Local cities rejecting HUD funds over zoning concerns and then accepting them after Congress banned federal interference proves Article I defund works:
http://dailytorch.com/2019/11/local-cities-rejecting-hud-funds-over-zoning-concerns-and-then-accepting-them-after-congress-banned-federal-interference-proves-article-i-defund-works/

In 2016, Hampden Township, Pa. opted out of receiving part of the $1.4 million of community development block grants from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) had allocated to Cumberland County. The issue? The 2015 Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing regulation put in place by the Obama administration that allows HUD to condition $3 billion of those grants on making changes to local zoning ordinances to comply federal income and race guidelines. More than 1,200 cities and counties nationwide receive those grants. But, because of a change to federal law by Congress to prohibit the use of funds to rezone local cities and counties under the regulation, allowing cities and counties can decide for themselves how to use the funds, , Hampden Township has reversed course. But will the federal government stay out of the way?

Ukraine was concerned about violations of U.S. law, not Ukrainian law, so there was no investigation by Ukraine to be requested by President Trump:
http://dailytorch.com/2019/11/ukraine-was-concerned-about-violations-of-u-s-law-not-ukrainian-law-so-there-was-no-investigation-by-ukraine-to-be-requested-by-president-trump/

Former Ukrainian Prosecutor General Yuriy Lutsenko in a Sept. 29 BBC interview confirmed concerns about Burisma and former Vice President Joe Biden were that they possibly violated U.S. laws, not Ukrainian laws, saying he told that to Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani: “I told him the same I told you — it is not my jurisdiction… It is likely to be the jurisdiction of the U.S. If you will send me a request, yes, I will give you all official information, but it is not Ukrainian jurisdiction — that was my answer.” So, if there were no violations of Ukrainian law, what investigation could President Donald Trump have pressured Ukraine to pursue?

Can federalism survive? It’s up to Congress.
http://dailytorch.com/2019/10/can-federalism-survive-its-up-to-congress/

Under the original Constitution, and even with its subsequent amendments, power was supposed to be distributed between the federal and state and local governments, with the idea that the national government would have the fewest powers to affect local administration except in certain areas. And so, the federal government was tasked with regulating interstate and foreign commerce, creating uniform immigration laws, building roads, bridges and the like, post offices, intellectual property laws, establishing courts, ensuring the national defense and so forth. Those are all Article 1, Section 8 powers under the Constitution. Those powers not articulated were granted to the states under the 10th Amendment. But one big advantage the federal government and Congress have is the power to spend and borrow money on the credit of the United States and to print money. States cannot do that, and so with the limitless power of the purse, the federal government has been able to progressively expand control over state and local governments by attaching terms and conditions to federal funding. But just because the federal government can do something under the Constitution, does not mean it ought to. Instead, it could pass laws denying funds limiting federal intrusions into local matters. An obvious example is Congress defunding implementation of the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing regulation that sought to condition community development block grants on making changes to local zoning along income and racial guidelines. Other times, Congress may wish to compel state and local cooperation, for example, in the implementation of federal immigration laws. Where do you draw the line?

Now that House has released its impeachment witch hunt resolution, it’s time for the Senate to step up and guarantee due process:

The House has released its resolution outlining rules governing the impeachment inquiry process, including rules for each of the relevant House committees to follow, call witnesses and question them, and if the White House and Senate believe they fall short, then it is going to be up to the Senate to fill in the gaps, provide due process and to begin to address the allegations being made against President Donald Trump on substance. It is up to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to step forward with Senate Republican committee chairs and start holding hearings. If Republicans in the House cannot ask all of the questions that need to be asked, then the same witnesses should be called on the Senate side so those questions can be asked. If the House refuses to allow certain witnesses to be called, then call them on the Senate side so questions can asked and a baseline can be established for the eventual trial in the Senate. They are not powerless. What do you think?

Did former Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch lie about not giving a ‘do not prosecute’ list in Ukraine? Time to release the transcripts, Speaker Pelosi.
http://dailytorch.com/2019/10/did-former-ambassador-to-ukraine-marie-yovanovitch-lie-about-not-giving-a-do-not-prosecute-list-in-ukraine-time-to-release-the-transcripts-speaker-pelosi/

Former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch says that former Ukrainian Prosecutor General Yuriy Lutsenko had retracted his statement that she gave him a do-not-prosecute list, but his statement in that April interview where he supposedly retracted his statement actually said “I listed some so-called anti-corruption activists under investigation. She said it was unacceptable, as it would undermine the credibility of anti-corruption activists” and that he told her, “now you give me lists.” Did anyone ask her about Lutsenko’s supposed retraction? What about denying the former Prosecutor General Viktor Shokin’s travel visa to the U.S. who says former Vice President Joe Biden had him fired. Did anyone ask her about that? What about Ukrainian efforts to relay that information to the U.S. Justice Department? Did anyone ask her about that? Time to release the transcripts, Speaker Pelosi. What do you think?

If Ukraine began the investigation into Burisma and Biden in 2018 and sought to get the information to DOJ, long before Zelensky was even elected, where’s the quid pro quo in 2019?
http://dailytorch.com/2019/10/if-ukraine-began-the-investigation-into-burisma-and-biden-in-2018-and-sought-to-get-the-information-to-doj-long-before-zelensky-was-even-elected-wheres-the-quid-pro-quo-in-2019/

If 1) the investigation by Ukrainian prosecutors into Burisma and Biden began in 2018 when they began trying to get the information to the Justice Department; 2) the U.S. became aware of that investigation at least as early as Feb. 2019; 3) the U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine tried to have those same prosecutors fired in March 2019; 4) the Ukrainian prosecutors are on the record on March 20 saying that same ambassador gave them a do-not-prosecute list, and in April again saying they were trying to get the information to Attorney General William Barr all before Volodymyr Zelensky is elected; 5) President Donald Trump speaks to Zelensky in July when Zelensky confirms the investigation is already underway and requests U.S. assistance with it; 6) Ukraine does not find out about any delayed military aid until Aug. 29 when the press published it, which is ultimately released on Sept. 11; and 7) Zelensky says there was “no pressure” to pursue the investigations his own prosecutors had already initiated, then where’s the quid pro quo? No, it’s not in a time machine. It simply doesn’t exist. What do you think?

