Op-Ed By U.S. Representative Martha McSally

President Obama’s stated goal at the onset of negotiations with Iran was to dismantle their nuclear infrastructure. Now that he’s failed to meet that goal, he wants Americans to believe it is either this deal or war, so we must accept it. I strongly disagree.

Those of us who wore the uniform have a deep understanding of the importance of diplomacy — for we know the horrors of war firsthand. While I applaud recent efforts to stop a nuclear Iran, the final agreement includes provisions dangerous to Americans and our allies. It should be rejected, and the administration should be directed back to the negotiating table.

Iran is the world’s most sophisticated state-sponsor of terrorism. Its overseas terror force, led by the brutal Qassem Soleimani, plotted to kill the Saudi ambassador to the U.S. in Washington, D.C., and is responsible for the deaths of over 500 U.S. soldiers in Iraq through the transfer of explosive devices to insurgents.

It took tremendous effort over many years to crank up U.S. and international sanctions against Iran, with the most suffocating going into effect only recently. Our intelligence confirms these sanctions are working, limiting Iran’s ability to spread terror through proxies like Hamas and Hezbollah, Syria’s Assad, or Houthi rebels in Yemen.

Earlier this month, I visited Israel and stood near the border with Gaza, where Hamas launched thousands of rockets at Israeli civilians last summer. To the north, Hezbollah has stockpiled 100,000 rockets, ready to strike at any time. This is a part of daily life for millions of Israelis, who wait to hear sirens signaling they have roughly 15 seconds to get to a shelter.

Instead of dismantling Iran’s infrastructure, this agreement paves their path to a bomb in 13 years. It is allowed to keep over 4,000 centrifuges spinning, with stated aims for 190,000 in the future. Given time, the deal affords Iran unlimited nuclear infrastructure — the leaders just have to be patient.

Even if Iran cheats, it would be hard to know. Instead of the “anytime, anywhere” inspections originally sought, the deal gives Iran 24 days to delay access to certain sites, plenty of time to hide nuclear activity. What’s more, a “side deal” recently reported that allows Iran to conduct its own inspections is laughable.

Under the deal, Iran gets $100 billion in immediate sanctions relief with hundreds of billions more over the next decade to funnel to their terrorist proxies. Sanctions are lifted on Soleimani and other dangerous officials just when they are starting to have effect. All while Iranians continue to chant “Death to America” and declare Israel should be wiped off the map.

At the last minute, provisions lifting the embargo on arms and Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBM) at five and eight years respectively were included — boosting Iran’s conventional military and giving it range enough to launch strikes on the U.S.

The administration has stated it is “unrealistic” to go back to the negotiating table. Yet, over 200 times in our history, Congress sent back treaties and international agreements to be modified before enactment, including agreements with up to 87 other participants.

Voting down this deal means sanctions stay in place and countries around the world are given a choice: do business with the U.S. or Iran. All tools we currently have to stop a nuclear Iran remain at our disposal.

This is not a partisan issue. I have been a leader and practitioner in national security issues for over 30 years and deployed to this region six times. It’s clear to me the administration’s plan rests on hope that Iran will change its ways in 13 years. While I hope that too, hope is not a strategy, and we cannot afford to bet our security on it.

Real Estate Daily News Buzz is designed to give news snippets to readers that our (yet to be award winning) editors thought you could use to start your day. They come from various business perspectives, real estate, government, the Fed, local news, and the stock markets to save you time. Here you will find the headlines and what the news buzz for the day will be.

Friday, the Dow Jones industrial average fell 149.76 points, or 0.9%, to 15,698.85. The NASDAQ composite lost 19.25 points, or 0.5%, to 4,103.88. The Standard & Poor’s 500 index shed 11.60 points, or 0.6%, to 1,782.59. Benchmark crude oil for March delivery fell 74 cents to close at $97.49 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

US STOCKS END TOUGH JANUARY WITH ANOTHER DECLINE
NEW YORK (AP) — Stock investors were hit from all sides in January. Concerns about the global economy and U.S. company earnings, as well as turmoil in emerging markets, led the Dow Jones industrial average to its worst start since 2009. However, many investors remain hopeful that the problems will not spill over into the rest of 2014. They even see the downturn as healthy, given the U.S. market’s rapid rise last year. The Dow slid 5.3% in January while the Standard & Poor’s 500 index fell 3.6% and the NASDAQ composite declined 1.7%.

