Subject: ​Correct The Record Wednesday January 7, 2015 Morning Roundup
From: Burns Strider <[email-masked]>
To: CTRFriendsFamily <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 7 Jan 2015 08:13:34 -0500
List-Id: <CTRFriendsFamily.americanbridge.org>

*​**Correct The Record Wednesday January 7, 2015 Morning Roundup:*

*Headlines:*

*Orange County Register opinion: Rep. Loretta Sanchez: “Improving Cuba-U.S.
relationship benefits all”
<http://www.ocregister.com/articles/cuba-647244-united-states.html>*

“As Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton urged President Obama to loosen the
embargo and improve relations with Cuba, noting that doing so will help
America with our broader diplomatic agenda across Latin America. Without
her leadership on this issue, we may not be where we are today.”

*FROM MEDIA MATTERS FOR AMERICA: Media Matters For America: “Karl Rove Runs
Interference For Chris Christie Amid NFL Playoff Scandal”
<http://mediamatters.org/blog/2015/01/06/karl-rove-runs-interference-for-chris-christie/202029>*

[Subtitle:] “Crossroads Founder Uses Debunked Clinton Smear To Deflect From
$875 Million Revenue Deal Between Cowboys Owner And Christie's Port
Authority”

*National Journal: “An Economic Boomlet, A Political Shake-Up”
<http://www.nationaljournal.com/against-the-grain/an-economic-boomlet-a-political-shake-up-20150106>*

“A growing economy would improve President Obama's approval rating, putting
Hillary Clinton in stronger position for the presidential race.”

*National Journal: “Rubio: Clinton Presidency 'Would Be a Death Blow to the
American Dream'”
<http://www.nationaljournal.com/politics/rubio-clinton-presidency-would-be-a-death-blow-to-the-american-dream-20150106>*

“Rubio holds nothing back in attacking Hillary Clinton.”

*Tampa Bay Times blog: The Buzz: “In new book, Rubio attacks Hillary
Clinton, offers conservative view to save American Dream”
<http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/the-buzz-florida-politics/in-new-book-rubio-attacks-hillary-clinton-offers-conservative-view-to-save/2212650>*

“Marco Rubio wastes no time in his new book, American Dreams, going after
Hillary Clinton.”

*Yahoo: “Republicans quietly set to approve continuation of controversial
Benghazi committee”
<http://news.yahoo.com/republicans-quietly-set-to-approve-continuation-of-controversial-benghazi-committee-192059799.html>*

“The Select Committee on Benghazi will continue to convene in 2015, over
the objections of Democrats, after House Republicans pushed through
language Tuesday to reauthorize the panel without giving any budget or time
limits for its work.”

*Washington Post blog: Post Politics: “2016 may yet be the first ‘Instagram
election’”
<http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2015/01/06/2016-may-yet-be-the-first-instagram-election/>*

“Hillary Clinton announced her presidential exploratory committee with a
video in 2007, saying while she couldn't ‘visit everyone's living room, I
can try.’”

*Articles:*

*Orange County Register opinion: Rep. Loretta Sanchez: “Improving Cuba-U.S.
relationship benefits all”
<http://www.ocregister.com/articles/cuba-647244-united-states.html>*

By Rep. Loretta Sanchez

January 6, 2015 11:57 a.m. EDT

In December, President Barack Obama announced that the United States will
reopen diplomatic relations with Cuba. This is a historic and monumental
step for both countries.

The United States first cut ties with Cuba in 1961. It was the beginning of
the Cold War, and fears of communist control percolated throughout the
country. While times have changed, our relations with Cuba have not. After
more than fifty years of a policy that has not worked, I support President
Obama’s decision to change course, a decision former Secretary of State
Hillary Clinton also supported during her time as our nation’s lead
diplomat.

As a practical matter, the president’s plan means that the United States
will open an embassy in Cuba and begin easing trade and travel restrictions
between our countries.

These policy changes will have lasting impacts on the Cuban people, as well
as America’s economic and national security.

