Tony Branco, Pickin' and a Grinnin'

"Starbucks Racism campaign is continuing to pick at an old scab that many on the left never want to completely heal."

 

 Politically Incorrect

WW2 Events occurring on Sunday, March 25, 1945

WW2 Events occurring on Sunday, March 25, 1945

	Combat in Western Europe After D-Day
	The U.S. 1st Army began to break out of their bridgehead at Remagen, Germany.
	The U.S. 3rd Army crossed the Rhine River in Germany at Boppard and Nierstein.
	Except for several small enemy footholds, throughout the day the British 51st Infantry Division under the British Second Army’s British XXX Corps mopped up all of Rees, Germany.
	Operation Detachment - The Battle for Iwo Jima
	A 300 man Japanese force launched the Japanese action of the Iwo Jima campaign in the vicinity of Airfield No. 2. Army pilots, Seabees and Marines of the 5th Pioneer Battalion and 28th Marines fought the Japanese force for 90 minutes and suffered heavy casualties (53 were killed, and another 120 were wounded.)  Iwo Jima today -- it's still a gut-clutcher
	Operation Iceberg - The Battle for Okinawa
	U.S. Navy Task Force 54 (Rear Admiral Morton L. Deyo), the "Fire Support Force consisting of battleships, cruisers, and destroyers, bombarded Kerama Retto and the southeast coast of Okinawa, Ryukyus. The fire was executed only at long range, however, for mine-sweeping operations which had commenced the previous day were still proceeding well offshore.
	The USS Nevada was hit by a kamikaze aircraft. The plane crashed onto the main deck of Nevada, next to turret No. 3 killing 11 and wounding 49, and knocked out both 14 inch guns in that turret and three 20 mm anti-aircraft cannons. The USS Nevada stayed on station.
	Also off Okinawa: Kamikazes damaged the destroyer USS Kimberley, light minelayer USS Robert H. Smith, and the high speed transport USS Gilmer. The high speed transport USS Knudsen was damaged by a horizontal bomber.
	U.S. Navy Task Force 58 planes sank 2 Japanese merchant cargo ships near Naha, Okinawa and damaged the auxiliary submarine chaser Sobun Maru.
	The Western Pacific Theater
	USAAF B-24 Liberators from the 5th Air Force sank the Japanese Kori Go Maru in the Yangtze estuary near Shanghai, China.
	Allied Submarine Warfare in the Pacific
	The submarine USS Tirante, commanded by Lt. Commander George L. Street, III, torpedoed and sank the Japanese auxiliary net layer Fuji Maru off Tori Jima, Japan.
	The submarine USS Blenny, commanded by Lt. Commander William H. Hazzard, sank the Japanese guard boat Kairyu Maru off the north coast of Java.

March 25th, 1865: Civil War: A Breakthrough at Fort Stedman in the Petersburg, VA seige

 After four years of war, Virginia was one vast burial ground where thousands of American boys of all races were now under the sod.


RVANews 
 In March of 1865, Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee needed a miracle. And a bloody, tide-turning miracle he got…for about four hours. Then that tide turned right back around. It’s happening, y’all. The Civil War is about to end.

"Take a moment and imagine what must have been going through Lee’s head in March of 1865. Waiting just a few hundred yards away was a Union army more than twice the size of his own–and now that winter was finally over, they were itching for a fight. Union Gen. Ulysses S. Grant had spent the first nine months of the siege trying to encircle Petersburg and cut off supply and escape routes from the city. But as Lee’s situation grew less favorable and Grant further strengthened and supplied his army, it wasn’t a question of if Grant was going to launch a full assault to break Lee’s weakened defensive lines, but when. An attack was coming, and it was bound to happen in March. Lee, knowing he was working with a very small window of time, only had a handful of options. None of them looked good.

"First, he could choose to surrender to Grant, something he wasn’t ready to do yet. The second option was to abandon Petersburg (and thus Richmond) and meet up with forces in North Carolina to reinforce his weakened army. While it would mean saving his men, losing the Confederate capital would be a huge blow. The third choice was the riskiest and yet, the most natural for Lee. What if he could take the fight to Grant? . . ."

Fort Stedman photo gallery

 NPS; The battle  . . . "Lee had Gen. Gordon (CSA) formulate a plan that, at the very least, would enable the Army of Northern Virginia to pull out of Petersburg unmolested and perhaps give it a chance to link up with the Confederate army in North Carolina. The idea was a surprise attack that would force Grant to shorten his lines or even set his lines back, allowing for a clean pullout for Lee.

"Gordon developed a pre-dawn surprise attack on a Union fort, Fort Stedman. It was one of the closest spots on the line, there were fewer wooden obstructions, and a supply depot on the U.S. Military Railroad was less than a mile behind it. Lee approved the plan." . . .


