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JUNE 26,  2018

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

UTAH – FROM THE SALT LAKE CITY TRIBUNE – Mitt Romany hardly broke a sweat on his way to capturing the Republican nomination in Utah’s U.S. Senate race, according to unofficial results Tuesday, earning 73 percent of the vote.  Romney’s opponent, state Rep. Mike Kennedy, R-Alpine, drew only about one of four votes counted by Tuesday night. Late-arriving by-mail ballots will continue to be tallied in coming days.  “Well, it looks like our team won the primary,” Romney said to a cheering crowd.  In a highly Republican state it's likely that Romney will be elected to the Senate in November, providing an interesting situation where a former presidential candidate will be in a position to challenge the incumbent president of his own party.

NOT QUITE ASTOUNDING – FROM CNN:  The out-of-nowhere upset of Democratic Rep. Joe Crowley in Tuesday's New York primary has stunned the Democratic establishment and shook up the party's likely line of succession to become the next House speaker.  Crowley was ousted from his Queens district by Democratic socialist Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a 28-year-old Latina running her first political campaign. She is now likely to be the youngest woman ever elected to the House.  It was the most shocking result of 2018's political season so far, and -- though Democrats have avoided intra-party feuds so far this year -- could signal a restive base as the 2020 presidential primary approaches.  "I'm floored," a senior Democratic House aide told CNN.  No need to be floored. Crowley was an old-time Dem stalwart who thought he had a lifetime job.  Ocasio-Cortez is a serious nutcase, a Marxist, an Israel hater, but running in a majority-minority district in an off-year primary.  This kind of upset actually is rather common.  She'll be the woman of the moment, and the CNN types will slobber all over her.  But now that the spotlight will be upon her, people will learn what she really believes, and how extreme it is. 

APPROPRIATE – FROM CNN:  White House press secretary Sarah Sanders is expected to receive Secret Service protection as soon as Wednesday, two sources familiar with the decision tell CNN, but they did not specify how long it will last.  The Secret Service declined to comment, telling CNN: "For operational security purposes the Secret Service does not comment on its protective operations."  The news comes days after Sanders was asked to leave a small Lexington, Virginia, restaurant because of her role with the Trump administration, a move that has since sparked a national conversation on civility and public service in the age of Trump. 

June 26, 2018       Permalink

SO NICE THAT THEY NOTICED – AT 10:08 A.M. ET:  Incredible.  Some Democrats are actually noticing that the obnoxious behavior of some of their people may cost them.  Amazing how the human mind works.  From Fox: 

Some Democrats are reportedly concerned that public appeals to “absolutely harass” Trump administration officials will come back to hurt them in the polls and benefit Republicans.

There have been several recent instances where Trump officials have been publicly shamed, including Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen at a Mexican restaurant and White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders, who was asked to leave by an owner of a restaurant in Virginia.

The Washington Post’s editorial board wrote a column titled, “Let the Trump team eat in peace.” The paper identified the heightened state of “passions” in the country, but saw no benefit in protesters interrupting dinners.

Democrats warned that these public encounters could win sympathy for the Trump administration, The Los Angeles Times reported.

Rep. Maxine Waters, in the meantime, is not backing down from her weekend comments calling for people to confront members of the Trump administration at gas stations and anywhere else they're seen in public.

“If you see anybody from that Cabinet in a restaurant, in a department store, at a gasoline station, you get out and you create a crowd and you push back on them and you tell them they’re not welcome anymore, anywhere,” Waters said Saturday, later telling MSNBC that protesters are “going to absolutely harass them.”

The comments were in response to Trump’s “zero-tolerance” immigration policy that led to families being separated at the U.S.- Mexico border.

Waters argued her comments have been misconstrued, claiming she wasn’t calling for protesters to actually “harm” Cabinet members. 

COMMENT:   What a pathetic bunch the Democrats have become.  Once the party of Roosevelt, Truman, and Kennedy, now the party of Maxine Waters.