The Cuban people have been suffering under the Castro regime for far too
long. They have lacked the basic needs of survival – including food and
health care. By relieving trade restrictions, the Cuban people will be
exposed to more economic opportunities than they have in fifty years,
allowing them the chance not only to survive, but potentially to thrive.
More importantly, with an increased flow of American people, goods and
ideas into Cuba, it is my sincere hope that democratic freedom for the
Cuban people will eventually follow. As we open economic ties, we must hold
Cuba accountable for improving these human rights issues.

There is no doubt that the United States’ economy will benefit from the new
policies. While the Cuban embargo has not been lifted entirely, the
economic restrictions have been loosened, which means that more Cubans will
be able to purchase U.S. goods and services. This means increased profits
for American businesses and more jobs for the American people – two
ingredients needed for a strong, growing economy.

As the second highest ranking Democrat on the House Homeland Security
Committee, my top priority will always be our national security. If handled
properly, our new course with Cuba will make America more secure. Let me
explain why. The United States has always valued our relations with our
neighbors, like Canada and Mexico, for good reason. Just like in your own
neighborhood, if you have neighbors who look out for each other, you feel
more protected. Cuba is a mere 90 miles away from our border, and, as
geographical neighbors, it is in our national security interest to improve
our relationship.

As Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton urged President Obama to loosen the
embargo and improve relations with Cuba, noting that doing so will help
America with our broader diplomatic agenda across Latin America. Without
her leadership on this issue, we may not be where we are today.

Secretary Clinton has also emphasized the need for the United States to
improve its relationship with the Western Hemisphere as a whole. As she has
said, if we do so, “we will be much better positioned to deal with all else
that goes on in the world.” The stronger and more united we are as a
region, the more secure we will be on the world stage. Improving our
relations with Cuba is one step toward this, and a very important step to
protecting our national security.

*FROM MEDIA MATTERS FOR AMERICA: Media Matters For America: “Karl Rove Runs
Interference For Chris Christie Amid NFL Playoff Scandal”
<http://mediamatters.org/blog/2015/01/06/karl-rove-runs-interference-for-chris-christie/202029>*

By Sophia Tesfaye

January 6, 2015, 3:36 p.m. EST

[Subtitle:] Crossroads Founder Uses Debunked Clinton Smear To Deflect From
$875 Million Revenue Deal Between Cowboys Owner And Christie's Port
Authority

Fox News contributor and Republican strategist Karl Rove attempted to
deflect attention from the latest ethical controversy facing New Jersey
Governor Chris Christie by reviving a false smear of Hillary Clinton that
was debunked years ago.

Christie's appearance at a Dallas Cowboys game as a guest of owner Jerry
Jones in his personal suite is "proving to be controversial." As reported
by The Washington Post Christie flew to Dallas and accepted the ticket to
the game at the expense of the Cowboys' owner, who just so happens to have
a business relationship with the Port Authority of New York and New
Jersey." Christie's NFL experience may have been worth more than $100,000,
and "his acceptance of a gift from a business owner with ties to the Port
Authority" raises concerns about possible conflicts of interest in the
governor's private and political life.

As The Wall Street Journal reported, Jones is a direct investor in a deal
with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey worth $875 million.
Jones is a partial owner of Legends Hospitality, the company recently
selected to operate the observation deck of the One World Trade Center,
operated by the Port Authority which is jointly controlled by Christie. As
David Sirota of the International Business Times, points out, the deal is
linked to support from Governor Christie:

“Less than two years before Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones paid for New
Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's tickets and travel to NFL games, government
documents show Christie personally pushed the Port Authority to approve a
lucrative contract for a firm part-owned by Jones. Christie nonetheless
accepted the gifts from Jones, despite New Jersey ethics rules barring
gifts to public officials from persons or entities that those officials
‘deal with, contact, or regulate in the course of official business.’

“On March 19, 2013, Christie and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo issued a press
release announcing their selection of Legends Hospitality LLC to operate
the observation deck on the top floor of One World Trade Center. The next
day, the Port Authority board - which is appointed by Christie and Cuomo --
specifically cited the governors' announcement in voting to approve the
contract for the company, which is jointly owned by the Dallas Cowboys, New
York Yankees and Checketts Partners Investment Fund.”

