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Liberal politicians who run states and cities have certain habits they come back to again and again. One is the passage of gun bans they know perfectly well are clear violations of the Second Amendment. Why do the do this? Partly because ideologically they cant help themselves. But also: They hope to create test cases in the courts that, they hope, will produce favorable rulings and thus establish case law that renders the entire Second Amendment null and void.

Toward that end, the State of Maryland scored a very big victory today, as the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld an assault weapons ban that cant possibly be defended as constitutional. So why did it survive? Because there are many in the federal judiciary who share the goal of repealing the Second Amendment, and hope to be the judges assigned to these test cases. The Fourth Circuit really outdid itself with this one.

How bad was the ruling? Take it away, David French:

How can it reach such a conclusion? Remember the formula: contempt, willful ignorance, and fear.

First, lets look at the courts breathtaking contempt for individual rights. Rather than read the Supreme Courts controlling opinion in District of Columbia v. Heller according to its plain language, it deliberately distorts Justice Antonin Scalias majority opinion. In Heller, Scalia clearly stated that the sorts of weapons the Second Amendment protects are those that are in common use at the time, with exceptions that apply to those weapons that are dangerous and unusual.

Why the addition of and unusual? Because every single working gun ever made is dangerous. To illustrate his point, Scalia then provides examples of specific types of dangerous and unusual guns M-16 rifles and the like. Heres a news flash: The M-16 isnt the same as a civilian assault weapon like the AR-15. The M-16 variants in use in the United States military are capable of being fired in both semi-automatic and fully automatic (three-round burst) modes. If you think that the M-16 and AR-15 are alike, then walk to your local gun store and try to buy an M-16.

Go ahead. Ill wait.

Are you back yet? Do you have an M-16? No? Thats because its an entirely different category of weapon, governed by different federal statutes. The Fourth Circuit, however, deliberately conflated semi-automatic weapons and automatic weapons. And it went to absurd lengths to do so.

There is much more to Frenchs excellent analysis than I can fairly excerpt here, so please click through and read the whole thing.

Its very instructive to see that the Fourth Circuit so badly mangled Scalias argument in Heller to reach the conclusion it did. It speaks to a group of judges looking for a legal rationale for a ruling they were already bound and determined to issue, rather than following the law wherever it leads you, which is what judges are supposed to do.

Heres whats ironic, though, about the dreck that is this ruling and Frenchs solid analysis of what makes it so bad. Having lost the presidency, Congress, and the vast majority of governorships and state legislatures, the only thing the left still has to thwart conservative policy initiatives is the prospect of help from liberal judges. In this case, they upheld an unconstitutional law passed by a Democrat governor and legislature in a blue state. But elsewhere, as in Texas today, judges are striking down duly passed laws that by any reasonable standard pass constitutional muster.

The Supreme Court may yet save the Second Amendment, and maybe a judge that understands the separation of powers will restore the right of Texas lawmakers to decide who gets taxpayer money. But the reason this is so ironic is that David French was one of the leading voices arguing during the presidential campaign that the Supreme Court was not sufficient reason to support Donald Trump in the general election over Hillary Clinton.

I think French is a terrific writer and thinker on all kinds of issues, but he was #NeverTrump to the core and believed a Trump presidency would be so injurious to the conservative movement that even the prospect of a liberal court majority for the next generation wasnt enough reason to back Trump.

I wonder how happy French is today that Trump was elected, and that Neil Gorsuch stands a very good chance of being the deciding vote in a ruling that overturns the Fourth Circuit and restores the Second Amendment. The federal judiciary is out of control, and that is a much bigger problem that Donald Trumps communication style or anything else you dont like about him.

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Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals decides the Second Amendment is just a suggestion - Canada Free Press

A national petition launched by a Calgary lawyer is calling on the federal government to temporarily suspend the Safe Third Country Agreement.