 

 Blue & Gray Magazine

The capture of Union Brig. Gen. Napoleon B. McLaughlen  . . . "Assuming that he had sealed the only breach in the line, McLaughlen rode into Fort Stedman. He recalled, "I crossed the parapet and meeting some men coming over the curtains, whom in the darkness I supposed to be part of the picket, I established them inside the work, giving directions with regard to position and firing, all of which were instantly obeyed." He suddenly realized that the men he was ordering were Confederates and they realized he was a Union general, capturing him. He was taken back across no man's land and surrendered his sword personally to Gordon."

^{25 March 1865: “This is my first and I hope will be my very last fight, as it is anything but agreeable to see men fall all around you killed or wounded.”} 

My Dear Pa:
Fearing you would see an account of our fight this morning in the papers and would naturally be anxious to hear of me, I will drop you a line or two only to inform you that under the merciful protection of a good God I have escaped unscathed the many dangers by which I was surrounded and still live owing to His wonderful guidance. At 1 oclock we arose and marched out to the trenches to the left of our Division and in front of the cemetary, and the Sharpshooters pushing on rapidly we captured the works in our front without scarcely firing a gun so completely were they taken by surprise.
- See more at: http://blogs.lib.unc.edu/civilwar/index.php/2015/03/25/25-march-1865/#sthash.YYtORiQD.dpuf

Letter written by Henry Armand London to his father.  He describes the events of the Battle of Fort Stedman, a failed attempt by the Confederate Army to break the siege on Petersburg.  He mentions wounded and captured members of his regiment.  He served as a courier in Company I of the 32nd North Carolina Infantry Regiment and participated in one of the last actions of the Civil War in carrying the message to General William R. Cox to cease firing because Robert E. Lee had just surrendered. - See more at: http://blogs.lib.unc.edu/civilwar/index.php/2015/03/25/25-march-1865/#sthash.YYtORiQD.dpuf

 

Letter written by Henry Armand London to his father.  He describes the events of the Battle of Fort Stedman, a failed attempt by the Confederate Army to break the siege on Petersburg.  He mentions wounded and captured members of his regiment.  He served as a courier in Company I of the 32nd North Carolina Infantry Regiment and participated in one of the last actions of the Civil War in carrying the message to General William R. Cox to cease firing because Robert E. Lee had just surrendered. - See more at: http://blogs.lib.unc.edu/civilwar/index.php/2015/03/25/25-march-1865/#sthash.YYtORiQD.dpuf

What about Ted Cruz enrolling in Obamacare?

 

 Liberal Slate Magazine says this is hilarious, but Cruz isn't a hypocrite   . . . "After Heidi Nelson Cruz, his wife, took leave from her job at Goldman Sachs, the Cruz family lost its health insurance. And under an amendment sponsored by Iowa Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley, Cruz has to use the federal exchange to obtain his health insurance, even though the government will pay the majority of his premiums.

"The other options are to pay for health services à la carte, or cover the full cost of COBRA coverage, which—if you’ve ever been in this situation—are expensive options, even for families as wealthy as the Cruzes. Among all the choices, Obamacare is the best one. And then there’s the general principle: “I believe we should follow the text of every law, even laws I disagree with,” Cruz told CNN, following up with a pro forma dig at the president. “It’s one of the real differences—if you look at President Obama and the lawlessness, if he disagrees with a law he simply refuses to follow it or claims the authority to unilaterally change.”

Legal Insurrection  "Who knew abiding by the the law was such a novel accomplishment?

"The man who garnered national attention by making himself Obamacare’s arch nemesis is enrolling in the dastardly program one day into his presidential campaign.

"Previously covered by his wife’s cadillac Goldman Sach’s healthcare plan, Heidi Cruz’s departure from the investment behemoth means the Cruz’s will be looking to the exchange for their health insurance needs.

"Evidently, this is a story.
 . . .
 "But there’s another thing to consider here, too.

"Congress gets their health insurance from the exchanges. All Republican Senators are enrolled in a healthcare plan either on the federal or D.C. exchange. Why would Senator Cruz not follow suit? "Furthermore, Cruz’s Hill staff, like the staff of every other Republican Senator, are covered by a D.C. exchange plan. It would be rather tacky for the junior Senator to find health insurance anywhere else while his staff is stuck with the exchange.

"There are many things you could rightly criticize Senator Cruz for, but his enrolling in Obamacare isn’t one."

 

Cruz to buy Obamacare through his employer “with my own funds for my family like millions of Americans.”

 Liberals bitterly opposed the Bush tax cuts; did they willingly accept the benefits of them?


On Politics   "Ted Cruz, one of the loudest critics of Obamacare, will soon be using it for health insurance coverage.*

“ 'We will presumably go on the exchange and sign up for health care, and we’re in the process of transitioning over to do that,” Cruz, a Republican candidate for president, told The Des Moines Register Tuesday.