On the January 6 edition of Fox News' America's Newsroom, host Martha
MacCallum asked Rove whether he believed the incident to be a "problem" for
the governor. Dismissing the incident as "a minor thing," Rove downgraded
the scandal to a simple issue of what team Christie was rooting for, which
he then contrasted with Hillary Clinton, whom Rove falsely claimed  "became
a New York Yankees fan when she was running for the Senate in New York."
Christie, Rove claimed, "has been a lifelong fan of the Cowboys."

The claim that Clinton was not a Yankees fan until her campaign for the
United States Senate is not supported by the evidence. In fact, Clinton's
2003 autobiography, "Living History," contains a photograph of her wearing
a Yankees cap in 1992 -- eight years before she ran for the Senate. And a
September 12, 1994 Washington Post article outlined Clinton's lifelong
affinity for the New York baseball team.

*National Journal: “An Economic Boomlet, A Political Shake-Up”
<http://www.nationaljournal.com/against-the-grain/an-economic-boomlet-a-political-shake-up-20150106>*

By Josh Kraushaar

January 6, 2015

[Subtitle:] Signs of a growing economy should make us rethink political
assumptions about 2016.

Gas prices are at their lowest level since the worst of the recession in
early 2009. The economy grew at an impressive 5 percent rate in the third
quarter of 2014, the strongest performance in more than a decade. In
December, consumer confidence hit the highest level that it's reached
during the Obama administration. The Dow is at near record highs. And a
rising number of voters in national polls are indicating they're growing
more optimistic about the economic future of the country.

If these trends continue, it will have significant ramifications on the
outlook of the 2016 elections. A growing economy would improve President
Obama's approval rating, putting Hillary Clinton in stronger position for
the presidential race. Within the Democratic Party, the populist forces
railing against income inequality would have a tougher time getting
traction if an economic boom actually raises the fortunes of the middle
class. The conservative grassroots will still be a potent force, but
prosperity tends to mute voter anger.

An improved economy would also change the political impact of hot-button
policy debates. Senate Republicans are bringing up legislation to construct
the Keystone XL pipeline this month, and should comfortably have enough
votes to send a bill to the president's desk. It's a smart political move,
on an issue where the president finds himself running against public
opinion. But with energy prices at record lows and an improved jobs
forecast, the potency of such an issue isn't as intense as it was before
the midterms. Liberals might be emboldened to propose a gas tax, which has
long been a political nonstarter. Anxiety over immigration often peaks
during economic downturns, but subsides when jobs are more plentiful. And
if the economy continues to grow, the administration would argue that its
controversial lineup of regulations isn't harmful, undermining a major
element of the GOP's argument. Meanwhile, Obama's second-term message has
evolved from blaming congressional gridlock for the lack of economic growth
to taking a victory lap for the suddenly improving economy.

It's no secret that a growing economy is greatly beneficial for the party
in power. But if the most encouraging economic signs in years are
lasting—and that's still a huge if—it would upend long-held assumptions
about the state of our politics. It would be encouraging news for
incumbents of both parties, who have spent the last decade witnessing a
historic degree of volatility in the electorate. Consider: Four of the last
five elections since 2006 have been clear wave elections, sweeping one
party into power. The recent turbulence within the Republican Party is
predominantly a function of an ideological disconnect between the party
establishment and its grassroots. But it's no coincidence that the tea
party emerged in the wake of an economic earthquake. Concerns over spending
and fiscal restraint are driving the base, and these issues become more
salient during a recession.

To be sure, it's far from certain that the next campaign will be conducted
during an economic boom. The gap between macroeconomic growth and personal
economic security is still significant, and is a fundamental challenge for
policymakers even in flusher times. Wage increases aren't matching the
level of economic growth. There's still plenty of economic volatility, with
the Dow dropping more than 500 points in the first full week of 2015. Two
years is a lifetime in politics, and even the top economic forecasters have
struggled to accurately predict future outcomes.