GOVERNMENT MAY BLOCK TAKE OVER OF JOS A. BANKS’
Jos. A. Bank raised doubts Sunday about whether the federal government will approve the takeover bid by rival clothier Men’s Wearhouse. Jos. A. Bank Clothiers said that Men’s Wearhouse had yet to explain why the Federal Trade Commission would approve the proposed combination because of antitrust concerns. “It is a very serious step for the FTC to issue a second request,” the letter said. “Our two companies’ stockholders should understand that second requests are issued in less than 2% of all transactions filed with the government and a high percentage of those transactions are never completed.” The two retailers have been dueling since October when Jos. A. Bank, based in Hampstead, Md., offered $2.3 billion for Men’s Wearhouse.

WALMART, AMAZON SHOW CHANGING SHOPPING HABITS
NEW YORK (AP) — The financial strains and shifting shopping habits of Americans have led to uneven fortunes for retailers. Traditional consumer companies like Walmart and Mattel have continued to struggle as Americans spend more cautiously in the uncertain economy. Meanwhile, Amazon.com has flourished as shoppers increasingly buy online rather than head to stores. The trend was evident during the pivotal holiday shopping season, a time roughly from November through December when many retailers can make up to 40 per cent of their annual revenue. Overall, government figures show that spending during October through December rose at the fastest clip in three years. But exactly where — and how — Americans spent their money during the final months of the year shifted. Fewer people were in and out of stores during the holiday season, but more were shopping online.

STATE DEPARTMENT DELIVERS TO OBAMA REASONS TO SAY “YES” TO KEYSTONE PIPELINE
WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama is running out of reasons to say no to Keystone XL, the proposed oil pipeline that’s long been looming over his environmental legacy. Five years after the pipeline’s backers first asked the Obama administration for approval, the project remains in limbo, stuck in a complex regulatory process that has enabled Obama to put off what will inevitably be a politically explosive decision. But the release Friday of a long-awaited government report removes a major excuse for delay, ramping up pressure on the president to make a call. The State Department’s report raised no significant environmental objections to the pipeline, marking a victory for proponents, who argue the project will create jobs and strengthen America’s energy security. Environmentalists disagree and insist approval would fly in the face of Obama’s vaunted promise to fight climate change, even as the report gives him political cover to approve it. They argue the report, which provides a detailed assessment of tar sands emissions, offers Obama more than enough justification to oppose the pipeline. Obama is not tipping his hand. But the White House pushed back on the notion that the pipeline is now headed for speedy approval. Only after various U.S. agencies and the public have a chance to weigh the report and other data will a decision be made, said White House spokesman Matt Lehrich.

CLINTON BACKS OBAMA ON IRAN SANCTIONS
WASHINGTON – Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is warning Congress that new unilateral sanctions against Iran could upend sensitive international negotiations over its nuclear development, imploring lawmakers to work with the Obama administration in presenting a unified front to Tehran. Echoing President Barack Obama’s deep concerns about another round of tough economic penalties, Clinton said any congressional action could undercut U.S. work with its allies as well as American influence with Russia and China in forcing Tehran to negotiate after years of inconclusive talks. “Now that serious negotiations are finally under way, we should do everything we can to test whether they can advance a permanent solution,” Clinton said. “As President Obama has said, we must give diplomacy a chance to succeed, while keeping all options on the table.” Clinton offered her assessment in a three-page letter to Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., the chairman of the Armed Services Committee. Levin’s office released the letter, dated Jan. 26, on Sunday. Levin and several other committee chairmen have expressed a willingness to hold off on sanctions to give diplomatic efforts a chance. However, 59 Republicans and Democrats back legislation to impose a new round of penalties on Iran, maintaining that crippling economic sanctions forced Tehran to make concessions.

