To the Governor: Nebraska Passes Bill to Limit ALPR Data, Help Block National License Plate Tracking Program

LINCOLN, Neb. (Feb. 8, 2018) – Today, the Nebraska legislature unanimously passed a bill that would put limitations on the storage and sharing of information collected by Automated License Plate Readers (ALPRs) by law enforcement in the state, and place significant roadblocks in the way of a federal program using states to help track the…

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Alabama Senate Unanimously Passes Bill to Help Encourage Use of Gold and Silver as Money

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (Feb. 8, 2018) –  Earlier today, the Alabama Senate unanimously passed a bill that would exempt the sale of gold and silver bullion from state sales and use tax, encouraging its use and taking the first step toward breaking the Federal Reserve’s monopoly on money. Sen. Tim Melson (R-Florence) introduced Senate Bill 156 (SB156) on…

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Missouri Bill Would Ban “Material Support or Resources” for Warrantless Federal Surveillance

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (Feb. 8, 2018) – A bill introduced in the Missouri House would ban “material support or resources” for warrantless federal surveillance programs. This represents an essential step states need to take at a time when the federal government seems unlikely to ever end unconstitutional spying on its own. Rep. Rick Brattin (R-Harrisonville) introduced House…

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What Everyone Is Missing About Trump’s Military Parade

"Though lawmakers and concerned citizens alike can justifiably balk at the prospect of Trump becoming ‘Napoleonic‘ or wasting money on the pomp and circumstance of military worship, the far more damning truth is that this is only a natural progression of a decades-long fetish for American militarism, which, from the looks of the current climate in the United States, does not appear to be going anywhere anytime soon."

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Pentagon: Afghan war costing US $45 billion per year

"Randall Schriver, the Defense Department's top Asia official, said the $45 billion total for the year includes $5 billion for Afghan forces and $13 billion for U.S. forces inside Afghanistan. Much of the rest is for logistical support. Some $780 million goes toward economic aid."

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Washington may have had a hand in halting Dow meltdown

"Someone started arbitrarily and aggressively buying stocks and the decline was halved. Monday will still go down as a Wall Street massacre, but that anonymous superhero buyer or buyers made it a lot less bloody. Who was the market’s superhero? I’m going to tell you a story and then you decide."

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Nomura “Sincerely Apologizes” For Blowing Up Investors

"Overnight, realizing it is facing an avalanche of lawsuits even though it explicitly laid out the possibility of the ETN getting 'terminated' should VIX explode, Japan's biggest brokerage issued an apology after investors in its $300 million vol-linked ETN were all but wiped out during this week’s stock-market turmoil."

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Hawaii Bill Would End State Support for Most Federal Immigration Enforcement

HONOLULU, Hawaii – (Feb. 8, 2018) – A Hawaii House and Senate committee have passed bills to withdraw state resources from the enforcement of most federal immigration laws. Passage of this legislation would likely have the effect of nullifying those federal acts in practice. A coalition of five Democratic Party representatives introduced House Bill 1994…

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