The politician with the most at stake is Hillary Clinton, whose likely
presidential candidacy is more dependent on factors out of her control than
many past candidates. She's already well-defined to most of the public, and
is facing the historic reality that few two-term presidents are able to
elect a successor of their own party. (Only two such successors prevailed
in the 20th century: William Howard Taft in 1908, and George H.W. Bush in
1988.) She'd get the biggest boost if Obama's approval rating hit 50
percent in his final year in office. Given the polarization in the country,
that would only be possible with sustained economic growth.

The state of the economy will also play a major role in Clinton's
still-uncertain campaign message. Will she adopt an agenda centered on
income inequality, or promote the economic gains and credit Obama for them?
It's also notable that Jeb Bush, in a statement announcing his leadership
PAC Tuesday, sounded a populist note by saying it's been a good last eight
years for "top earners" but not for most Americans. Betting on continued
stagnation may be the safe political bet right now, but that rhetoric could
become outdated.

The uncomfortable truth about politicians is that they have less influence
over the economy than they like to claim—and that voters hold them
accountable for. It's notable that after two years of gridlock, with little
consequential legislation passed through Congress, we're seeing the first
signs of a recovery. Equally as uncomfortable is that, before most
candidates even announce their presidential plans, the seeds of the outcome
may already be planted. The next election won't be held for another 22
months, but the economic trajectory over the next few will go a long way in
determining which party holds the advantage in 2016.

*National Journal: “Rubio: Clinton Presidency 'Would Be a Death Blow to the
American Dream'”
<http://www.nationaljournal.com/politics/rubio-clinton-presidency-would-be-a-death-blow-to-the-american-dream-20150106>*

By Tim Alberta

January 6, 2015

[Subtitle:] And eight other fascinating takeaways from the senator’s new
book.

Marco Rubio's new book, American Dreams, reads in some parts like a
presidential manifesto—and in others like a conservative guide to governing
with a reform agenda in the 114th Congress.

That's precisely the crossroads at which Rubio now finds himself—deciding
whether to run for the White House in 2016, or roll up his sleeves and
focus on policy in the new GOP-controlled Senate.

Rubio has spent the past several years maneuvering into position for a
possible presidential run in 2016. And the official timing of his book
release—Jan. 13—has always seemed orchestrated to coincide with the dawn of
campaign season. With that in mind, National Journal, which obtained an
early copy of American Dreams, pulled the nine most fascinating passages
from the book—ones that could preview what a Marco Rubio presidential
campaign looks (and sounds) like:

1. Rubio holds nothing back in attacking Hillary Clinton. The Florida
senator takes several strongly worded shots at the Democratic front-runner.
"Hillary Clinton has proven herself wedded to the policies and programs of
the past," Rubio writes in the book's introduction. "The election of
Hillary Clinton to the presidency, in short, would be nothing more than a
third Obama term. Another Clinton presidency would be a death blow to the
American Dream." Later in the book, Rubio criticizes Clinton's remark last
year—"Don't let anyone tell you it's businesses and corporations that
create jobs"—and links it with Obama's "infamous declaration, 'If you've
got a business, you didn't build that.'"

2. Rubio doesn't apologize for authoring a comprehensive immigration bill,
but does offer a new, "piecemeal" proposal. It starts with stemming the
flow of illegal immigration. Then, Rubio calls for separate bills
introducing an E-Verify system, entry-exit tracking for visas, and an
overhaul of the visa process that focuses on retaining high-skilled
workers. Once those pieces are in place, Rubio prescribes a solution for
the 12 million illegal immigrants in the U.S.: Bring them out of the
shadows, deport those with criminal records, give the others temporary
"nonimmigrant visas," make them pay taxes and fines to keep it, then,
finally, after a decade, allow them to apply for permanent residency.

3. Rubio previews a unifying, aspirational stump speech—one that borrows
from the Barack Obama playbook. "I believe deeply in the conservative
reform proposals" written about in the book, Rubio writes. "But what they
seek to achieve—a rising, striving America for all of us—isn't partisan.
There isn't a Republican Dream and a Democratic Dream. There is only one
American Dream. Before us lies the chance not just to restore it, but to
bring it within reach of more people than ever before. This is our chance
to claim our heritage as a people who always leave behind a nation better
than the one left to them. My grandparents and parents kept the dream
alive. So did yours. Now it's our turn."