BRANDS VIE TO STAND OUT AMID SUPER BOWL CHATTER
NEW YORK (AP) — If it’s on TV, it’s on Twitter, at least when it comes to blockbuster events such as the Super Bowl. Advertisers, in particular, are ready to capitalize.“What advertisers have realized is that Super Bowl advertising doesn’t just take place on TV, with your 30-second or 60-second spot that you paid millions of dollars for,” said Debra Aho Williamson, an analyst for research firm eMarketer. “You really need to have a broader presence.” Last year’s Super Bowl was interrupted by a 34-minute power outage — luckily, for one advertiser at least. Oreo seized on the opportunity and tweeted “you can still dunk in the dark.” It was retweeted and mentioned on Facebook thousands of times. Every brand wants to be this year’s Oreo. Brands are setting up social media “war rooms” so they can respond to memorable events as they happen — be it another blackout, a snow storm or a wardrobe malfunction — with clever, retweetable quips.

US CONSUMER SPENDING UP 0.4% IN DECEMBER
WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans increased their spending at a solid pace for the second straight month in December even though their income was flat. Consumer spending rose 0.4% in December, compared with November when spending had increased an even stronger 0.6%, the Commerce Department reported Friday. That was the best gain in five months. Income, however, showed no gain at all in December after a 0.2 per cent rise in November. Wages and salaries were basically flat last month, reflecting a sharp slowing in employment growth. For all of 2013, income growth was 2.8%, the weakest performance since 2009 when income fell 2.8% as the country struggled with a deep recession.

ARIZONA LAWMAKERS APPROVE $6.8 MILLION FOR CHILD PROTECTION
TUCSON – State lawmakers this past Thursday gave final approval to $6.8 million in additional funds for the state’s new child welfare agency. The measure requires a signature from Gov. Jan Brewer, who has advocated for the increased spending to fund the hiring of additional caseworkers. The legislation adds funding to the budget of the Division of Child Safety and Family Services, the new agency created earlier this month by the governor’s executive order. The agency will absorb much of what was in the troubled Child Protective Services division of the Department of Economic Security.

TUCSON POLICE OFFICERS GET NEW TRAUMA KITS
TUCSON – About 600 officers and sergeants in the Tucson Police Department (TPD) have been trained to use the new emergency kits, which aim to bridge the gap before medical help arrives from the Tucson Fire Department. The kits cost the department $39,000 and the department qualified for a military surplus program to help equip the kits with additional medical supplies for free, said Lt. Eric Kazmierczak of Operations Division South. The kits contain items such as special wound packing gauzes, a tourniquet, pressure dressings to treat severe wounds, a large bandage to cover abdominal wounds, and an airtight sticker that seals holes in the chest cavity.

TRAFFIC ALERT: UTILITY WORK ON AVIATION HIGHWAY THIS WEEKEND
TUCSON – The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) will have intermittent closures on Barraza-Aviation Parkway (State Route 210), just west of Kino Parkway (milepost 2.08), from 6 a.m. to noon Sunday. Traffic will be stopped in 15 minute intervals during the work.

GOV. BREWER GETTING READY FOR NEXT YEAR’S SUPER BOWL
PHOENIX- Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer is in New York City for Super Bowl weekend and a ceremonial hand-off for next year’s big game in Glendale. Brewer’s spokesman Andrew Wilder says the governor is promoting Arizona (and its warm temperatures) on the trip and will meet tomorrow with New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.

Real Estate Daily News Buzz is designed to give news snippets to readers that our (yet to be award winning) editors thought you could use to start your day. They come from various business perspectives, real estate, government, the Fed, local news, and the stock markets to save you time. Here you will find the headlines and what the news buzz for the day will be.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose eight points, or 0.1%, to close at 16,073 Monday. The Standard & Poor’s 500 index eased two points, or 0.1%, to 1,802. The NASDAQ rose 2.92 points to 3,995. Benchmark U.S. crude for January delivery fell 75 cents to close at $94.09 in New York. Wholesale gasoline fell 3.75 cents to $2.67 gallon.

