Mediaboss Marketing

To supportersit is a conservative North Star -- that rare example of a political movement willing to put the little guy first and stand against corruption and waste in Washington.

To its detractors, the House Freedom Caucus is a far right, democracy-threatening cabal with a predilection for anarchy and nebulous aims beyond burning down the establishment.

Love it or loathe it, the renegade Republican faction is impossible to ignore. Just ask party leaders blaming its antics on Capitol Hill for a political deadlock that almost led this weekend to a damaging government shutdown.

Angered at the deal their party leader, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, struck with Democrats late Saturday to prevent the shutdown, the group now intends to push for his ouster in the week ahead.

Birthed in the cauldron of ultra-conservative Tea Party politics in the Obama era, the invitation-only bloc launched in 2015 under the working title "The Reasonable Nutjob Caucus," according to founding member Mick Mulvaney.

The group of roughly 40 lawmakers -- it doesn't make its membership public -- accounts for just one-fifth of the House Republican conference.

But it wields outsize power as the party has a majority of just four seats, and it takes only a few lawmakers to throw the agenda of the House leadership into chaos.

Its members, moreover, tend to represent safe Republican seats, giving them the leeway to stir the kind of controversies that more precariously placed lawmakers would shy away from.

This gets them noticed on cable news, which in turn bolsters their online profiles, creating a feedback loop that keeps the fundraising dollars spinning.

Three of the bloc's most prominent members and allies-- Marjorie Taylor Greene, Matt Gaetz and Lauren Boebert -- are social media stars with a combined following on X, formerly known as Twitter, in excess of 10 million.

Whereas once they might have relied on the Republican National Committee or the Washington conservative establishment for help with fundraising, now they can appeal directly to their fans, giving them significant autonomy from the party whip.

- Rightward lurch -

This year alone, 19 Freedom Caucus members threatenedto sink McCarthy's bid for the speaker's gavel, and a handful forced a government debt crisis that almost led to a catastrophic US debt default.

The zealous pursuit by many of those same lawmakers of deep and unpopular spending cuts was behind this weekend's shutdown drama that would have disrupted the lives of millions of Americans.

Now they are furious with McCarthy for the stopgap compromise he made with Democrats to keep the government funded for another 45 days at current spending levels.

And McCarthy is vulnerable because, in order to secure the speaker's post, he had made a key concession to the caucus -- a rule allowing individual lawmakers to call a snap vote to remove him.

"I do intend to file a motion to vacate Speaker McCarthy this week," key caucus ally Gaetz told CNN on Sunday.

"I think we need to move on with new leadership that can be trustworthy," he said.

- Agent of chaos -

Latterly, the fringe group has inveigled itself into the upper echelons of the party, with founding member Jim Jordan becoming chairman of the powerful Judiciary Committee.

Jordan has been spearheading an impeachment investigation against President Joe Biden that has irritated mainstream colleagues, as witness after witness called by Republicans has undercut their narrative that the president is corrupt.

The Freedom Caucus is not immune from the schisms that beset every political grouping, with cracks emerging over alliances and tactics.

Membersvoted to boot out Greene, the far right Georgia flamethrower,in July for calling Boebert "a little bitch" during a caustic exchange on the House floor.

And Boebert herself reinforced the group's rabble-rousing image when she was thrown out of a performance of "Beetlejuice: The Musical" in Colorado in September after openly vaping and being disruptive at the family show.

Mulvaney argues, however, that some of the attention the group has received has been unfair and that its reputation as an agent of chaos is inaccurate.

"The Freedom Caucus has rules. Some are unwritten, but most exist in writing," he said in an op-ed for politics news outlet The Hill last week.

"I know because I wrote them."

ft/jh/bbk

See original here:
The hardline 'Nutjob Caucus' holding Republican feet to the fire - Yahoo News

The Ilkley & District Good Neighbours over 90s Afternoon Tea Party has been held at the Clarke Foley Community Centre in Ilkley.

The event brought together over 80 residents along with the Lord Mayor of Bradford, Ilkleys Town Mayor Cllr Karl Milner, West Yorkshire's Deputy Lieutenant Suzanne Watson, Ilkley Town Crier Isabel Ashman and Robbie Moore MP for a very special occasion.

Ilkleys Being Me Sunshine Trio provided the musical entertainment and a sing-along for attendees.

Afternoon tea was provided by the catering team at the Clarke Foley, with members of the 1224 (Wharfedale) Squadron helping out with the event.

Robbie Moore, Ilkley's MP, said: "It was brilliant to spend the Saturday at Ilkley & District Good Neighbours Over 90s Afternoon Tea Party held at the Clarke Foley Community Centre in Ilkley. It was great to stop until the end and spend time speaking to all around the tables.

