The structure of this “Blast” e-mail is again intended to allow the reader to skim, but also to be exposed to info not otherwise emphasized; after emphasizing the ongoing strife facing the Kurds, BHO’s overall approach to the Middle East is detailed [encompassing why he disses Israel]. Then, of course, the political landscape is covered from differing perspectives; Ebola is noted to be an emerging force. Finally, reprinted are excerpts from the Morning Jolt . . . with Jim Geraghty and Notes composed by Heritage Action that focus on ObamaDon’tCare and Taxation.

*

Martin Dempsey and his military counterparts agree that the Islamic State has 'tactical momentum' and is dangerously effective in its propaganda war; suggested interventions include from Dershowitz [Target Mosques That Store Weapons] and from other experts [expand America's Military because it is Too Small for Obama's New War on Terror]. As detailed earlier, Kurds have been gassed, creating a sense of Déjà vu when recalling Chemical Attacks Against Kurds in Halabja, Iraq [1988] and in Kobanê, Syria [2014]. Sherkoh is scrambling to muster support for his countrymen and I spoke with the lobbyist who wrote the WSJ-piece two days ago [and who represents the FSA, having just returned from Iraq]. Also, illustrative of how Turkey is “acting-out” is the fact that Danish Journalist Lars Hedegaard’s Attempted Assassin was Released by Turkey.

In reaction, perhaps, to intense pressure, U.S.-led forces have dramatically increased airstrikes against Islamic State militants in the predominantly Kurdish Syrian town of Kobanê (Ayn al-Arab), near the Turkish border. On Monday and Tuesday coalition forces carried out an estimated 21 strikes in the area. The White House said there is evidence the efforts were succeeding, though they were constrained by lack of ground forces. Witnesses in Kobanê reported the strikes seem to have helped push Islamic State fighters back to a degree, though they are believed to control about half the town. Obama met with military leaders from 22 countries on Tuesday outside Washington, where he noted "important successes" though predicted a "long-term campaign" to counter Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria. He particularly expressed concerns over the situation in Kobanê and Iraq's Anbar province. On Tuesday, a suicide bomber killed 24 people in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, including a Shi’ite Member of Parliament, Ahmed al-Khafaji; the Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack, implying it was targeting Khafaji.

This is a succinct summary of BHO’s Middle East Foreign Policy; read it and weep….

Michael Doran, former Princeton Professor, and official in the Bush Administration, and now with Brookings gave a talk for CAMERA in Chicago last night. Doran is outstanding, and offers insights rarely heard in public, even if murmured privately by some people. He basically argues that Obama's has made Iran Americas' most important ally now in the Middle East, since they have the ability to fight in both Syria and Iraq against Sunni radical groups, so we do not have to. The Obama approach reflects a consensus view among the foreign policy establishment that began with the Baker Hamilton Iraq study group in 2006. Outreach to Iran and Syria, pressure on and separation from Israel, abandon Iraq, and surge in Afghanistan. Obama did the last briefly and has now given up there as well. He wants out of the business of having to use a military. As for Iranian nukes, this Administration is fine with a containment approach. They have bought into

Walt-Mearsheimer balance of power realism. Iran will help achieve Sunni-Shiite balance of power. Iranian nukes balance Israel's. Doran's articles recall a glaring inconsistency. Before our feint at hitting Syria with cruise missile air strikes after they crossed Obama's red lines on use of chemical weapons, Obama said he wanted Congressional approval before authorizing them. He then summoned AIPAC to do the work, on an uphill, hopeless venture to get that approval, until the Russian deal seemed to resolve that issue. Now Obama is doing exactly the same thing in Iraq as was considered with Syria-targeted air strikes. But the Administration shows no interest in Congressional resolutions. Why do some air strikes require approval, but others not? The major takeaway from the Doran articles is that Obama has switched sides. He really is working with our enemies (and Israel's), and has abandoned America's traditional allies. All of you out there who voted for this guy twice, or defended him or shilled for him, I hope you are very proud. {References: America's real ally in Iraq: Iran and Obama has no real intention to prevent an Iranian nuclear program}.

