Monday, June 17, 2013

Guestworkers Who Suffered Horrific Conditions At McDonald’s Bring Grievances To Congress

The group's lodging consisted of cots on the floor of a boiler room

When a group of young Latin American students arrived in the United States to work as guestworkers at a Pennsylvania McDonald’s, they thought they were in for an amazing experience — a chance to see the US up close, and to experience the culture that defines the country. But that’s not what they got at all.

Instead, Jorge Rios of Argentina, Fernando Accosta from Paraguay, Luis Fernando Suarez Mendosa of Peru, and Rodrigo Yanez of Chile say they saw the worst of American culture: The exploitation of low-wage workers with no voice.

At the McDonald’s where they were sent to work, they report that they were shoved into a basement room with six cots, and forced to pay for the inadequate lodging out of their meager wages — made all the more meager by the fact that their boss wouldn’t give them the 40 hours a week promised.

They also say they had to walk a dangerous highway to get to work:

Adding insult to injury, each student had paid $3,000 just to get into the guestworker program.

But now, in coordination with the broader National Guestworkers Alliance, those students and others have filed complaints with the State Department and Department of Labor. McDonald’s says it is investigating the complaints, which are against a single franchise owner and not the company as a whole.

The students also brought their grievances to the apex of the immigration debate, Capitol Hill, on Wednesday. They told their personal testimonies to legislators, trying to convince them that any immigration overhaul must include the language in the guestworker protections.

“When we asked for solutions, the sponsor didn’t solve our problems. When we asked for help, the Department of State didn’t assist us. I feared losing everything I had spent to come here,” said Jorge Rios, who originally contacted the Guestworker Alliance to report the abuses he experienced, “I feared being devoid of the opportunity to travel around the country. I feared suffering the humiliation of being sent back home. I feared being blacklisted and losing the chance to re-enter the US in the future. I was paralyzed by fear.”

Republicans have insisted that if they are going to consider any immigration reform legislation, a guest worker program must be a part of the package. Such programs generally bring in low-wage workers to do jobs Americans won’t, and those workers remain in the country on a J1 visa for some number of months before returning to their country of origin.

But story after story reveals that such programs have become exploitative, and the Southern Poverty Law Center has refered to the work as “close to slavery.” If an expanded guestworker program does become part of the larger immigration reform package, questions about the guestworker program and its treatment of young students are bound to come up.


View the original article here

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France struggles to find a strategy to turn around their economy even though it is right under their nose.[1] The Bible, Adam Smith and Friedrich Hayek

Many things happen in life that cannot be explained by science or philosophy. Atheists and agnostics self intellectually cripple themselves and are clueless about much of reality.[2]

Example of how modern conservatism is more conservative than Republicans from yesteryear: Bob Dole, Republican nominee in 1996, admits that "Reagan couldn't have made it. Certainly, Nixon couldn't have made it .... We might've made it, but I doubt it." [3]

A United States Senator finally says it: Barack H. Obama is throwing away his moral authority to lead. But in fact he never had legal authority to lead, either. [4]

Conservapedia pauses in prayer (not a liberal "moment of silence") in honor of Memorial Day.

RichardDawkins.net keeps getting smited! Has a plague of locusts eaten Richard Dawkins' daily website visitors?[5]

How long will you refuse to humble yourself before the Lord, Richard Dawkins?

Vox Day and a supporter of the Question evolution! campaign agree: The speed at which the secular left is collapsing is happening at an unexpectedly fast rate. [6]

6 bellwethers showing liberal know it all-ism is unravelling. This will seriously affect Darwinism.[7]

Google USA estimates 101,000,000 search results for the search "Evolution and just so stories".[8]

Question #12 of the Question evolution! campaign has a LOT of potential when it is spread widely in 2013.[9][10]

A Middle East voice calls Barack Hussein Obama one of the weakest presidents in U.S history.[11] It doesn't look like the "liberal chosen one" is going to bring peace to the Middle East during his presidency.

The website of the American Atheists has been smited.[12]

Do you see what happens when you gnaw on the trouser legs of Christianity? Like an unruly drunkard and glutton, you get tasered and laughed at. See: American Atheists and their challenges with overweight leadership personnel and Decline of atheism

"President Obama forgets to salute," but the lamestream media downplay gaffes by liberals. [13]

A Tea Party activist urges Congress to seize the moment, now that Obama's luck seems to have run out. [14]

Another study finds that obesity may decrease brain function.[15] See also: Atheism and obesity and Lesbianism and obesity

Have liberal policies destroyed Sweden? "Stockholm rioting continues for fifth night." [16]

The inventor of the concept "Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder" admitted, before he died, that he made the whole thing up. Think about that when the school district tells you to drug your kids. [17]

Dems admit they lack the votes to pass their amnesty-for-illegal-aliens bill, where 60 votes are the minimum needed in the U.S. Senate. [18]

The cold temperatures this spring have even hurt the sale of sporting goods. [19] Yet liberal denial about the cold weather persists, in order to perpetrate a fictional global warming.

World's most popular site devoted to atheism/agnosticism sees a massive loss of global market share according to Alexa. Also, new Question evolution! campaign group leader expected to be installed in June of 2013.[20]

Obama's paternalistic, sexist reference Thursday to a heckler as a "young lady" is no problem for the liberal media, [21] but an Hispanic golfer's offhand racial quip about Tiger Woods is unforgivable.

7 creationist groups have now joined Project 200 plus. Also, 7 ways the Question evolution! campaign is strengthening itself.[22]

An IRS official takes the Fifth Amendment. Or does she? Besides botching her plea, she shows hypocrisy in claiming a freedom she does not grant to others. [23]

Liberal double standard: racist remarks by Joe Biden are no problem, but the lamestream media and Tiger Woods make a big deal about an offhand joke by an Hispanic golfer. [24] Will media bullying enable Tiger Woods to end nearly 5 years without his winning a major?

The BBC News opened a story with this nonsense: “A study of Neanderthal skulls suggests that they became extinct because they had larger eyes than our species.”[25] Why does Darwinism spawn such lame just so stories?

Thomas Sowell recommends parents having their children read the book The New Leviathan which has a number of essays which debunk various liberal sacred cows.[26]

Barack Hussein Obama's "I am an idiot" defense about his recent scandals undermines his "cult of expertise" and statist redemption fantasies that he has been peddling.[27]

Ask yourselves right now: is this still America? Representative Mike Kelly asked that of IRS Acting Commissioner Miller. We should ask it of ourselves. [28]

Contrast the regal behavior of Barack Hussein Obama with the humble behavior of George Washington. [29]

Expert says that the discovery of a 20-year long rainfall in Ireland points to the Great Flood of the Bible being historical.[30]

Why do so many faux Christians deny the Great Flood and try to turn it into a non-Great Flood?[31] Did Jesus, Peter and Moses lie?[32]

Animals are where they are today, not because they evolved there, nor yet because of continental drift, but because they went there after the Great Flood. [33]

A description of "Common Core Education," the harm it can do, and a list of New Jersey primary candidates pledged to stop it. [34]

15 young people are volunteering to read the second draft of the Question evolution! campaign book for middle school students. Also, a Christian is going into full time creation vs. evolution ministry in June of 2013 and is interesting in volunteering for the campaign.[35]

Outspokenly Christian Kevin Durant gives $1 million to the tornado victims. Durant uaually outscores LeBron, but the liberal media do not promote outspoken Christians.

Why does Glenn Beck, who loves to chart conspiracies on his famous chalkboards, ignore a conspiracy right under his nose? [36]

28 million Americans will be caught in a "massive game of health coverage pingpong" under ObamaCare, and even the liberal media are beginning to panic about this. [37]

Classic communist tactic by the Obama Administration: it files a document in court alleging that a reporter at Fox News is a possible co-conspirator in the "crime" of informing the public. [38] In fact this goes back further – to Henry II. Are we all Thomas Becket now? [39]

Teen awarded for improved capacitor - Intel gave a $50,000 scholarship to a girl whose titanium dioxide capacitor can store almost three times as much electrical energy as previous capacitors and is intended as a battery alternative. [40]

Most mainstream media got the story wrong, claiming incorrectly that her invention can charge a cell phone battery in 30 seconds. (Charging a battery too quickly reduces its life, which is why Motorola and Samsung and the rest keep the amperage low.)

Franklin Graham, one of America's most prominent evangelical Christians, says the targeting of conservative groups by the Internal Revenue Service included two of his ministries.[41]

Are many evangelical Christian churches primarily growing in America due to birth rates or due to evangelism?[42]

"Quiverfull" evangelical Christianity, which does not believe in contraception, is now spreading in the UK.[43] In the past 30 years, the number of Anabaptists in North America, including the Amish, has grown significantly, from 313,000 baptized members in 1978 to more than 535,000 in 2010. [44]

Unfortunately for militant atheists, secularist philosophy breeds sub-replacement levels of fertility. See: Decline of atheism

Obama says black men cannot use racism to explain away their failures. [45]

CDC says the number of children being diagnosed with mental disorders has been steadily growing. [46]

Reuters reports: "Europe is in the midst of its longest recession since it began keeping records in 1995 — even surpassing the calamity that hit the region in the financial crisis of 2008-2009."[47]

Biblical creationism is growing in Europe and its growth rate will accelerate amidst Europe's economic woes.[48]

The UK has experienced one lost economic decade, and it's about to enter a second. [49] When is the UK going to remove Charles Darwin off its currency?[50]

Turkey, a world leader in anti-evolutionism, had its Moody’s credit rating upgraded to investment-grade quality. [51][52]

Imagine how it would be doing if it adopted Christian creationism over Islamic creationism.[53] See: Protestant work ethic

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More Question evolution! campaign news from Canada. The stomachs of Darwinists are going to be tied into knots in 2013. [54]

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Question evolution! campaign book draft is off to California student readers tonight. Also, new proof and evidence that 2013 is a better year for creationism.[55]

In addition, an atheist wiki still appeals to atheist nerds.