June 26, 2018       Permalink 

A MAJOR WIN FOR THE GOOD GUYS – AT 9:50 A.M. ET: A major university, under pressure, is going the way of free speech for students.  From Dailywire.com: 

The University of Massachusetts Amherst announced Monday evening that they are reversing their “free speech zone” policy.

According to a statement released by Alliance Defending Freedom, the organization representing the students suing the university, the Board of Trustees changed its policies that heavily restricted students’ right to free speech. This policy forbids students from holding speeches and rallies anywhere other than the west side of the Student Union between noon and 1 p.m. every day. The zone where students were allowed to practice their first amendment rights makes up less than 1% of campus.

The lawsuit was brought in January, but Nicholas Consolini, the president of the Young Americans for Liberty chapter, dismissed the lawsuit after the Board of Trustees reversed the policy.

“This is a great win for the First Amendment,” Consolini told the Daily Wire. “Universities are meant to be the free marketplace of ideas.”

Consolini claimed he brought the lawsuit with his chapter because he didn’t think it was right for a public university to restrict the speech of students.

“Under the policy we challenged, if I wanted to host a speaker or a rally on campus (even a rally for free speech), I could be sanctioned if it wasn’t during the permissible times or in the small speech zone.” Consolini added. “That’s not a free marketplace; it’s First Amendment failure.”

Consolini acknowledged he is happy that his university reversed the policy but said, “they should have listened to the letters and the op-ed’s that were sent urging them to eliminate this policy instead of forcing us to file a lawsuit to finally open our campus to free speech.”

“The only permission slip students need to speak on campus is the First Amendment. UMass-Amherst made the right move by eliminating this unconstitutional limit on student speech,” said ADF Legal Counsel Caleb Dalton in the press release. “We commend YAL and these brave students for taking a stand and causing UMass to remove this speech zone that never should have existed in the first place.” 

COMMENT:  Slowly, but very surely, and often through well-targeted lawsuits, the good guys are reminding colleges and universities that they're located in the United States of America. 

June 26, 2018       Permalink

BONUS – AT 9:16 A.M. ET:  More evidence showing that the Trump economy is working.  At least until CNN tells us that it's not.  From Fox Business: 

Despite President Trump's tit-for-tat trade barbs, America’s CEOs are not wasting anytime in taking advantage of his tax reform plan. Over $300 billion was repatriated to the U.S. in the first quarter, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) -- the most on record.

“U.S. firms that used to build their factories overseas in order to avoid U.S. taxes, they stopped in their tracks because of the tax bill, they are bringing all the money home,” said Kevin Hassett, chair of the president's Council of Economic Advisers, during an interview on FOX Business’ Varney & Co. in June.

The BEA notes the main driver of the repatriation surge is that companies are no longer taxed on foreign earnings when returning the funds to the U.S. “We fixed that really, really stupid thing” said Hassett. By comparison just $38 billion was repatriated during the same period a year ago.

While the BEA keeps the names and sums of corporations repatriating confidential, the latest data appear to show CEOs are likely sticking to their pledge to bring more money earned overseas back to the U.S. promised shortly after the tax plan was signed by President Trump in late December 2017.

While it is not crystal clear how the lion’s share of funds returning to the U.S. will be used, pro-growth economists hope it will be used for hiring, boosting wages and other moves that will benefit the American worker and eventually trickle down to the broader economy. This is why many economists are boosting their GDP forecasts to between 3% and 4%.

COMMENT:  Nothing succeeds like a good economy.  My guess, and it's only informed speculation, is that the president will develop a plan to use the new economic boom to rebuild the inner cities.  The political impact of that could change the nation.

