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DECEMBER 9,  2017

SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – AT 11:56 P.M.  ET:

GREAT MOMENTS IN COLLEGE DISCIPLINE – FROM COLLEGE FIX:  Tennessee State University warns against “whistling in a suggestive manner” on the grounds that it may constitute sexual harassment, a policy that has helped earn it a “red light” rating from one of the nation’s premier college watchdog groups.  The public university in Nashville currently holds a “red light” rating from the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education for several of its policies that effectively allow officials to punish various forms of free speech as harassment.  Why is it that so many "educators" are so dense? 

SHOULDN'T THIS BE A BIPARTISAN ISSUE? – FROM THE WASHINGTON TIMES:   With some black leaders boycotting the event, President Trump paid tribute Saturday to the heroes of the civil rights movement at the dedication of two museums in Mississippi.  Speaking to a small invitation-only group of dignitaries indoors at the new civil-rights museum in Jackson, Mr. Trump called the facility honoring leaders of the movement “a tribute to our nation at the highest level.”  “Today we pay solemn tribute to our heroes of the past and dedicate ourselves to building a future of freedom, equality, justice and peace,” Mr. Trump said.  The president, who was invited by Republican Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant, didn’t take part in a public ceremony outdoors. The long list of speakers at the larger event was missing Democratic Rep. John Lewis of Georgia, a civil-rights icon who skipped the ceremony in protest of the president’s visit, calling it a “mockery” of black leaders’ efforts.  No, John Lewis has become a mockery.  Why not engage the president and ask for his ideas about improving the lives of inner city people?  I guess that would be too practical.  I wonder if black citizens know how little their "representatives" in Washington actually do for them.  And that includes Barack Obama.

NOT SHOCKED, BUT DISAPPOINTED – FROM FOX:  Olympic gold medal skier Lindsey Vonn says she'll represent the United States, but not President Trump, when she returns to the Winter Games in February.  Vonn, who won a gold medal in the women’s downhill competition in 2010 in Vancouver, skipped the 2014 Sochi games because of knee injuries.  “I hope to represent the people of the United States, not the president,” Vonn said this week amid the buildup to the 2018 games in PyeongChang, South Korea.  I guess it's her equivalent of taking a knee, or a ski.  And no one cares.  The Olympics have always been politicized.  Oh, and someone should tell her she doesn't represent the people of the United States.  They didn't elect her.  She only represents herself and the U.S. Olympic team. 

December 9, 2017       Permalink

TRUMP STICKS IT TO 'EM – AT 12:44 P.M. ET:  Like him or loathe him, President Trump is probably the best gut fighter we've ever had in the White House.  He's had a good week because journalism has had such a bad one.  He lets them know it.  From The Hill: 

President Trump on Saturday accused CNN of making a "vicious and purposeful mistake" when the network was forced to correct an erroneous news report related to the Trump/Russia probe.

In an early morning tweet, Trump called on the news network to fire "those responsible," and commented that an ABC News reporter who was suspended for a separate erroneous report should be fired as well.

"Fake News CNN made a vicious and purposeful mistake yesterday. They were caught red handed, just like lonely Brian Ross at ABC News (who should be immediately fired for his 'mistake')," Trump wrote. "Watch to see if @CNN fires those responsible, or was it just gross incompetence?"
In a second tweet, the president suggested CNN change their slogan after the report to "the least trusted name in news."

"CNN’S slogan is CNN, THE MOST TRUSTED NAME IN NEWS. Everyone knows this is not true, that this could, in fact, be a fraud on the American Public. There are many outlets that are far more trusted than Fake News CNN. Their slogan should be CNN, THE LEAST TRUSTED NAME IN NEWS!" the president tweeted.

COMMENT:  It's very dangerous to attack the media.  There's an old saying:  "Never start up with someone who buys ink by the barrel."  The mainstreamers still control the airwaves, the cable systems, and the printing presses. 