What is the real IRS scandal? It's the tax code itself. [56]

Government-promoted "powerball" gambling exploits and takes millions from the poor, but does not fool conservatives.

A video was recently produced on the topic "Why Christianity and the Bible are true." [57]

Abortion: an indispensable right or violence against women?[58]

A New Jersey activist promotes the primarying of a RINO State Senator. See his side-by-side of a typical RINO and his challenger. [59]

The first rule of grassroots anti-evolution social movements: What's behind us in inane evolutionist commentary is NOT important![60]

Is the Question evolution! campaign entering a new phase? If so, what new tactics are being employed by a Question evolution campaign group?

Bradlee Dean has this scathing commentary on Minnesota's gay "marriage" law. [61]

The Great Flood gained an astronomical fix today. A veteran creation scientist teams up with a veteran CP administrator to use comets to vindicate the Bible – and settle the Biblical chronology dispute. [62]

One reason why Darwinism loving liberal Christianity and the agnosticism/atheism population are headed towards a collapse of their own doing.[63]

The Obama IRS problem just keeps getting bigger.

The director of the tax-exempt determinations office is an Obama donor: [64] IRS agents did what the bosses ordered: [65] IRS denied tax-exempt status of pro-life group on behalf of Planned Parenthood: [66] IRS refused tax-exempt status for pro-Israel and Christian groups; approved it for Muslim organizations: [67] IRS agents illegally seized 60 million medical records: [68] Did the IRS give Mitt Romney's tax returns to Harry Reid? [69]

New amber fossil finds further debunk evolution.[70] "They’re dead ringers for (modern) gall mites" — researcher David Grimaldi

Overrated Sports Star David Beckham was not even good enough to play on Britain's pathetic Olympic soccer team, yet he insists that he is "playing at the highest level" as he announces his retirement. [71] Now he can devote full time to being promoted by the lamestream media.

News update from a Question evolution! campaign blog: "May 15, 2013 was a very BAD day for Darwinism!"[72]

Also, as of today, a Question evolution! blog received 427,864 page views.

A major supply line to Darwinism just suffered a major reversal - college bubble is finally bursting. The infrastructure of Darwinism, atheism, agnosticism and liberalism is crumbling.[73]

Like many second term presidents, Barack Hussein Obama is having scandals arise and he is losing control of events.[74]

A new theory of why secularization occurs.[75]

Liberal politics = massive financial disaster for many California cities, with more bankruptcies expected. [76]

When you have RINOs in the way of real reform, primary them! [77]

The IRS scandal now includes nine Senators, and a liberal outfit that got sensitive information from the IRS on 31 conservative groups. Time for a serious look at tax reform: why do we even need an IRS? [78]

Al Gore still hypes his liberal alarmism: "Our very way of life" is at stake, he insists, "now more than ever before." [79] So why did he sell his TV station for big profits to Big Oil??

The "creationist blogspot squint" repeatedly defeats a timid agnostic and evolutionist who is afraid of debating the creationist biology student VivaYehshua. [80]

An evolutionist has been wildly swinging his rhetorical punches into the air, but he has been hitting thin air. Why is he so afraid of debating VivaYehshua?

Obama, Tyranny, and the Tax Man [81]

Drunken atheist Trekkie makes a bigger fool of himself. Yes, there is something lamer than an atheist who threatens a Bible believer with hellfire.[82]

5 things that will give atheists ulcers.[83]

What "Dr." Kermit Gosnell did in his house-of-horrors clinic is not an anomaly in the abortion industry; it is practice. [84]

A Tea Party activist writes an open letter to State legislators who vote away Second Amendment rights. [85]

PZ Myers, how will we know when atheism has a full-blown nerd crisis? [86]

Myers recently said that atheism is on the "cusp of crisis." Is there a full-blown atheist nerd crisis?

Atheist wiki continues to lose global market share. Also, many of their atheist nerd editors still lose ladies to creationist men![87]

The media already in bed with Obama simply cannot ignore this new scandal: The Obama Administration secretly seized phone records from the Associated Press just prior to the 2012 election. [88][89]

The chilly spring continues to prove the hoax of global warming: "Protect those plants, widespread chance of frost and freeze in N.J. tonight." [90]

Kermit Gosnell stands convicted. But how many others share his guilt? Mainstream Media, maybe? [91]

The scandal at the IRS gets wider every time. This could be the biggest scandal of all. [92]

"Orde Wingate and the Night Raiders: Bring 'em He...Heaven" by Bishop Bert [93]

Another amazing breakthrough for Adult stem cells: Growing Teeth. [94] Still no breakthroughs for immoral Embryonic stem cells.

The IRS is now caught red-handed, in targeting conservative, Tea Party, and pro-Israel groups – and lying about it. But did the Obama administration throw out this chum to distract people from the Benghazi affair? [95]

The homosexual agenda is being pushed into the immigration bill, and it is likely that Dems will cave to the gay demands. [96]

"Sergio Garcia rips Tiger Woods," observing that "he's not the nicest guy on tour." Yet the liberal media continue to cover for Woods, and even lash into Garcia for criticizing him. [97]

Talking animals in the Old Testament. Also, does Leviticus mention dinosaurs?[98]

5 truths that cause evolutionists and atheists to fly into uncontrollable bursts of rage. [99]

Is their anything more lame than an atheist threatening a Bible believer with hellfire?

5 reasons why Christian evangelism is more thoughtful and effective than Darwinist and atheist evangelism efforts. [100]

7 reasons why the growth prospects of the egotistical, socially challenged, atheist nerd population is bleak.[101]

We knew it all along, and now the Internal Revenue Service admits: the IRS plays favorites among applicants for tax exemptions. And a few "un-favorites" besides. [102]

A Tea Party activist asks: did Barack Obama and his administration commit manslaughter and obstruction of justice in the Benghazi affair? [103]

Sociologists say that the American Christian Right are the potters and American atheists are the clay. Also, get three coffins ready. [104]

The families of several Navy SEALs killed in action reveal some stunning – and criminal – acts by the Obama administration. [105]

The Benghazi affair blows up in the Obama administration's collective face. ABC News admits: the State Department sanitized what the CIA told them about it. The White House squirms. [106]

Andrew Schlafly speaks out against ObamaCare.[107]

Is the unborn child a person? What do the obstetricians think?[108]

Atheist wiki hit the socially challenged, atheist nerd ceiling! Their global market share has fallen in 2013.[109]

Christian winners vs. atheist losers. Who is going to win? [110]

The latest in ultrasound technology will benefit the Pro-life cause: 3-D holograms of children in the womb. [111]

A two front war on atheism? [112]

Are biblical creationists picking up the pace of their evangelism?[113]

Is a pack of ravenous biblical creation dire wolves on the prowl ripping big chunks of meat out of their Darwinist bunkum prey?

CBS News doesn't like one of its own making a thorough investigation into the Benghazi affair: [114]

Let's see how liberal pro-choicers spin this absolute insanity: [115]

Cal Thomas writes about the taxation of internet sales and the Marketplace Fairness Act bill being proposed. [116]

Violent video games, which liberal websites defend and promote despite the games' obvious connection with the Newtown massacre, continue to rack up billion-dollar profits. [117]

Ruth Bell Graham once said that if God does not judge America, He must apologize to Sodom. Apart from whether a man (or woman) can judge God, Mrs. Graham had a point. [118]

3 humorous creation vs. evolution events. [119]

Liberal "psychic" Sylvia Browne, the perennial guest of the Montel Williams Show, predicted in 2004 that Amanda Berry was dead. Yet she clams up after Amanda is rescued from a house of horror a couple days ago. [120]

Uh oh, liberal claptrap at HuffPost is not so great after all for AOL: "AOL Inc. (AOL), the digital publisher that owns the Huffington Post and TechCrunch, fell the most in five months after reporting first-quarter profit that missed estimates." [121]

The biblical creation attack dog is metamorphosizing into a fierce and tenacious dire wolf predator. Darwinism will be ripped to shreds. [122]

WHat does "honoring the office" of President of the United States mean, when the current officeholder behaves dishonorably? Theodore Roosevelt had an answer. [123]

Does Barack Obama love being a "divider-in-chief"? Or has he laid a deeper plan? A Tea Party activist examines all the actions of this de facto President and sees an ominous parallel. [124]

Will the Benghazi attack hearings change the game for Barack Obama? Or for Hillary Clinton? [125]

Liberal double standard, as they held Mitt Romney to a different standard than Al Gore, despite how the global warming alarmist Gore is now richer than Romney.[126]

Thomas Paine once made a ringing call to leadership. Where are the conservative leaders of today? [127]

"The 'House of David': Don't be quick to fault the Bible!" by Bishop Bert [128]

Tamerlan Tsarnaev died from "blunt trauma to his head and torso," presumably by being driven over by his own fleeing brother. [129] Yet still no word about drugs that were likely found in pot-smoker Dzhokhar's system.

Is school choice impossible in some States? Only if the voters let it stay that way. [130]

If you are not a biblical creationist, you are behaving illogically.[131]

"Even if all the data point to an intelligent designer, such an hypothesis is excluded from science because it is not naturalistic". - Evolutionist Dr. Scott Todd [132]

Naturalistic/atheistic thinkers, no matter how much they would like to think that it has lasted forever, inevitably come up against the fact that the very laws of the universe point to a supernatural beginning.[133]

Notice that the arguments for evolution amount to logical fallacy—and censorship, not true science. [134]

RINO Backer "Paul Ryan flip-flops, now supports gay adoption." [135] The Republican House leadership moves closer to quietly accepting same-sex marriage.

