My readers expect me to be honest, so allow me to do so. Trump's verbal style is not my style. I was never fond of the name calling during the campaign - from Little Marco to Lyin' Ted to Low Energy Jeb and even Crooked Hillary. It is just not my approach. I watched his recent press conference. I did not care for his interrupting of reporters before they could get their entire question out. And, as much as I did not like Obama making so much about himself (for example, when it sounded like he personally killed bin Laden), Trump is even worse. He is thin-skinned, and, yes, at times adolescent in his comments. And, at times he says things that are simply not so.
Having said all that, let me be very clear - I still support Trump. Why? Because I remain opposed to the left-wing agenda. Remember how the Democrats and the media complained that the Republicans would not work with Obama? What we are seeing is far worse with regards to the reaction to Trump. The constant demonstrations, the mainstream media's constant negative editorials, the histrionic and hyperbolic commentaries by the left-wing talking heads. And I do not believe for even one second that the multiple demonstrations are all spontaneous. Many are clearly organized by well-funded left wing groups and individuals.
Dan Rather, who resigned CBS news after his own scandal/controversy, said: "Watergate is the biggest political scandal of my lifetime, until maybe now (referring to now former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn's contact with the Russian ambassador before Trump and Flynn were in office). It was the closest we came to a debilitating Constitutional crisis, until maybe now." Chuck Todd, of NBC and MSNBC, said we are in "day one of what is arguably the biggest Presidential scandal involving a foreign government since Iran-Contra." Here's what one Democratic Representative, Seth Moulton, had to say: "If members of the Administration are essentially conspiring with Russia, either with the campaign earlier, or now in the Administration itself, that's the definition of treason." Others have already called for Trump's impeachment. I have seen allegations that Trump is insane; as well as multiple predictions that his presidency will end shortly. Imagine all that happening within a month of Obama's presidency.
One CNN reporter, talking to Wolf Blitzer of the same station, complained that in the three press conferences given by Trump prior to the most recent one, that the reporters Trump called on have come from conservative media outlets. "I think, Wolf, there's no other way to describe it but the fix is in." How incredibly disingenuous. The fix was in for the entire eight years of the Obama Administration. The mainstream media had a love affair with Obama. Remember Chris Matthews having a "thrill going up his leg" upon hearing Obama speak? You would not know Obama had one single controversy or scandal from reading the mainstream media. This guy wants to talk about the fix being in? It was then CNN reporter Donna Brazile who fed Hillary Clinton debate questions and topics ahead of the actual debate. The lack of intellectual honesty from the mainstream media is so obvious to most, it easily explains the public's overwhelming distrust of them.
Trump says things that are not so - but so did Obama. Regular readers of this blog may recall lie after lie from the lips of Obama, lies that have been discussed and documented in this blog over the past eight years. Regular readers of this blog will recall how thin-skinned Obama was at times when he was under attack. But for the left, it would not matter if the President was Trump, Pence or Cruz. The attacks on any Republican carrying out the same policies as Trump would be the same. The reason is simple - we are in a mostly non-violent civil war in this country. One side supports traditional American values, supports the Constitution, and supports our allies, such as Israel. The other side does not - they do not support free speech, the right to gun ownership, the right to do business - in fact, they do not support the capitalist system at all. And they certainly do not support allies such as Israel.
While I may not like Trump's style at times, I generally do support his policies. I see the critics of his style as complaining more about form over substance. So, let's take a look at some of the substance in Trump's first month. In a 1/23/17 Presidential Memorandum, he ordered a hiring freeze on all federal civilian employees in the executive branch. He properly allowed department heads to make exemptions in the case of national security and public safety. And he ordered the OMB to develop a long term plan to shrink the size of the federal workforce. During the height of the recent recession under the Obama Administration, the Feds were hiring at a rapid rate, and often into high paying jobs of $100,000 or more. It made no sense, and I did discuss it in an earlier post.