4. Rubio makes no mention of his potential 2016 Republican rivals. Unlike
his first book, An American Son, Rubio's new book contains no reference
to—or acknowledgment of—former Gov. Jeb Bush. In American Dreams, Rubio
speaks highly of certain Senate colleagues—but makes no mention of either
Rand Paul or Ted Cruz. Nor does Rubio mention Scott Walker, Chris Christie,
Rick Santorum, or any other potential GOP opponent. The one exception:
Rubio lavishes praise on his friend, Rep. Paul Ryan, whose name is
mentioned nearly a dozen times.

5. Rubio goes light on biography, and heavy on policy. Perhaps that's one
reason why Rubio mentions Ryan so often. (Ryan, as National Journal
reported late last year, is highly unlikely to run—and might consider
endorsing Rubio, whom he views as a like-minded reformer.) Whereas Rubio's
first book relied heavily on his family's multigenerational immigrant
story, American Dreams focuses on major policy debates and proposals—health
care, regulation, the tax code, student loans, Social Security, defense
spending, and foreign policy, among others. This is part of a conscious
rebranding effort to help Rubio be viewed as a young policy wonk, not just
an exceptional orator with a compelling biography.

6. Rubio outlines a muscular foreign policy built upon three pillars. Rubio
has consistently been the most hawkish voice in the 2016 conversation, and
the book articulates something of a Rubio Doctrine. First, he says the U.S.
"must boldly oppose efforts by other nations to infringe upon the freedom
of international waters, airspace, cyberspace and outer space." Second, he
calls for "moral clarity regarding what we stand for and why"—which means
"being unabashed in support of the spread of economic and political
freedom" and "resisting efforts by rising and resurgent powers to subjugate
their neighbors." Third, Rubio advocates a bigger budget for the Pentagon,
which he says will "demonstrate a strength in defense capabilities that, as
Presidents Washington and Reagan envisioned, leaves our enemies unwilling
to provoke us."

7. Rubio agrees with Sen. Elizabeth Warren that "the game right now in
America is rigged"—but says the government is rigging it. Rubio makes
several mentions of Warren in the book, referring to her at one point as a
"liberal populist hero." He implicitly positions himself as her
counterpart—a conservative populist hero who faults both political parties
for promoting "crony capitalism" that creates excessive government
regulation that, in turn, protects big business and stifles competition.
"After all, big corporations can afford to influence government, and the
little guys can't," Rubio writes. "And the more power government has over
the economy, the more those with the power to influence government win."

8. Rubio teaches a college class at Florida International University, and
cited Uber to convince his students of the dangers of regulation. When
Rubio heard his political-science students discussing the ride-sharing
service that their friends use in other cities—and wondering why it hadn't
come to Miami—he seized the opportunity. After explaining that Miami has a
government-imposed cap on "sedan medallions," he told them Uber isn't
legally permitted to compete for their business. "As my progressive young
students listened to me explain why government was preventing them from
using their cell phones to get home from the bars on Saturday night," Rubio
writes, "I could see their minds change."

9. Rubio thinks Obama's apology to art-history professors was "kind of
pathetic." In critiquing the higher education system, Rubio emphasizes "the
responsibility of students to make their education a wise investment" and
not dismiss less glamorous professions. As such, he was "very encouraged,
when President Obama told a crowd in Wisconsin last year: 'Folks can make a
lot more, potentially, with skilled manufacturing or the trades than they
might with an art history degree.' " When Obama apologized for the remark
soon after, "I thought that was kind of pathetic and I said so," Rubio
recalls. "The point he was making was an important and legitimate one. We
no longer live in an economy in which most young people have the luxury of
going deep into debt for an education that prepares them for an entry-level
job at Starbucks."

