Trump to sign order to open up more offshore drilling

Via Billy

President Trump on Friday will sign an executive order on opening up the U.S. coasts to more offshore drilling while reviewing a number of former President Barack Obama's marine monument and sanctuary approvals seen as barriers to offshore energy development.

The Executive Order Implementing an America-First Offshore Energy Strategy directs the Interior Department to begin a review of restrictive drilling policies for the outer-continental shelf, while reviewing regulations and the Obama administration's actions.

More @ Washington Examiner

NRA determined to turn major election wins into permanent gun rights for Americans

Via Billy

Gun rights backers need to make sure that election victories translate into action on Capitol Hill and expanded support in the states, the National Rifle Association’s legislative chief said Thursday, a day ahead of President Trump’s speech at the NRA’s annual convention.

Enacting concealed-carry reciprocity, which would allow permit holders from one state to carry their weapons anywhere else in the U.S., is a top priority for the NRA now that the organization has a friendly Congress and a president it eagerly backed.

But Chris W. Cox, executive director of the NRA Institute for Legislative Action, told The Washington Times that NRA members can’t become complacent in the post-Obama era.

More @ The Washington Times

Why can't House repeal Obamacare? Because a lot of Republicans don't want to

Via Billy

 

The Republican-controlled House and Senate both voted to repeal Obamacare in January 2016. In the House, 239 Republicans voted for repeal, while three voted against it and four did not vote. President Obama, of course, vetoed the bill.
Now, with a president who would sign an Obamacare repeal, there's no way Republicans could get as many votes as last year.

"We're going to go when we have the votes," Speaker Paul Ryan said Thursday when asked when the House will pass a bill to repeal and replace Obamacare. Lawmakers will not be constrained by any "artificial deadline," Ryan declared.

On March 24, when the Speaker pulled the GOP Obamacare bill before what would have been a sure defeat, he said, "We're going to be living with Obamacare for the foreseeable future."

But why? Republicans have 237 seats in the House. Repealing Obamacare will require 216 votes. Even with unanimous Democratic opposition, Republicans could lose 20 votes and still prevail on repeal. Why haven't they done it?

By this time, it's becoming increasingly clear that Republicans have not repealed Obamacare because a lot of Republicans do not want to repeal Obamacare.

More @ Washington Examiner

House Committee Seeks Charges For Hillary Clinton’s IT Firm

Via Billy

A House committee is referring the head of a company that managed Hillary Clinton’s private email server to the Justice Department for obstruction of justice and making false statements.

Texas Rep. Lamar Smith, the chairman of the House Science, Space and Technology Committee, issued the referral for Treve Suazo, the CEO of Platte River Networks.

“With a new administration in place, I am hopeful that the Department of Justice will appropriately respond to the referral. We cannot allow companies with valuable information to stonewall us in our oversight efforts,” Smith said in a statement.

More@ The Daily Caller

Is a Management Shake-up Looming at Fox News?

Via Billy

As Fox News is roiled by lawsuits and the ouster of Bill O’Reilly, the network’s co-president Bill Shine has retained the backing of the Murdochs. On Monday, Rupert Murdoch took network co-presidents Shine and Jack Abernethy to lunch at Marea, a seafood restaurant near Fox’s midtown headquarters — a highly public show of support. 

But privately, Shine is expressing concern about his future at the network. According to three sources briefed on the conversations, Shine has told friends he recently asked Rupert’s sons James and Lachlan — the CEO and co-chairman, respectively, of network parent company 21st Century Fox — to release a statement in support of him, but they refused to do so. The sources said Shine made the request because of withering press coverage of Fox News in recent weeks. A source added that Shine has privately complained that Rupert “isn’t fighting for him” in the press, which is why he wanted explicit support from the sons.

More @ New York Magazine

Self-driving bicycle

Via Jean

 Dated.

Who doesn’t want to see the first GOP millennial Latina beat the pants off of de Blasio for NYC mayor?

Via Billy

The latest entry into the New York City mayoral race should finally put to rest that old saw that the GOP is a party comprised of old white men.

New York Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis, a Latina, threw her hat into the ring Tuesday, determined not only to be the Big Apple’s first millennial mayor, but to also break the stranglehold the Democratic Party has on big cities in the U.S.

The New York Times Metro desk reported:

More @ BIZPAC

Hensarling to move Dodd-Frank replacement next week, eyes Fannie and Freddie

Via Billy

 

House Republican legislation meant to replace the 2010 Dodd-Frank financial reform law is headed to the floor soon, the chairman responsible for the bill said Thursday.

Rep. Jeb Hensarling, chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, told reporters that the panel is scheduled to vote on the sweeping legislative package Tuesday and the full House will vote on it "shortly thereafter."

Although there is not more definite timing for the legislative package, the timetable is moving up amid uncertainty about other top Republican legislative goals, such as repealing Obamacare.

And Republicans also are eyeing relatively swift action to overhaul the bailed-out government-sponsored enterprises Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

More @ Washington Examiner

China urges withdrawal of U.S. THAAD missile defense system in South Korea

Via comment byWeaver  on Senior White House Official Says Military Preparat...

 

 Reuters

China said on Wednesday it had expressed serious concern to Washington and Seoul after the U.S. military started moving parts of its controversial THAAD anti-missile defense system to a deployment site in South Korea.

Speaking at a daily news briefing in Beijing, Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said China urged the U.S. and South Korea to withdraw the system.

Seoul and Washington say the sole purpose of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system is to defend against North Korean missiles, but China is concerned the system's powerful radar can penetrate its territory and undermine its security and has repeatedly expressed opposition to it.

A&E Interviews Gun Store Manager who Fought Back in L.A. Riots 25 Years Later

The A&E Network recently aired “L.A. Burning: The Riots 25 Years Later,” a documentary on the momentous Rodney King Riots. The documentary follows how the riots scarred L.A. and how they continue to affect people to this day, 25 years later.

Among the people affected by the riots were those who lived and worked in Koreatown, a Korean neighborhood in L.A. When riots and looting broke out in their community, Koreans famously took up arms in self-defense.

L.A. Burning interviewed one man who fought back, former gun store manager David Joo. “At that time I was at the gun store, and I happened to receive a phone call from my employer,” said Joo. “He also owned a jewelry store right down the block there.”

“And he said ‘David, we’re having a gunfight in here, so can you just come over and help us?'”

More @ Guns America