Social Issues

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Illustration on government abuse of civil forfeiture laws by Alexander Hunter/The Washington Times

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Maryland Gov.-elect Larry Hogan said even he was surprised at the task he faces, including a $300 million deficit in the budget passed six months ago, (Associated Press)

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Despite facing what many deem an uphill battle to hold onto her seat, Sen. Mary L. Landrieu has vowed to fight on heading into her Dec. 6 runoff election with Republican Rep. Bill Cassidy. Her support of the crucial Keystone XL pipeline project may not be enough to sway voters. (Associated Press)

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Left to right: Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), and U.S. Attourney General Eric Holder participate in a memorial tree planting ceremony on the grounds of the U.S. Capitol Building in honor of Emmett Till, "a young African-American man whose brutal killing in 1955 raised public awareness that led to important civil rights reforms in our nation." , Washington, D.C., Monday, November 17, 2014. (Andrew Harnik/The Washington Times)

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This photo released by the Erie County sheriff’s department in Sandusky, Ohio, shows Frank Clark, 21, of Ypsilanti, Mich. The University of Michigan defensive end is being held without bond Sunday, Nov. 16, 2014, in the Erie County jail in Sandusky, Ohio after he was arrested Saturday on a domestic violence charge. (AP Photo/Erie County Sheriff)

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National Edition News cover for November 17, 2014 - Obama opens legal gate for child refugees: FILE - In this June 18, 2014, file photo, detainees sleep in a holding cell at a U.S. Customs and Border Protection processing facility in Brownsville,Texas. More than half of the nearly 60,000 Central America children who have arrived on the U.S.-Mexico border in the past year still don’t have lawyers to represent them in immigration court and many of those who do have volunteer attorneys scrambling to brush up on immigration law. Advocates are holding training sessions to help private sector attorneys learn how to work with traumatized, Spanish-speaking children, many of whom have come fleeing violence. (AP Photo/Eric Gay, Pool, File)

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Mission Accomplished: Spc. Brent Grommet and war dog Matty are like brothers, according to a petition to rectify an Army adoption processing error, and "the soldier needs his combat buddy for a healthy recovery."

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Dog handlers wounded in battle are to have final say on adoption of their canine comrades under the federal Robby's Law, which put an end to the common practice of putting down the animals after service because they were viewed as "surplus equipment."

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Border policemen stand guard at Bulgarian-Turkish border where many of the illegal immigrants enter in 2013. Bulgarian authorities built a 20-mile fence on its border with Turkey to prevent illegal entry. (Associated Press)

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President Obama's signature health care law has been under attack thanks to revelations that its architect and top Obama administration officials scorned the "stupidity of the American voter." (Associated Press/G20 Australia)

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Bill Cosby's attorney said Sunday that Mr. Cosby will not dignify "decade-old, discredited" claims of sexual abuse with a response, the first reaction from the comedian to an increasing uproar over allegations that he sexually assaulted several women in the past. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File) — FILE

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In this March 24, 2014 file photo, Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick reacts as he speaks at a leadership forum in Boston. The state that served as a template for President Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act had significant trouble coordinating with the federal government. The Massachusetts state-run health insurance website, designed by the same contractor that worked on the troubled federal website, performed so poorly that it prompted a public apology from Gov. Patrick. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola, File)

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This undated file photo provided by the Kassig Family shows Peter Kassig standing in front of a truck filled with supplies for Syrian refugees. A new graphic video purportedly produced by Islamic State militants in Syria released Sunday Nov. 16, 2014 claims U.S. aid worker Kassig was beheaded. (AP Photo/Courtesy Kassig Family, File) — FILE

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FILE - In this March 31, 2014 file photo, Michelle Decker, left, an employee of Connect For Health Colorado, the state's health care exchange, explains options and procedures to a walk in client signing up for insurance on the last day before fines are imposed, in Denver. Colorado's state-run health insurance exchange has some new features to debut when 2015 open enrollment starts Saturday, Nov. 15, 2014. Connect For Health Colorado has avoided many of the software headaches that plagued state and federal exchanges last year, but officials are touting some new enhancements to the website to make signing up easier (AP Photo/Brennan Linsley)

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Illustration on equality and tolerance as an excuse for anti-religious tyranny by Alexander Hunter/The Washington Times

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Deb Allegree inputs records at the Wayne County Courthouse in Richmond, Ind., Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2009. The eastern Indiana county tops the nation in the percentage of population that's divorced, but some Wayne County residents don't see any reason why their home should be labeled as a mecca for divorced people.(AP Photo/Darron Cummings) **FILE**

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In this March 31, 2014 file photo, people sign up for the Affordable Care Act at Swope Health Services in Kansas City, Mo. Advocacy groups are planning a greater effort to encourage minorities and rural Missouri residents to sign up for health insurance through a federally run website as an enrollment period opens Saturday. Consumers could see more choices of insurance plans, but at slightly higher prices than this past year. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)FILE -

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This Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2014, photo shows the HealthCare.gov website, where people can buy health insurance, on a laptop screen in Portland, Ore. The second open enrollment period for buying health insurance under the federal Affordable Care Act started on Saturday, Nov. 15, 2014. (AP Photo/Don Ryan) **FILE**

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In this Nov. 13, 2014 photo provided by the U.S. Geological Survey, lava flow from the Kilauea Volcano that began on June 27 surrounds an outer fence to the Pahoa transfer station in Pahoa, Hawaii. The county says the breakouts don't pose an immediate threat to area residents. (AP Photo/U.S. Geological Survey)