The 2004 Canada-United States agreementrequires refugees to make an asylum claimin the first possible country they reach. Under the agreement, Canada is unable to consider asylum for anyone who enters from the U.S., which isdeemed a safe country in which to apply for asylum.

The agreement has recently been linked to an increasing number of people trying to illegally cross the border from the U.S. into Canada.

"The situation has changed due to immigration and refugee policy changes in the States, as evidenced by the situation on ground with refugee claimants not feeling that they will be able to go through a fair process in the U.S. and are seeking to enter into Canada," saidJeremyBarretto, a lawyer with the group behind thepetition, Canadians for Welcoming Refugees.

Hundreds of refugees in the U.S. have been braving long walks in freezing winter temperatures to cross Canadaoutside of regular border crossings.

Barretto says as of Feb. 17 this year,80 individuals have crossed Manitoba's border on foot and he's concerned more people will risk injury or death if the situation isn't resolved.

"Every person is important and we should make sure that people who are fleeing persecution are welcome to make a claim and go through a fair process in Canada," he said.

The request is supported by over 200 Canadian law professors and refugee law experts, and sponsored by Liberal MPDarshanKang.

Under the agreement, it can be suspended for three months, and be extended another threeby either party. The group is asking the government to merely suspend the agreement and monitor the situation.

"This is a non-partisan issue, this is about helping people and protecting people who are fleeing persecutions, so I think there will be much more advocacy to come," he said.

Calgary MP Michelle Rempel agrees that something must be done to keep migrants safe, but feels it must be done in a way that protects the integrity of the immigration system.

"We shouldn't be glossing over the fact that this is, in fact, illegal," she said.

"Both our countries, the United States and Canada, have systems by which people's asylum claims are evaluated. We need to rely on those systems to work."

Rempel is the opposition critic for immigration, refugees and citizenship. She says those asylum-seekers are putting themselves at risk.

Rempelsays there has to be a team effort between all political parties and the media to communicate to people that there are proper, legal and safe ways to enter Canada.

"I grew up in Winnipeg, and the first concern that Ihave is this is a very unsafe activity," she said."It's very cold, there's a lot of risk involved here and people shouldn't be doing this."

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Petition calls on federal government to act on migrant crisis - CBC.ca

Highlights

The trend of increased numbers of refugees and migrants on the Central Mediterranean route continues in 2017 - more than 80 per cent of all sea arrivals during the first 6 weeks of the year were registered in Italy.

Major risks confronted by refugee and migrant children and women along this route remain to be detention, extortion, gender-based violence, abuse, exploitation and drowning at sea.

In January 2017, UNICEF supported outreach teams identified 1,793 children at risk in Turkey and across Europe, while 739 children, including adolescents, joined structured education activities in Greece, Bulgaria, Serbia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. In addition, 256 babies and infants accessed IYCF services, and 1,438 children received culturally appropriate basic supplies in Serbia and Italy.

As UNICEF enters into its third year of response to the Refugee and Migrant Crisis in Europe, in January it launched its Humanitarian Appeal for 2017 requesting a total of US$ 43,452,000 for continued interventions in response to this complex crisis.

In line with the inter-agency Refugee and Migrant Plan for Europe, UNICEF interventions will help government institutions and civil society organizations address the immediate, as well as middle to long-term needs of refugee and migrant children by sustaining service provision while strengthening national capacities in the areas of child protection, education and child rights monitoring.

SITUATION IN NUMBERS

6,856 # of arrivals in Europe through Italy, Greece and Spain in January 2017 (UNHCR, 17 February 2017)

26 per cent children among arrivals in Italy and Greece in January 2017 (UNHCR, 17 February 2017)

386,635 # of child asylum-seekers in Europe between January and December 2016 (Eurostat, 8 February 2017)

98,688 # of child arrivals in Europe through Greece, Italy, Spain and Bulgaria in 2016 (UNHCR, 9 February 2017)

33,424 # of unaccompanied and separated children arriving in Europe through Greece, Italy and Bulgaria in 2016 (UNHCR, 11 January 2017)

