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VIOLENT PROTESTERS AT UC BERKELEY FORCE BREITBART EDITOR TO CANCEL SPEECH ON CAMPUS
Steve Forbes: There's been coercion on university campuses for years, just look at Title IX, supposedly helping women in sports, has gone to controlling various parts of the university. Why shouldn't universities be bastions of the first amendment instead of caving all the time? Let's have coercion in the right direction instead of social engineers.
Bruce Japsen: Yeah, well, listen, some of the stuff is definitely over the top, but Donald’s response appears as though he's against democracy, this week, when he's saying, I mean, these people, if they want to protest peacefully, that's fine, that's our democratic position, but his response is we're going to strip federal funding, it looks like he's against democracy when he's attacking our democratic allies in alleys in Mexico and Australia and cuddling up to Putin.
Mike Ozanian: What we saw at Berkeley, not the rioting, but teachers against students and expressing viewpoints in high school, students pro-Trump were getting bashed by teachers in high school. This is widespread. And really, education is supposed to be about hearing different opinions. This guy was invited to Berkley by the school. And the school did nothing to combat this protest. So, this was-- this is atrocious and I’m glad to see finally somebody, like President Trump, sticking up for free speech.
Elizabeth MacDonald: I hear what you're saying; I don't think that Donald Trump should be in picking and choosing which universities get money. It's an important point and Mike brought it up. Berkeley is saying, we're about free speech, our founding principles about the full spectrum of opinion. What happened here was 150 anarchists from the outside in blood hoods and masks committed violence and I think students may have participated and teachers, too, Berkeley says we're about free speech.
Sabrina Schaeffer: Usually I’m on your side; I’m more with EMac First of all, it's misleading who is causing the damage. I think there was a very peaceful protest among students and as they have the right to do, and I think sort of, rather than sort of bullying the colleges, I would do sort of more of a JFK stance, to go to the universities and say I think you guys are grown-ups, we can have important speeches here and if you treat the college students like grown-ups, I’ve spoken at many college campuses where they're extremely welcoming, I think we'll see better behavior. Bullying and coming down to their level is not necessarily the way they handle it.
PRESIDENT TRUMP SUPPORTS USING 'NUCLEAR OPTION' IF DEMOCRATS FILIBUSTER HIS SUPREME COURT PICK
Mike Ozanian: Gorsuch believes in the Constitution, would rule by the Constitution, and would not legislation the bench. And if we'd had somebody like Gorsuch on the Supreme Court, more like him, I don't think ObamaCare would have ever passed.
Bruce Japsen: Well, I don't know about that, because Justice Roberts was the deciding vote. But, sure, he's going to be good for business because his record is he has sided with corporate power over individual rights. The wild card here, I’m sure that this guy is a decent guy. My problem is that, you know, there's a lot of anger in Washington over how Judge Merrick was treated. He didn't even get a hearing; I believe Democrats will give him a hearing, but whether he gets 60 votes, who know.
Sabrina Schaeffer: Yeah, no, David you're right about that in terms of procedure and I’m very encouraged by Gorsuch and think he would be great for economic growth and job creation and one of the reasons we have a huge problem of our administrative state here. Congress writes vague laws and they read between the laws and ends up at the court. We need someone on the court to rein this in and make sure that businesses have certainty so they can plan and thrive and I think that's what we will get with justice Gorsuch.
Steve Forbes: He only wants it if the filibuster is going to succeed. Filibusters have been mounted in the past against justices.
Elizabeth MacDonald: A footnote, Obama’s Supreme Court picks, Kagan and Sotomayor had 60 plus votes and go the easier standard. And here is what Gorsuch has been about according to the rulings he's rendered. The people first, not the government first, not bureaucrats first. What happens is under Obama, small businesses and people have left to the place spinning act in front of judges because the bureaucrats are changing the rules on them all the time.
NEW DEBATE ERUPTS OVER SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS
Steve Forbes: It isn't right. The contract for Social Security, it's not a welfare program, you're paying into it all your working life to get certain benefits promised when you retire, to cheat people like that, like a company saying we owe you a certain amount for your annuity, your income is too high and so we're going to keep it. One thing to keep in mind for Social Security during your lifetime. Let's say they take out $3,000 a year to pay for your Social Security account. That 3,000 is taxed by the federal government and state governments so you don't get the money, but pay tax on and when you retire them gratuitously cut the benefit? You go to jail in the private sector, by the way.
Bruce Japsen: People pay close attention. It's a great article. Pay close attention more may happen. What the doc fix was designed to do and it will do, it ties doctor pay, Medicare reimbursements to quality measurements so if they're not paid--
Elizabeth MacDonald: I have to check the fine print. This is a truth in advertising fraud, sorry to be heavy-handed with that word, but the government goes after companies on these issues and looks like you got rooked there.
Mike Ozanian: I don't care if it's just one person, David. I mean, this is a contract signed with the public. It goes for years for government takes money out of social security accounts to make the budget deficit look lower; it's my opinion a scam, why social security must be privatized.
Bruce Japsen: It's a forced promise, it's not like you have an opportunity to opt out. You have to. So a means test or anything to make this solvent has to make well in advance of retirement so people can make alternative plans.
SUPER BOWL PICKS
Mike Ozanian: TWTR
Elizabeth MacDonald: MSFT]
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