Notations From the Grid: On International Day of Democracy 2015

We here @ #Outsiders join this call as we remember all who are political prisoners around the World:

Notations on Our World: On #theIranDeal (The day After..with a late breaking update from the "Grid" On the View From Iran)

The Iran Deal has gone through.    As the debate in the United States is now pretty much settled, the "day after" debate continues though  as epitomized by what was noted over the week-end from the office of the US House Speaker: 

Weekly Address: Our Fight to Stop This Iran Deal Continues September 13, 2015 | View Online YouTube | Facebook | Twitter | Transcript In this week's Republican address, House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-TX) vows that Republicans will continue to lead the fight to stop the president's Iran deal.  Detailing how dangerous the deal is for our security, and the security of our allies, McCaul says, "This was not a negotiation with an honest government.  It was a negotiation with terrorists, who chant 'Death to America' and stand against freedom and democracy." You can watch the address now, and check out these headlines:  “Republicans are launching fresh attacks against the Iran nuclear deal.  The deal ‘will leave Iran with the ingredients for a bomb and the infrastructure to build it,’ Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, said Saturday in a video. ‘Rather than stopping nuclear proliferation, this puts the Middle East at the starting line of a nuclear arms race.’  … ‘Congress has spent several weeks reviewing this agreement and listening to the American people,' McCaul, the House Homeland Security Committee chairman, said.  ‘It is now clear that this deal will not stop a nuclear Iran - but will instead endanger America and our allies for years to come.’” (CBS News) “House Republicans excoriated President Obama for his Iran deal in their weekly address… 'Unfortunately, President Obama's policies embolden Iran's leaders,' said Homeland Security Chairman Michael McCaul, R-Texas, saying it puts Iran on a ‘glide-path’ to a nuclear weapon. ‘Instead of countering the regime's terrorist networks, the White House let them spread. And the President allowed Iran to get closer to a nuclear weapon.’” (Washington Examiner) “GOP rep: Iran deal starts Middle East nuclear arms race.  The President Obama’s nuclear deal with Iran ‘puts the Middle East at the starting line of a nuclear arms race,’ House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-Texas) said Saturday.  ‘It will leave Iran with the ingredients for a bomb and the infrastructure to build it,’ McCaul said in the GOP’s weekly address. ‘And it will give Iran a cash windfall, freeing up over $100 billion to fuel the regime’s global campaign of Islamist terror.'  Senate Democrats on Thursday blocked a resolution disapproving the Iran nuclear deal… But that hasn’t stopped Republicans from continuing to fight the deal, which they insist will fill Iran’s coffers while failing to create a robust nuclear inspection regime.” (The Hill) “Rep. Michael McCaul: Iran Nuclear Deal Was 'Negotiation with Terrorists'.  In the weekly Republican address, House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Michael McCaul, R-Texas, vowed to keep working to fight the Iran nuclear deal. … Speaking of his experience chairing a Congressional hearing at the 9/11 Memorial Museum in New York City earlier in the week, McCaul invokes to American promise not to forget the September 11th attacks 14 years ago. ‘Iran's leaders have called for our defeat and the destruction of our close friend Israel,’ McCaul said. ‘The regime is responsible for more than 1,000 American casualties during the Iraq war, they have plotted a terrorist attack here in our Nation's capital, and launched destructive cyberattacks against American companies.’” (ABC News Radio) “US House Votes to Reject Iran Nuclear Deal.  The international nuclear deal with Iran ‘will not stop a nuclear Iran, but will instead endanger America and our allies for years to come,’ U.S. House of Representatives Homeland Security Committee Chairman Michael McCaul said Saturday in the weekly Republican address.  The House voted Friday to reject the international deal with Iran to curb its nuclear weapons, after a morning of emotional debate.” (VOA News) “McCaul: Agreement Will Not Stop Iran From Getting Nuclear Weapons.  Fourteen years after the 9/11 attacks, the threat from extremists is still growing, House Homeland Committee Chairman Michael McCaul said in Saturday's GOP address, adding that President Barack Obama's nuclear deal with Iran will allow it to continue sponsoring terrorism and will not keep it from obtaining nuclear weapons.” (Newsmax)

	This is as the debate in Iran is continuing as the Majlis (Parliament) will be having a debate on it.     Iran is also continuing an aggressive diplomatic strategy as well as the Foreign Minister, Dr. Zarif, was just in China and was leaving China for Bangladesh as we went to press with this latest "Notations--It is also of note to realize this very interesting tweet that the +Al Monitor Arash Karami that Edits the Iran Pulse shared on his Twitter Feed on the mood of ordinary Iranians on the deal: From the pollsters who accurately predicted Rouhani's win. https://t.co/ezOE9zHCyk — Arash Karami (@thekarami) September 15, 2015

Notations On Our World: On the "Virtual Road" For the 2016 US Presidential Campaign

It has been a very busy 24 hours on the campaign scene.   As the polling-industrial complex has been hard at work, there is also a very pivotal event on September 16 in Simi Valley at the Reagan Presidential Library.    Republican candidates will be on stage for the second debate.