A Tea Party activist does some sober stock-taking on the battle for American liberty. [136]

Liberals will continue making billions by invading people's privacy, and block a California bill that would have protected the public: "Silicon Valley uses growing clout to kill a digital privacy bill." [137]

Traitors among us, in the United States Senate, who voted for the UN Arms Trade Treaty (which failed – so far). [138]

Overrated Sports Star "Kobe Bryant in court battle with mother over memorabilia." [139] His mother has been paying $1,500/mth to store it, but now the liberal-promoted player tries to stop his own mom from cashing in!

Record-setting May snowstorm blankets several states, further disproving the liberal hoax that there is a crisis of global warming. [140]

Free speech for Christianity wins, and Mikey Weinstein loses. The Pentagon announced today that service members will not be punished for sharing their religious faith. "Members of our military should not be denied the very freedoms they fight to defend. Freedom of religion and speech are paramount among those freedoms," said ADF Legal Counsel Joseph La Rue. [141]

"How to Not stone a Rebellious Son: Reforming according to the Word of God" by Bishop Bert [142]

After Barack Hussein Obama invoked God at a Planned Parenthood event, an activist sharply reminds him: had Margaret Sanger, founder of Planned Parenthood, had her way, he would not exist. [143]

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The Ides of May 2013 is definitely going to be nightmare for evolutionists.[144]

British Darwinists, brace yourselves for the grand announcement of May 15, 2013 to be given at 5:00pm Greenwich Mean Time. You will not want to miss it!

A hate-filled atheist wants Christians stopped from sharing the Gospel in the military, under penalty of court-martial for "sedition and treason". [145] Could this be what Obama wants done? [146]

Theistic evolutionists are sleeping with the enemy and getting "fleas of doubt".[147] Leading theistic evolutionist says: "My belief in God is tinged with doubts...".

The New York Times says that the pro-evolution website Wikipedia has a sexism problem. Is there a nerd crisis at Wikipedia?[148]

Compare Sarah Palin and Michelle Obama side by side. Who is the elitist? [149]

Return of the Twinkies - No, they're not the flying monkeys from "The Wizard of Oz." The Hostess company is going back in business, after union demands forced them into bankruptcy last year. (WashTimes)

Which country was among those which tied for last place as being among the most corrupt countries in the world? An atheism and evolution loving country of course - North Korea.[150]

Give it up, liberals: "Arizona lawmakers pass bill making silver, gold legal tender." [151]

Young people love anti-evolution and pro-creation tracts, magazines and books. Darwinism indoctrination is stale and boring. [152]

The NFL has become just another politically correct, liberal organization, as it ostracizes the outspokenly Christian Tim Tebow. Why should the public approve paying for NFL stadiums, as in the upcoming vote in Miami?

Is the soul of America in jeopardy? Why is the military cleaning itself of Judeo-Christian influence? [153]

Obama administration threatening Benghazi whistleblowers (Washington Times, April 30, 2013)

Three of the Doolittle Raiders hold their last reunion on the base where they trained. [154]

Olé! Olé! Olé! Hispanic American creationism is winning mucho battles over Hispanic American Darwinism.[155]

Evolutionists, you will have a lot of splainin' to do on why you can't answer the 15 questions for evolutionists satisfactorily.

Time magazine reports that theological liberalism gained ground during sexual revolution, but conservative Christians are winning now through higher procreation and re-evangelization of West.[156]

Victory! Liberals are now openly admitting defeat! And they have no plan to turn things around!

China's atheist leaders are still panicking and trying to use heavy-handed measures to stop the explosive growth of Chinese Christianity.[157]

A fascinating look at an area in China with 70,000 hills from a global flood perspective.[158]

Liberal global warming scam is proven false, again: "more than 1,100 snowfall records and 3,400 cold records have been set across the nation so far in April." [159] That's not the global warming crisis that Al Gore and other liberals claimed.

Why won't the Republican Party of New Jersey even adopt the national Republican platform? A Tea Party activists sounds a RINO alert. [160]

Volunteers spent thousands of dollars on a successful Question evolution! campaign event and pro-biblical creation outreach. [161]

Kermit Gosnell's trial may go to the jury this week. But does he really do anything that abortion advocates would not want to see done? [162]

"Man stabs 4 choir members during Sunday mass at Albuquerque Catholic church." [163] It's unfortunate that parishioners did not have loaded guns to stop the stranger.

More bad news for liberals, pro-aborts and Darwinists - religioustolerance.org has lost a LOT of web traffic![164]

Why do people still believe what Barack Obama says? [165]

The ricin letters case has taken a strange new twist. Previous suspect (a Democrat) cleared; current suspect (a Republican) charged. Is there a personal feud between the two? [166]

Give it up, liberals: Kansas has the most conservative legislature in its history, and it's not going back to its "moderate", less successful past. [167]

A call back to God for Christians of every stripe, after the Boston Marathon Bombings. [168]

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Secular Belgium is crumbling. A golden age of Belgium creationism is dawning.[169]

Also, North American creationism will continue to expand. Will the Harvard University evolutionary biology department, which was disgraced in 2011, be able to stop this?

Conservative trouncing of the liberal incumbents in Iceland in early election returns, pointing to a landslide repudiation of the ruling party and an end to plans to join the EU. [170]

An apologetic for Genesis 1-11, based on the best scientific models available. [171]

God's intelligent design is on display in the sky this weekend: "Saturn at its biggest and brightest Saturday." Many people cannot believe it when they see Saturn's rings for the first time through a telescope. [172]

Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky showed how abysmally stupid politicians often are. Here's the latest evidence on Barack Hussein Obama's true identity, the significance of which McConnell totally missed. [173]

Why is there only one God? [174]

"Comprehensive immigration reform" is a tool of fundamental change of America – a thing Barack Obama wants. [175]

Earth's core is proven to be as hot as the Sun, contradicting atheistic theories. [176] Biblical scientific foreknowledge predicted this, as Earth and heat were created prior to the Sun.

A new Black Robed Regiment forms in New Jersey, as pastors re-create a previously un-sung influence in the American Revolution. [177]

Lamestream media proven wrong again: "Economic growth, at 2.5%, falls below expectations." [178]

One more chapter to go before the newly revised Question evolution! campaign book for middle school students is sent to a second group of student reviewers. [179]

"In Turkey, a Muslim Lady fights for the Rights of Israel" (the Scientific Creationist Pro-Jewish movement and Al Qaeda in Collision) by Bishop Bert: [180]

Quickly, the Obama Administration and the liberal media try to change the subject from the Boston Marathon bombing to what Syria is allegedly doing halfway around the world. [181] Isn't Boston more important to America than Damascus??

"Yeah, I wanted to kill the people in the building and then smear a Chicken-fil-A sandwich on their face." It's the liberal Southern Poverty Law Center that's been credited by a liberal terrorist for providing the information for his attack on the Family Research Council. [182]

Education reform: a do-it-yourself guide. [183]

Liberals gotta love this one: Tamerlan Tsarnaev had trained himself to be an American-killing terrorist while getting welfare benefits at the same time. [184]

A Tea Party activist lays it on the line: Executive Orders are unconstitutional. [185]

Dem #6 announces his retirement from the U.S. Senate, rather than face reelection. [186] If liberal ideology is so great, then why are so many like Max Baucus quitting its political efforts?

A home schooling family from Germany will defend their rights to home school — in a United States court. The case of Romeike v. Holder comes before the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals today. [187]

The sometimes conservative Koch Brothers cause angst on the Left by considering buying liberal newspaper failures like the Chicago Tribune and Los Angeles Times. [188]

The Boston Marathon bombers were firm believers in liberalism ... meaning that the gun laws so championed by the left wing don't apply to them. [189]

Does that Saudi national know more about the Boston Marathon Bombing than he's telling? Why is the government spiriting him out of this country like a carrier of typhoid fever? Congress wants answers. Glenn Beck threatens to drop a bombshell today or tomorrow. [190] UPDATE: Glenn Beck drops the bombshell, and he's not the only one. Details: [191]

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev drove over his brother Tamerlan, which was possibly the real cause of his death. [192] Was Dzhokhar on drugs?

Evil does exist: alleged Young Mass Murderer Dzhokhar Tsarnaev tweeted after the bombing, "Ain't no love in the heart of the city, stay safe people." [193]

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Pro-evolution UK government is producing many second-rate secondary school graduates. [194]

Also, a 2012 study found that more and more U.S. liberal arts colleges are reforming themselves or are closing. See: Worst college majors

"The Binding of Isaac, the 'Akedah', and Jesus Christ" by Bishop Bert [195]

Two geneticists admit: life could never have become as complex as it is today, even in a long age of the earth. So they say life began before the earth! Why don't they just accept creation? [196]

College enrollment shows signs of slowing which means less post high school evolutionary indoctrination. Also, the ever shrinking role of tenured evolutionist professors and evolutionary biologists.[197] See also: Professor values

Secular humanist Paul Kurtz vs. the Christian Francis Schaeffer - Schaeffer wins hands down in the legacy department.[198]

Atheist Paul Kurtz's book The Turbulent Universe - a zero Amazon rating. The book Atheism for Dummies has a 4.5 Amazon star rating.[199] Are atheists smarter?

Also, another reason the so-called expansion of atheism is merely bluster and a mirage. See: Global atheism

More and more American public officials want creationism and/or anti-evolution material in schools. 7 reasons why 2014 will see an increase in anti-evolution legislation.[200]

Attended class and partied on Wednesday: the 19-year-old Boston bombing suspect fit right in on the atheistic, public college campus. [201]

The Obama Administration was informed at least two years ago about the danger posed by Tamerlan Tsarnaev, the leader of the Boston Marathon bombing, and supposedly had him under surveillance. "They knew what my son was doing," says his mother. [202]

Ancient astronomers kept a 360 day calendar for thousands of years. Why? Could it be because the earth did have a 360 day year once? Find out how. [203]

The atheist and evolutionist PZ Myers throws out Darwin. [204]

The intelligentsia know that an atheist wiki is vastly inferior to Creation.com.[205]

Fitch Ratings has downgraded the United Kingdom's long-term foreign and local currency issuer default ratings (IDR) to 'AA+' from 'AAA'.[206] How long will the British keep Charles Darwin on their currency?

