US, Canada announce cross-border action plan

"Since its announcement, the Beyond the Border program has been shrouded in secrecy. Its provisions included multiple information-sharing clauses, including common technical standards for sharing biometric data. The Beyond the Border initiative has been criticized by privacy advocates who worry that Canadians' personal data could be misused by multiple governmental agencies in the United States. Information on Canadian citizens is already being given to the U.S. government under the Secure Flight initiative, a program of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA)." Continue reading

Continue ReadingUS, Canada announce cross-border action plan

How Do You Turn a Leftist into a Warmonger?

"Here are excerpts from an article posted at The Street, written by a statist who says that 'tax havens' don’t have enough military force to resist high-tax nations. The title is particularly revealing. She must be the fiscal version of a neo-con, urging that high-tax nations should 'Invade the Cayman Islands!' Not Iran. Not Syria. Not Cuba. Not North Korea. You see, those nations are all guilty of causing misery and instability, but such behaviors apparently are far less important than the imagined dangers posed by a prosperous multi-racial society with a competitive tax regime." Continue reading

Continue ReadingHow Do You Turn a Leftist into a Warmonger?

American Expat Taxpayers Would Rather Ditch Citizenship Than Face New IRS Rules

"The rule change followed legislation made in the wake of the financial crisis that was meant to help the U.S. government close the tax gap and combat tax evasion. But the FATCA rule change is shaping up to be an administrative and diplomatic nightmare for some foreign banks. For expats, it is complicating life overseas, curtailing opportunities in everything from jobs to getting bank accounts -- and, of course, potentially raising their tax burden. Now, with the promise of higher taxes coming next year, many expats are saying enough." Continue reading

Continue ReadingAmerican Expat Taxpayers Would Rather Ditch Citizenship Than Face New IRS Rules

Prosecutor wife suspected of evidence tampering for accused rapist husband

"Jennifer Grant, a supervising assistant city prosecutor in Seattle, has been been reassigned to duties that 'do not entail courtroom prosecutorial work' because she is suspected of tampering with evidence to protect her husband who is accused of the serial rape of immigrants at several massage parlors. Dan Grant faces seven charges for a series of rapes of Chinese women working as massage therapists, including four counts of first-degree rape, one count of second degree rape and one count of attempted second-degree rape. He also faces a charge for first-degree burglary." Continue reading

Continue ReadingProsecutor wife suspected of evidence tampering for accused rapist husband

220 marijuana cases dismissed in King, Pierce counties after legalization

"King and Pierce County prosecutors are dismissing more than 220 misdemeanor marijuana cases in response to Tuesday’s vote to decriminalize small amounts of pot. In King County, 175 cases are being dismissed involving people 21 and older and possession of one ounce or less. I-502 makes one ounce of marijuana legal on Dec. 6, but King County Prosecutor Dan Satterberg decided to apply I-502 retroactively. 'Although the effective date of I-502 is not until December 6, there is no point in continuing to seek criminal penalties for conduct that will be legal next month,' Satterberg said in a statement." Continue reading

Continue Reading220 marijuana cases dismissed in King, Pierce counties after legalization

With Two States Legalizing Marijuana, Are Drug Warriors In Washington Freaking Out?

"Voters in Colorado and Washington made history Tuesday night. The states’ marijuana legalization initiatives, I-502 in Washington and Amendment 64 in Colorado, brought what many marijuana advocates are calling the beginning of the end of marijuana prohibition in America. But the power of the people -- and the states -- have one big hurdle to clear before the ban on pot is lifted: The feds. Only this time, the people may have built more than drug warriors' boots can stomp out." Continue reading

Continue ReadingWith Two States Legalizing Marijuana, Are Drug Warriors In Washington Freaking Out?

Louisiana residents petition to secede

"According to the White House website, the petition was created by Michael E. (full last name not provided) of Slidell, La., the day after the election and has since been electronically signed by a few hundred people, most – but not all – of whom hail from the Pelican State. The petition has until Dec. 7 of this year to gather 25,000 signatures, at which time, the White House pledges, it will be placed on a queue for response from the administration. The White House created the 'We the People' petition site ostensibly as a way of giving all Americans 'a way to engage their government on the issues that matter to them.'" Continue reading

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Voters in Six States Approve Measures Nullifying Federal Acts

"Of 72 hours of election coverage not one minute was devoted to reporting the results of several ballot initiatives nullifying unconstitutional acts of Congress. None of the highly paid, pancake-powdered pundits spoke a single syllable about the noteworthy and now codified efforts of citizens across the country to stop the encroachment of federal tyranny at the state borders. At The New American, we strive to promote liberty through the publishing of news stories related to the Constitution, and to that end, proceeding from Atlantic to Pacific, we here present a brief rundown of the several nullifying proposals passed by voters." Continue reading

Continue ReadingVoters in Six States Approve Measures Nullifying Federal Acts

Government foreclosure audit held off on looking at largest banks

"A recent study found a big reason for the program’s failure was that, despite all its rules, it didn’t change the behavior of the biggest banks. The banks did a poor job of modifying loans before HAMP was launched and weren’t much better after. To oversee the program, the Treasury awarded Freddie Mac a $209 million contract to be the program’s watchdog. Freddie Mac formed a group, called Making Home Affordable - Compliance, or MHA-C for short, but it got off to an inauspicious start. Continue reading

Continue ReadingGovernment foreclosure audit held off on looking at largest banks

Obama urged to fulfill Guantanamo closure pledge

"Rights groups challenged President Barack Obama on Thursday to use his second term to close Guantanamo and end drone attacks, warrantless surveillance and extrajudicial killings. Shortly after he took office in January 2009, Obama declared that he would shutter the prison camp for 'war on terror' suspects within a year, saying it served as a recruiting tool for militant and hurt US national security. Rights groups have strongly criticized the president for his Guantanamo failures and for maintaining other stringent security tactics put into practice under his predecessor George W. Bush." Continue reading

Continue ReadingObama urged to fulfill Guantanamo closure pledge