A New Perspective on Constantine

(Worthy News) – A second U.S. judge on Thursday blocked President Donald Trump’s administration from enforcing new rules that undermine an Obamacare requirement for employers to provide insurance that covers women’s birth control.

U.S. District Judge Haywood Gilliam Jr. in Oakland, California, said the federal government likely did not follow proper administrative procedures in promulgating the new rules, and put them on hold while a lawsuit challenging their legality proceeds.

The decision followed a similar ruling from a federal judge in Philadelphia last Friday that blocked the administration from enforcing rules it announced in October allowing businesses or nonprofits to obtain exemptions on moral or religious grounds. [ Source: Reuters (Read More…) ]

(Worthy News) – The U.S. economy grew at a solid 3.2 percent annual rate from July through September, slightly slower than previously estimated but still enough to give the country the best back-to-back quarterly growth rates in three years.

The figure was revised down from last month’s estimate of 3.3 percent, the Commerce Department reported Thursday. The change reflected a bit less spending by consumers, which was offset somewhat by increased spending by state and local governments.

Still, the 3.2 percent growth followed a 3.1 percent gain in the second quarter, the first consecutive quarters that growth has topped 3 percent since 2014. [ Source: Washington Times (Read More…) ]

(Worthy News) – President Trump became the first national leader to call for protecting the U.S electric and communications grid against an electromagnetic attack like one practiced in North Korea.

Deep in his new national security strategy released this week, he made good on a campaign promise to move quickly to make the fixes that proponents have long called for.

Two of the chief advocates, William R. Graham and Peter Vincent Pry, executives of the nation’s first Congressional EMP Commission, said in a statement, “President Trump understands, even if everyone in his administration does not, that ‘strategic stability’ and ‘longstanding strategic relationships with Russia or China’ are best maintained — not by a policy of mutual vulnerability — but by a policy of ‘Peace Through Strength.’ Protecting the nation from all missile threats and EMP should be the cornerstone of a ‘Peace Through Strength’ policy.” [ Source: Washington Examiner (Read More…) ]

(Worthy News) – With the passage of the GOP tax bill this week, the Trump administration has scored 81 major achievements in its first year, making good on campaign promises to provide significant tax cuts, boost U.S. energy production, and restore respect to the United States, according to the White House.

And along the way, President Trump even outdid his own expectations and slashed at least 11 major legacy items of former President Barack Obama, including cracking down on the open border, slowing recognition of communist Cuba and effectively killing Obamacare by ending the mandate that everyone have health insurance or face a tax.

According to the White House, the 81 accomplishments are in 12 major categories and include well over 100 other minor achievements. [ Source: Washington Examiner (Read More…) ]

(Worthy News) – The Senate on Thursday passed a short-term government funding bill for President Trump’s signature, ending yet another threat of a government shutdown and leaving Congress with a new January deadline to come up with a major spending deal.

Democrats were needed to pass the bill in the Senate, where 60 votes are required on most legislation. The bill passed 66-32, and President Trump has until the end of Friday to sign it into law to avoid a partial government shutdown.

Democrats who voted for the bill included Sens. Tom Carper and Chris Coons of Delaware, Tim Kaine of Virginia, Maggie Hassan and Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, Joe Manchin of West Virginia, Bill Nelson of Florida, Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters of Michigan, and Claire McCaskill of Missouri. [ Source: Washington Examiner (Read More…) ]