Heavy metal conservative Bradlee Dean warns: governments often use terrorism to their own advantage. [207]

Violent video games likely played a key role in the development of the Boston Young Mass Murderers, but liberal censorship is working overtime to avoid mentioning it.
Meanwhile, video game companies announce profit increases. [208]

Boston Marathon Bombing: 1 suspect dead, another on the run, and yet another casualty. And the Obama administration has some explaining to do. [209]

The sister of the two young Boston bombing suspects stated that she has "no idea what's gotten into them." [210] Perhaps it was submersion into violent video games by the young men?

Leading website analyzer thinks atheist wiki editors produce low quality work.[211] It's time to renew your library cards atheists!

How many Americans are shot and killed each year by government agents?

The same 1994 law that temporarily banned the sale of assault weapons also required the federal government to compile data on police shootings nationwide. However, neither the Justice Department nor most local police departments have bothered to tally such occurrences. Jim Bovard, Washington Times

RINOs rule in New Jersey, and now the Tea Party will make New Jersey their test case. [212]

Impressive animated Christian children's tracts. Are animated dinosaur biblical creation tracts next?[213]

More shocking, unusual violence in Boston: an MIT campus police officer "was shot multiple times" and killed, and the murderer escaped. [214] We pray for the victim.
Yet Massachusetts has strict gun control and very harsh penalties for violations.
UPDATE: The two suspects in the Boston Marathon Bombings did that deed. One is dead; the other is still at large.

The agenda is more important to liberals than saving lives. It's why a monster named Gosnell was allowed to operate an abortion factory where born babies were murdered, and why the media chose to ignore it. [215]

How to reform education in this country: think outside the box. Meaning: don't let the government box you in to their schools. [216]

"US Senate Rejects Expanding Gun Background Checks." Defeated, sore loser Obama responds with liberal style by calling his opponents liars. [217] Hint: he is the liar, not they. [218]

Liberal media headline: "Let’s hope the Boston Marathon bomber is a white American" [219] If the bomber turns out to be part of some international terrorist conspiracy, then the USA might respond appropriately, and the article would rather blame white Americans. Separately: are they going to arrest someone or aren't they? [220]

America, will you follow the Nazi route? Remembering Martin Niemöller, John Adams, and Noah Webster as the attack on American values continues. [221]

British socialism drops to a new low: "Protesters along the funeral route turned their backs on Baroness Thatcher's coffin as it passed on its way to St Paul's Cathedral." [222]

LIBERAL DENIAL: an eyewitness reportedly tackled the suspect and turned him over to the police, but officials and the media now pretend they have no idea who committed the heinous crime at the Boston Marathon. [223] The public may never be told the truth, and certainly not soon, in order to avoid political embarrassment.

Was God's finished creation perfect? What did Augustine say about man's ability not to sin before the fall of man?[224]

Barack Obama's plan to destroy America was hatched at Columbia University. [225]

Evil is real, and tragic: 3 were killed, including an 8-year-old boy, and more than 130 hurt, many severely, in the Boston Marathon bombing. [226] Investigators are searching for a foreign-accented suspect seen in the vicinity of the crime.

May God help the victims. [227]

Once again, the leftists infesting the liberal media couldn't wait for the victims to be taken to hospitals before they blame the Boston bombing on the "right wing." [228][229]

Gold bubble bursts - After rising exponentially for a dozen years from $200 to nearly $1,800, the price for a troy ounce of gold dropped to $1,400 this month. [230] [231] [232]

The discovery of fossilized cells in north-west Scotland has forced a dramatic rewrite of the supposed evolutionary history of life on Earth.[233]

All those evolutionists who claimed to know how old life is on earth, must now admit they were very wrong. There are at least 101 reasons why the earth is young.[234]

The third Noah's Ark replica is being built by Hispanics near Miami, who hope the Pope will attend the inauguration. [235] Evidently the falsehoods of atheism continue to be rejected by many.

The National Secular Society says that aggressive French religious lobbies are in a sustained attack on French secularism.[236]

Message to the captain of the SS Secularism: Your ship is taking on more and more water and the waves are going to be bigger and more frequent.[237]

Are liberals going to go after marijuana smoke with the same gusto they have with tobacco smoke? [238]

Liberal teacher in a public school tells fourth-graders to give up Constitutional rights. [239]

Who wants Sheriff Joe dead? [240]

Statutory rape: the missing legal problem in abortion that now has the attention of a bunch of lawyers. [241]

"A Turkish delight: they think so in Israel too!" by Bishop Bert [242]

Russia calls American politicians "Russophobic", in apparent mockery of how liberals push their homosexual agenda on "homophobic" Russia. [243] Try "Biblophobic", a Best New Conservative Word.

Nanny State update: a busybody calls 911 to report a jogger who was running backwards, and the cops in Democrat Miami give him a ticket ... even though he's jogged backwards safely for six years. [244]

Congressman Chris Smith on liberal censorship: "Why the censorship" of the Philadelphia abortionist's "Jeffrey Dahmer-like murder trial?" [245]

Looking for things to see and do? See a beautiful landscape which Questions Evolution! Also, public library science books with Question evolution! campaign tracts placed inside them.[246]

A Tea Party activist sends an open letter to Senator Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania: Your bill looks good, but could be better. He suggests seven specific "fixes." [247]

The liberal media continue their attempt to drive conservative athlete Tim Tebow out of New York City, even for a voluntary off-season practice. "Get rid of Tim Tebow," shouts the headline. [248] Many liberals would rather lose than win with a conservative leader.

Message to PZ Myers and friends: Re-positioning the decades long "atheist nerd brand" is going to be close to impossible. Also, "golden age of internet atheism" is coming to an end. [249]

Without Darwin, some of the atrocities connected with evolution might not have been. But people of faith might have grown complacent, too. [250]

Liberal double standard: when Republicans tape-record Democrats (e.g., Watergate), there is media outrage, but not when Democrats tape-record Republicans, despite a Dem statement that a liberal group probably taped a GOP meeting. [251]

News from the land of atheism: "Margaret Thatcher death celebrations" sweep the faithless Great Britain. [252]

An article on the possible relationship between school shootings and violent video games was censored by the Huffington Post. [253]

The most famous "heavy metal conservative activist" warns: the Homosexual Agenda is real, and is destructive. He offers some explicit examples. [254]

Liberal logic: Hugo Chavez's successor promises, if elected, to hold a special investigation into whether Chavez was "inoculated with cancer cells," and hints that he suspects the "American Empire" was responsible. [255] The liberal media played into this accusation by promoting the fake claims and photo of Chavez's purported good health.

Flag of France.png

Vive la French Creationnisme! Long live French creationism! French creationists are coming aboard the Question Evolution! Campaign.[256]

"Texas student stabs at least 14 at Lone Star College." [257] Because of gun control, students were unarmed and unable to stop the attack sooner.

A Question evolution! campaign blog is rapidly approaching 400,000 page views. Christian blogosphere will soon be turbocharged via blog marketing expertise.[258]

Biola University posts the Christian apologist William Lane Craig vs. atheist philosopher Alex Rosenburg debate. [259]

Why did the atheist Alex Rosenburg appear to drink so much water in the debate relative to Dr. Craig? Dry mouth nervousness?

Margaret Thatcher, RIP. [260]

Dr. William Lane Craig beats the atheist philosopher Alex Rosenburg in a landslide debate victory.[261]

Why does Duke University still employ this atheist, nutjob professor? See: Professor values

An analysis of Walt Brown’s Flood model (hydroplate model of Noah's Flood). [262]

States are moving in very different directions politically on abortion and other fundamental issues. [263] But people are migrating to the conservative states and away from the liberal ones.

How the hockey stick crumbled. Like it or not, liberals, global warming is a proven farce: [264]

More bad news for liberal public schools: "Virtual learning bills gain momentum in Florida Legislature." [265]

Hollywood actress Drew Barrymore rejects liberal advice for women not to raise their own children: "Unfortunately, I was raised in this, like, generation of, like, 'Women can have it all,' and I don't think you can. I think some things fall off the table, the good news is, what does stay on the table becomes much more important" [raising children]. [266] Will Drew become a homeschooler?

Barack Hussein Obama tosses some pork to Florida with plans to capture an asteroid and bring it to orbit around the Moon. If the de facto President wants to worry about a big natural disaster, let him look closer to home. Details: [267]

"Le flop!" Overrated Sports Star David Beckham is "given 3/10 rating" by a candid French press, observing that the Brit "left fellow holding midfielder ... 'to fight for both of them.'" [268]

Massive cable ratings for "The Bible" miniseries on the History channel - much higher than CNN and the Fox News Channel. [269] So why does the lamestream media ignore the Good Book so much?

Can liberty win under seemingly long odds? It did before. A modern activists asks Americans to remember their history, and compare their strength now to their strength during the American Revolution. [270]

A Tea Party activist asks: are politicians really as stupid as they seem concerning the Second Amendment? Or do they have an agenda to deprive us of our rights under it? [271]

Jobs report is below expectations by more than 100,000, and "the participation rate in the workforce is the lowest since May 1979." [272] This is what the liberals told us would be an economic recovery???