Despite the best efforts of those promoting the BDS movement, Israel is not Ostracized; also, it seems more people are seeking Forgiveness for having Voted for Our Current President. This is a summary of the “Daily Alert” selection of articles; it’s difficult to ID anything allowing surcease [except the last ones]:

U.S.-Led Coalition Targeting Islamic State Is Beset by Strategic Differences ISIS Used Chemical Weapons on KurdsU.S. Intensifies Airstrikes on Islamic State in KobanêThe Secret Casualties of Iraq's Abandoned Chemical WeaponsThe Broader Nature of the Conflict in Iraq and Syria ISIS Boasts about Conquering the Vatican and RomeDefense Minister Ya'alon: Syrian Rebels Adjacent to Golan Border Are Moderates

Which Palestine Do Europeans Recognize?Israel: The Road to Peace Does Not Pass through the UN, the House of Commons, or Stockholm Nasrallah: Border Attack on Israel Was Revenge for Slain Hizbullah OperativeRecruiting and Building Rockets, Hamas Determined to Retain Gaza GripHow the Donors Saved HamasBuilding Supplies Flow into Gaza from Israel Israeli Soldier Wounded by Explosive Device near Rachel's Tomb

Oil Prices Fall SharplyOil Prices Could Fall Below $80Druse to Head Israeli Hospital

Support Allies, Not TerroristsBy Shoshana Bryen

October 15, 2014 at 4:00 am

Kerry's international party should be trying to aid the Kurds—our friends and the mortal enemy of the Islamic State—instead of trying to lavish more international funds on Hamas and Fatah, two sides of a movement dedicated to destruction. {Read entire article, for it is replete with key-info.}

Can anyone spare some change for the Kurds?

This is Richard Viguerie’s Action-Agenda:

Obama's LiesThe Republican Party leadership's inexplicable refusal to recognize and embrace the common sense concept that border security is national security, especially in the face of the deadly Ebola and Enterovirus 68 epidemics, shows that new leadership in the GOP is necessary and that Ted Cruz is one of the few people on the national scene capable of providing it.URGE CRUZ to SAVE R'sTELL GOP LEADERS to NATIONALIZE the ELECTIONNo Blank Checks for Obama's War STOP SPENDING ON ILLEGALS!STOP BORDER CROSSINGS!NO AMNESTYFIRE BOEHNER!Recent surveys showing the North Carolina Senate race tightening is great news for conservatives hoping to wrest control of the Senate from the Democrats – and shows the shift in Thom Tillis' campaign toward issues that matter is resonating with real voters.

The Daily Caller compiled an alphabetized list of reasons why Dems feel everything-is-about-race-and-you’re-a-racist; that criterion notwithstanding, it seems the Supreme Court left its mark on midterms, despite the fact that its actions are less about broad voting rights principles. Although the focus has been on the Senate, House Dems are in retreat, shifting cash from blue-chip recruits to prop up teetering incumbents. Nate Silver concluded The Polls Might Be Skewed Against either party, as Trouble Looms for Obama and Dems with Election Day 2014 Approaching. Regarding the Senatorial Race, Cotton and Pryor got rough in last debate; regarding Dem-panic, Latino groups are training their fire on their closest ally: the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.

You can look-up any US or State incumbent or candidate, see his/her views and voting record, and review sources of campaign funds that may reflect to which people, PAC’s, or corporate sector contributors they may feel indebted.http://votesmart.org/candidate/campaign-finance/58360/thomas-murt#.VD3bx2fD9dg

http://votesmart.org/candidate/campaign-finance/5225/stewart-greenleaf#.VD3ch2fD9dghttp://votesmart.org/candidate/campaign-finance/119487/dee-adcock#.VD3c92fD9dghttp://votesmart.org/candidate/campaign-finance/47357/brendan-boyle#.VD3dTGfD9dghttp://votesmart.org/candidate/campaign-finance/102598/todd-stephens#.VD3do2fD9dghttp://votesmart.org/candidate/campaign-finance/47315/catherine-harper#http://votesmart.org/candidate/campaign-finance/2541/bob-casey-jr#.VD3evGfD9dghttp://votesmart.org/candidate/campaign-finance/24096/pat-toomey#.VD3e8mfD9dghttp://votesmart.org/candidate/campaign-finance/47340/tom-corbett#.VD5pw2B0zcs

The Florida gubernatorial race is tied; Gov. Rick Scott and Democratic challenger and former Gov. Charlie Crist both have the support of 44% of likely voters, while Libertarian Adrian Wyllie pulls a significant share (9%) of the vote. With the race so close, Wyllie's support sets the stage for a potential Libertarian spoiler. Also [although this is viewed fortunately as a long-shot], Jeb Bush said his Wife Would Back a Presidential Run. Overall, U.S. Voters Give GOP Edge vs. Dems on Handling Top Issues on a scattergram c/o Gallop.