June 26,  2018     Permalink 

JUNE 25,  2018

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

OUTED – FROM FOX:   The Congressional intern who hollered “Mr. President, f--- you!” across the Capitol Rotunda last week during a presidential visit has been identified.  Sources tell Fox News the woman in question is 21-year-old Caitlin Marriott, who is interning in the office of Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H.
Fox News is told she has not been terminated and will continue to work there through August.  Congressional authorities were finally able to identifiy Marriott and speak with her to determine if she posed a threat to the president, sources said. She raced from where she heckled Trump, forcing U.S. Capitol Police to put out a “be on the lookout” over their radios.   After deciding Marriott didn’t pose a threat to President Trump, authorities decided there was no other action they could take. However, Fox News was told that Marriott will be confined to her duties in Hassan’s office on the third floor of the Hart Senate office building and earned a week-long suspension.  Well, at least there was some punishment.  I was concerned she'd receive a medal from the Democratic National Committee.

GIVE THE GUY THE LETTERS – FROM FOX:   The NFL reportedly denied a request from Kansas City Chiefs offensive lineman Laurent Duvernay-Tardif after he asked the league if he could put the letters “M.D.” on the back of his jersey.  Duvernay-Tardif finished up his medical degree at McGill University in May. He was drafted by the Chiefs in 2014 and managed to finish his classes during his offseasons to earn his degree.  He told the Kansas City Star in February that he had conversations with the league about putting “M.D.” on the back of his jersey since he would be the only active NFL player with a medical degree. The move would have been similar to players putting “Sr., Jr., or roman numerals” on their jerseys.  The NFL apparently didn’t think the move was a good idea, according to Quebec’s TVA Sports.  Duvernay-Tardif reportedly still hopes that the buzz around his graduation could convince the league to reverse the decision.  Come on, NFL, make a good decision for a change.  Let the guy put the degree on his uniform.  He's a good role model.  It'll make positive news for a league that needs it.  And if someone gets hurt, they'll know immediately which player can help.

BLUNDER – FROM COLLEGE FIX:  The University of North Carolina Black Congress is taking advantage of the student newspaper’s efforts at discovering racism by — you guessed it — issuing a set of demands.  A little over a week ago, intrepid Daily Tar Heel reporter Maddy Arrowood dug up several “offensive” tweets made by UNC Student Body President Savannah Putnam while she was in high school. Arrowood wanted to see if any “high profile” UNC students had said anything objectionable on social media given several notable instances that had occurred at UNC other campuses.  Among the distasteful tweets: “Like dang all a n***a wanna do is play monopoly with her main thots,” and “That is so ghetto.”
Putnam took issue with the report, noting “I don’t think journalism should involve pulling quotes from 12-year-olds who obviously have a lot to learn about the world. This obviously isn’t something that I stand by, as evidenced by a platform centered around inclusivity.”  If you want to know what McCarthyism actually looks like, this a great example – going back in time and pulling a quote from someone, or noting attendance at a meeting years ago, completely ignoring what that person is today.  Is it really that important to harass a student leader who said dumb things as a 12-year-old?  How about trying to save black children's lives in American cities, or improving the status of fathers?  Maybe there's not enough in that for the corrupt black leaders.

June 25, 2018       Permalink

TEXAS CLOSE – AT 2:51 P.M. ET:   It's critical that Senator Ted Cruz win his race for re-election in Texas this November.  He is ahead in the polls right now in what should be an easy election, but the margin is too close for real comfort.  From The Hill:

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) leads his Democratic opponent, Rep. Beto O’Rourke (D-Texas), by 5 points in a new poll.

Forty-one percent of registered voters would cast a ballot for Cruz if the election were held today, while 36 percent would support O’Rourke, according to a survey by the University of Texas/Texas Tribune.

O’Rourke, who has represented Texas’ 16th Congressional district since 2013, won the Democratic primary in March. But he faces a tough race against Cruz, who gained national attention during his failed 2016 big for the Republican presidential nomination.

While Cruz is leading O’Rourke in the poll, the Republican senator has a higher unfavorable rating.
Forty-two percent of voters in the survey said they had an unfavorable opinion of Cruz, while 41 percent said they had a favorable view of him. Ten percent of respondents said they were neutral, and 7 percent said they did not know.

For O’Rourke, 37 percent of respondents view him favorably, compared with 24 percent who said they have an unfavorable view of the Democratic lawmaker. Sixteen percent said they were neutral, and 24 percent said they did not know.

