Iran denies it fired rockets near US TRUMAN

Iran's president orders stepped-up missile production

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TEHRAN, Iran (AP) -- President Hassan Rouhani on Thursday ordered the accelerated production of missiles in response to possible new U.S. sanctions.

In a letter to the defense minister published on the president's website, Rouhani said Iran won't accept any limitations on its missile program.

A senior U.S. official told the AP on Wednesday that America is considering designating a number of additional targets for sanctions related to Iran's ballistic missile program.

Both the U.S. and Iran insist the missile program is not part of a landmark agreement Tehran reached with world powers in July that is to lift international sanctions in exchange for Iran curbing its nuclear program.

"Apparently, the U.S. government ... is considering adding new individuals and institutions to the list of its previous oppressive sanctions," Rouhani said in the letter. "It's necessary to continue with greater speed and seriousness the plan for production of various missiles needed by the armed forces within the approved defense policies," he wrote.

Rouhani added that the "development and production of Iran's ballistic missiles, which have not been designed to carry nuclear warheads, are important conventional instruments to defend the country and will continue."

Iran had earlier denied U.S. accusations that it launched a provocative rocket test last week near Western warships in the Strait of Hormuz, dismissing the claim as "psychological warfare."

Gen. Ramezan Sharif, a Revolutionary Guard spokesman, said its forces did not carry out any drills in the key Persian Gulf waterway. Sharif said the security of the strategic Persian Gulf remains among Iran's top priorities. His comments were posted on the Guard's website.

Cmdr. Kyle Raines, a U.S. Central Command spokesman, said Wednesday that Guard vessels fired several unguided rockets about 1,370 meters (1,500 yards) from the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier and other Western warships and commercial traffic last Saturday. Raines said the firing came 23 minutes after Iranians announced a live fire exercise over maritime radio.

While the rockets weren't fired in the direction of any ships, Raines said Iran's actions were "highly provocative."

"Firing weapons so close to passing coalition ships and commercial traffic within an internationally recognized maritime traffic lane is unsafe, unprofessional and inconsistent with international maritime law," he said.

Nearly a third of all oil traded by sea passes through the Strait of Hormuz, which has been the scene of past confrontations between America and Iran, including a one-day naval battle in 1988, during the Iran-Iraq war.

COMMENTS

Obama Tells Jerry Seinfeld Many World Leaders "Insane" In New Crackle Coffee Klatsch

deadline.com

The night before GOP frontrunner Donald Trump was scheduled to ring in 2016 onFox News Channel, President Obamadebuted on Jerry Seinfeld’s Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee on Crackle. Seinfeld explains in the interview that Obama has gotten off just enough funny lines during his presidency to barely qualify as a guest on his Crackle gig.

“How many world leaders do you think are just completely out of their mind?” Seinfeld asks, one of the better interviews conducted with Obama during his presidency.

“A pretty sizable percentage,” Obama answered, continuing what Comedy Central late-night host Larry Wilmore has dubbed Obama’s “Doesn’t Give a F•ck”year in office.

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Trump, meanwhile, buried the hatchet in his on-again-off-again war with Fox News to continue his war on the Clintons on the cable news network’s New Year’s Eve clambake. Trump’s booked to start at 11 PM ET, from his estate in Palm Beach, Fla. FNC says Trump is exclusive to its show for the night, joining hosts Kimberly Guilfoyle and Eric Bolling of  The Five. But other GOP candidates are slated to show up as well, including Ben Carson.

COMMENTS

US preps order for up to 34 MILLION 'green cards' and work permits

www.dailymail.co.uk

An online draft proposal from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services says it will look for a vendor to supply the blank cardsAt least 4 million per year for five years, including a possible 9 million in the early goingDocument says the move is 'to support possible future immigration reform initiative requirements'Obama has pledged to unilaterally change US immigration policy this year, but recently pushed back his timetable until after November 4 elections

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services plans to seek a vendor to produce as many as 34 million blank work permits and 'green cards' – the paperwork that authorizes immigrants to live and work in the United States – as the White House prepares to issue an executive order after the Nov. 4 midterm elections.

According to a draft solicitation published online, the government agency will look for a company that can produce a minimum 4 million cards per year for five years, and 9 million in the early stages.  

President Barack Obama has pledged that he will make a move on immigration reform this year. His original timetable called for a decision by the end of the summer. 

Republicans have decried the plan as an 'amnesty' for millions of illegal immigrants, including hundreds of thousands of unaccompanied minors who have come across the U.S.-Mexico border this year.

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'#Not1More': An immigration activist heckled President Barack Obama on Sunday as he spoke during a campaign event for Democratic Maryland gubernatorial candidate Anthony Brown

Along with its solicitation for blank green cards and work permits, USCIS published images showing what the finished cards will look like

A draft RFP – a Request For Proposal – is typically published in advance so government contractors can prepare to submit their bids when the final version is published. 

The draft came complete with photos of what the finished cards will look like. 

Obama's high numbers of illegal immigration 'removals' – what used to be called 'deportation' – has earned him the nickname 'deportation president,' but most of those ejected border-crossers never get to the interior of the U.S.

Still, activists have protested his policies, including some who heckle his speeches. One yelled at him Sunday in the middle of a campaign stump speech supporting Democratic Maryland gubernatorial candidate Anthony Brown.