Dear Attorney General Barr and Senator Graham, time is running out to expose spygate, Russiagate and the impeachment coup:
http://dailytorch.com/2019/10/dear-attorney-general-barr-and-senator-graham-time-is-running-out-to-expose-spygate-russiagate-and-the-impeachment-coup/#comment-4663397334

Don’t look now, but in just one short year, the American people will be headed back to the polls to decide whether to reelect President Donald Trump, and the country is no closer to piercing the veil of what really happened in 2016, when the Obama administration, intelligence agencies and the Justice Department unconstitutionally, illegally spied on the opposition party — the Trump campaign and the GOP — in an election year on bogus charges they were Russian agents. This was a crime, an act of war, against the Constitution and the American people, and the attempt to overturn the 2016 election does not end, even today, as the House moves forward with its impeachment coup, using secret witnesses and denying due process, the right to cross-examine witness and other constitutional protections to President Trump and members of the executive branch. This could happen to any President. Republican. Democrat. It doesn’t matter. This is about who runs this country: the elected President, or nameless, faceless bureaucrats in the administrative state. The bottom line is that if Attorney General William Barr, U.S. Attorney John Durham and Sen. Lindsey Graham fail to hold the officials responsible for this hoax on the American people, it will happen again — and there’s no telling what will be left of the Constitution or our free republican system of government after that. This is no time for half measures. They have to succeed because time is running out — on liberty. What do you think?

Sen. Lindsey Graham must call the anonymous CIA so-called whistleblower to testify if the House impeaches President Trump:
http://dailytorch.com/2019/10/sen-lindsey-graham-must-call-the-anonymous-cia-so-called-whistleblower-to-testify-if-the-house-impeaches-president-trump/

By now, it is perfectly clear that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has absolutely no intention of affording any due process to President Donald Trump or any member of the executive branch called to testify in her quest to impeach and remove the President from office. But the House is just one body. The Senate is completely in control of its witnesses in an impeachment trial, and does not have to play by those Pelosi-imagined rules that part ways with all modern cases of impeachment. It can — and must — provide the due process that Pelosi and House Democrats are depriving the nation of. Rule VI of the Senate’s states clearly, “The Senate shall have power to compel the attendance of witnesses, to enforce obedience to its orders, mandates, writs, precepts, and judgment, to preserve order, and to punish in a summary way contempts of, and disobedience to, its authority, orders, mandates, writs, precepts, or judgements, and to make all lawful orders, rules, and regulations which it may deem essential or conducive to the ends of justice.” This is not some kangaroo court or some trivial matter, after all, this is about whether to overturn an election via legislative means. Instead, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham should send a strong message to Speaker Pelosi that he intends to specifically allow for the questioning by all parties of any and every witness the House uses, including the anonymous whistleblower and whoever in Congress or on staff helped write his memo. What do you think?

Nancy Pelosi’s ridiculous impeachment witch hunt is unquestionably making the world a more dangerous place:
http://dailytorch.com/2019/10/nancy-pelosis-ridiculous-impeachment-witch-hunt-is-unquestionably-making-the-world-a-more-dangerous-place/

It’s been about a month since House Speaker Nancy Pelosi opened her certain-to-fail impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump on Sept. 24, and the world is not getting any safer. Since that time, on Oct. 1 Hong Kong police for the first time shot live rounds on the Hong Kong protesters during the 70th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China, despite U.S. warnings directly from President Trump. On Oct. 2, North Korea launched a submarine-launched ballistic missile off the coast of Japan despite U.S. sanctions currently in place.On Oct. 9, Turkey invaded northern Syria despite the threat of U.S. sanctions from Trump who promised he would “totally destroy and obliterate the Economy of Turkey.” Cause, meet effect. What do you think?

Ellen is right, everything has become far too political, and her statement against hateful partisanship is a victory for America and the civil society:
http://dailytorch.com/2019/10/ellen-is-right-everything-has-become-far-too-political-and-her-statement-against-hateful-partisanship-is-a-victory-for-america-and-the-civil-society/

America is tearing itself apart — over everything. Politics. Cultural issues. Economics. Foreign policy. Social justice. But we also don’t have to. This was on display when a light-hearted moment appeared on the American people’s television screens on Oct. 6 when the Dallas Cowboys hosted the Green Bay Packers. Ellen DeGeneres and former President George W. Bush were pictured sitting together, laughing and enjoying the game. God forbid. DeGeneres faced some backlash on social media, but the full fury would not come — with celebrities denouncing DeGeneres for consorting with a “war criminal” — until she defended in a monologue on her television program not only her friendship with the former president, but our civil society as a whole. She said, “Here’s the thing: I’m friends with George Bush. I’m friends with a lot of people who don’t share the same beliefs that I have. We’re all different and I think that we’ve forgotten that that’s okay that we’re all different… But just because I don’t agree with someone on everything doesn’t mean that I’m not going to be friends with them. When I say be kind to one another, I don’t mean only the people who think the same way that you do. I mean, be kind to everyone. Doesn’t matter.” Good on Ellen.