REPUBLICANS LOOKING GOOD IN KEY SENATE RACES[c/o the Republican Jewish Coalition]

* In Kansas, troubling clues about the agenda of "independent" candidate Greg Orman continue to trickle out:

Kansas Senate hopeful Greg Orman insists that he is not beholden to the Democratic Party, but a major Democratic donor is hosting a fundraiser for his campaign to unseat Republican incumbent Sen. Pat Roberts.

Jonathan Soros, son of billionaire Democratic donor George Soros, will host a New York City fundraiser this week for Orman, who is running as an independent candidate...

* Cory Gardner has a 4-point lead in the Colorado Senate race, according to CNN Politics and was just endorsed by the editorial board of the Denver Post. His latest ad, Fix It, illustrates what's resonating with voters in that race. In it, Gardner says his opponent's partisanship has kept us from "fixing Obama's failures... When something is broken, I'll fix it."

* In North Carolina, Republican Thom Tillis has pulled even with Democrat Kay Hagan, who used her substantial financial advantage to run vicious attacks on Tillis early in the race. Now Tillis is gaining ground by reminding voters of Hagan's support for Obama and Harry Reid.

* In Alaska, Republican challenger Dan Sullivan holds a 6-point lead over Democrat incumbent Mark Begich in the most recent CNN poll. Sullivan even leads Begich by five points in Anchorage, the city where Begich served two terms as mayor.

* The respected Rothenberg Political Report has moved the Arkansas race from the Toss-Up to the Lean Republican column. Republican Tom Cotton holds a stable single-digit lead in most current polls. The challenger now has a clear advantage, says Rothenberg.

* New Hampshire voters are coming to appreciate Republican Scott Brown. He was down by 13 points in March, but is now only 2 points away from the incumbent, Democrat Jeanne Shaheen. Boston Herald political commentator Jennifer C. Braceras explains why Brown is the best choice:

In this election cycle, Republicans need as many GOP senators as possible. President Obama rightly notes that his agenda is at stake in these mid-term elections. A vote for Shaheen is a vote for Obama's failed policies. And that's a bad deal, wherever you live.

* Republican Joni Ernst and Democrat Bruce Braley are neck and neck in the pivotal Iowa Senate race, according to a new Quinnipiac University poll.

Some feel Ebola is 2014 October surprise, but an ABC Poll found that a Majority Want Ebola Travel Restrictions [but BHO doesn’t]; this suggests that the sudden burst of expressed-leadership won’t work. Indeed, the Second Hospitalized Ebola Patient Flew on an Airplane Hours Before Showing Symptoms, reflecting again governmental slip-ups and, indeed, OFFICIALS KNEW TX EBOLA PATIENT FLEW, BUT DIDN’T TELL MEDIA. Overall, now recognizing that Ebola Spreads Through Droplets in the Air, the CDC has said it missed opportunities to contain Ebola.

After the Keystone pipeline’s rise to the top of D.C.’s energy agenda, it has been shrinking and the oil industry has moved on. CNN Canceled 'Crossfire,' Again, and it was verified that Mobile-‘Phone flashlights can be hacked.

Morning Jolt . . . with Jim Geraghty October 15, 2014

Second Health-Care Worker in Dallas Contracts Ebola

Urgh.

A second person involved in the care of Ebola patient Thomas Eric Duncan has contracted the disease, the Texas Department of State Health Services said in a statement early Wednesday.

The health-care worker, who wasn't identified, reported a fever Tuesday and was immediately isolated at the Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital.

The statement said a preliminary Ebola test was conducted late Tuesday at a state public health lab in Austin.