*Tampa Bay Times blog: The Buzz: “In new book, Rubio attacks Hillary
Clinton, offers conservative view to save American Dream”
<http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/the-buzz-florida-politics/in-new-book-rubio-attacks-hillary-clinton-offers-conservative-view-to-save/2212650>*

By Alex Leary

January 6, 2015, 4:16 p.m. EST

The following is a quick look at Sen. Marco Rubio's new book, which landed
on our desk today.

Marco Rubio wastes no time in his new book, American Dreams, going after
Hillary Clinton.

On page nine of the forward, a lament that the dream is fading for many,
the Republican senator from Florida argues Clinton “has proven herself
wedded to the policies and programs of the past.

“Instead of reforming a higher education system that costs too much money,
is too hard for nontraditional students to access and awards too many
degrees that do not lead to jobs, another Clinton presidency will be about
spending more money on a broken system,” Rubio writes. “Instead of cutting
back on regulations that stifle innovation and deny consumer choice,
another Clinton presidency will be about enacting regulations her friends
in the corporate world use to prevent competition. Instead of reforming an
anticompetitive tax code that has made America one of the most expensive
places on earth to invest and create jobs, another Clinton presidency will
be about raising taxes to pay for a growing government."

“The election of Hillary Clinton to the presidency, in short, would be
nothing more than a third Obama term. Another Clinton presidency would be a
death blow to the American Dream.”

But Rubio, whose book will be published by Sentinel on Jan. 13, knows
partisan jabs only go so far. He spends much of the book assessing the
current state of the country and offering solutions to problems as varied
as student loan debt to the strain on Social Security. It's a conservative
vision, to be sure, but Rubio takes pains not completely alienate a broader
audience.

“For our part, conservatives have also failed to address the challenges of
the new economy but there are promising sings that this is changing,” Rubio
writes.

He gives credit to leaders of the so-called conservative reform movement,
figures such as the writer Yuval Levin and Rep. Paul Ryan, but the point of
the book is to spotlight Rubio as someone who can bring it all home. He
doesn't declare himself a candidate for president, of course, but the
43-year-old leaves no mystery that he thinks he's qualified to lead a
movement to "restore the land of opportunity."

Rubio uses the stories of people he’s met to explain problems, including a
Plant City woman named Christine Miller who runs an emergency food bank and
tries to empower the poor people who visit her with fiscal literacy
programs. The anecdote is a way for Rubio to make a case that while a
government safety net is necessary, government should do more to help
people get ahead.

“Government has succeeded in trapping far too many into poverty as a way of
life and it has not done nearly enough to help Americans escape poverty,”
he writes.

Rubio has long talked about reforming entitlement programs but his ideas
will certainly raise new criticism from the left. He talks about changing
Medicare, for example, into a premium support program that gives “seniors a
generous but fixed amount of money with which to purchase health insurance.
They could choose to buy from either Medicare of a private provider, and
the choice would be theirs to make.”

He also touches on immigration, an issue that has caused Rubio much
trouble. “Last summer’s crisis of thousands of unaccompanied minors
entering this country proves that both our borders and our immigration
system can be overwhelmed very quickly,” he writes.

Rubio instead calls for a piecemeal approach, beginning with enforcement.
It’s a transition he’s made since he helped write the Senate’s
comprehensive bill and drew the wrath of conservatives. Step two out be to
“modernize” the family-based immigration system that Rubio’s parents used
to come from Cuba to one based on merit.

“Once both of these reforms have been passed, then I believe the conditions
will be in place to address the most politically sensitive aspect of
immigration reform: what to do with more than twelve million people
currently here illegally.”

“On the one hand, calls to grant amnesty to twelve million people are
unrealistic and quite frankly irresponsible. On the other hand, not a
single opponent of the Senate bill I helped author proposed that we try to
round up and deport twelve million human beings. So how to deal with this
dilemma?”

He goes on to prescribe another three part process: People here illegally
would have to come forward “and be registered.” Those who committed serious
crimes or have not been here long would have to leave. Second, people could
apply for a temporary nonimmigrant visa, paying fines, taxes and learning
English. Third, they would have to remain in that temporary status for at
least a decade and then apply for permanent residency.