The two candidates will face off in the November general election.

COMMENT:  Dangerous situation.  O'Rourke is a true fraud.  His name isn't even Beto.  It's Robert Francis.  He fancies himself another Robert Kennedy, and even combs his hair the same way.  He chose the name Beto, it is reported, because his politician father thought he had to have a name that appealed to Hispanics.  Who, really, is this guy?

He's a left-wing Democrat.  That's who.  And he must be defeated.

June 25, 2018       Permalink

NOW THIS IS SOMETHING – AT 12:39 P.M. ET:   A new Rasmussen poll reveals a stunningly negative view of the Democratic Party, as viewed by the American people.  From Rasmussen: 

A Democratic gubernatorial candidate from Wisconsin raised eyebrows last week when he said his party is now made up of warring identity groups that won't assimilate. A sizable number of Democrats - and just over half of all voters - agree.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 51% of Likely U.S. Voters agree with Matt Flynn, a former Wisconsin Democratic state party chairman, that "our party right now ... is pickled in identity politics and victimology. ... There is no assimilation of the party anymore." Just 23% disagree, while slightly more (26%) are not sure.

Even 44% of Democrats agree that their party “is pickled in identity politics and victimology.” Thirty-two percent (32%) don’t agree, but one-in-four Democrats (24%) are undecided. Most Republicans (56%) and unaffiliated voters (53%) say Flynn is right.

Among all voters, 78% believe most politicians these days are more interested in campaigning on what divides us rather than what brings us together. Only 11% feel the opposite is true. Twelve percent (12%) are not sure.

COMMENT:  The mainstream media likes to focus on problems within the Republican Party, and they are real, but the Democratic Party is a major mess.  In a way, it isn't really a political party any longer.  It's just a business, with different shareholders dividing up the profits.

The behavior of clowns like Maxine Waters will not help the party's image.  And it has that image despite the efforts of the aforementioned media to sanitize it.  The inmates have truly taken over the asylum. 

June 25, 2018       Permalink

ANNIVERSARY – AT 11:04 A.M. ET:  Today marks the 68th anniversary of the Korean War.  On June 25th, 1950, North Korean troops, backed completely by the Soviet Union, invaded South Korea. 

President Truman, using his authority as commander-in-chief, immediately committed American air and naval forces in an effort to turn back the invasion, even though South Korea had never been a formal part of the American defense line in the Pacific.  The United States was also able to get a resolution through the UN Security Council authorizing armed resistance to the attack.  The Soviet Union was boycotting the Council for an unrelated reason, and, in a major diplomatic blunder, did not show up to veto the resolution.

And thus an international force, including thousands of American ground troops, was formed under the command of General of the Army Douglas MacArthur.

The war went on for slightly more than three years.  It had, for our side, advances and reversals.  The Chinese entered on the enemy side.   The fighting was bitter.  The United States alone lost almost 37,000 troops, both in battle and from other causes.  We are often told that the war ended in a stalemate, but that simply is not accurate.  The North Korean/Soviet invasion was successfully repelled, at great cost, which is why there is a South Korea today.  We achieved our objective. 

There was never a formal ending to the Korean War.  There was simply a truce agreement signed in July of 1953.  Technically, we are still in a state of war with North Korea, through our participation in, and leadership of, the UN forces.

We are now, under President Trump, addressing the Korean peninsula issue more seriously than we ever have.  One objective of the president's new, tentative relationship with North Korea, is to bring a formal end to the war.  It is reported that the first gesture toward that will soon occur when, if the promise is kept, North Korea returns the remains of American war dead that they've been holding since 1953.  I would expect a formal, solemn ceremony to be held welcoming home these soldiers, whose accomplishments in battle remain effective to this day. 

Then, we will start the process, under Secretary of State Pompeo, of demanding the complete denuclearization of North Korea.  A timeline will be set, and North Korea, to receive relief from sanctions, will have to meet every stage of that timeline.  That is President Trump's policy, and we expect it to be carried out.

June 25,  2018     Permalink