this GAO review will provide Congress and the administration valuable information to ensure UN peacekeeping operations are as efficient and effective as possible—focusing on the protection of civilians.”

The request continues Young and Merkley’s active and bipartisan leadership of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Multilateral International Development, Multilateral Institutions, and International Economic, Energy, and Environmental Policy.

Ambassador Haley has made UN peacekeeping reform a major priority, raising the issue again at the UN Security Council on August 29.

The full text of the letter is below:

Dear Mr. Dodaro:

On April 6, 2017, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations (UN) Nikki Haley delivered remarks concerning UN peacekeeping operations at a meeting of the UN Security Council. Ambassador Haley highlighted five principles that she believes should guide and inform the assessment and reform of UN peacekeeping missions. Ambassador Haley’s five principles for effective UN peacekeeping included: 1) missions supporting political solutions; 2) host country cooperation; 3) realistic and achievable peacekeeping mandates; 4) exit strategies; and 5) willingness to adjust mandates when situations either improve or fail to improve.

On August 29, 2017, Ambassador Haley reiterated the need for reform of UN peacekeeping saying, “At the heart of this vision for reform are the civilians we are meant to serve.” She continued, “In peacekeeping, the UN must strive to ensure the ability of people to live in peace and security without a UN presence.”

As the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations subcommittee responsible for oversight of the UN, we request that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) examine, and provide answers to, the following questions regarding all ongoing UN peacekeeping operations:

1) To what degree do the mandate and associated peacekeeping operations support a realistic and achievable political solution and exit strategy? Is the peacekeeping force appropriately tasked, adequately resourced, and deployed in sufficient numbers to best protect civilians against current threats?

2) To what degree does the mission enjoy host-country cooperation? How are the Security Council and UN regional members using multilateral and bilateral pressure to support the peace process and prevent obstruction to peacekeepers carrying out their mandate?

3) When was the mandate last updated, and what differences exist between the mandate and the current situation on the ground?

We would welcome an interim update by December 1, 2017, but request that GAO provide its findings in a written final report no later than March 1, 2018. To the extent possible, we ask that this report be unclassified, but understand that classified reporting may be needed. Thank you for your timely attention to this request. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact our staffs.

Tillis Applauds Trump Tax Reform Goal

Source: Senator Thom Tillis - (R - NC)

Washington, D.C. - August 31, 2017 (The Ponder News) -- Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) issued the following statement following President Trump’s speech on tax reform:

"I applaud President Trump for laying out principles for tax reform that include simplifying the tax code, cutting rates, and producing economic growth. In 2013, North Carolina passed historic tax reform based on these principles, which has helped create more than 300,000 jobs and turned North Carolina’s economy into one of the fastest growing in the entire nation. I look forward to working closely with the President and Congressional leaders to fulfill our promises to deliver tax relief to hardworking families and business owners that will provide them with an even better chance to achieve the American Dream."

Senators Push for Increased Sanctions on North Korea

Source: Senator Ben Sasse (R-NE)

Washington, D.C. - August 31, 2017 (The Ponder News) -- As North Korea continues its unacceptable provocations, U.S. Senators Ben Sasse (R-NE) and Joe Donnelly (D-IN) continue to push for increased sanctions on both North Korea and China designed to crack down on the rogue regime’s weapons program. Sasse and Donnelly sent a letter today to Senate Banking Committee Chairman Mike Crapo (R-ID) and Ranking Member Sherrod Brown (D-OH) outlining recent findings on North Korean sanctions and outlining key questions for future full committee hearings. Sasse and Donnelly serve as Ranking Member and Chairman of the Senate Banking Subcommittee on National Security and International Trade and Finance.

Building on a May subcommittee hearing, Sasse and Donnelly encouraged the Banking Committee to push the Administration on its options to expand sanctions and highlight the additional tools available to punish North Korea and those who assist in their illegal activity.

Sasse and Donnelly said in their letter, in part, “As you plan the Banking Committee’s schedule for the coming months, we welcome your consideration of a full committee hearing on sanctions against the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK)…On May 10, 2017, the Banking Subcommittee on National Security and International Trade and Finance held a hearing on ‘Secondary Sanctions against Chinese Institutions: Assessing Their Utility for Constraining North Korea.’

“…there is a strong consensus that the level of pressure necessary to get the Kim regime to the table, let alone reach an agreement, will be extraordinarily high and must be coupled with a full court diplomatic effort with our allies and with China directly to persuade China to engage more directly with the DPRK. It is our shared belief that the current multilateral sanctions may be insufficient to achieve this goal, even after the progress made at the United Nations in August. Continued U.S. engagement and leadership will therefore be critical in the months ahead and must include a comprehensive effort to ensure rigorous enforcement of all U.S. and multilateral sanctions.

“…Finally, and most importantly, our witnesses stressed that increasing sanctions pressure on the DPRK to the level necessary to force negotiations requires a deliberate, forceful, and coordinated diplomatic effort by the United States coupled with tough sanctions enforcement.”

