A Bundle of News

A little over one week ago, the city council of Los Alamitos, in Orange County, California, voted to opt out of California's sanctuary state law. This week, the Orange County supervisors voted to fight the California sanctuary law. Meanwhile, the Orange County sheriff indicated that the Sheriff Department will post online the names of the prisoners about to be released. This will allow ICE to be able to pick up those criminals here illegally who should be deported, without violating the state law by directly communicating with the Feds.

In the 3/28/18 LA Times, a front page headline tells us that "O.C.'s conservative side is alive and well." My first question is: why do liberals want to protect criminal aliens here illegally? The article tells us that the vote by the County supervisors "added a powerful voice to a growing backlash against California's pro-immigrant policies." My next question: why does the LA Times lie? I do not know conservatives who oppose legal immigration of non-criminals. But for the mainstream media, immigrant = illegal immigrant = criminal illegal alien, including those guilty of violent crimes. Yes, let's protect those people.

Meanwhile, retired Associate Justice of the US Supreme Court, John Paul Stevens, wrote an Op-Ed for the New York Times this week, opining that the original purpose of the Second Amendment is no longer defensible. Said the Justice: "Concern that a national standing army might pose a threat to the security of the separate states" was the original rationale. "Today that concern is a relic of the 18th century." We already have 4 Justices who would not interpret the Second Amendment to allow an individual to own a firearm. Hence, another example of the significance of Justice Neil Gorsuch.

In what comes as no surprise for those who follow the goings on of the United Nations, the UN Human Rights Council (ironically named) passed 5 resolutions last week against Israel. But, under President Trump and US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley, the US voted against all 5 resolutions. Quite a change from the team of Obama, Kerry and Power. Australia was the only other country voting against all the resolutions.

In a recent telephone call to Vladimir Putin, President Trump congratulated Putin on his recent reelection. It is something that world leaders tend to do. Obama did the same thing with Putin. But the MSM (mainstream media) says things are different today, with the Russian collusion story and all. Therefore, they had yet another reason to criticize Trump. Personally, I would have preferred that Trump did not congratulate Putin on his farcical reelection. But, it hardly warranted the attention it received.

President Trump recently announced that he was replacing General McMaster as National Security Adviser with former US Ambassador to the UN, John Bolton. The Left and the MSM are nearly apoplectic over the announcement. They cast Bolton as a warmonger. I have seen Bolton numerous times on TV. I have repeatedly heard Bolton discuss diplomacy and sanctions. Bolton: "If you want to punish a country for behavior you don't accept, you need punishing sanctions that are broad, not targeted,and they need to be enforced."

Bolton did oppose Bill Clinton's "Agreed Framework" with North Korea, which did prove to be a failure - given the North's continuing nuclear weapons program. Bolton also opposed Obama's nuke deal with Iran, fearing that the end result will be the same as with North Korea.

And, in what is today an affront to the Left and many Democrats, Bolton is a tremendous supporter of Israel. He does not believe in the two state solution; although he has discussed the possibility of a three state solution, with Egypt again taking control of Gaza and Jordan resuming control over the West Bank. I do not necessarily concur, but Bolton understands that there is no deal to made with the Arabs of Palestine. Bolton: "From the very creation of Israel as a state, it has been mistreated at the UN, the most flagrant example of the UN's capacity to distort reality." (Quote from Bolton's book, "Surrender Is Not An Option.") Bolton was also instrumental in getting a reversal of the UN's 1975 resolution declaring Zionism to be racism.

A final note. I care not at all about what relations Trump may have had with Stormy Daniels, just as I did not care about Bill Clinton's interactions with Monica Lewinsky. I am bewildered by those who equate a politician's sexual dalliances with the capability to govern. When we vote for President, it is not the same as naming a Pope or Chief Rabbi or the like. Would I prefer that every President be of fine moral character? Sure. But it is more important that they be a strong leader for the USA.