Presidents have dealt with a hostile press in a number of ways.  Reagan, the master, simply spoke over the heads of reporters and directly to the American people.  Kennedy used humor.  Eisenhower intentionally spoke gibberish when he didn't want to answer a question.

Nixon was openly contemptuous, maybe with good reason, but the contempt was returned. 

Trump is the most confrontational of all.  He runs the risk of making enemies needlessly.  On the other hand, the treatment of him has been wildly out of line, and his attacks this week may have found their mark.  It does appear that some news organizations are getting more sensitive about accuracy.   The casualties at ABC and CNN will be noted throughout the industry.

Now that the president has attacked, though, maybe it's time for some graciousness.  Sugar usually works, at least among the sane.

December 9, 2017       Permalink

OH NO, ONE OF OURS – AT 11:58 A.M. ET:  A major conservative judge, a Reagan appointee, has been caught up in the latest round of sex charges.  From NPR: 

Six women have accused a federal appeals court judge of sexual misconduct, according to The Washington Post. Alex Kozinski serves on the Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit and was formerly that court's chief judge.

Heidi Bond, who clerked for Kozinski in 2006 and 2007, said he called her into his office and showed her pornography on his computer. He asked her if she thought the images were "photoshopped." He asked her if they turned her on.

Bond, who now authors romance novels under the name Courtney Milan, wrote on her website that such incidents happened at least three times. She wrote that he also showed her a chart he made in college showing all the women he had had sex with and telling her not to tell any of the other clerks about it. She wrote about the incidents: "When this happened, I felt like a prey animal—as if I had to make myself small. If I did, if I never admitted to having any emotions at all, I would get through it."

A woman named Emily Murphy, who clerked for a different judge on the 9th circuit, told The Washington Post of an incident when she was having a conversation about exercise with some other clerks. Kozinski interrupted to say that she should work out naked. According to Murphy and two others who were present, she tried to switch the subject without success.

COMMENT:  In truth, he has been in trouble before, once for maintaining a collection of pornographic images that had been sent to him.  An ethics investigation found that he had handled the collection too loosely, but his apology ended the matter.

Kozinski was once considered a hot Supreme Court prospect, but some odd behavior ended that dream.  These new charges are the chickens coming home to roost.  It's too bad.  He's a brilliant jurist.

December 9, 2017       Permalink

THE JOBS BOOM – AT 10:54 A.M. ET:  The jobs picture is improving under Trump.   That in itself is great.  But the way in which it's improving is equally great.  Investors Business Daily does a fine analysis:

But the most interesting part of the jobs report, which goes almost unnoticed by the media, is that it's not just a few groups seeing more jobs and opportunity — it's broad-based, with minorities, women, men and even those with low incomes, showing the best gains.

For instance, every education group — ranging from those with no high school diploma, to those with a bachelor's degree or higher — saw significant declines in unemployment in November 2017 from November 2016. And the biggest drops were for those with the least education, not the most.
Meanwhile, groups that have lagged in recent years also show major improvements. For instance, the jobless rate for African Americans dropped from 8% to 7.3%, while for Hispanics it fell from 5.7% to 4.7%. For Asians it stayed at an ultralow 3%.

Among adult men 20 years and over, unemployment has plunged from 4.3% last year to just 3.7% now. Likewise, adult female unemployment declined from 4.2% to 3.7%.

Only one group is doing notably worse: Teenagers. Those aged 16 to 19 have seen their jobless rate rise from 15.2% to 15.9% in the past year. It's no fluke: Hefty minimum wage hikes around the country have slashed youth employment.

Even manufacturing, long a laggard in our economy, has rebounded smartly. The economy added 189,000 jobs in the last year, the Bureau of Labor Statistics notes. At the same time, federal government employment is down by 3,000, CNSNews.com reports.