How creation was reborn: the three lines of counterattack. [273]

When the American Civil Liberties Union says a new law by a Democrat threatens privacy, the Democrats know they have problems. The ACLU raises strong concerns about the latest gun control law in the Senate. [274]

Overrated Sports Star -- and longtime favorite of the liberal media -- Lance Armstrong is forced out of a swimming meet because of his past conduct. [275]

Self-centered liberals cannot let go of what they think is power: "Obama presses donors to help return Pelosi to speakership." [276]

How the long age view of the age of the earth gained credence. Offers clues to how to reverse that misconception. [277]

Liberal double standard: "Conservatives Shouldn't Own Newspapers?" [278]

The Department of Defense victimizes our fallen heroes, in the name of political correctness. [279]

Oh dear, it appears about 5-7% of American evolutionists believe that "shape-shifting alien reptilian people control our world by taking on human form".[280]

A 15 year-old girl leaves an anti-gun legislature speechless: [281]

"Guns are not the problem; people are." Gun control will not remove guns from society but rather make it harder for people to protect their lives.

What we get as as teachers when liberals control the education: A Weather Underground radical who once served two decades for an armed robbery that killed two cops and a guard is now a professor at Columbia University. [282]

The global warming hoax continued. In fact, it's entirely groundless: [283]

Previous Conservapedia Breaking News


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BRIEF-MAKO Surgical announces patent enforcement actions against Stanmore entities

March 19 (Reuters) - MAKO Surgical Corp :

* Announces patent enforcement actions against stanmore entities

* Filed complaints against stanmore implants worldwide and stanmore inc with the U.S. international trade commission

* Says patent infringement actions are directed at stanmore's computerized orthopedic surgery guidance systems

* Says patents at issue relate to computerized orthopedic surgical devices and software

* Further company coverage

((Bangalore Newsroom; +1 646 223 8780))


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STOCKS NEWS EUROPE-Sanofi hits 7-year high on drug hopes

Shares in French drugmaker Sanofi rise 2.8 percent to a fresh 7-year high, making them one of the biggest gainers among European blue chips, as traders cite speculation the group could soon get a positive recommendation from European regulators for its multiple sclerosis pill Aubagio.

"The recent rally might be because of the monthly meeting of experts from the European Medicine Agency, which is currently happening in London. Aubagio is supposed to receive a recommendation from these experts in the first quarter," a Paris-based trader says.

"Aubagio's approval in Europe would represent 200 million euros ($257.7 million) in terms of peak sales, but it would certainly increase confidence in the entire multiple sclerosis franchise, with Lemtrada due to be accepted in the second quarter in Europe and in the second half of the year in the United States."

Sanofi adds the most points to the pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index , while rival healthcare stocks Novartis and Roche also advance by 1.7 and 1 percent respectively.

Sanofi officials were not immediately available for comment. Reuters Messaging: blaise.robinson.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net

Reuters Messaging: sudip.kargupta.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net ($1 = 0.7760 euros)

Keywords: MARKETS EUROPE STOCKSNEWS


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John Kasich

(Difference between revisions)When [[LeBron James]] was routed in the [[NBA Finals]], Kasich honored the player who defeated the former Ohioan James.When [[LeBron James]] was routed in the [[NBA Finals]], Kasich honored the player who defeated the former Ohioan James.Some have criticized Kasich for allowing spending to increase by 11% in Ohio in 2011, but under Kasich's leadership unemployment in Ohio dropped to its lowest level since 2008.  This [[swing state]] was hit hard by Obama's economic recession.http://biggovernment.com/reasontv/2011/03/25/reason-tv-gov-kasichs-ohio-budget-disaster-can-you-cut-government-by-jacking-spending-11/Some have criticized Kasich for allowing spending to increase by 11% in Ohio in 2011, but under Kasich's leadership unemployment in Ohio dropped to its lowest level since 2008.  This [[swing state]] was hit hard by Obama's economic recession.http://biggovernment.com/reasontv/2011/03/25/reason-tv-gov-kasichs-ohio-budget-disaster-can-you-cut-government-by-jacking-spending-11/ During his term he presided over lower unemployment, higher job creation, and greater fiscal responsibility. He was criticized by some for allowing medicaid expansion to occur in Ohio. Kasich said that while he disagrees with the medicaid expansion taking advantage of it would reduce some of the burdens of Obamacare, specifically the cuts to rural hospitals.Kasich attended Ohio State University and currently lives in Westerville, Ohio. He is married to his wife, Karen, and they have two daughters. He is an evangelical Christian and says he became one after both of his parents were killed in a car accident in 1987.Johnkasich.jpg U.S. Representative from Ohio's 12th District
From: January 3, 1983 - January 3, 2001

John Richard Kasich (rhymes with "basic") (born May 13, 1952 in McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania) is the current Governor of Ohio, taking over from Democrat Ted Strickland. Kasich served as the Republican U.S. Representative from Ohio's 12th congressional district from 1983 through 2001 and was chairman of the House Budget Committee in the 1990's. He was a political alley of Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich and chief architect of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997. Kasich went on to host the Ohio-based Heartland with John Kasich on the Fox News Channel.

John Kasich was the Conservative of the Year 2011. Kasich signed three major pro-life bills into law in 2011, and supported economic reforms also. He has also been a leader on cultural issues, speaking out against Ohio's pink drivers licenses and not backing down to the lamestream media.

When LeBron James was routed in the NBA Finals, Kasich honored the player who defeated the former Ohioan James.

Some have criticized Kasich for allowing spending to increase by 11% in Ohio in 2011, but under Kasich's leadership unemployment in Ohio dropped to its lowest level since 2008. This swing state was hit hard by Obama's economic recession.[1] During his term he presided over lower unemployment, higher job creation, and greater fiscal responsibility. He was criticized by some for allowing medicaid expansion to occur in Ohio. Kasich said that while he disagrees with the medicaid expansion taking advantage of it would reduce some of the burdens of Obamacare, specifically the cuts to rural hospitals.

Kasich attended Ohio State University and currently lives in Westerville, Ohio. He is married to his wife, Karen, and they have two daughters. He is an evangelical Christian and says he became one after both of his parents were killed in a car accident in 1987.

? http://biggovernment.com/reasontv/2011/03/25/reason-tv-gov-kasichs-ohio-budget-disaster-can-you-cut-government-by-jacking-spending-11/

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Cardinal Health CEO on China Biz & Female Execs

 Highlight transcript below to create clipTranscript:  Print  |  Email Go  Click text to jump within videoTue 19 Mar 13 | 01:41 PM ET Discussing health care in China, the promotion of female executives, and the state of his business, with Cardinal Health CEO George Barrett. "Health care in China has been a tremendous opportunity for our company," he says.

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Law of biogenesis

(Difference between revisions)Nevertheless, many people continued to believe that microorganisms, such as [[microbe]]s, spontaneously generated.Nevertheless, many people continued to believe that microorganisms, such as [[microbe]]s, spontaneously generated.This idea was put to rest with experiments done by [[Louis Pasteur]] in 1864, and the ''law of biogenesis'' was born.This idea was put to rest with [[experimental science|experiments]] done by [[Louis Pasteur]] in 1864, and the ''law of biogenesis'' was born.This law is put to the test every day, in the [[food preservation]] industry.This law is put to the test every day, in the [[food preservation]] industry.

The Law of biogenesis says that life only comes from life (in latin: Omne vivum ex vivo).

As long ago as ancient Greece, people believed that small creatures spontaneously appeared, such as mice appearing from grain, or maggots from rotting meat. However, in 1668 Francesco Redi conducted experiments showing that maggots came from eggs laid on the meat by flies.

Nevertheless, many people continued to believe that microorganisms, such as microbes, spontaneously generated. This idea was put to rest with experiments done by Louis Pasteur in 1864, and the law of biogenesis was born.

This law is put to the test every day, in the food preservation industry. Food that is to be kept in good condition for an extended period of time is sealed in cans, bottles, or other containers, and sterilised to kill any organisms that might be in it. Because all life in the container has been killed, and because the container is sealed to prevent any microorganisms getting in, the food is kept in good condition. The law is accepted so thoroughly that if a container is found to contain living organisms, investigators will look for a hole in the container, a failure to properly sterilise the food, or tampering. They never conclude that the life in the container arose spontaneously.

Despite this law, many scientists believe that the first life arose from non-living matter. In proposing this, they speculate that although life has never been observed to spontaneously arise, it must have at some time in the past. Being a unique past event, the speculation cannot be tested or refuted, thus remaining an article of blind faith for those who reject the idea that life was created.

Creationists believe that the first biological life did not come from non-life, but from the living God.


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Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jay Carney, 3/19/2013

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

James S. Brady Press Briefing Room

11:17 A.M. EDT

MR. CARNEY:  Top of the morning to everyone.  I have to thank Cody Keenan, my fellow Irish American, for loaning me his tie.  (Laughter.)  Because I was a little thrown off -- I had corned beef and cabbage on Sunday, and I forgot that today is the day that we are officially celebrating Saint Patrick’s Day here in Washington. 

As you know, the President has a bilateral meeting with the Taoiseach, Enda Kenny of Ireland, a meeting with the Northern Ireland delegation.  He is attending also the Friends of Ireland luncheon on Capitol Hill, and there is a Saint Patrick’s Day reception in the East Room later today.

I also want to note that, because of those remarks, we need to have a hard stop at 12:00 noon today. 

With that, I’ll go to the Associated Press.

Q    Thanks, Jay.  There are reports out of Damascus by state-run media that rebels have mounted a chemical attack that killed 25 people.  The Russian Foreign Ministry is backing up those claims, saying that there also -- I'm wondering if -- what the administration has on that report.

MR. CARNEY:  Jim, as you know, we have been very clear about our concern that as the Assad regime is increasingly beleaguered and finds its escalation of violence through conventional means inadequate, including the barbaric use of Scud missiles against population centers, that it will consider the use of chemical weapons against the Syrian people.  This is a serious concern.

