Daily Update

The continuing battle between the FBI and Apple may be nearing resolve as the FBI stated in a court filing that an “outside party” they may have found another way to access the device.

Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito was in Albany yesterday with a laundry list of wants, passage of the Dream Act, raising the minimum wage and paid family leave, reinstating the Commuter Tax and imposing tolls to enter the more congested and transit accessible parts of Manhattan all fiscally irresponsible ideas.  Additionally, the Council Speaker is asking for legislation to completely overhaul the pre-trial detention system to eliminate the concept of money bail and leave only the option of remanding without bail, releasing, or releasing with conditions.  Speaker Mark-Viverito is term-limited (her term ends in 2017) and she is determined to accomplish her left of Mayor de Blasio’s progressive views before she leaves office.  

Petition opposes undocumented workers teach. The Board of Regents approved the regulation earlier this month, but an open comment period is underway.  Download and submit the petition here

Healthcare providers issued a dire warning Monday on the impact of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s proposed $15 minimum wage, saying services will be cut and organizations will close without new state funding to pay for the raises.  The state — New York taxpayers — can hardly afford the numbers they are talking about, “hospitals put the extra cost of a $15 minimum wage at $570 million, with the overall cost rising to $2.9 billion when nursing homes and home care agencies are included.” 

The NY Daily News wants President Obama to “Give ’em Hell” referring to Cuba’s human rights outrages.  But as they note in the editorial President Obama didn’t even dispute the differences between Cuban prisoners and Gitmo detainees. Sadly, the White House even justifies imprisonment of Cuban dissidentsHere is one man’s take on how President Obama’s “historic” trip has not helped Cubans one iota. 

Brussels Attack Shows Lawful Intelligence Collection Has Never Been More Important.  Our thoughts and prayers for the innocent victims and their families.

Bill Clinton slams “awful legacy” of the last eight years.  Sometimes, the former president is pretty astute.

Tuesday’s with Thomas Sowell.