Michael McCaul: ‘Alarming’ increase in homegrown terrorism on U.S. soil

NEWS AND OPINION:

In the ceaseless war between the White House and the news media, the two foes have wrangled over press coverage of terrorist attacks, along with the President Trump’s 90-day ban in immigration from seven Muslim nations. It is timely, then, that Rep. Michael McCaul, chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, has released his “Terror Snapshot” for February. The Texas Republican uses the terms “alarming” and “persistent” to categorize the threat within the U.S. at the moment.

The report says that in 2016, there were 37 “homegrown jihadist cases” in 19 states and the District of Columbia, with two more in 2017 thus far. These cases involve “attack plots, overseas travel, financial support, weapons charges and lying to authorities,” the report says, and it provides a dire forecast. The incidents on U.S. soil are indeed increasing: There were eight stateside cases in 2012, followed by 15 in 2013, 28 in 2014, and 47 in 2015.

“I am very encouraged that the Trump administration is preparing to put greater pressure on jihadists in their safe havens throughout the world. But as they do, we can expect to see militants returning to the West to build new networks and to plot more deadly operations,” cautions Mr. McCaul. “I look forward to working with the new administration on shutting down terror pathways in America. We must also remain vigilant here at home, because Americans are being radicalized at an alarming rate.”

$734 BILLION GOES BYE-BYE

President Trump repeatedly has pointed out just how much money leaves the U.S. due to trade deals and other factors. The U.S. Census has now revealed just how much of that money is going bye-bye, and where it’s going. Meticulous Terence P. Jeffrey, editor-in-chief of CNSnews.com, has waded through the many columns of new numbers from the federal agency, and provides this handy-dandy, rather telling summary:

“The United States ran a merchandise trade deficit of $734,316,300,000 in 2016,” Mr. Jeffrey says. “During 2016, the U.S. imported $2,188,940,500,000 in goods but exported only $1,454,624,200,000.”

He found that the People’s Republic of China was the greatest contributor to the U.S. merchandise trade deficit for the year: the U.S. imported $462,813,000,000 in goods from China while exporting only $115,775,100,00 in goods to China.

Japan was the second largest contributor to the deficit, and here we will round the numbers off for the sake of clarity. We imported $132 billion worth of stuff from Japan, they took $63 billion of our stuff. Germany was third in the deficit derby; we ended up with a $65 billion deficit there. Mexico is fourth in line; the deficit here is $63 billion — something for Mr. Trump to mull over when he considers the complexities of the barrier wall on our Southern border.

Last in line is Ireland. We imported $45 billion from the green isle, they bought $9 billion worth of merchandise from us.

NEWS FROM THE NORTH

It is called, for short, “Trudeau’s War Room.”

It is, in reality, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s new and unprecedented three-man team assembled “to help coordinate the Trudeau government’s quick response and strategy to U.S. President Trump’s unpredictable new administration,” according to a report in The Hill Times, an Ottawa-based news organization focussed on politics and government.

HILLARY’S INSTANT TALKING POINTS

We already know that former presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton has re-emerged in public life, with three major speaking engagements in the near future, plus a new contract with Simon & Schuster to write her sixth book — a collection of personal essays and favorite quotes and “words to live by,” Mrs. Clinton says. Some of those words are already entering the public discourse, however.

Mrs. Clinton has also released her first public video since President Trump took office, produced for the 2017 MAKERS Conference now underway at a resort in Rancho Palos Verdes, California. The gathering is meant to celebrate “women’s leadership” and other matters, “ranging from violence against women to inclusion of men,” according to their mission statement.

“Despite all the challenges we face, I remain convinced that, yes, the future is female,” Mrs. Clinton says in her video, which opened the conference. “Just look at the amazing energy we saw last month as women organized a march that galvanized millions of people in our country and across the world. Now more than ever we need to stay focused on the theme of this year’s conference: Be bold.”

LIQUID ASSETS

There’s a competition for everything. The race will be on to determine the nation’s best-tasting drinking water as determined by the National Rural Water Association, which has named five state finalists. The “Great American Water Taste Test” will be staged at noon on Wednesday at a hotel within three blocks of the U.S. Capitol.

Judges include water experts and assorted officials from key federal agencies, the organization says. The criteria?

“The drinking water is judged based on three attributes: clarity, bouquet and taste,” advises the Oklahoma-based grassroots group, which boasts 31,000 members. Find them at NRWA.org

THE DEVOS PRESS

News organizations have weighed in on newly appointed Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, confirmed in the role on Tuesday. Just a few headlines in the immediate aftermath:

“She’s a billionaire who said schools need guns to fight bears” (Washington Post); “The Betsy DeVos confirmation debacle” (The New Yorker); “DeVos foes promise to make her job hell” (Politico); “What to expect on student debt from Betsy DeVos, the most divisive secretary of education in recent memory” (MarketWatch); “If Republicans won’t take a stand on someone as incompetent as Betsy DeVos, what will they take a stand on?” (Los Angeles Times).

POLL DU JOUR

84 percent of corporate data managers say data is an integral part of their business strategy.

82 percent say their data management could be improved.

73 percent say inaccurate data undermines their outreach to customers.

62 percent say the IT department has the greatest influence on how data is handled.

52 percent say managers rely on “educated guesses of gut feelings” to make decisions based on data.

Source: The Experian 2017 Global Data Management Benchmark Report survey of 1,400 data professionals conducted throughout Nov. 2016 and released Tuesday.

Caterwaul and doggerel to jharper@washingtontimes.com.