"A huge well done to everyone who helped organise the event and a special thanks to Ilkleys Bring Me Sunshine for the fantastic musical entertainment and for the great sing-along. The afternoon tea was superb and the catering team at the Clarke Foley have done an amazing job once again. Well done also to members of Ilkley Royal Air Force Air Cadets for helping out - you are all such a credit to your squadron."

Read this article:
Annual over 90s tea party held in Ilkley - Rombalds Radio

After years of civil war, Communist leader Mao Zedong declared the establishment of the Peoples Republic of China on October 1, 1949.

Every year, on October 1, Chinas National Day is a time when people reflect on the countrys achievements, look towards a brighter future and reflect on how things can be improved.

Some people watch the military parade in Beijings Tiananmen Square. Others enjoy a show at the National Day Evening Gala with singing and dancing. People also celebrate with fireworks, concerts, sports events and cultural events. Cities and towns decorate their streets in a patriotic theme.

Many people also see it as a time to celebrate Chinese culture, such as calligraphy and tea.

Chinese tea leaves

teapot

tea cups

hot water

Rinse the teapot and teacups with hot water.

Place a teaspoon of tea leaves into the teapots strainer. Pour hot water onto the tea leaves before emptying the water. This step awakens the tea leaves to release their smell and taste.

Pour hot water over the leaves, and let them steep for a few minutes. Read the instructions on the tea packaging to see how long it needs to steep. The selection and preparation of tea leaves is an art form, and each tea has a special way to be prepared.

Pour the tea into cups and share with family and friends! In Chinese culture, tea is offered to guests as a sign of respect, and it is a symbol of harmony and purity.

Put the hard-boiled eggs in a bowl of hot water with 1 teaspoon of vinegar.

Add 15-20 drops of red food colouring. Red symbolises good luck in Chinese culture, and dyed red eggs are served on important birthday celebrations.

Use a spoon to pour the red liquid all over the eggs, and turn the eggs around. Repeat.

Place the dyed eggs on a rack to let them dry for at least 30 minutes.

In a small dish, mix a few drops of black food colouring with teaspoon of vinegar.

Dip the brush pen in the ink to write Chinese blessings or other messages on the eggshell.

After drying, display your celebratory eggs.

Read the original:
Host a Chinese tea party, and practise calligraphy on red hard ... - South China Morning Post

Summerfield Methodist Church, 7078 Tryon Road, Longview, will have a rummage/bake sale from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sept. 30 in the church fellowship hall.

East Cotton Street Church of Christ, 2015 E. Cotton St., Longview, will hold its Ladies Day program at 9 a.m. Sept. 30. Theme: From Anxietea to Opportunitea A Spiritual Tea Party. Continental breakfast, 8 a.m., with lunch following program. Speaker: Jarilyn Fox, Greenville Avenue Church of Christ in Richardson. Youth speaker: Lisa Taylor, East Cotton Street Church of Christ.

North Star Baptist Church, 1518 Englewood Ave., Tyler, will have a Worship Celebration Service and Reception for the Rev. and Mrs. S.L. Curry Jr. at 5 p.m. Oct. 7 for dedicated service to the Texas Education Baptist State Convention. Host pastor is the Rev. Jerard Mosley Sr. Guest speaker: the Rev. Ralph Caraway, St. Louis Baptist Church, Tyler.

Longview Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance will have a prayer breakfast in celebration of Pastors Appreciation Month at 9 a.m. Oct. 14 at Bethel Baptist Church, 323 S. Court St., in Longview. The Rev. Brandon Owens is host pastor. Guest speaker: the Rev. Dexter Upshaw. The Rev. LaDarian Brown is Longview Area Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance president. Tickets: $10.

Deadline for consideration for the Religion calendar is 5 p.m. Monday. Send notices by email to clerks@news-journal.com.

Deadline for consideration for the Religion calendar is 5 p.m. Monday. Send notices by email to clerks@news-journal.com.

Read more from the original source:
Upcoming Religion Calendar: Oct. 1, 2023 | Religion | news-journal ... - Longview News-Journal

William Henck

Because of a lack of accountability dating back decades, the Internal Revenue Service has become a corrupt and dysfunctional shell of its former self. It has lost the ability and the moral authority to enforce the Internal Revenue Code.

I know this because, unfortunately, I had a front-row seat.

I was an IRS attorney for 30 years until I was forced out in 2017 for being a whistleblower. The theory used by the IRS and its Mr. Fix It, the IRS inspector general (TIGTA), was that I violated taxpayer privacy because my name appeared in a Washington Post article. It was a ludicrous argument, but that did not matter. The IRS deployed overwhelming resources and broke the law to force me out.