Rubio steers clear of the “citizenship” word, but he’s noted in recent
interviews that people who obtain permanent residency could apply for
citizenship like any other immigrant who goes through legal channels.

“In the end, immigration reform is fundamentally about reforming government
and restoring the American people’s faith in the ability of their
government to do basic things right. I don’t believe this challenge will be
fully met until we have new leaders in Washington who support both the rule
of law and the job creating potential of the free market. Until then, the
best way to rebuilt trust and reform our broken immigration system is
through incremental steps both to fix our immigration system and to realize
the full potential of our country.”

He also addresses gay marriage, as of yesterday legal in Florida.

"Thousands of years have human history have taught us that the ideal
setting for children to grow up in is with a mother and a father committed
to each other, living together and sharing responsibility of raising their
children. It is for this reason and this reason alone that I continue to
believe marriage should be defined as one man and one woman. It is neither
my place nor my intention to dictate to anyone who they are allowed to love
or live with. ... My view on this places me opposite the views of a growing
number of Americans. And as attitudes change, we have seen state laws
change the definition of marriage as well. I do not agree with or support
these changes. But I also do not question that the elected representatives
in the individual states have the right to make these changes.

"The trend that I will not accept, however, is the growing attitude that
believe in traditional marriage equates to bigotry and hatred. Just as
California has a right to redefine marriage to include same-sex couples,
Florida has a right to define it as one man and one woman."

At the end of the book, Rubio turns to foreign policy and gets in a jab at
President Obama. “America under this president has simply not been at its
strongest. Waiting for our adversaries to unclench their fists so we ca
shake their hands has not proven a responsible or effective strategy.

The ‘don’t do stupid stuff’ approach has proven self-contradictory,” he
writes. “We must instead demonstrate a strength in defense capabilities
that, as Presidents Washington and Reagan envisioned, leaves our enemies
unwilling to provoke us.“

*Yahoo: “Republicans quietly set to approve continuation of controversial
Benghazi committee”
<http://news.yahoo.com/republicans-quietly-set-to-approve-continuation-of-controversial-benghazi-committee-192059799.html>*

By Meredith Shiner

January 6, 2015

The Select Committee on Benghazi will continue to convene in 2015, over the
objections of Democrats, after House Republicans pushed through language
Tuesday to reauthorize the panel without giving any budget or time limits
for its work.

The GOP did not allow for a separate up-or-down vote that would have
permitted members to debate the continuation of the special panel. The
panel cost upwards of $1 million to operate last Congress, when the House
voted to establish it.

Serious questions surrounding the efficacy of the panel emerged in 2014, as
Republicans pumped the brakes on their aggressive attacks in the run-up to
the midterm elections. Seven formal investigations already completed have
debunked the conspiracy theories surrounding the attack on the Libyan
consulate that fueled the special panel’s formation in the first place.

In a joint statement released Tuesday and provided to Yahoo News, the five
Democratic members of the Benghazi Committee lamented that reauthorization
language was bundled into the must-pass biennial bill setting up the rules
for each Congress, effectively preventing debate on whether the panel
should continue.

“We are disappointed that the Speaker incorporated the reauthorization of
the Select Committee on Benghazi into the must-pass rules package, which
sets no limit on the Committee’s budget or timeframe,” the five Democrats
said in the statement.  “After eight months and more than a million
taxpayer dollars spent, it remains unclear what new questions the Select
Committee seeks to answer. Since our members were denied the ability to
meaningfully debate or amend the resolution, we now look to the Committee
to quickly adopt rules that ensure that our Democratic members are able to
participate fully in the

The five Democrats who serve on the committee are: Reps. Elijah Cummings of
Maryland, Adam Smith of Washington, Adam Schiff of California, Linda
Sánchez of California and Tammy Duckworth of Illinois.

In November, Yahoo News reported that Speaker John Boehner of Ohio had
announced that Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-S.C., would continue to head the
committee, even though the decision to extend its existence had not yet
been authorized.