I am not going to discuss intelligence, but it is important that as fighting in Syria intensifies and the regime becomes more desperate, that the United States and the international community make absolutely clear to Assad that the use of chemical weapons would be totally unacceptable.  The President was clear when he said that if Assad and those under his command make the mistake of using chemical weapons or fail to meet their obligations to secure them, then there will be consequences and they will be held accountable. 

The international community is united on this issue and the message to the Assad regime has been very clear.

Q    Does that mean that you have confirmation that there was indeed a chemical attack, no matter who it came from?

MR. CARNEY:  We are looking carefully at the information as it comes in.  I’m not going to discuss intelligence processes.  All I can tell you is that this is an issue that has been made very clear by the President to be of great concern to us.

Q    There were some initial reports that this may have been propaganda.  You’re not saying that that is propaganda on the part of the Assad.

MR. CARNEY:  Again, I can tell you that we’re looking carefully at allegations of CW use, chemical weapons use.  We’re evaluating them, but I have no further assessment to provide to you from here. 

Q    On the point that -- it does raise the question, however, about how secure chemical weapons stockpiles are.  Secretary Kerry warned recently about the ability of extremists getting access to those weapons.  I was wondering if the administration, if the President is starting to think that arming rebels, like the French and the British are doing -- arming friendly rebels, whether that would help our ability to make sure that those stockpiles remain secure.

MR. CARNEY:  Well, I wouldn’t -- I would separate those two issues, first, to say that the issue of the possibility of chemical weapons use remains a grave concern.  You heard the President, from this podium, express his position when he said, “The use of chemical weapons is and would be totally unacceptable,” and his warning to the Syrian regime that, “There will be consequences and you will be held accountable,” if the regime were to use chemical weapons.  That’s the first point.

The second point is we are constantly assessing our programs of assistance to the Syrian people and to the Syrian opposition.  And we evaluate them and the options available based on what we think will best serve our policy, and that is to help bring about a future where Syria is rid of Assad and that Syrians have the opportunity to build a country that is more democratic, more prosperous, and a stable country within the region.  And that process continues.

Our position is and remains that we will not -- or we are not supplying lethal assistance to the opposition, but we are of course, as you would expect, constantly evaluating and assessing our various assistance programs.

Yes.

Q    If it’s opposition or rebel groups that have used chemical weapons, as the Russian -- as Russia has said -- alleged -- how will -- I mean, but how -- you've just said that the United States wants to hold Assad accountable for this.  And what --

MR. CARNEY:  I appreciate it, and I should have made clear in my answer to Jim that on that specific allegation we have no evidence to substantiate the charge that the opposition has used chemical weapons.  We are deeply skeptical of a regime that has lost all credibility, and we would also warn the regime against making these kinds of charges as any kind of pretext or cover for its use of chemical weapons.

Q    So just so I’m clear, you don’t think that -- the United States does not think it’s the opposition?

MR. CARNEY:  Again, we are evaluating the charges that are being made and the allegations, consulting closely with our partners in the region and in the international community.  But we have no evidence to substantiate that charge, that the opposition has used chemical weapons.

Q    And this is coming as the President is heading to the Middle East.  How much of his time during talks with leaders there do you expect will be devoted to this threat specifically?

MR. CARNEY:  Well, there’s no question that the President will discuss, with the leaders of the region on this trip, Syria.  It is a high priority for the region and for the United States and our allies around the world.  So that was always going to be, I think, a significant topic of conversation.  I have no doubt that Prime Minister Netanyahu and the President will discuss it, President Shimon Peres and the President will discuss it as well, and it will be a topic, I’m sure, in discussions with other leaders -- the King of Jordan, as well as the Palestinian leader, at least probably so.  It’s hard to assess, in light of these reports and allegations, at this point, how that will affect the breakdown of conversations in coming days, but it was already going to be a topic.

Yes.

Q    Staying on Syria quickly, you talk about consequences if the Assad government is found to be using chemical weapons.  What kind of consequences do you mean?  Sanctions, or some other kind of escalation?

MR. CARNEY:  Well, I wouldn’t care to speculate about what consequences would take place if it were to be found that the regime had used chemical weapons.  I would simply point you to what the President said from this podium about this issue -- language that I just quoted.  This is a very serious matter. 

And with regards to today’s reports, I want to stress that we are evaluating them and consulting with our allies about them.  But on the general principle, the President made very clear that the use of chemical weapons -- and I quote -- “is and would be entirely” -- or “totally,” rather, “unacceptable.”  And he warned the Syrian regime, in particular, that, “There will be consequences, and you will be held accountable.” 

Q    Separate topic.  When can we expect to see the President’s March Madness bracket?  (Laughter.)

MR. CARNEY:  Well, I appreciate the question.  The President, as you know, has traditionally filled one out, and I don’t expect this year will be any different.  But as would be the case if, say, CNN were having an interview with the President, I wouldn’t preview it for your colleagues here, so I won’t do that for any other news organization.

Q    And last thing, on the Easter Egg Roll.  You said earlier this month that the plan is for that event to go on, go forward as planned, but we know that the ticket confirmations have a disclaimer that it could be canceled.  Where do things stand now?  Which is it going to be?  What do you expect?

MR. CARNEY:  Well, I appreciate the question, and I’ve noted just substantial interest; it must be the very top news story among the Washington press corps today just based on the incoming inquiries.  And I just want to be clear that we are currently planning to proceed with the Easter Egg Roll.  Because we distributed tickets to the Easter Egg Roll far in advance of the actual event, we alerted all ticket holders that this event is subject to cancellation due to funding uncertainty, including the possibility of a government shutdown.  Again, the language that got attention on the Hill and was reported duly by the press was prepared well in advance, and it had to do with the potential for at least the possibility of a government shutdown should there not be a resolution on the continuing resolution.  It was not about sequester principally.

So having said that, I want to be clear that because it certainly looks like there is progress being made, and nobody expects a government shutdown, that we have every expectation that the Easter Egg Roll will proceed as planned.  I hope that settles the matter.

Q    And lastly, on brackets, you won’t tell us whether we should expect it before the President leaves tonight or --

MR. CARNEY:  Again, I don’t think it’s -- it certainly won’t be two months from now -- if he does it at all.  But I don’t want to scoop another news outlet.

Yes.

Q    Was the President briefed on the Marine accident?

MR. CARNEY:  Yes, he was.

Q    And what can we learn from that?

MR. CARNEY:  Well, the President’s thoughts and prayers go to the families of those who were lost and to those who are injured.  We're obviously in the early stages of assessing the incident.  It's a tragedy, clearly.  And the President was briefed immediately on -- and made aware of it immediately and briefed on it, and we're monitoring the situation. 

Q    Jay, on Syria.  Two questions, if I may, on Syria.  Your answers to the opening round of questions came in somewhat piecemeal fashion, and so I want to make sure I'm clear on this.  You have told us that --

MR. CARNEY:  Is that theater criticism?  (Laughter.)  Or is it a --

Q    It is a matter of craft, yes.  You have told us that you have no evidence to believe that it was any elements among the rebels that used chemical weapons --

MR. CARNEY:  Right.

Q    -- but that you are still looking into the allegations.

MR. CARNEY:  Correct.

Q    What is it that prohibits you from telling us that you have no evidence that it was the government that used these weapons?

MR. CARNEY:  Because we're still looking into the reports of the use of chemical weapons.

Q    If that’s so, how can you eliminate so quickly the idea that it wasn't the rebels?

MR. CARNEY:  I'm saying that at this time, we have no evidence to substantiate that charge, and that we are skeptical -- deeply -- of a regime that might make that charge, given that the regime has lost all credibility in the eyes of the Syrian people and the world.  Having said that, we are obviously assessing the reports.  And without getting into intelligence matters and methods, I can tell you that we're making evaluations about the reports.

Q    It would not, it seems to me, betray any intelligence methods or sources for you to tell us whether in fact you even know whether chemical weapons were used.

MR. CARNEY:  Again, I appreciate the question.  And I can tell you that we are assessing the reports about the possible use of chemical weapons, as well as the reports about the origins of the possible use of chemical weapons in Syria.  And I have no further assessment to provide to you at this time about our judgments on that.  I can tell you that we're evaluating them.  And I can tell you, obviously, about our disposition towards the potential for the use of chemical weapons.  But at this time, we're simply -- as a matter of intelligence, I can't give you more information about the assessments we're making.

Q    And you said repeatedly at the podium today that the President has been clear on this point; that the use of such weapons would constitute a red line for the United States, but I wonder how clear the administration's position on this has been.  You quoted from the President's remarks to the National War College in December, in which he said that the use of chemical weapons is and would be totally unacceptable.  But about three months prior to that, from this very podium, on August 20, the President said -- and I'm quoting now -- "a red line for us is we start seeing a whole bunch of chemical weapons moving around or being utilized."  So what is the red line for the President?  Is it moving around?

MR. CARNEY:  Well, as we explained many times -- and I know you're not here often -- the President was talking about that -- moving around in terms of the proliferation, which is a very serious issue, the proliferation by the regime to -- potential proliferation to the regime to other actors in the region potentially of chemical weapons.  So it's a fair question, but that was the distinction he was making.  The utilization by the regime potentially of chemical weapons, we made very clear in our warnings how we would view that.  We also consider a red line the proliferation of chemical weapons to other actors by the regime.

Q    Does either of those things appear to have happened today?

MR. CARNEY:  Again, I have no -- the reports today are about the possible use of chemical weapons.  We are making assessments about those reports.  I don’t have any more information to provide you on those efforts, and I can’t get into intelligence matters from here.  But we are obviously treating this as a serious issue and evaluating it accordingly.

Yes, Kristen.

Q    Jay, as you evaluate, is the President also considering changing his policy towards Syria at this point?  Are those discussions underway?