"Cruz’s wife, Heidi, is going on an unpaid leave of up absence from her job at Goldman Sachs to join Cruz full time on the campaign trail, Cruz told the Register.

"Bloomberg was first to report that Heidi Cruz has taken the leave, which means Cruz, who has boasted about not needing to receive government health care benefits, will no longer be covered under his wife’s health insurance plan." . . .

*Cruz, as an employee of the government, will use the exchange to choose his employer-provided insurance. Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley pushed through an amendment on the Affordable Care Act that requires members of Congress to obtain their coverage via the exchanges. Congress pays most of the premium. But Cruz won’t be getting any extra benefit under the Affordable Care Act that a member of Congress wouldn’t have gotten before the ACA became law.

PJ Media  . .  . “Deeply ironic?” Please explain how, dear liberal hacks at CNN. He explains that he believes in obeying the law even when he disagrees with it. That’s not “ironic,” that’s a man living by his beliefs.
"Besides, unlike some in Congress — who exempted themselves from Obama’s horrendous health plan despite having voted for it — he shows that he’s actually willing to live a life similar to that of most Americans. He fights to ease their burden of a horrendous health plan — but as long as they have to live with it, so will he.
"It’s not that difficult to comprehend, but CNN’s leftist propagandists are having none of it. It’s way too much fun to “freeze” Cruz, “isolate” him, and “polarize” him. Just like Saul Alinsky taught."

 

 We All Live Under Obamacare   "Significantly, the law requires businesses that employ 50 or more people to provide coverage for their workers. Lawmakers and staff had already been receiving health coverage through their employer (the U.S. government), and were not going to ever be “exempt” from Obamacare, since everyone is subject to the Affordable Care Act. It’s just not that impactful on someone already getting employer-subsidized insurance."

The NAACP's Fomenters of Fear

Michelle Malkin

 

"They just can't help themselves -- and their agenda-driven media enablers never, ever learn.

"This week, the NAACP made national front-page headlines with a local press release demanding that the feds investigate the hanging death of a local man in Port Gibson, Miss. Derrick Johnson, president of the NAACP Mississippi State Conference, immediately invoked the specter of a "hate crime." In response, the Obama Justice Department flooded the zone with a whopping 30 federal agents.
. . .
"None of this appears to have chastened the journalists who reflexively empower the NAACP agitators who reflexively cry racism. Just weeks after the not-NAACP bombing, here they are stoking fears of a probably-not-racist-not-lynching. Despite law enforcement reports that Byrd's hands were unbound, despite warnings from the local sheriff (who happens to be black) not to jump to conclusions, and despite the very real possibility that Byrd committed suicide, the papers and airwaves disseminated Blame Whitey and Blame Righty talking points without thinking twice." . . .

Reports: MSM Reporters Give Hillary Clinton Standing Ovation after She Takes No Questions, Jokes about Email Scandal

Big Journalism "On Monday evening, mainstream media reporters reportedly gave Hillary Clinton a standing ovation after she joked about her private email scandal and took no questions from the press–at an event honoring excellence in journalism.

"According to a National Journal report, Clinton took no questions after her 20-minute speech in Washington, D.C., which prompted the Washington Post‘s Dan Balz, who won this year’s Robin Toner award for excellence in political reporting, to reportedly make Clinton an offer: “I am happy to yield my time back to you if you want to take some questions.” Time reported that “Clinton received a standing ovation” anyway “from the journalist-heavy crowd.' ” . . .


 Liberal Journos Applaud Hillary As She Jokes About Her Press Avoidance 

But Hillary's for accountability until she finds it inconvenient. National Journal reported Clinton took no questions after her 20-minute speech, which prompted Dan Balz to reportedly make Clinton an offer: “I am happy to yield my time back to you if you want to take some questions.”
PS: Speaking of prizes and "echo chambers," Toner was a contender in our Media Hero Award category in 1989 for her syrupy tribute to then-Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell:
- See more at: http://newsbusters.org/blogs/tim-graham/2015/03/24/liberal-journos-applaud-hillary-she-jokes-about-her-press-avoidance#sthash.CQiWHhPX.dpuf

Illinois Congressman Luis Gutierrez Called ‘Communist’ and ‘Traitor’ in Los Angeles [Video]

Illinois Congressman Luis Gutierrez Called ‘Communist’ and ‘Traitor’ in Los Angeles [Video]

"These are not altogether baseless smears. Gutierrez was a member of the Socialist Party in Puerto Rico during the 80s.

"Via Discover the Networks:

"From 1984-86 Gutierrez, a Democrat, served as an advisor to Mayor Harold Washington of Chicago. In 1986 Gutierrez was elected alderman of that city’s mostly-Hispanic 26th Ward. At the time, he was a member of the Puerto Rican Socialist Party, a Marxist-Leninist entity.