A USCIS official told MailOnline on Monday that the draft was published 'in case the president makes the move we think he will,' but added that the agency's Document Management Division (DMD) is by no means committed to buying the materials.

A second official at the agency said the proposal was drafted as a contingency in case immigration reform legislation passes in Congress, not in anticipation of action from the White House.

Either way, the online draft explains that 'DMD requires card consumables for the production of USCIS' Permanent Resident Card (PRC) and Employment Authorization Document (EAD) cards.'

'These cards and related consumables, when assembled, become highly specialized and secure identification documents.'

And a successful bid, the draft solicitation says, will be able to support a 'potential "surge" in PRC and EAD card demand for up to 9M (9 million) cards during the initial period of performance to support possible future immigration reform initiative requirements.' 

Advocates for Mexican and Central American immigrants have lambasted Obama for deporting illegal aliens even though the numbers are down sharply. This Sept. 8 protest in front of the White House featured a crying young boy (left) whose father was deported

Obama delayed his immigration action until after the midterm congressional election to avoid alienating law-and-order voters, but can afford to frustrate illegal imigrants – who can't legally cast ballots 

Former State Department foreign service officer Jessica Vaughan, now an immigration expert at the Center for Immigration Studies, told Breitbart.comthat the RFP 'seems to indicate that the president is contemplating an enormous executive action that is even more expansive than the plan that Congress rejected in the 'Gang of Eight' bill.'

That legislation, which passed in the U.S. Senate last year only to be stalled in the House of Representatives, was a broad reboot of American immigration policy that won support from a handful of Republicans.

In included a provision to provide a pathway to citizenship for so-called 'dreamers' – people living in the country illegally who were brought to Americans as children before June 15, 2007. 

Obama's Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which he ultimately enacted without congressional support, uses the EAD cards as part of its implementation. 

USCIS says it processed 862,000 EADs overall between January and June of this year.

But 'the guaranteed minimum for each ordering period is 4,000,000 cards,' according to the draft RFP.

'The estimated maximum for the entire contract is 34,000,000 cards.'

The company that ultimately wins the contract will also be required to store the blank cards until the government needs them.

COMMENTS

Carson staffers resigned

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/12/31/top-carson-campaign-staffers-resign.html

Greatest Donald Trump Montage of Support across the Spectrum of People and News Outlets

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BREAKING: Cruz may drop out to become Trump’s VP

WARNING: This is pure speculation based on lots of articles and meetings between Trump and Cruz, not only that but Cruz has support but not enough to Win 2016 vs Dems.
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By Voltova Dmitri - November 28, 2015
http://prntly.com/blog

One America News, Washington Post, and Prntly have all discovered that Ted Cruz and Donald Trump have been in deep talks about Cruz being Donald Trump’s running mate . Cruz spared his rhetorical firepower against Trump, and Trump has not criticized the Texan senator at all.
Trump even hinted at selecting Ted Cruz to serve him as VP in his quest to Make America Great Again.
Voters are excited to hear this turn of events, as people have grown delighted. 
EDIT: for the readers who say this is false, simply read the numerous news articles that state this, from Washington Times and One America News
From Washington Post:

The remark piqued the interest of tea party and conservative activists who had already theorized that recent moves by the two campaigns signaled a secret pact.
“It’s highly likely that there is a sweetheart deal there, and it is a very good thing with almost no downside,” said Tom O’Halloran, host of the Texas-based conservative webcast Patriot Radio Show, who subscribes to the theory of a secret Trump-Cruz ticket.
“It’s a brilliant move,” he said. “It sounds to me like a deal that was made in heaven.”
Mr. O’Halloran and other believers pointed to a purported secret meeting between Mr. Trump and Mr. Cruz in Dallas at the end of the summer and the absence of attacks waged by the combative Mr. Trump against Mr. Cruz, the only major candidate to be spared Mr. Trump’s blisteringly personal attacks.
Mr. Cruz has mostly refrained from attacking any of his rivals in the crowded GOP field.
However, Mr. Cruz last month said that he was confident that he could beat Mr. Trump in the primary race.
“I don’t believe Donald is going to be the nominee, and I think, in time, the lion’s share of his supporters end up with us,” Mr. Cruz said in an interview on WABC Radio.
“If you look to the records of all the Republican candidates, there’s a big difference between my record and that of everyone else if you ask who has stood up to Washington,” he said. “I think his involvement has been tremendously helpful to my campaign, because it’s framed the central question of this primary.”
The detente between the two camps will be put to the test now that Mr. Cruz is surging in Iowa and within striking distance of Mr. Trump.

Hilton Head, SC 30 DEC 2015 - TRUMP BLASTS HILARY AND MEDIA [VIDEO]

During the Rally at Hilton Head, South Carolina Donald J. Trump told a packed, record breaking size room that he had to put Hilary on blast and that America is "Fed Up" with the corruption of the system and everyone is "Fed Up" with "You Guys the Media they are the Worst", as he points to the news media.

Calling Out the Corrupt Media

Program ID:

402610-101

Category:

Public Affairs Event

Format:

Forum

Location:

Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, United States

First Aired:

Dec 30, 2015

Airing Details

• Dec 30, 2015 | 11:04am EST | C-SPAN 1