A New Obama Blunder on Visa Screening

Tuesday's Republican presidential debate will be different than previous debates because Donald Trump is both well ahead of other candidates nationally and behind Ted Cruz in Iowa, where the first GOP primary caucases will be held on February 1. A Monmouth University poll released Monday shows Trump with 41% support. Senator Ted Cruz is second at 14%, followed by Senator Marco Rubio at 10%, and Ben Carson at 9%. The poll was conducted between December 10 and 13, after Trump made his call to temporarily ban Moslems from entering the United States. But, in Iowa, Cruz is the new front-runner at 31%, knocking out Carson and opening a wide lead over Trump at 21%, according to a Bloomberg Politics/Des Moines Register Iowa Poll. However, a Monday Quinnipiac poll shows Trump ahead of Cruz in Iowa, 28% to 27%, with Rubio at 14% and Carson at 10%. ~~~~~ Former GOP House Speaker Newt Gingrich said this debate poses a real test for Rubio, Cruz and the others -- which candidate has the deepest understanding of global jihad and can best articulate their plan to inoculate an anxious nation against the jihadist “virus” : “We are in a world-wide campaign against a virus...which is spreading on the Internet It's a mortal threat to our survival." He said he hopes candidates demonstrate an understanding that ISIS is “just a symptom” of a much larger infection. ~~~~~ Recent terrorist attacks and Trump’s call for a ban on Moslems entering the US point to security as the key topic in this debate. Americans are driving the topic. They see the threat of terrorism as critical, more important than problems in the economy. ~~~~~ Security?? Today we learned of yet another secret Obama decision that puts America in danger. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson decided early in 2014 to continue a secret US policy that prohibits immigration officials from reviewing social media posts of foreigners applying for US visas, according to an ABC News report. Johnson decided to maintain the prohibition because he feared a civil liberties backlash and “bad public relations,” said ABC. John Cohen, a former DHS acting undersecretary for intelligence and analysis, told ABC News : “During that time period immigration officials were not allowed to use or review social media as part of the screening process." Cohen said he and other US officials tried to get a policy change in 2014 but top officials at the DHS Office of Civil Liberties and the Office of Privacy opposed it. Cohen said : "The primary concern was that it would be viewed negatively if it was disclosed publicly and there were concerns that it would be embarrassing," adding, "There is no excuse for not using every resource at our disposal to fully vet individuals before they come to the United States." Cohen said there were concerns over America's standing with civil rights groups and European allies after recent National Security Agency issues. A former senior counterterrorism official vouched for Cohen : "They felt looking at public postings [of foreign US visa applicants] was an invasion of their privacy." A DHS spokesman told ABC News that in autumn 2014 after Cohen left, DHS began three pilot programs to include social media in vetting, but officials say it's still not a widespread policy and a review is underway. ~~~~~ Dear readers, this mind-boggling revelation comes after US officials learned that Tashfeen Malik, one of the San Bernardino terrorists, posted a message on Facebook declaring allegiance to ISIS before she was granted a fiancee visa. Fourteen people were killed in San Bernardino. DHS spokeswoman Marsha Catron said DHS is "actively considering additional ways to incorporate the use of social media review in its various program that is consistent with current law and appropriately takes into account civil rights and civil liberties and privacy protections." HELLO, WHITE HOUSE. We are dealing with islamic terrorists who want to destroy us. Embarassing?? Bad PR?? Civil rights?? Privacy protection?? Repeat after me : "FOREIGN ISLAMIC TERRORISTS."