Portman Praises President Trump's Push on Tax Reform

Source: Senator Rob Portman- (R - OH)

Washington, D.C. - August 31, 2017 (The Ponder News) -- U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following statement praising President Trump’s push on tax reform in Missouri, saying that simplifying our tax code would create more jobs and increase wages for American families:

“Tax reform is about more jobs and better wages for American families, and I commend the president for making the case about how simplifying our complicated, burdensome, and outdated tax code would benefit our country. Our current tax code encourages U.S. companies to take jobs and investments overseas, and that is unacceptable. I’m focused on ensuring that this reform effort encourages more investment in America, brings jobs home, and gives American workers a competitive advantage. I have been working closely with my colleagues in the Senate, the House of Representatives, and the administration on this effort, and I’m committed to getting this done for Ohio and the American people in order to help grow our economy, create more jobs, and increase wages.”

Campaign Finance Reform Legislation

by Senator Gary Peters (D-MI)

Washington, D.C. - August 31, 2017 (The Ponder News) -- U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) has announced that he has cosponsored two bills to increase transparency in campaign finance and reduce the influence of special interests in Congressional elections. The Democracy Is Strengthened by Casting Light On Spending in Elections (DISCLOSE) Act will require outside groups that spend over $10,000 on election advertising, including super PACs, to disclose their donors and source of funding within 24 hours. Peters is also cosponsoring the Fair Elections Now Act which would establish citizen-funded elections to better strengthen small donors and grassroots voices. Peters previously cosponsored both bills in the 114th Congress.

“For too long, our campaign finance system has given big corporations the ability to spend millions of dollars on federal elections – silencing the voices of Michigan middle class families in the process,” said Senator Peters. “It should be Michiganders deciding who represents them, not corporations looking to buy influence. I’m proud to cosponsor these commonsense bills that will help increase transparency and give power back to the American people in our elections.”

The DISCLOSE Act would require any covered organization that spends $10,000 or more on election ads to file a disclosure report with the Federal Elections Commission (FEC) within 24 hours, and to file a new report for each additional $10,000 or more spent. The disclosure report must include the sources of all donations of $10,000 or more that the organization received during that election cycle. The legislation additionally would direct the FEC and U.S. Department of Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) to share information to identify and prevent foreign election spending. The DISCLOSE Act is supported by a number of campaign finance reform stakeholders, including Public Citizen, the federation of Public Interest Research Groups (PIRGs), Brennan Center, League of Women Voters, People For the American Way, Center for Responsive Politics, and the Sunlight Foundation.

The Fair Elections Now Act amends the Federal Elections Campaign Act of 1971 to establish a voluntary method for financing Senate campaigns. The legislation would provide qualified candidates for Congress with grants, matching funds, and vouchers from the Fair Elections Fund - which would be established by the legislation - to replace campaign fundraising that largely relies on large donors and special interests. In return, participating candidates would agree to limit their campaign spending to the amounts raised from small dollar donors plus the amounts provided from the Fund.

Failure To Deliver On Tax Is Not An Option

From Senator David Perdue (R-GA)

Washington, D.C. - August 31, 2017 (The Ponder News) -- U.S. Senator David Perdue (R-GA), a member of the Senate Budget Committee, comments on President Trump’s speech on tax reform:

“President Trump's comments today are spot on. Thanks to American voters, we now have the opportunity to create a new tax system that is fairer for everyone and makes our country competitive again. The clock is ticking. There are only 61 session days until the end of the year to pass a plan that eliminates the repatriation tax, lowers the corporate tax rate, and simplifies the individual tax system to bring relief to working men and women. Make no mistake, failure to deliver results on tax is not an option.

“Consumer confidence is at a 16 year high and many businesses are investing and creating more jobs than ever before. We are on the cusp of an economic turnaround, and these tax changes must happen this year in order to have any real impact on business decisions that can produce significant economic growth. Americans are watching the tax debate closely and counting on Congress to deliver real results.”

Strange: I'm frustrated with Washington

Florence Times Daily

U.S. Sen. Luther Strange said Washington is a frustrating place, and the behavior of some of his colleagues only makes matters worse.

Strange, a Republican, is only a few months into the job, and faces challenges to hold onto the position in Tuesday's primary election.

He spoke Thursday during a lunch meeting of the Shoals Chamber of Commerce, where one of his rivals, U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks, spoke the day before.

"I'm just as frustrated as I can be," he said. "We've spun our wheels and accomplished nothing."

Strange, who was endorsed this week by President Donald Trump via Twitter, said the only hope of addressing health care and the Affordable Care Act is for Republicans and Democrats to come together and hash out their differences.

Read more...

OUTRAGEOUS! KY State Senator tries to get sex from would be art student...

Spectrum News

More than 10 years ago budding photographer Jason Geis wanted to go to art school. He says a high-profile Kentucky lawmaker took an interest in his work and promised to help him.

Instead of help, Geis said he was groped and propositioned for sex. And that’s not all. When he turned to police for help, he says the whole thing was swept under the rug.

Relying on previously undisclosed police files, a hidden recording and interviews with Geis and the lawmaker, Pure Politics offers the following eleven month investigation into the allegations and why they were kept quiet for so long.

Read more...

OUTRAGEOUS! I am posting this because everyone in the country needs to know about this and everyone in Kentucky needs to rise up against him!