Donald Trump Leaves Republican Party

What a shocker. And to believe that Trump was once ahead in the early Presidential polls. Can the Republican primary campaign process get more ridiculous? Stay tuned:

Donald Trump is officially a man without a party.

The real estate mogul whose flirtation with the 2012 presidential race has never really ended despite announcing seven months ago he would not seek the Republican nomination has been signaling he wants to find other ways onto a presidential ticket.

Trump took another step in that direction on Thursday, switching his party affiliation from Republican to “unaffiliated,” according to a source close to the reality television star.

According to the source, he did so because he is “disgusted” with the way Republicans are handling matters in Washington, including the recent payroll tax cut deal. But the move also sets Trump up for a potential third-party run for president — a possibility he began talking about almost as soon as he told his fans in May he wasn’t running.

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Occupy's 2012 Agenda: Visiting Campaign Cities

Sounds good to me. But better yet, how about running candidates of our own that promise to run on a platform that shares many of the views of Occupy Wall Street. Until the 99% gain power nothing will really change in America:

"Occupy" protest organizers say they are using the winter to hone in on specific events and presidential campaign events instead of occupying town centers and financial institutions.

[...]Occupy protesters have voiced their concerns at several presidential campaign events, including disrupting President Obama during a speech at a high school in Manchester, N.H., on Nov. 22, and occupying one of his campaign offices in Des Moines, Iowa, over the weekend. The Occupy protesters make it clear they do not endorse any particular candidate, and they do not discriminate based on party when it comes to criticism.

"I think the typical OWS person is really upset with both parties and the whole idea of a two-party system," Pete Dutro, an Occupy Wall Street finance committee member in New York City, said. "It basically has turned into a campaign club ... not about getting things done. It's about gathering resources to get elected."

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Payroll Tax Cut Extension Just More Kicking Can Down the Road

President Obama and the Democrats are riding high after their "victory" over the Republicans. And that will last 2 months when we go through the gridlock and name calling all over again. What's going on is nothing political maneuvering having little to do with the fiscal/financial crisis facing America. The press isn't telling you this. They are busy playing up the drama and telling us who's ahead in some meaningless Presidential campaign poll. Anyone want to talk about how we get Americans back to work?:

Ahead of Christmas, President Barack Obama today achieved a major political victory when Republicans in the House of Representatives caved to his demands and agreed to extend the pay roll tax cut for 160 million American workers for two months.

Welcoming the deal reached by congressional leaders, Obama said it was a victory for weary Americans as they prepared for Christmas.

This is good news, just in time for the holidays. This is the right thing to do to strengthen our families, grow our economy, and create new jobs," he said in a statement.

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Teargas fired at Chinese protesters in Haimen

The Chinese people are resisting despite overwhelming odds against them:

Chinese riot police have fired teargas to break up a protest against a planned power station, while a state TV station showed confessions by two detained activists in an attempt to get other protesters off the streets.

Footage from Hong Kong's Cable TV showed police firing several rounds of teargas in Haimen town in the southern province of Guangdong, forcing hundreds of people to flee covering their mouths and noses with their hands.

Hours later, a local TV station carried interviews with two detained protesters, a man named Li and a woman, Yung. Sitting behind bars with their heads bowed and handcuffs in full view, the two took turns to confess. "It was wrong to surround the government and block the highway," Li said, with his eyes lowered.

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China Jails Veteran Activist Chen Wei as Crackdown Continues

The UN should be spending it's time demanding Wei be set free rather than honoring a North Korean monster. The World is silent because they don't want to offend the Chinese rulers and not be allowed to open a factory in China. Let you and I not forget this individual. Injustice anywhere is injustice everywhere:

A Chinese court has sentenced veteran democracy activist Chen Wei to nine years in jail for "inciting subversion of state power" in what human rights groups say is the harshest sentence yet in a near year-long crackdown on dissent.

The case against Chen, a former student leader who was first jailed after the 1989 Tianamen Square uprising, was based on four online essays he wrote calling for political reforms. Suining intermediate court in Sichuan province took two and a half hours to reach a guilty verdict.

"We presented a full defence of the case, but we were interrupted often, and none of what we said was accepted by the court," his lawyer, Liang Xiaojun, said after the verdict. Chen was not allowed to make a statement during the trial. As he was hurried out of the courtroom, he called out: "I am not guilty! Constitutional democracy will win, dictatorship will be defeated!" He was also sentenced to two years deprivation of political rights once he completes his sentence.