FOXCONN PLANS TO INVEST $40 MILLION IN US MANUFACTURING
TAIPEI — Taiwan tech giant Hon Hai Group known by its trade name Foxconn, said Friday it was planning to invest $40 million in manufacturing and research facilities in the United States. Hon Hai made the announcement as chairman Terry Gou visited the U.S. as part of a delegation of Taiwan business leaders to promote trade and technology cooperation, a company statement said. Hon Hai said it planned to invest $30 million in two years and hire 500 new workers in its subsidiary in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania to build a “high-value manufacturing base” for high-end electronics and other products. It also aimed to invest $10 million in two years in a joint project with the Pittsburgh-based Carnegie Mellon University, a leader in robotics, for automation research and development.

SENATE REPORT URGES RETAILERS ON BANGLADESH UNIONS
WASHINGTON — A U.S. Senate report on Friday urged Walmart, Gap and other retailers to respect labor unions in Bangladesh, saying workers desperately needed greater rights after hundreds died in fires. The staff report from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee‘s Democratic Party majority came as Bangladesh’s government and foreign retailers agreed to start safety inspections on the 3,500 factories in the world’s largest garment maker after China. Senator Robert Menendez, the chairman of the committee, vowed to help give workers “the tools they need to protect themselves “after a factory fire in April killed 1,135 people and a similar disaster in November 2012 left 111 workers dead. “No consumer will want to wear clothing if it’s stained by the blood of innocent workers,” Menendez said. Following the tragedies, more than 100 companies, mostly from Europe, entered an accord on fire safety that includes union representation.

MALL LANDLORDS COME TO AID OF SUPERTYPHOON VICTIMS
Shopping center owners and retailers from around the world are participating in relief efforts as the Philippines recovers from Typhoon Haiyan, by sending cash, volunteers, doctors and other aid. Walmart has no stores in the Philippines, but the company committed $1 million to the Red Cross and Save the Children at the request of its Asia arm. Yum Brands is donating $1.5 million to the cause from its World Hunger Relief fund, according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. SM Prime Holdings, the Philippines’ largest developer, has established a P100 million (about $2.3 million) fund that provides aid and helps with reconstruction. SM is also accepting donations at its malls. The company donated P10 million to the Department of Social Welfare and Development and has opened its Manila headquarters up for donations. Robinsons Retail Holdings, a Philippines supermarket and department store owner and operator, organized in-store donation drives and is matching cash donations. The company is collecting emergency supplies and has assembled hundreds of relief boxes. In the U.S., meanwhile, General Growth Properties, Macerich and Simon Property Group are among the landlords aiding relief efforts with Red Cross stations at their malls.

TIGHTER MORTGAGE LENDING PRODUCES BEST LOANS IN 10 YEARS
Stricter mortgage underwriting standards have resulted in a 2013 vintage of mortgages that is the best performing book of loans in the last 10 years, according to CoreLogic’s November The MarketPulse. Mortgage performance has improved as credit has tightened in the last few years, with serious delinquency rates dropping in July 2013 to 5.4% compared to a peak of 8.5% in January 2010. “Through the first six months of 2013, the serious delinquency rate of loans originated in 2013 is a tiny six basis points, down from 10 basis points for loans originated in 2012 and down from 108 basis points for loans originated in 2007, the worst performing year in the 2000s,” CoreLogic finds. “Not only is 2013 a clear improvement from the worst years, it is also shaping up to be the best performing year in a decade.”

PORT OF GUAYMAS SET TO DOUBLE CAPACITY, SEEKS ARIZONA TIES
TUCSON – A multimillion-dollar investment to more than double the capacity of Guaymas’ deep-water seaport is underway and, within two years, an additional nine docks will be built to support ocean vessels hauling everything from coal and grain to durable goods and automobiles. Located in the southwest part of the state of Sonora in northwestern Mexico. The city is located 117 km south of the state capital of Hermisillo, and 242 miles from the U.S. border, and is the principal port for the state. The expansion would make the Port of Guaymas the second largest seaport in Mexico by volume, with capacity for more than 30 million tons of cargo. Officials from Guaymas visited Tucson Friday to present plans to local business and political leaders and to encourage continued cooperation between the two regions. The City of Tucson and the Pima Association of Governments hosted the event.