As for wages, average earnings rose five cents an hour, or 2.5%, from last year. But economists Brian Wesbury and Robert Stein of First Trust add that number to the change in total hours worked to get what they call "total earnings."  Those are up "a sturdy 4.8% from a year ago," they said, and "wages are rising faster in the lower income ranges than in the higher ones."

COMMENT:  Terrific.  The mainstream media won't emphasize the positive news.  They'll emphasize Trump's latest tweets.  But as Americans start to feel the progress in their wallets, added to by a tax cut, they'll understand that real advances are being made.

December 9,  2017     Permalink

DECEMBER 8,  2017

SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – AT 11:55 P.M. ET:

NFL TICKETS – LESS THAN THE MOVIES – FROM CBS SPORTS:   As of Thursday afternoon, there are actual NFL tickets that are selling on the secondary market for under five dollars. Of course, like all good deals, these tickets do come with a catch: You need to live near Buffalo, have a high tolerance for cold weather and be willing to sit through three hours of a Colts-Bills game.   If you can handle those three things, then these are the perfect tickets for you. The cheapest tickets for Sunday's game in Buffalo are currently being sold by VividSeats.com, where multiple four dollar tickets are currently on sale.  A beer at the game would literally cost more than twice the price of your ticket.  Do you think the NFL might be in trouble?

I WISH YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS – PLEASE DON'T GET ME ARRESTED – FROM CAMPUS REFORM:   As another Christmas quickly approaches, colleges across the country are issuing their annual guidelines on how to make the season as inclusive as possible.  At the University of California, Irvine, for instance, individual departments are encouraged to “focus on celebrating a special occasion, instead of a specific holiday,” suggesting that they have a “year-end celebration” or celebrate “seasonal themes such as fall, winter, or spring.”  "The holiday season should be considered an opportunity to demonstrate cultural sensitivity and inclusivity."  The California university also requests that academic departments “ensure that office celebrations are not indirectly celebrating religious holidays,” suggesting that they display “diverse symbols representing a variety of faith traditions along with secular ones.”  This is completely ridiculous.  What about sensitivity toward religious people?  Has anyone ever been psychologically destroyed by the presence of a Christmas tree?  Well, maybe people who work for MSNBC. 

COUNT ME OUT – FROM DAILY MAIL:   As robots become an ever increasing part of our daily lives, humans could soon find love with the machines, according to a new report.  The report suggests that over a quarter of 18-34 year-olds will feel it's normal to form friendships and even romantic relationships with robots in the future instead of humans.  And it seems that men are more likely to embrace the bots, with the report indicating that males are three times more likely to form a relationship with a robot than women.  What kind of men are we producing?  Is this all about saving money on dinner?

December 8, 2017       Permalink

AN OPEN SEAT IN MINNESOTA – AT 11:53 A.M. ET:   Al Franken's impending resignation from the Senate provides political opportunity for Republicans.  Can Minnesota be flipped?  From AP: 

His rapid fall leaves Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton to appoint a replacement to serve until at least 2018, when the state would hold an election to finish Franken's six-year term ending in 2020. Dayton said Thursday he expected to do so "in the next couple of days."

Franken's exit gives Republicans an opening to expand their reach in an already favorable Senate map — two dozen Democratic senators are up for re-election next year, including 10 in states that President Donald Trump carried in 2016. That difficult math raises the question of whether Dayton will appoint a temporary placeholder or try to give a Democrat a running start for the 2018 campaign.

His lieutenant governor, Tina Smith, has been most frequently mentioned for the temporary appointment. Smith is a trusted former chief of staff for Dayton and also ran former Vice President Walter Mondale's brief Senate campaign in 2002 after Sen. Paul Wellstone died in a plane crash. But Smith previously announced she wouldn't run for governor next year, suggesting she would be no more than a caretaker.

While Dayton weighed his choice, eyes were already turning to the 2018 race, especially among Republicans.

Former Gov. Tim Pawlenty — the last Republican to win a statewide election in Minnesota, in 2006 — was seen as a potential heavyweight contender in the GOP. Another possibility, former Sen. Norm Coleman, quickly ruled himself out.