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Ron Paul Newsletters: Ad Urging Subscription Warned Of 'Race War'

Paul has been running for President for some time now. Why are these allegations coming up now that he's ahead in the polls? And how has it been that the Congressman has gotten away with it the past. He should be laughed out of the campaign. His racist past went on years before he decided to run for President. He should not have gotten this far without having explain his past. Herman Cain was forced out of his run for the White House because of his immoral behavior. The same should happen to Paul:

A direct-mail solicitation for Ron Paul's political and investment newsletters two decades ago warned of a "coming race war in our big cities" and of a "federal-homosexual cover-up" to play down the impact of AIDS.

[...]Among other things, the articles called the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. a "world-class philanderer," criticized the U.S. holiday bearing King's name as "Hate Whitey Day," and said that AIDS sufferers "enjoy the attention and pity that comes with being sick."

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Obama’s comeback mirage?

He's riding high right now. He might even win reelection. But that doesn't mean things are getting better. Both the President and Congress have given up trying to solve the nation's serious problems. It's all about getting re-elected.

Occupy the New York Times

Occupy has never been about left or right. They attack greed wherever it is. It's about right and wrong.

Bank of America Settles for $335 Million in Latino Discrimination Lawsuit

This case, which is a long time in coming, disproves the myth that the housing collapse was caused by the government. Americans seeking the American dream were exploited by those greedy to sell a home by any means necessary. The right has been feeding us the myth that it was the poor who were to blame by buying homes they could not afford. The people who sold them the homes knew that they couldn't afford subprime loans. Not the buyers.

It also disproves the myth that it was the government that forced home sellers into selling homes at subprime rates:

According to the DOJ's complaint, Countrywide charged over 200,000 African-American and Hispanic borrowers higher fees and interest rates than non-Hispanic white borrowers with a similar credit profile. The complaint says that these borrowers were charged higher fees and rates because of their race or national origin rather than any other objective criteria.
"These institutions should make judgments based on applicants' creditworthiness, not on the color of their skin," said Attorney General Eric Holder. "With today's settlement, the federal government will ensure that the more than 200,000 African-American and Hispanic borrowers who were discriminated against by Countrywide will be entitled to compensation."

[...]The United States' complaint says that Countrywide was aware that the fees and interest rates that its loan officers were charging discriminated against African-American and Hispanic borrowers, but failed to impose meaningful limits or guidelines to stop it. By steering borrowers into subprime loans from 2004 to 2007, the complaint alleges, Countrywide harmed those qualified African-American and Hispanic borrowers. Subprime loans generally carried costlier terms, such as prepayment penalties and significantly higher adjustable interest rates that increased suddenly after two or three years, making the payments unaffordable and leaving the borrowers at a much higher risk of foreclosure.

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Argentine government wins control of newsprint

Argentine government wins control of newsprint - CBS News

This is not a good thing.

Disgraceful: U.N. pays tribute to North Korea's Kim Jong Il

U.N. pays tribute to North Korea's Kim Jong Il

The UN was created to promote human freedom and the rule of law. They dishonor that cause by this recognition of murderous dictator; even if it's for a minute.

Occupy protesters sue over free speech, force

Occupy protesters sue over free speech, force

Lawyers representing protesters have filed lawsuits — or are planning them — in state and federal courts from coast to coast, challenging eviction orders and what they call heavy-handed police tactics and the banning of demonstrators from public properties.

Some say the fundamental right of protest has been criminalized in places, with protesters facing arrest and charges while doing nothing more than exercising protected rights to demonstrate.

Secret US memo now key evidence in baby thefts

Secret US memo now key evidence in baby thefts

A long-classified memo describing a secret meeting between diplomats in a clubby Washington restaurant has become key evidence in the trial of two former Argentine dictators charged with stealing babies from political prisoners.

The 1982 memo was fully declassified by the U.S. State Department this week at the request of the Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo. The human rights group has spent decades gathering evidence against the 1976-1983 military junta.

China Hackers Hit U.S. Chamber Of Commerce Last Year

China Hackers Hit U.S. Chamber Of Commerce Last Year

Hackers in China broke through the computer defenses of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce last year and were able to access information about its operations and its 3 million members, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday.

Untitled

I'm still betting on Newt to implode just in time for Iowa. Could be Ron Paul that sneaks in.

Obama says Washington culture not yet changed: http://bit.ly/smyokk Occupy

Exclusive: Olympus scandal tied to banker who shuffled losses: http://ping.fm/2pXiC

News of the World spied on lawyers: http://bit.ly/rYZpT1

CNN roundup of Occupy protests worldwide: http://bit.ly/u6kyLi

Congressman Paul Ryan: 918 days since the Senate last passed a Budget.