Unfortunately, this is now par for the course for the IRS. In the last two years, numerous tax returns have illegally leaked out of the IRS to ProPublica (TIGTA has investigated the leak for two years even though it could have solved the case within a week because of a system called UNAX). The IRS flat-out lied about middle-class tax audits not increasing despite an $87 billion funding bonanza. And the IRS backdated a penalty approval in the LakePoint Land Group case and failed to inform the Tax Court.

The LakePoint case is remarkable, not for the egregious conduct by the IRS but for the lack of concern by decision-makers. If a taxpayer backdated a document and failed timely to inform the Tax Court of that fact, that taxpayer would face a criminal referral and probable prison time.

The IRS? It sort of apologized.

This has a dreary consistency to it. Internally and externally, I reported World War II veterans being bullied, a cover-up of the tea party cases, literally billions of dollars improperly being shoveled out to lobbyists, and a female IRS employee being subjected to despicable abuse and retaliation. None of it was investigated.

I gave the IRS inspector general a list of nine witnesses to substantiate IRS misconduct. Six years later, none of those witnesses have been contacted.

Over the last couple of decades, I have contacted hundreds of people in Washington about these matters. Not one of them was concerned about right and wrong. They were concerned only about the narrative and agenda.

To me, however, this stuff is wrong. Its wrong to abuse women. Its wrong to bully elderly taxpayers. Its wrong to deprive people of their civil rights. Its wrong to allow lobbyists to hijack billions of dollars. Its wrong.

But people in Washington dont care. I understand why the Democrats dont care; they are the party of big government, and the IRS has done them favors. What surprised me was how little Republicans care. I thought they would care due to self-preservation, if nothing else, but I was wrong.

Whats unfortunate is that there are ways to bring about at least some IRS accountability. Still, there is no political constituency or will to do so.

First, the IRS should be banned from paying taxpayers to inform on other taxpayers. Since the IRS brutalizes its own whistleblowers, there is no reason for it to be able to pay Americans to inform on their fellow citizens.

Second, the budget of the IRS Office of Chief Counsel should be drastically cut. Many IRS problems are really chief counsel problems.

Third, rather than try to police lobbyists, reverse field and make it prohibitively risky and time-consuming for IRS employees to provide those lobbyists inside access. It would require some planning, but it could be done.

True believers in Jesus dont need a secondary plan for salvation and eternal life. They need to follow the actions of Jesus Christ, according to Pastor Greg Lee of Suncrest Christian Church in St. John. Followers of Jesus - church people - tend to forget that following Jesus is the way to get to heaven. But theyve somehow constructed a different way in their mind by beating people into it, or convincing people about it, or telling people theyre wrong," Lee says. On this weeks show, Lee joins us in the studio to examine the gospel about Jesus Christ and why too many Christians dont act Christ-like in their daily lives. If you look at who Jesus had his harshest words for, it was for religious people who were harsh to people who were on the margins, Lee tells Jerry, who's been on the margins of spirituality for decades. We hope you join us for a candid conversation - not a sermon - about faith, redemption, conviction and forgiveness. Also, how to demonstrate grace and mercy with a species that instinctively seeks justice. About the show She Said, He Said" with co-hosts Jerry Davich and Karen Davich unpacks all the baggage about relationships, couples and issues between the sexes (and the exs). Because theres a lot to unpack, Karen says. The dangers of online dating. The fun of flirting. Blended families. Difficult in-laws. Connecting after arguments. First kisses and final divorces. You name it, theyll unpack it on She Said, He Said. All episodes are now available for viewing at NWI.com or to listen on your favorite platforms such as Apple, Spotify, Google and Audacy. Subscribe to not miss any new episodes. The couple's podcast is sponsored by Times Media Co. and Lee Enterprises. It's recorded each week at CreataSpacePlace studios in Hobart, Indiana, with local guests in the studio and timeless topics on the table.

Finally, strip the inspector general of its law-enforcement privileges. Faced with that, TIGTA might actually investigate IRS corruption.

Im 63, and Im tired, but I have persisted in speaking out because I owe it to this country and because I have seen some of the victims of an agency that, in many ways, has become grotesque. None of that matters, though, because the people in Washington dont care about their government pushing around ordinary Americans. They are too busy making money north of Richmond.

William Henck was an IRS attorney for 30 years. He wrote this for InsideSources.com. The opinions are the writer's.

Get local news delivered to your inbox!

Continued here:
IRS must be called out for its abuses - The Times of Northwest Indiana