Tuesday’s rules package for the new Congress took care of that formal
technicality, although Republicans will face the challenge of justifying
the expense of the select committee by providing information that previous,
comprehensive investigations — including those conducted by other
permanent, GOP-led House committees — did not.

*Washington Post blog: Post Politics: “2016 may yet be the first ‘Instagram
election’”
<http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2015/01/06/2016-may-yet-be-the-first-instagram-election/>*

By Hunter Schwarz

January 6, 2015, 4:57 p.m. EST

Jeb Bush announced Right To Rise, his Super PAC, Tuesday with two videos.
One was in English, one was in Spanish, and they appear to be filmed on a
smartphone vertically as Bush walked down a sidewalk.

It may not have been the most polished rollout — for one, everyone knows
you're not supposed to film vertically on your smartphone — but it's the
type of amateur video you're used to seeing while scrolling through
Instagram, which is exactly where Bush posted them.(Also, that he filmed
vertically seemed to have less to do with him being unaware of the faux pas
than it did with the video being made for Instagram, where video is cropped
into a square. Only when he shared it on Facebook could you see it was
vertical.).

It's the latest in Bush's string of direct-to-social-network announcements.
He has opted to post content himself rather than the traditional route of
simply putting out a press release, sharing a message in the exact manner
he wants to directly with voters. His December announcement he was
"actively exploring" a presidential run was posted directly to Facebook
with the headline "A Note from Jeb Bush."

This isn't new, of course. Hillary Clinton announced her presidential
exploratory committee with a video in 2007, saying while she couldn't
"visit everyone's living room, I can try."

Bush's foray into Instagram is the 2016 campaign version of this idea. But
while Clinton's video was professionally lit with multiple camera angles
and meant to be streamed into voter's living rooms via computers, Bush's
video was shot on a city street and meant to be double tapped on an app on
voter's phones. It's a "native" campaign ad for the social age.

Social media is an ever-evolving component of modern presidential
campaigns. Barack Obama's tweet announcing his victory in 2008, for
example, was only retweeted 157 times, while the 2012 one was retweeted
more than 800,000 times, according to a study on social media use in
campaigns conducted by a University of North Carolina professor.

Instagram didn't exist in 2008, and in 2012, the Obama account didn't post
there until the day after the election. That photo (which used the
Nashville filter, if you were wondering) has been liked about 301,000
times. It's likely the 2016 winner will blow that number away: in December,
Instagram announced 300 million monthly users, more than Twitter's 284
million.

Bush is preparing for the possibilities, asking visitors to the Right To
Rise PAC website not only for their email address, zip code, and money, but
for their Instagram username. There's no field for any other social network.

Instagram may yet be one of 2016's emerging campaign battlefields. Twitter
is a social newswires for journalists and political junkies, but its reach
is comparatively small. Facebook has the largest reach, but it signaled
last year efforts to push back against some campaign efforts to target
voters, while Instagram is largely untested. Don't be surprised if one day
in 2016, squeezed between your college roommate's brunch photo and a
selfie, you see a campaign ad.

*Calendar:*

*Sec. Clinton's upcoming appearances as reported online. Not an official
schedule.*

·  January 21 – Saskatchewan, Canada: Sec. Clinton keynotes the Canadian
Imperial Bank of Commerce’s “Global Perspectives” series (MarketWired
<http://www.marketwired.com/press-release/former-us-secretary-state-hillary-rodham-clinton-deliver-keynote-address-saskatoon-1972651.htm>
)

·  January 21 – Winnipeg, Canada: Sec. Clinton keynotes the Global
Perspectives series (Winnipeg Free Press
<http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/Clinton-coming-to-Winnipeg--284282491.html>
)

·  February 24 – Santa Clara, CA: Sec. Clinton to Keynote Address at
Inaugural Watermark Conference for Women (PR Newswire
<http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hillary-rodham-clinton-to-deliver-keynote-address-at-inaugural-watermark-conference-for-women-283200361.html>
)

·  March 19 – Atlantic City, NJ: Sec. Clinton keynotes  American Camp
Association conference (PR Newswire <http://www.sys-con.com/node/3254649>)