A test to confirm the result will be conducted at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.

Expect to hear a LOT about stopping flights and more intense screenings at airports in the final few weeks of the midterm campaigns.

The Coming Attempt to Persuade You that You Really Like Hillary Clinton

Hillary Clinton is already making a preemptive strike against any critical media coverage in the coming years:

Hillary Clinton, eyeing a second presidential bid and constantly at the center of intense press coverage, lamented Tuesday that modern media scrutiny has made it more difficult to be a leader today.

“We have created very difficult hurdles for people who want to serve, who believe they can lead, to do be able to do so. And the media has intensified that,” the former secretary of state said at the Dreamforce conference in San Francisco, sponsored by the tech company Salesforce.

Clinton said she had watched Ken Burns’ documentary on the Roosevelt family, noting that reporters kept hidden Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s handicap. Roosevelt was diagnosed with polio at age 39 in 1921 and was largely confined to a wheelchair as president.

“Instead of, in a democracy, doing what we should to be doing, which is giving people information so they can be decision makers,” Clinton said reporters today are only interested in “the best angle, quickest hit, the biggest embarrassment.”

@Drawandstrike offers a series of Tweets, preparing us for the two years of the media “build[ing] Hillary up into the Awesome Special Champion You Can Trust With Ever-Growing Government Power.”

Every presidential campaign tries to build a heroic narrative around the life story of their candidate. Sometimes the material is there — think John McCain enduring the years of torture as a POW in Vietnam, and not coming out embittered or enraged or broken with despair. Sometimes the campaign has to stretch. I tried to lay out a heroic narrative for Mitt Romney back in August 2012; I think his campaign really didn’t try particularly hard in this area, other than some portions of his convention speech. (He was a young barefoot street-brawling vigilante who later in life gave away his inheritance, physically grabbed state officials who tried to skip out on hearings after accidents, and rescued drowning people on his jet ski. He’s Ward Cleaver crossed with Bruce Wayne.)

The media tends to do this in a rather ham-handed way. Sometimes it comes in cookie-cutter “ this Democrat in a red state smashes all the stereotypes” profiles. Sometimes it comes in increasingly heavy-handed attempts to persuade you that the offspring of the Chosen Messiah Candidate is particularly special and admirable:

That particular cover story in Fast Company tried to dance around its obvious mission of glamorizing a young woman whose adult life consists mostly of stepping through doors opened by her parents’ power and meandering through the highest levels of high society without actually doing much.

Over on NRO this morning, I look at the intensely depressed national mood and point out that the country could use someone with a bit of a heroic shine these days.

Have the Comedy World and Pop Culture Moved On from Saturday Night Live?

Christian Toto compiles “5 Reasons ‘Saturday Night Live’ No Longer Matters.” He hits this obvious point . . .

In the 1990s Phil Hartman’s Bill Clinton was reason enough to tune in every week. The same held true for Dana Carvey’s President Bush. Will Ferrell’s take on Dubya proved equally memorable, its cutting humor served up with boyish charm. That bipartisan tradition evaporated when President Barack Obama came into office. At first, Fred Armisen offered up a tentative Obama portrait, a sheepish attempt to keep politics in the mix. Later, Jay Pharoah delivered a more nuanced impression, but the writers refused to play along. Like the rest of the comedy world, “SNL” made the decision to protect, not tweak, the president’s image. Audiences took notice. They no longer consider the show the signature source for political humor.

Lest this be construed as predictable conservative whining, Mollie Hemingway watched the season opener so the rest of us wouldn’t have to, and she summarizes the show’s current thinking of what constitutes political humor:

The Weekend Update crew joined with Kenan Thompson to give President Obama a pep talk. A pep talk. Not an are-you-freaking-kidding-me-you-are-a-bad-president evisceration. But a pep talk. A pep talk that — and again, I’m totally serious here — went after President George W. Bush, who left office so long ago that it was from an era when comedy shows knew how to make fun of presidents.

My husband and I looked at each other with confusion and disgust as the Weekend Update crowd told President Obama to cheer up and that things would get better. There were lines like, “Benghazi used to be a huge deal, now it’s just John McCain’s safe word,” and suggestions that he go on the road with the real first family, Beyonce and Jay-Z. Jost said that Bush had wrecked the economy, bombed every country with sand and that all he had to do was paint one ok picture of a dog to get back in the country’s good graces. Ha ha! All so funny and fresh!