Donald Trump continues to dominate the polls although some of the polling underscores the high unfavorable ratings he's had with Women and minorities.   .   His latest target has been Carly Fiorina who will be on the stage with him Wednesday night when the debate commences.   

He was in Texas earlier tonight and spoke at the American Airlines Arena where the Dallas Mavericks play.  For those who do not know who the Dallas Mavericks are, they are a Basketball Team owned by the Billionaire Mark Cuban who is one of the "Sharks" on Shark Tank and is as big a personality as Donald Trump is.     Cuban had an interview with CNBC where he said he would crush Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton but denied he's actually running for President.    Mr. Trump had one of the standard stump speeches on his dealing with Ford, how he cherished women and ridiculed John Kerry.  He also praised Ted Cruz as a "good guy" but said he would take it back if Mr. Cruz attacked him on Wednesday.

Mr. Trump is continuing to "steal the show" so far.   His speech in Texas began with some of the late-breaking developments of the "Peace" he achieved with NBCUniversal.   He had earlier disposed of the Miss Universe Pageant and settled out the lawsuits.    It was also announced that the new Celebrity Apprentice Host will be Arnold Schwarzenegger

This is an interesting "snapshot" of what Mr. Trump's views are:  

Ev Williams 10 Charts Show Where Donald Trump Stands on the Issues With so many interviews, debates, press conferences, tweets, Snapchats, Instagrams and Facebooks, it’s hard to keep track of where… presidential candidate Donald Trump stands on the issues. ¶ And even if you could keep track, a lot of what he says doesn’t quite make sense. To cut through the noise, here are ten charts that… It has been quite a shock for us as we have seen some of the early favorites have just simply withered away.      Rick Perry was the first to "throw in the towel" as he suspended his campaign.  It will be interesting to see who remains standing as the Media War and the Polling War continues. Jeb Bush sent out a "call to action" to his mailing list as he gears up for the CNN debate as noted below: Friend – The second GOP debate of the 2016 election is only 3 days away and before I take the stage, I want to hear from you. Will you take 10 seconds right now before this big debate to let me know what issue is most important to you? Hearing the concerns of voters is one of the most important parts about running for President. To me, it’s a big part of what leadership is all about  – identifying the challenges facing Americans across the country and then putting forward real solutions to address them. Here’s my commitment to you in advance of debate: I’m going to talk about my conservative ideas and how to move this country forward. I believe every candidate on stage owes it to the American people to provide more than the same-old political talking points. But to do that, Friend, I need to hear from you. Take our one-question survey now and let me know what issue you’d like the candidates to focus on. It takes less than 10 seconds, I promise. Get started now, only 3 days to go: Jeb2016.com/Debate-Survey/ Thank you, Jeb The Democratic Field is also just as challenging as we see it.     Hillary Clinton continues to stumble in the polls and there is a lot of talk about Vice President Joe Biden throwing his hat in the ring.    As we went to press with this edition of "Notations", we reviewed a breaking story by the Bloomberg's Jon Hollerman as he reported that the Vice President met with a very key financier in New York who is quite close to the President.    The Vice President has been publicly wrestling with this decision as exemplified by his comments at the Democratic National Committee and his appearance on Late Night with Stephen Colbert.   It is an interesting story as the Democratic Candidates continue to criss-cross the country.   Our team found the appearance by Senator Sanders at Liberty University of special interest in trying to appeal to this conservative base in underscoring that everyone had to be talked to.      As the Media Wars ensue, key issues such as Prisons seem to be falling by the wayside for the moment as well as profound challenges such as Gun Violence as exemplified by the Murder of a History Professor in Mississippi earlier today:

Project Syndicate (@ProSyn) The US has 5% of the world’s population and 25% of the world’s prison population – about 2.2 million people bit.ly/1ieNRVp

  
As we went to press, it was just simply startling that saw this on the streets of  Orange County  as the campaign season gets under way: 

We wanted to also report on an very interesting resource we'd be consulting courtesy of USA.Gov which we will be periodically visiting as part of our on-going review and assessment: 

With the 2016 Presidential Election a little over a year away, do you know how to research presidential candidates and their political parties? On The Issues has a complete list of all the current presidential candidates and includes their views on issues important to constituents across the United States.   For more information visit our Researching Candidates page on USA.gov.