In another Presidential Memorandum he ordered that the Departments of State, Defense, Treasury, Homeland Security and Energy, along with the DNI (Director of National Intelligence) and the CIA Director come up with a comprehensive plan to defeat ISIS. Not "degrade and defeat" a la Obama; just defeat. He has authorized the Secretaries of State, Interior and the Army to proceed with the Keystone Pipeline. In yet another Memorandum, he expressed his desire "to pursue peace through strength," following in the footsteps of Presidents Washington and Reagan. The Memorandum states: "It shall be the policy of the United States to rebuild the U.S. Armed Forces." Trump has strongly supported our ally Israel, signaling that the constant pressure on Israel imposed by Obama will be ended. He will not try to impose upon Israel a two-state solution, which would establish a terrorist state on Israel's border, and shrink Israel down to a size that becomes militarily indefensible.
Trump's appointees are almost all solid people. See last weekend's post on Neil Gorsuch for the Supreme Court. For a further example, General Mattis as Secretary of Defense, clearly knows what's what. Here are some quotes from Mattis: "Iran is the biggest destabilizing force in the Middle East and its policies are contrary to our interests." After commenting that the past three presidents have tried to enter into some type of partnership with Russia, Mattis said this: "...we must finally recognize Putin wants to be our enemy." Of course, Obama and Hillary mostly got a pass over Hillary's "reset button" with Russia, and Obama telling Medvedev to let Putin know that he (Obama) would have more flexibility after his reelection. No allegations there of conspiring with Russia were made against Obama or Hillary, no claims of treason.
The desire by the left to harm individuals and businesses that have publicly supported Trump is a further sign of our current civil war. This follows on the threats received by entertainers who announced they would perform at the Trump inauguration. Those are things we did not see advocated during Obama's term of office. It is simply astounding that the left believes that only they have the right to govern. They believe that only they have the right to determine social and cultural mores. I, for one, have no intention of bowing to the onslaught of coercion, intimidation and harassment from the left.
Sunday, February 19, 2017
Sunday, February 12, 2017
Quick Hits
Some things are simply too difficult to believe. Various sites online have reported the results of a CBS poll taken 2/1 and 2/2/17. When asked if Islam encourages an equal amount of violence as other religions, 66% of Democrats agreed! Only 14% saw Islam as encouraging more violence than other religions. On the other hand, 63% of Republicans saw Islam as encouraging more violence than other religions, with only 2% saying Islam is less violent, and 25% seeing an equal level of violence with other religions. I cannot think of a better example in support of my generalization that "liberals let their beliefs dictate their reality, whereas conservatives let reality dictate their beliefs."
Speaking of hard to believe...Nancy Pelosi was at a townhall recently, when a woman told her about her son who had been tortured and murdered by an illegal alien. After saying that she prays for the woman, Pelosi said this: "But I do want to say to you that in our sanctuary cities our people are not disobeying the laws." I think I'll just leave it at that.
The latest Pew Research poll continues to reflect the ever-declining support for Israel in the Democratic Party. This is not surprising as the left has never supported Israel, and today's Democratic Party is a party of the left. The poll shows only 33% of Democrats are more sympathetic to Israel than they are to the Palestinians. The Republicans? 74% are more sympathetic to Israel. How my fellow Jews can continue to vote Democrat is a source of both bewilderment and dismay.
One letter writer to the LA Times, said that "...as a Jew I am embarrassed by the refusal of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to recognize the human rights of the Palestinians." I would love to ask this letter writer if he ever wrote a letter to the Times complaining about all the rockets launched from Gaza into Israel, or about the murder of innocent Jews at bus stops or in cafes, or if he ever complained about Palestinians naming schools and parks in honor of people who have killed many Jews. I am afraid, however, that his answer would leave me bewildered and dismayed - and quite angry.
I would also like to ask this Jew if he has the same concern about the Kurds. As Bret Stephens pointed out in his 1/10/17 column in the WSJ, "Kurdish national claims stretch for centuries, not decades," as with the Palestinians. Has the letter writer expressed his support for the Tibetans? Or for any of the other numerous groups who claim a right to their own state?