But on a broader point, it feels like Saturday Night Live doesn’t do nearly as much topical comedy as during the late 80s–early 90s golden years. A lot of it feels like cast members saying “Look, I’ve created this annoying character who’s so annoying he’s hilarious!” The show always had a mix of news or current-events based humor and evergreen sketches and comedy, but it seems strange to have a live television show and not make the material seem very fresh. Or has the instantaneous snarking on Twitter pre-mocked every news event by Saturday night?

To prepare for a coming trip to Portland, I’ve been watching the IFC sketch comedy series Portlandia. It has more funny concepts than genuinely funny sketches. For example, two store owners are convinced that putting a bird on something automatically makes it art — and promptly put it on every object imaginable. All is well until an actual bird gets into the store, and the pair freak out and panic, accidentally smashing all their merchandise as they desperately try to get the bird out of the store. You can see it as a bit of poking at armchair environmentalists who don’t actually like nature.

The recurring “Feminist Bookstore” sketch depicts two feminist bookstore owners who are so determined to strike out at any perceived slight or expression of patriarchy that they chase every customer out of the store. I’ve mentioned the recycling gone amok sketch, where Portland residents are reminded to sort their trash into increasingly-more-specific recycling bins. This isn’t a conservative show, but it does mock, with affection, the green, crunchy, oh-so-precious Portland lifestyle.

This little anecdote about comedy-writer Jack Handley explains what we’re dealing with when it comes to a show like Portlandia:

Maria Semple, a writer for “S.N.L.” and “Arrested Development” and the author of the novel “Where’d You Go, Bernadette,” spent a long time on the phone with me trying to explain what it is about Handey’s comedy that makes him different from almost anyone else writing comedy today. “In the rewrite room,” she finally said, “we used to say, ‘It smells like a joke.’ That’s the scourge of comedy these days. It smells like a joke, but there’s no actual joke there. I’m not the comedy police, but you watch a movie, and everyone’s laughing, and then you shake it out and you realize, ‘There’s no joke there!’” But in Handey’s novel, she said, “I don’t think four lines go by without a killer joke. These are real jokes, man. They don’t just smell like jokes.”

Call Notes for 10/14 & Tax Extenders BriefBy Matthew Lauer [Sentinel Coordinator, Heritage Action for America]

We continue analysis of upcoming lame duck issues: Internet Sales Tax, Obamacare, and tax extenders.

Lame Duck: In its September session, Congress voted to pass a continuing resolution (CR) to fund the government through December 11, 2014 (319–108 in the House; 78–22 in the Senate). As the bill only extended funding for two months, it requires a post-election lame duck session during which defeated politicians can attempt to address any number of liberal agenda items. Conservatives must be on guard during this session, as there is already a loud cry from both parties to “clear the deck” and pass bad legislation either while liberal votes are still available or to avoid the need to address politically controversial issues in the new year.

Obamacare: A recent Politico article begins, "Deep down, Republicans who know health care know the truth: Obamacare isn’t about to be repealed." This is the meme being propelled by the Establishment DC bubble. The bad news about Obamacare continues to avalanche on top of the American people, and with more conservatives in the Senate, there will be an opportunity to reignite the repeal fight.

If Republicans continue to pass the buck and focus on fighting only small ball elements of the health insurance takeover, the prophecy will be self-fulfilled and Obamacare will stay put. If a new Congress resolves to use the budgeting process (also known as “reconciliation”) to halt further implementation, however, the President and the country at large will once again be forced to debate the merits of the disastrous law. We cannot let those who do not want to fight convince us that the fight cannot be won. Full repeal is not only possible, it is the only way out.

Tax Extenders: The tax “extenders” package is a group of more than 50 tax policies that require periodic reauthorization. Instead of setting permanent tax policies that provide taxpayers long-term certainty, Congress prefers the tradition of short-term extensions. These extenders last expired at the end of the 2013 tax year (though they are largely considered to still be in effect, since they are often extended retroactively). With the looming “lame duck” session facing serious pressure from the tax lobbyists on K-Street, Congress is likely to try to jam this package through during this window.