"At the same event, illegal immigrants shouted the slogan “¡Sí se puede!”–Spanish for “Yes, it can be done!” or “Yes, you can do it!”

"Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta, creators of the “¡Sí se puede!” slogan, were students of Saul Alinsky’s brand of community organizing, as were Barack Hussein Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton.

“ 'Yes, We Can!” originates from “¡Sí se puede!,” which is a communist revolutionary slogan."

Stop clapping! You’re triggering feminist anxiety!

 

Legal Insurrection   "You’ll need to use Jazz Hands.

"Today will go down in history as the day feminists officially stepped beyond the bounds of self-parody.

'UK based outfit, the National Union of Students is hosting a conference for women. The multi-day conference for union delegates began today. Motions up for consideration at the conference include designating the abolishment of prisons as a feminist issue, free education and living grants, supporting the decriminalization of sex work, ending Transphobia, Biphobia, and Islamophobia on campus, and supporting the right to justice and education for Palestine.

"This afternoon (our time, anyway), a group in attendance made the following request:

 OUSUWomen'sCampaign

@nuswomcam please can we ask people to stop clapping but do feminist jazz hands? it's triggering some peoples' anxiety. thank you!

10:21 AM - 24 Mar 2015

 . . .
"But this is what happens when you get an abundance of special snowflakes in a room together to talk about inclusion, diversity, and equality — without fail, they walk themselves past hypocrisy and into the land of self-parody. Sad indeed."

Time for the Obamadorian Reaction

 

American Thinker   "Unlike many, I do not think President Obama is a secret member of the Muslim Brotherhood.  Nor do I think he has sympathies for radical Islam. His gay friendly endeavors run counter to sharia.


"Rather, I think President Obama is a benighted leftist who actually thinks that, if given a free chance, everyone everywhere would choose a gay friendly, animal loving, socialist world view that by means of democracy would lead the whole planet to a palm fronded halcyon multicultural eco-friendly paradise.


"To put it bluntly, Obama is probably a true believer. A true believer in Christ ... certainly not! In Allah ... probably not!  Or he would not have tried to ram gay friendly practices on African Nations.

. . . " Obama should be told that if he does not interfere with the engines of the Republic, he can finish out his term honorably and take his pension and his Nobel Prize with him, along with whatever low calorie health snacks are left in the White House refrigerator; but for the remaining 21 months of the Obama administration, the Congress, via legislation, will steer the ship of state with an eye to avoiding the reefs that Obama was so fond of ramming.  If not, Obama will spend the rest of his administration fighting impeachment proceedings.

"Like the French Revolution, Cromwell's Puritan visions, and Soviet Lysenkoism, Obama has taken the US down a path of destruction. If we do not pull out, then we will collapse.  The English reverted to a corrupt monarchy rather than put up with a post-Cromwell theocracy. The corrupt monarchy that followed led directly to the American Revolution. France had its Thermidorian Reaction, which led to Napoleon and to millions lost in his grandiose campaigns.  Stalin's takeover slaughtered millions.


"So also will we fail if Congress does not act firmly.

"This is an unusual use of Congressional power, but it is constitutional." . . .

 

Iran’s Chief Nuclear Negotiator: Lift All Sanctions First, No Concessions

 

PJ Tatler

"Iran’s senior nuclear negotiator has stressed yet again that there is no deal with the P5+1 unless all sanctions on the Islamic Republic are lifted first.
"In fact, there are “no concessions” on Iran’s part forthcoming, he said.
"Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araqchi said early this month that Tehran’s “principle position is that all sanctions are lifted at once.”
"Last week, 260 lawmakers in the 290-seat Islamic Consultative Assembly wrote a letter demanding that all sanctions be removed as a prerequisite for signing a nuclear deal.
“ 'As a guarantee for implementation, in case of any violation of obligations by the opposite side, the agreement will be declared null and void and enrichment will be resumed at any required level,” the lawmakers wrote." . . .

 

Show Us Where Israel Touched You, Mr. President

Erick Erickson    "I chuckled the other day on twitter when I saw Kevin Eder tweet, “Mr President, please show me on the doll where Israel touched you.” The President’s antagonism toward Israel, shared by many on the left, borders on the irrational. A nation surrounded by many larger nations all hell bent on its annihilation, Israel’s fight for existence is not like ours.

"In minutes, the nation of Israel could be vaporized by nutjob — like the nutjob who tells his people America is the Great Satan and Israel must be destroyed. That’d be the Ayatollah. But Barack Obama, who has condemned Benjamin Netanyahu’s campaign rhetoric, says the “death to America” rhetoric in Iran is just for domestic political consumption.

"At this point, we may really have to present a doll to President Obama and has him to show us where Israel touched him. What we will find is that Israel touched him in his ego." . . .

  

 http://www.capoliticalreview.com/cartoons/obamas-ego/