OLD TUCSON WELCOMES BACK WESTERN FRANCHISE
Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) Once Upon a Dream Productions along with New Deal Studios and Old Tucson are pleased to announce that principal photography for the sequel to “Hot Bath an’ a Stiff Drink” (shot earlier this year in Tucson) began on November 7, 2013 at Old Tucson, Mescal, and surrounding areas. The feature-length Western is being produced and stars Jeffery Patterson by his production company Once Upon A Dream Productions. Mr. Patterson is quickly establishing himself as a producer of classic family films. Before the “Hot Bath an’ a Stiff Drink” franchise, he produced “Finding Harmony” starring Billy Zane and Alison Eastwood. Matthew Gratzner is back to Direct the film. He also serves as a writer and producer along with Producer Shannon Blake Gans. Gratzner is co-founder and creative supervisor of New Deal Studios and has worked on such films as THE DARK KNIGHT, IRON MAN, THE DEPARTED, HUGO, COWBOYS AND ALIENS, SHUTTER ISLAND AND THE AVIATOR, to name a few.

MORE SIGNS INVESTORS LOOKING BEYOND GATEWAY CITIES
WASHINGTON, DC – The way trends are moving, 2014 could well be the year that secondary and tertiary markets come into their own with commercial real estate investors. That, of course, doesn’t mean that primary cities such as Washington DC will see an exodus of investors. But clearly the competitive landscape is changing and high property valuations in these markets can expect to undergo more scrutiny by investors aware they have a growing number of options. Lawrence Yun, chief economist of the National Association of Realtors, was the most recent industry watcher to note the trend to smaller markets by investors, in the NAR’s quarterly forecast. “Investors have been looking for better yields, and have found good potential in smaller commercial properties, notably in secondary and tertiary markets,” he said. “Sales of commercial properties costing less than $2.5 million in the third quarter were 11% above a year ago, while prices for smaller properties were 4% above the third quarter of 2012.” One factor in DC’s favor is that it has among the lowest office vacancy rates in the nation at 9.9%. Only New York City’s is lower, in fact, at 9.8%. The bad news, possibly? Some of those aforementioned secondary and tertiary markets are also posting low vacancy rates: Little Rock is 12% and Nashville is 12.9%. A report co-published by PwCUS and the Urban Land Institute earlier this month also came to similar conclusions about the growing allure of secondary markets.

WET ‘N’ WILD SELLS FOR $33 MILLION
GLENDALE, AZ – CNL Lifestyle Properties Inc. has signed an agreement with Village Roadshow to acquire the Wet ‘n’ Wild waterpark. In addition to buying the real property for $33 million, CNL Lifestyle also acquires the North American rights to the Wet ‘n’ Wild brand name. The theme park at 4243 W. Pinnacle Peak Rd. in Glendale is situated on 35 acres and features 30 water slides and attractions. Thanks to the region’s warm, dry and consistent weather, the park (which opened in 2009) has an extended operating season. Once the transaction closes in late November, Premier Parks LLC will lease Wet ‘n’ Wild Phoenix and Wet ‘n’ Wild Hawaii, which is also owned by CNL Lifestyle Properties and currently operated by Village Roadshow.

JUDGE BLOCKS SALE OF CALIF. HIGH-SPEED RAIL BONDS
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – A Sacramento judge on Monday tore up California’s funding plans for its bullet train project in separate orders that could force the state to spend months or years redrawing its plans for the $68 billion rail line. Judge Michael Kenny rejected a request from the California High-Speed Rail Authority to sell $8 billion of the $10 billion in bonds approved by voters in 2008, saying there was no evidence it was “necessary and desirable” to start selling the bonds when a committee of state officials met last March. He said the committee was supposed to act as “the ultimate ‘keeper of the checkbook’” for taxpayers, but instead relied on a request from the high-speed rail authority to start selling bonds as sufficient evidence to proceed. In a separate lawsuit, Kenny ordered the rail authority to redo its $68 billion funding plan before continuing construction, a process that could take months or years. He had previously ruled that the authority abused its discretion by approving a funding plan that did not comply with the requirements of the law. The judge said the state failed to identify “sources of funds that were more than merely theoretically possible.”