Some provisions in the current Senate version of the extenders (S. 2260) are worthy in their own right and should be made permanent, while most are problematic in that they show favoritism or are simply not conducive to economic growth. These types of extenders should be allowed to expire and be replaced with policies that every American and business can benefit from. Congress should stop artificially sunsetting a few pro-growth tax provisions in order to preserve an annual vehicle for K-Street to shower campaign contributions on lawmakers and for lobbyists to attach their own priorities.

Tax Extenders Package

Background: The tax “extenders” package is a group of more than 50 tax policies that require periodic reauthorization. Instead of setting permanent tax policies that provide taxpayers long-term certainty, Congress prefers the tradition of short-term extensions. These extenders last expired at the end of the 2013 tax year (though they are largely considered to still be in effect, since they are often extended retroactively). With the looming “lame duck” session after the November elections facing serious pressure from the tax lobbyists on K-Street, Congress is likely to try to jam this package through during this window.

Some of the provisions in the current Senate version of the extenders (S. 2260) are worthy in their own right and should be made permanent, while most are problematic in that they show favoritism or are simply not conducive to economic growth. These types of extenders should be allowed to expire and be replaced with policies that every American and business can benefit from. Congress should stop artificially sunsetting a few pro-growth tax provisions in order to preserve an annual vehicle for K-Street to shower campaign contributions on lawmakers and for lobbyists to attach their own priorities.

Bonus Depreciation. This provision moves the tax code toward the proper, neutral treatment of business investments. Allowing businesses to deduct 100 percent of the cost of capital expenditures in the first year (sometimes referred to as “expensing”) is a key pillar of a neutral, consumption-based tax code. Bonus depreciation moves the tax code half way there, allowing business to deduct 50% of expenses in

the first year. This is a worthy policy that does not favor one type or size of business over another, and should be extended permanently.

Wind Production Tax Credit (PTC). The wind PTC amounts to little more than corporate welfare for a narrow segment of the energy industry. The government favoritism distorts consumer investments and energy prices alike, while transferring wealth from states that don’t use wind technology to those that do. As Heritage Foundation’s Katie Tubb explains:

The wind industry complains that lapses in the PTC disrupt investments, and they’re right. So why not permanently end the PTC? That would free up $12 billion for Congress to make pro-growth changes to the tax code. And not only does this provide the certainty the industry so desires; it also protects taxpayers and helps inform energy investments with what makes most sense for consumers rather than for politicians.

Energy Market and Renewable Resources. There are at least 10 provisions in this package that boast special rules and crony exceptions for private actors in the renewable energy market. These include, but are not limited to, tax credits for energy efficient homes, efficient commercial building deductions, credits for nonbusiness energy property, incentives for alternative fuel usage, and special allowances for biofuel production. These policies are designed to artificially tilt the market in the direction of specific renewable sources and reward certain taxpayers for behaving how the government would like them to. If the practices and technologies these provisions encourage are truly good for consumers, there will be a market for them, and they need not be forced on the public through manipulation of the tax code.

Cronyism. Even arguably decent policies are narrowly administered to the benefit of certain industries. This cherry-picking goes to benefit politically-connected industries at the expense of all taxpayers who would otherwise benefit from broad, comprehensive tax reform. The extenders package, for example, would allow shorter depreciation schedules for NASCAR, the horseracing industry, railroad track maintenance, mass transit and certain film and television productions. Lawmakers whose districts cater to these interests have fought to embed these provisions in the extenders package.

Congress should pursue fundamental tax reform that moves all business’s capital expenditures closer to full expensing without picking winners and losers among certain well-connected industries.

Call to Action: The Senate’s tax extenders—and indeed the entire process surrounding the extension of expiring tax provisions—is an egregious example of Washington using its powers to prop up well connected interests and ensure its own continued relevance. Rather than jam a new package through when the American people have already elected a new body of representatives, the next Congress should seek to make permanent the worthy provisions that are being distorted by the attachment of unworthy ones. Bad tax policy should be allowed to expire for good and be replaced with reforms to our tax code that are truly broad-based and pro-growth.