MR. CARNEY:  As is always the case, we are evaluating our assistance programs to both the Syrian people and the Syrian opposition.  We have stepped up our assistance programs in both cases.  Substantial amounts of humanitarian assistance has been provided by the United States and will continue to be provided by the United States to the Syrian people.  Substantial assistance has been and will continue to be provided to the Syrian opposition.  That assistance remains nonlethal with regards to the opposition, but we are evaluating our policies and programs of assistance regularly to assess their effectiveness and to make judgments about what would best help bring about the policy objectives that we have and that we share with the Syrian people as well as our international partners.  And that evaluation has been ongoing prior to the reports today. 

And I think I’ve answered questions about this similarly in the past when you and your colleagues have asked about whether we’re considering changing our approach on lethal versus nonlethal assistance, for example, and I’ve made the point that our position is that we are providing only nonlethal assistance but we are, obviously, constantly evaluating that aspect of our assistance as well as others. 

Q    And going back to the CR for a moment, it sounds like you’re confident that there will not be a government shutdown.  Are you 100 percent confident that that won’t happen?

MR. CARNEY:  Well, the process continues in Congress towards funding the government and avoiding another unnecessary self-inflicted wound on the economy.  We take heart in the indications that we’ve had from both sides of the aisle and from the leaders in the Republican Party that it is their intent to move forward with passage of a CR.  The President has made clear that he believes that we need to avoid another manufactured crisis and that we should move forward with a continuing resolution that continues to fund the government and does not allow for a government shutdown.

So the Easter Egg Roll is entirely likely to continue and proceed.  

Q    It doesn’t appear as though the CR discussions include stopping the sequester or really mitigating it in a serious way.  Should we assume at this point that the sequester will be in effect for several months if not for the duration --

MR. CARNEY:  Well, it’s a great question, and I’ve talked about how the President has approached his engagement with lawmakers, for example -- Republican lawmakers -- within the context of the fact that a decision was made, regrettably, about imposition of the sequester; a decision was made by Republicans not to entertain the idea of a temporary delay in the sequester deadline that would have been purchased with a balanced plan much as had been at the end of 2012.  That decision was made. 

We would obviously welcome a change of heart by Republicans, but there’s no indication from Republicans that such a change of heart is forthcoming.  Therefore, we are engaged in conversations about the possibility of moving forward on broader deficit reduction in a balanced way that would both eliminate the sequester -- if achieved -- but also, beyond that, further reduce our deficit and bring us past the $4 trillion over 10 years goal that so many have identified as what we need to achieve.  And that’s what the current discussions are about.

Now, the timeline for that, obviously, is a little prolonged because it involves regular order and the budget process underway in the Congress, in both the House and the Senate, as well as the conversations and meetings that the President has been having with lawmakers, and that lawmakers have been having among themselves. 

So it certainly looks as though the sequester will remain imposed for some time unless Republicans have a change of heart about the decision to impose it.

Q    It doesn’t seem like there was a lot of urgency to prevent it from going into effect, and it feels like there’s less now.  It doesn’t feel like there are --

MR. CARNEY:  I think we made clear that we firmly oppose the imposition of the sequester.  We tried to warn about the real-world effects that imposition of the sequester would have on middle-class Americans across the country, on our defense industries and on our military posture, national security readiness.  And those effects are being felt.  And we obviously implored Republicans to consider the option of doing what they had done just two months before, which was to pass a short-term delay of the sequester that was balanced, that asked everyone to chip in, if you will -- not just seniors and middle-class Americans, but the well-off and well-connected. 

There was adamant refusal to do that.  The sequester was imposed, and we’re now seeing the effects -- including, I think, a story that I found particularly striking out of Indianapolis, an Associated Press story about one school district where a lottery had to be imposed on Head Start families, and if you lost the lottery, your child was withdrawn from the Head Start program almost immediately because of sequester.

Roger.

Q    Back to the CR for a moment.  Is there, as it stands today, and I know the process is not complete -- but does the White House see any objections to the CR as it stands right now?

MR. CARNEY:  We’re monitoring it.  We’re encouraged by the progress.  I don’t want to prejudge the final outcome.  We believe that both sides seem inclined to avoid a shutdown, and that is a good thing, and to avoid using the CR to provoke a confrontation that could lead to a shutdown.  But the work is not done, and so I will not make a final assessment about it.  But we remain hopeful that members and leaders of Congress agree with the President, or are likeminded, in that they do not believe that this is a place where we should have another manufactured crisis that negatively affects our economy and the middle class.

Q    And one other one.  The leaders, in the pool spray this morning, both made a reference to the proposed U.S. transatlantic trade and cap negotiations.  Does the White House have to notify Congress of its intent to start such negotiations?  And if I have my memory, have you done that yet?

MR. CARNEY:  I will have to check, Roger.  I confess I do not know the answer to that question and will not venture to guess.

Ari, how are you?

Q    Fine, thanks.  Any reflections from the White House on the 10th anniversary of the Iraq invasion?

MR. CARNEY:  I would simply note that over the past 10 years, or certainly leading up to the final withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq, our men and women in uniform, as well as our civilian personnel, sacrificed on our behalf enormously and fulfilled every mission that was assigned to them bravely and courageously -- well, bravely and heroically.  And the President is enormously appreciative of the service of those who went to Iraq, the heroism that they demonstrated, and the sacrifice that they made. 

It’s not a mystery, obviously, that the President, as a Senate candidate and then a Senator, opposed the invasion of Iraq, opposed the Iraq war, and as a candidate in 2008 promised to end the Iraq war.  And he has fulfilled that promise.  And he fulfilled that promise in a way that allowed Iraq to have the best possible chance to -- provided to them by the service and sacrifice of Americans in uniform as well as civilians, for a better future. 

And the situation in Iraq continues to be a challenge, but there is an elected government, there is a growing economy, and there is certainly the potential and prospect for Iraq to have a much better future than its past, and that is due to, in significant measure, the sacrifice and service of Americans.

Peter.

Q    Jay, on that subject, I mean, is the President planning to do anything to mark the occasion?  He put out a statement the other day on the Anfal, the anniversary of the Anfal massacre.  Is he going to put out a statement?  Is he -- is this --

MR. CARNEY:  I think we will have a statement, Peter, but I wouldn’t expect more than that. 

Q    Does he have reflections on the lessons that people should be thinking about 10 years later? 

MR. CARNEY:  I haven’t discussed this with him recently.  I think that -- well, you know the President’s position as a candidate for the Senate and a candidate for this office, about this particular military policy.  And I think he said at the time, as a candidate for the Senate, that war is necessary sometimes, but not all wars are necessary, to paraphrase, and that this one in his view was not. 

But that in no way should take away from his extremely strongly held view that the Americans who were sent over to serve their country in Iraq performed heroically and at a level of professionalism that has never been seen before.  And it is because of their service that Iraq has the chance, and the Iraqi people have the chance, for a better future.  And he’s enormously grateful for that service.

Q    Last question on this.  Do you think the administration is doing enough right now to ensure that future?  A lot of people in Iraq feel like America has abandoned them or not paid attention, or not been active enough in the last two years.

MR. CARNEY:  Well, President Obama, as he promised, ended the war in Iraq and we have withdrawn all U.S. military personnel from Iraq.  We still have an enormously important relationship with Iraq.  We have an extremely large diplomatic presence in Iraq, and connections on issues at all levels with the Iraqi government and the Iraqi people, both economic, cultural, geopolitical, regional.

So this is a relationship that we consider very important, and we continue to work with the Iraqis on a whole host of issues, and continue to assist the Iraqi people and the Iraqi government in their efforts to build on the progress they have made.  But there is no question that the President made a commitment to end that war, and he ended it.

Q    Do you mind a follow-up on this subject?

MR. CARNEY:  David.  I’ll come back to you in a second.

Q    I’ve got a couple.  First, on Iraq.  A decade later, is Iraq better off?

MR. CARNEY:  I think historians have to make the judgment.  I think that ridding the world of Saddam Hussein was a welcome development for the world and for Iraq, but again, the President opposed the policy, as a candidate, of invading Iraq, and as a candidate for President as well.  But he made a commitment, as a candidate, to end that war in a manner more responsible than the manner in which we entered it.  And he has fulfilled that promise. 

The Iraqi people are a proud and capable people, and they have an enormous potential for building a future for that country with the assistance of friends and partners in the international community that is far brighter, not just in the past, but even the present.  And we remain committed to that relationship and to assisting Iraq in that effort.  But it was entirely the right thing to do to wind down and end that war.

Q    A money question.  GAO recently issued a report about federal buildings that are unused or underused -- 77,000 of the buildings that they actually track.  And it costs taxpayers more than a billion and a half dollars every year just to operate these buildings.  Why are we spending a billion and a half to operate buildings we don’t need?

MR. CARNEY:  It’s an excellent question, which is why in 2010, President Obama set up -- set an ambitious goal for his administration, and that was to eliminate $8 billion in real estate costs by 2012, and federal agencies have beaten both of these goals.  In other words, they eliminated more than $8 billion prior to the completion of 2012.  The administration has also put forward an aggressive proposal that would further these efforts by expediting the process to dispose of additional high-value assets.  And OMB has done a lot of work on this and I would refer you to them for more details.

But it’s an excellent question.  And we have aggressively approached this challenge of disposing of unused federal property because the cost of maintaining it are unnecessary and we have --

Q    But we’re still spending --

MR. CARNEY:  Well, the project is not done, but we have made extreme -- exceptional amount of progress since the President set that goal, and we continue to work on it.  And we need to be as efficient as we can, and this is one of the reasons why the President set that goal.  It’s one of the reasons the Office of Management and Budget has continued to work on it.  It’s not an issue that gets a lot of attention, and I appreciate the question because it’s a worthwhile effort as part of the President’s overall approach to making government more efficient and finding savings where he can.