As Stephens so astutely points out: "In theory, Israel would be well-served living alongside a sovereign Palestinian state that lived in peace with its neighbors...But Israelis don't live in theory. They live in a world where mistakes are mortal. In 2000 and 2007 Israeli prime ministers made good-faith offers of Palestinian statehood. They were met on both occasions with rejection, then violence. In 2005 Israel vacated the Gaza Strip. It became an enclave of terror...The ideal of a Jewish and faultlessly democratic state is a noble one. Not at the risk of the existence of the state itself."
In a post-election editorial of 11/30/16, the WSJ presented some interesting data. Black and Hispanic caucuses are estimated to "make up an estimated 70 of the 194 Democrats seats next year," while "the centrist Blue Dog coalition has lost three-fourths of its members since 2010." So, the question is, are these minority caucus members taking the party in a further leftward direction? The Journal continued: "House Democrats are now largely a coastal party with nearly a third hailing from California, New York and Massachusetts. Since 2010 half of the Democrats from Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan have been wiped out." And while Hillary won the the popular vote by nearly 3 million votes, the Journal says that "House Republicans won three million more votes than Democrats this year."
Here are some more numbers. In a 1/29/17 op-ed in the LA Times, Doyle McManus wrote this: "Two weeks ago (a Quinnipiac poll) found that 76% of Republicans approved of the job Trump was doing; now that number is 81%. Among Democrats, his rating sank from 10% to a barely measurable 4%." Anybody out there unclear as to just how divided this country is?
David Myers is a Professor of Jewish History at UCLA. He wrote an article that was published in the 12/23-29/16 Los Angeles Jewish Journal entitled "The Function of the University in the Age of Trump." (Professor Myers and this writer have exchanged emails in the past, although I cannot recall if I posted those exchanges.) As you can imagine from the title, the Professor is a man of the left. The Professor wrote: "University officials must articulate clearly that their institutions will not only remain sites of free and open discourse, but that all students, regardless of their origins and legal status, will be protected on campus."
That is quite an interesting concern of the Professor - "free and open discourse." Would that include a concern about all the conservative speakers who get invited to speak at college campuses, but then get uninvited at the first sign of protest from leftist students? Would that concern also include the various Israeli or pro-Israel speakers who get shouted down by students who belong to the Muslim Student Association or to Students for Justice in Palestine? Or, does the Professor believe that the university functioned just fine, but with Trump in office G-d knows what may happen. To put it another way, does he fret more about what might happen than about what actually has happened? This unreasonable fear of all things Trump is yet another reflection of the deep divide in our country.
Speaking of hard to believe...Nancy Pelosi was at a townhall recently, when a woman told her about her son who had been tortured and murdered by an illegal alien. After saying that she prays for the woman, Pelosi said this: "But I do want to say to you that in our sanctuary cities our people are not disobeying the laws." I think I'll just leave it at that.
The latest Pew Research poll continues to reflect the ever-declining support for Israel in the Democratic Party. This is not surprising as the left has never supported Israel, and today's Democratic Party is a party of the left. The poll shows only 33% of Democrats are more sympathetic to Israel than they are to the Palestinians. The Republicans? 74% are more sympathetic to Israel. How my fellow Jews can continue to vote Democrat is a source of both bewilderment and dismay.
One letter writer to the LA Times, said that "...as a Jew I am embarrassed by the refusal of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to recognize the human rights of the Palestinians." I would love to ask this letter writer if he ever wrote a letter to the Times complaining about all the rockets launched from Gaza into Israel, or about the murder of innocent Jews at bus stops or in cafes, or if he ever complained about Palestinians naming schools and parks in honor of people who have killed many Jews. I am afraid, however, that his answer would leave me bewildered and dismayed - and quite angry.
I would also like to ask this Jew if he has the same concern about the Kurds. As Bret Stephens pointed out in his 1/10/17 column in the WSJ, "Kurdish national claims stretch for centuries, not decades," as with the Palestinians. Has the letter writer expressed his support for the Tibetans? Or for any of the other numerous groups who claim a right to their own state?