WALMART CEO STEPS DOWN; McMILLON IS SUCCESSOR
BENTONVILLE, Ark. (AP) — Walmart Stores Inc. is ushering in a changing of the guard as the world’s largest retailer confronts slower growth and challenges to its reputation. Doug McMillon, head of Walmart’s international division, will succeed CEO and President Mike Duke when he steps down on Feb 1 after five years in those roles. McMillon will become the fifth CEO since Walmart’s founder Sam Walton. The change is indicative of a recent shift in strategy at the company best known for its cutthroat pricing and big box stores. McMillon, 47, is expected to infuse a youthful spirit into Wal-Mart’s culture as it tries to attract a generation of shoppers who gravitate toward tablets and mobile devices.

IRAN NUKE DEAL COULD PUSH OIL PRICES LOWER
NEW YORK (AP) — Oil prices could be headed lower after the preliminary nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers, even though it does not allow Iran to export more oil. In the short term, the deal may make it easier for Iran to sell the oil it is already allowed to sell under the sanctions, which would increase supplies on the world market. And the new found co-operation between Iran and the West eases tensions that pushed oil prices higher in recent years. But the deal, described by both sides as only a first step, raises the possibility that a more comprehensive agreement would eventually allow Iran to restore oil production to pre-sanctions levels. That could add 1 million barrels per day of oil to world markets — enough to meet the entire global growth in demand for 2014 projected by the International Energy Agency.

TRAVELERS CAST WARY EYE AS STORM MOVES EASTWARD
DALLAS (AP) — A winter storm system blamed for at least 10 fatal accidents in the West and Texas threatens to dampen the Thanksgiving holiday for millions of Americans traveling this week. Nearly 300 American Airlines and American Eagle flights were cancelled in and out of Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport on Monday due to the weather, mirroring disruptions at the air hub a day earlier. Some of the country’s busiest airports — New York, Washington D.C., Philadelphia, Boston and Charlotte, N.C. — could see big delays. And icy roads led to hundreds of accidents and at least 10 deaths, half of them in Texas. On Monday, the storm brought a mix of snow, sleet and freezing rain to parts of Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, southern Kansas and Texas. But as the storm continues east, there are fears of heavy rain along the busy I-95 corridor and sleet, freezing rain and snow away from the coast and at higher elevations.

DUBAI WANTS WORLD EXPO 2020 STIRS WORRIES OF 2ND BUBBLE
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Dubai’s rulers say the city of 2.2 million people is a perfect fit to host the World’s Fair in 2020 and are pushing it at every opportunity. Logos for its bid to host the event are plastered on mountaintops, police cars and more. Countdowns to Wednesday’s decision of who will host the exhibition also appear on one of Dubai’s main highways. Dubai’s rulers say their futuristic city of skyscrapers is ideal to host the event. But their well-oiled public-relations campaign belies a worry among many in the United Arab Emirates city that increased building and real-estate speculation driven by the event could put it on the cusp of another financial crisis.

CONTRACTS TO BUY US HOMES FALL FOR 5th MONTH
WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of Americans who signed contracts to buy homes fell in October for the fifth straight month. Higher mortgage rates, price increases and the 16-day partial government shutdown held back sales. The National Association of Realtors said Monday that its seasonally adjusted pending home sales index dipped 0.6 per cent to 102.1. That’s the lowest level since December. September’s reading was revised slightly higher to 102.7.

FIAT SAYS NO CHRYSLER IPO IN 2013
FLORENCE, Italy (AP) — Chrysler won’t be offering its stock for sale on the public markets this year. Italian automaker Fiat SpA, Chrysler’s majority owner, said in a statement Monday that Chrysler’s board has determined an initial public offering is not practicable in 2013. Instead, Chrysler Group LLC will continue work on the offering so it can happen in the first quarter of next year. Fiat owns 58.5% of Chrysler’s shares, with the remaining 41.5% held by a United Auto Workers union trust fund that pays health care bills for blue-collar retirees. But Sergio Marchionne, CEO of both automakers, has been squabbling with the trust over the price, and so far they haven’t been able to reach agreement. The IPO would consist of shares currently held by the trust.