COMMENT:  Minnesota is a close state.  Hillary Clinton barely carried it last year.  However, Al Franken won quite comfortably in his 2014 bid for re-election.

It will be a tough fight for the GOP to retake Franken's seat, but it can be done.

December 8, 2017       Permalink

THE DEMOCRATIC STRATEGY – AT 10:05 A.M. ET:  John Fund, one of the best political reporters in America, analyzes the Democratic eagerness to decapitate some of its own, like John Conyers and Al Franken, the better to destroy President Trump.  I'm glad these people weren't running World War II.  Or even a ping-pong match.  From Fox: 

Franken himself signaled what the Democratic playbook will be in 2018. He said it was ironic that he is leaving office when President Trump, who has been accused of sexual misconduct by several women, sits in the Oval Office. Franken also said his departure was ironic because Republican Roy Moore, who has been accused of sexual misconduct with teenage girls in Alabama nearly 40 years ago, may win a special election to the Senate from that state Tuesday.

“Democrats see the Russia probe petering out, the economy growing and ISIS in retreat,” former Reagan political director and Fox News contributor Ed Rollins told me this week. “They have to change the argument to Republicans are complicit in the abuse of women.”

Political observers say the speed with which Democrats forced Franken and Michigan Democratic Rep. John Conyers, the longest-serving member of Congress, to resign over sexual misconduct allegations is breathtaking.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., was sending birthday greetings and displaying pictures of herself with President Bill Clinton just last year. Then last month, she suddenly announced that Clinton should have resigned the presidency back in 1998 for his misbehavior with women.

“She abandoned the sinking Clinton ship with such alacrity, the rats were left gaping in astonishment,” a GOP senator drolly observed this week of his New York colleague.

Some savvy Democrats agree that the party’s shift from backing the right of Franken and Conyers to due process to calling for their heads may look too opportunistic to have long-lasting political benefits.

Democratic strategist Christy Setzer told The Hill newspaper: “There’s no good way to message ‘Our side’s sexual harassment isn’t as bad as your side’s.”

COMMENT:  Dems hope to challenge Trump's right to stay in office, based on charges that women have made against him, and the fact that other officeholders have stepped down.  I don't think it will work.  It's too obvious, and, unless the Dems are prepared truly to make Bill Clinton walk the plank, too hypocritical.  Trump will rise or fall based on his presidential record.

December 8, 2017       Permalink

GOOD JOBS REPORT – AT 9:46 A.M. ET:   Things are looking up.  From CNBC:  

The U.S. economy created 228,000 jobs in November while the unemployment rate held steady at 4.1 percent, according to a Labor Department report Friday. 

Economists surveyed by Reuters had expected nonfarm payrolls to grow by 200,000. 

A more encompassing measure of joblessness that includes discouraged workers and those holding part-time positions for economic reasons moved up one-tenth to 8 percent. The ranks of those not in the labor force edged higher by 35,000 to 95.4 million.

Wall Street also was watching wage data closely. Average hourly earnings were estimated to rise 0.3 percent for the month or 2.7 percent for the year, and the final results disappointed in that regard.

Earnings rose 0.2 percent for the month and 2.5 percent for the year.

"The November employment data is largely as expected. For an expansion that began in mid-2009, no negative surprises are welcome," said Mark Hamrick, senior economic analyst at Bankrate.com. "The lingering impacts of recent hurricanes and flooding have reverted back to relative calm in the statistics, meaning that this is a 'cleaner' number."

COMMENT:  We've got to get wages higher so the American worker can participate fully in the growing economy.  But, overall, we're doing well, and manufacturing jobs – real jobs – are increasing.

But waiting in the wings, ready to run again for president in 2020, is Bernie Sanders, socialist.  Maybe he'll forget there's an election.

December 8,  2017     Permalink