As Stephens so astutely points out: "In theory, Israel would be well-served living alongside a sovereign Palestinian state that lived in peace with its neighbors...But Israelis don't live in theory. They live in a world where mistakes are mortal. In 2000 and 2007 Israeli prime ministers made good-faith offers of Palestinian statehood. They were met on both occasions with rejection, then violence. In 2005 Israel vacated the Gaza Strip. It became an enclave of terror...The ideal of a Jewish and faultlessly democratic state is a noble one. Not at the risk of the existence of the state itself."
In a post-election editorial of 11/30/16, the WSJ presented some interesting data. Black and Hispanic caucuses are estimated to "make up an estimated 70 of the 194 Democrats seats next year," while "the centrist Blue Dog coalition has lost three-fourths of its members since 2010." So, the question is, are these minority caucus members taking the party in a further leftward direction? The Journal continued: "House Democrats are now largely a coastal party with nearly a third hailing from California, New York and Massachusetts. Since 2010 half of the Democrats from Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan have been wiped out." And while Hillary won the the popular vote by nearly 3 million votes, the Journal says that "House Republicans won three million more votes than Democrats this year."
Here are some more numbers. In a 1/29/17 op-ed in the LA Times, Doyle McManus wrote this: "Two weeks ago (a Quinnipiac poll) found that 76% of Republicans approved of the job Trump was doing; now that number is 81%. Among Democrats, his rating sank from 10% to a barely measurable 4%." Anybody out there unclear as to just how divided this country is?
David Myers is a Professor of Jewish History at UCLA. He wrote an article that was published in the 12/23-29/16 Los Angeles Jewish Journal entitled "The Function of the University in the Age of Trump." (Professor Myers and this writer have exchanged emails in the past, although I cannot recall if I posted those exchanges.) As you can imagine from the title, the Professor is a man of the left. The Professor wrote: "University officials must articulate clearly that their institutions will not only remain sites of free and open discourse, but that all students, regardless of their origins and legal status, will be protected on campus."
That is quite an interesting concern of the Professor - "free and open discourse." Would that include a concern about all the conservative speakers who get invited to speak at college campuses, but then get uninvited at the first sign of protest from leftist students? Would that concern also include the various Israeli or pro-Israel speakers who get shouted down by students who belong to the Muslim Student Association or to Students for Justice in Palestine? Or, does the Professor believe that the university functioned just fine, but with Trump in office G-d knows what may happen. To put it another way, does he fret more about what might happen than about what actually has happened? This unreasonable fear of all things Trump is yet another reflection of the deep divide in our country.
Neil Gorsuch For the Supreme Court; and Free Speech is Front and Center
Neil Gorsuch for the Supreme Court. First, let's dispense with the nonsense that the open seat is owed to the Democrats, in light of the Republicans refusal to hold hearings on Obama's nomination of Merrick Garland. Here is what Chuck Schumer said in 2007: "We should not confirm any Bush nominee to the Supreme Court, except in extraordinary circumstances..." After all, the election season was heating up, Bush had already appointed Roberts and Alito, so why give him another pick? In 1992, Joe Biden was Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and felt that Bush the first "should consider following the practice of a majority of his predecessors and not name a nominee until after the November election is completed." Biden added that his committee would perhaps "not schedule confirmation hearings on the nomination until after the political campaign season is over." (Quotes from the 2/2/17 Wall Street Journal editorial.)
Here is Judge Gorsuch's basic approach to judging: "I respect, too, the fact that in our legal order it is for Congress and not the Courts to write new laws. It is the role of judges to apply, not alter, the work of the people's representatives. A judge who likes every outcome he reaches is very likely a bad judge." Exactly, because such a judge would be deciding cases on his or her political agenda, rather than applying the Constitution and the law to the facts of the case. A judge who either upholds or strikes down a particular law based not on the law's Constitutionality, but on their personal views, is simply acting as a super-legislator.