24,700 # of estimated stranded children in Greece and other southeastern European countries as of January, 2017 (UNHCR, 31 January 2017)

Situation Overview & Humanitarian Needs

In January 2017, children made up 26 per cent of the 6,8561 refugees and migrants, who arrived in Europe through Italy, Greece and Spain. According to latest available data, out of the 381,892 refugees and migrants who arrived in Europe last year through the Mediterranean and by land through Bulgaria, 98,688 were children (including 34,500 unaccompanied or separated children). This number represents less than one per cent of all children, affected by war, violence and instability in top countries of origin (Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq, Eritrea and Nigeria). During the same period, 386,635 first-time asylum claims were registered by children across Europe2- more than two thirds of them were in Germany, followed by France, Austria, Italy, Switzerland and Sweden.

The trend of increased numbers of refugees and migrants on the Central Mediterranean Route, observed during the second half of 2016, has continued in 2017. Out of the 6,856 sea arrivals in Europe in January 2017, 65 per cent were registered on Italian shores. Although the proportion of children among arrivals in Italy is relatively small, there are significant concerns with major risks faced by refugees and migrants (among whom children are the most vulnerable) along the route through North Africa and the Mediterranean, which include drowning at sea, detention, extortion, gender-based violence, abuse and exploitation by smugglers and armed groups.

National authorities and agencies continue to improve the reception conditions for refugee and migrant children in Greece, Italy, Germany and across the Balkans. Yet many refugee and migrant children have been living for months, sometimes a year, in reception and accommodation centres, which do not provide age and gender-appropriate shelter, protection and services. Children and families mental health and overall well-being has been affected by long waits and an uncertain future due to backlogs in asylum and relocation procedures.

Despite the recent acceleration of relocation of refugees and migrants from Greece and Italy, by 31 January only 3,048 children, including 233 UASC3, have been relocated from Greece and Italy (only 1 from Italy). According to the European Commission, there are many challenges related to the relocation of UASC, one of the major ones relating to married children (particularly when they are under the age of 17) since many Member States have legal obstacles to allow the relocation of this category of separated children (e.g. the adult marrying a minor may be sentenced). As a consequence, they reject relocation requests submitted.

With the improvement of weather conditions in the past few weeks, irregular cross-border movements increased again, leading to border incidents and further complication of the situation in Serbia (currently hosting 7,900 refugees and migrants, including 3,103 children).

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UNICEF Refugee and Migrant Crisis in Europe: Regional Humanitarian Situation Report #20, 15 February 2017 - ReliefWeb

BBC News

Mike Pence warns Nato it must boost defence spending BBC News US Vice-President Mike Pence has warned members of the Nato alliance to meet their defence spending targets. Speaking in Brussels, Mr Pence said that the American people could lose patience with Nato members if they did not share the burden of ... Mike Pence Tries to Reassure a Nervous Europe on US SupportTIME Exclusive: White House delivered EU-skeptic message before Pence visit - sourcesReuters US VP Mike Pence Makes EU Reassurance StopsNewsweek Newsday -KTLA all 1,194 news articles »

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Mike Pence warns Nato it must boost defence spending - BBC News

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - Vice President Mike Pence is visiting Missouri Wednesday to tour an equipment and engine dealer and talk about job growth.

Pence will be joined by Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens at the Fabick Cat headquarters in Fenton, Missouri, outside of St. Louis. Pence will meet with workers, get a tour of the facility, and give a speech at 1:30 p.m., according to a release.

The vice president's remarks align with a push for labor reforms in the Republican-led Missouri legislature. On Feb. 6, Greitens signed a bill banning mandatory union dues.

Other pending bills range from proposed changes to the way minimum-wage requirements are calculated for public works projects to a ban on automatic paycheck-withdrawals for union dues without annual permission.

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Mike Pence to visit Missouri on Wednesday to talk about jobs - KSHB