Jon-Christopher -- and sorry, James, I did say I’d come back to you.  Did you have something?

Q    Yes.  Just to follow up on the discussion of the Iraq war, none of us wants to plunge ourselves into counterfactual histories about what if.  And so all we have is the record of what did occur.  And when you stand here and tell us that Iraq today now has the option for a chance for a much better future than her past, that is, as a matter of factual history, only possible because President Bush decided to launch this war and send all these heroic servicemen and women into this mission.  And so if credit is due to those servicemen and women, it seems to me a matter of logic that some credit would also be due to President Bush and his advisors.  And that on this occasion, do you not see it that way?

MR. CARNEY:  James, I would simply take up your first proposition that engaging in counterfactuals about what might have happened had we not gone to war in search of weapons of mass destruction that didn’t exist, what would have happened. 

There is no question, as I made clear in several answers, that the President believes that Iraq has the potential for a better future today because of the remarkable sacrifice and service of American men and women in uniform as well as civilian American men and women who served in Iraq.  And that is without question and without doubt. 

It is impossible to know, obviously, what course would have occurred in Iraq had the inspections regime continued, had different choices been made.  That was not obviously the world that the President inherited when he took office in January of 2009.  The world he inherited was one that included America at war in two places, in two countries, with, I believe, an excess of 130,000 troops in combination -- Iraq and Afghanistan. 

And he set in motion policy objectives that included winding down responsibly the war in Iraq; refocusing our attention on the war in Afghanistan, which, after all, was the war that we launched because we were attacked on September 11, 2001.  He did both.  And he is now, having ended the war in Iraq, winding down the war in Afghanistan. 

So it really is -- all these questions are very interesting, and I think the anniversary is an appropriate time to begin asking them.  But I think historians will make the assessments about the policy judgments made by the administration that was in power at the time.  The President had very clearly stated views as a candidate for Senate and very clearly stated views as a candidate for President that were judged and evaluated by the American people.  He had very clear policy positions that he promised to implement if he were elected, and he has done so. 

Q    But it sounds to me listening to you that for what you call the “welcome development” of Saddam Hussein being gone, you are unwilling to accord President George W. Bush even a single iota of credit for that development.

MR. CARNEY:  Well, I’m happy to do that, James.  I think the focus on doing that is unique here in this briefing.  But there is no question that Saddam Hussein was removed from power thanks to the military efforts of U.S. armed forces, and they were sent to Iraq by President Bush.  So, obviously, there is a causal relationship.  And to the extent that credit is due, credit is due to him for that.  That does not change, I think, assessments made by this President as a candidate or by many others on this day, 10 years after, about the judgments made to go to war in Iraq and to invade the country. 

And Americans obviously will continue to have different views on this, appropriately so.  And this will be a matter of discussion and debate for a long time, I expect, in Washington as well as in classrooms and among historians.

But the President’s views as a candidate and as President are very clear.  His commitments, when it comes to policy, have been very clear and they have been followed through on.  And he believes that when he promised the American people to end the war in Iraq, he owed them to fulfill that promise, and he has.

Yes, April.

Q    Jay, the most recent recession is blamed in part on the financing of the war in Iraq.  Is there any tentacle from the financing of the Iraq war that affects this current economic situation that this country was in?

MR. CARNEY:  Well, I’m not sure.  Just to be clear, I think the deficits -- the record deficits that President Obama inherited were in part due to the unpaid-for wars that he inherited.  I’m not sure that the recession itself -- economists would have a better assessment -- was caused by the spending on those wars.

There is no question that the -- to go back to my first point -- that the record deficits that President Obama inherited when he took office in the midst of a financial collapse, and what would become the Great Recession and threaten to become a depression, contribute to our fiscal challenges today -- no question.  And the President said back in his campaign in 2008 and many times I’m sure since, that that put us -- tax cuts, two massive tax cuts that were unpaid for, two wars that were unpaid for -- everything put on a credit card -- led to a situation where the United States had a -- a country that had a budget surplus and surpluses as far as the eye could see in January of 2001, just eight years later, was a country that had the largest deficits in its history. 

So again, much as an answer to James’s question, the President took office and these were the facts that he had to deal with both in terms of the financial crisis, the deficits he inherited, and the wars that were ongoing when he took office.  And he applied his best judgments in dealing with all of the challenges that this country faced.  And the American people obviously will and have made their assessments about those decisions, and historians will make assessments into the future, as will journalists.

Q    Right.  So let me clarify, because I’m hearing things but I’m not getting an answer.  I’m sorry.  (Laughter.) 

MR. CARNEY:  Really?

Q    I’m sorry.

MR. CARNEY:  I thought it was pretty good, right? 

Q    It was pretty good for you.

Q    That's a matter of craft. 

MR. CARNEY:  That’s -- craft.  It was clearer than the Syria answer, right?  (Laughter.)

Q    Oh, so you recognize that you were just giving --

MR. CARNEY:  No, no, I’m just having some fun here.  (Laughter.)

Q    All right.  So you're saying indirectly that the President is dealing with deficits now --

MR. CARNEY:  I’m simply -- I apologize.  I just wanted to make clear that the -- I’m not sure economists would agree that the recession was caused by the profligate spending in the previous administration --

Q    I said in part, though.  I said in part. 

MR. CARNEY:  Well, again, that would be for economists to decide.  There is no question that the deficits the President inherited, which have exacerbated the fiscal challenges that we face, were due to, in part, the unpaid-for spending on the war in Iraq as well as the war in Afghanistan.

Q    So I’m talking about now -- so you’re that the deficits --

MR. CARNEY:  No question.

Q    Okay, thank you.

MR. CARNEY:  Donovan and then Jon-Christopher.  Yes.

Q    Thanks, Jay.  Two quick things.  Another clarification, if I could on Iraq.  Are you saying that Iraq is better off now thanks to the war, but you’re going to leave the judgment about whether it was a good idea to make them better off to historians?

MR. CARNEY:  Well, the President -- no, that's a slightly altered way of explaining what I said.  The President’s position on whether or not the United States made a wise decision to invade Iraq 10 years ago was clear and remains clear.  He does not believe that was the right choice.  Did not believe then, and his position has changed.

What is absolutely the case is that our men and women in uniform, the most professional military the world has ever known, when given an assignment -- regardless of whether the assignment was the right policy choice or not -- fulfill their mission and do it heroically and professionally.  And that is the case with regards to Iraq, and it is certainly the case with regards to Afghanistan.  That is the point that I’m making. 

So the fact that Iraq is in a place, as difficult as its challenges remain, where it has the potential for a better future is due in no small measure to the sacrifice and service of American men and women.  It is also obviously due to the courage and perseverance of the Iraqi people, and we should note that. 

But my point was the President has made his judgments clear about the invasion.  Historians will and the American people will, over the years, make their own judgments. 

As President, he entered office when there was still an enormous number of troops in Iraq, and he set about ensuring that we gradually wound down our presence there, our military presence in a way that made the sacrifice that had been given there -- that that sacrifice was honored by the way that we wound down the war and the position that we left Iraq in to make its own future -- to make its own future without our military assistance, but obviously with our continued civilian presence and the assistance of the United States and international partners moving forward.

Q    Thanks.  And finally, on Sylvia Matthews Burwell.  The President has asked Jeffrey Zients -- Zients? 

MR. CARNEY:  Jeff Zients.

Q    -- to stay on until she’s confirmed.  And she was nominated a few weeks ago.  Does he anticipate any issues with her confirmation?  Or does the White House --

MR. CARNEY:  No, we don't.  We believe that Sylvia Burwell is enormously qualified and will be confirmed by the Senate without a problem, although that's what we believe.  It’s the Senate to decide, and I defer to the Senate. 

But it is the case that confirmations take a certain amount of time, even when they're smooth.  And this is an enormously important agency, especially at this time.  And the President has asked Jeff Zients to continue as Acting
Director of OMB.  He has been just an enormously valuable player on the President’s economic team.  He has served twice as Acting Director of OMB.  He has served as deputy director, and his first job in the administration was as chief performance officer.  He brings a unique set of talents and wisdom to this job, and the President appreciates his service and his willingness to continue as acting director very much indeed.

Q    Thanks, Jay.

MR. CARNEY:  Jon-Christopher.  I owe Jon-Christopher, and then we’ve got --

Q    It’s kind of a 10th anniversary-sequester combo question.  How concerned is --

MR. CARNEY:  Combination platter.

Q    Yes, combination.  How concerned is the President that 600,000 Iraqi and Afghan War vets have been waiting more than 25 days for their backlog benefits?

MR. CARNEY:  This issue is of enormous concern to the President.  He has made clear to Secretary Shinseki that he wants this problem addressed.  I think it’s important to step back and look at the issue of the backlog and acknowledge that one of the -- there are a number of contributing factors to it.  The ending of two wars has increased our veteran population and increased the population of those who depend on VA services.  The President obviously believes that ending these two wars is the right policy.

It is also true that decisions made by this administration to expand the universe of people whose afflictions are covered by VA services was absolutely the right thing to do for our veterans, and that includes Gulf War syndrome and exposure to Agent Orange, as well as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.  And the fact that in expanding the realm of services and the number of people for whom those services are available -- that fact has obviously contributed to the backlog. 

However, it is absolutely the President’s position that we need to aggressively address this problem, and he has made clear to Secretary Shinseki that he wants this addressed.  He is getting weekly updates on the backlog and progress made on the backlog because he believes it is absolutely our responsibility as a nation to make sure that we’re doing right by our veterans.

Q    Jay, one more before you go?

MR. CARNEY:  I got to run.  It’s 12:00 p.m.

Q    Thanks, Jay.

MR. CARNEY:  Thank you, guys.  Those who are traveling with us, we’ll see you there.  Thanks.

END
12:00 P.M. EDT

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