But a super-legislature is what Democrats expect the courts to be. After describing the Gorsuch nomination as a "very hostile appointment," House Minority Leader, Nancy Pelosi, said this: "If you breathe air, drink water, eat food, take medicine or in any other way interact with the Courts this is a very bad decision." She went on to describe Gorsuch as "well outside the mainstream of American legal thought." I would advise Ms. Pelosi that it is up to Congress to make laws regarding clean air, clean water, and safe food and medicines. It is definitely not the job of the courts. What Pelosi and people like her really want in a Supreme Court Justice is a guarantee that they will uphold every left-wing piece of legislation passed by Congress and every left-wing rule made by the Administrative state - the Constitution be damned.
Free speech again is front and center. With regards to the violent protests at UC Berkeley, forcing the cancellation of a speech by Milo Yiannopoulus, I was very pleased to see the Los Angeles Times come down on the right side of the issue. As the Times said in their 2/3/17 editorial, the prevention of Yiannopoulos "from speaking to a willing audience of campus Republicans should make supporters of free speech shiver." Added the times: "This is just the latest variation on the age old argument of the censor that 'error has no rights,' or, put another way, that one only has a right to free speech if one is speaking the 'truth.' It's an insidious notion that needs to be opposed in every generation." This blog has criticized the Times in the past, but now I wish to give credit where credit is due. Although, the LA Times has been accused of refusing to print letters to the editor in rebuttal to climate change - so I am not sure how that comports with their editorial.
Elizabeth Warren was prevented from continuing her Senate floor speech against Jeff Sessions when Mitch McConnell raised Senate Rule XIX. That rule prohibits Senators from "besmirching the character and motives of their colleagues." (From the 2/9/17 WSJ editorial.) Sessions, nominated for Attorney General, was a Senator at the time of the debate over his qualifications. Clearly, the House and the Senate have the right to make their own rules. Warren had been reading from a letter about Sessions written by Coretta Scott King, the late widow of Martin Luther King. On the one hand, the free speech advocate in me says she should have been allowed to continue her speech from the Senate floor. (She did continue it on Facebook and in various media outlets, getting far more attention than a Senate speech would ordinarily get.) On the other hand, the Hubert Humphrey approach to politics in me (Humphrey was known as the Happy Warrior, remaining friendly with his political adversaries) sides with the WSJ comment that "the Senate is an institution that used to run on civility and comity." So, should the Senate enforce their rule on civility, or should it be allowed to reflect the ever-growing hostility between liberals and conservatives, a hostility that plays out daily in our personal lives, on social media and in society as a whole?
A 2/12/17 editorial in the New York Times rightfully raises concerns about some proposed laws in various states which, if enacted, might have a chilling effect on speech. However, their editorial, "Peaceful Protests Are Not a Crime," fails to discuss the issue of exactly when a protest crosses the line from "peaceful" to something else. We can all agree that what we saw recently at UC Berkely, with the setting of fires and smashing of store windows and an ATM, cannot in any way be considered "peaceful." But I am not sure the NY Times sees a problem with demonstrators blocking roads and highways, without a permit. Do non-protesters lose their right to get to work on time, or wherever they may be going, because of protesters? Do emergency vehicles - fire, ambulance and police - not have a right to take care of the people who need them? And what about people waiting for that ambulance or fire engine or police car? Do protesters have a right to shout down members of Congress at a Townhall meeting, preventing the Congress member from speaking? Why does their right to protest exceed the right of the people's representative to speak to his constituents? Does the NY Times support the "heckler's veto?"
Here is Judge Gorsuch's basic approach to judging: "I respect, too, the fact that in our legal order it is for Congress and not the Courts to write new laws. It is the role of judges to apply, not alter, the work of the people's representatives. A judge who likes every outcome he reaches is very likely a bad judge." Exactly, because such a judge would be deciding cases on his or her political agenda, rather than applying the Constitution and the law to the facts of the case. A judge who either upholds or strikes down a particular law based not on the law's Constitutionality, but on their personal views, is simply acting as a super-legislator.
But a super-legislature is what Democrats expect the courts to be. After describing the Gorsuch nomination as a "very hostile appointment," House Minority Leader, Nancy Pelosi, said this: "If you breathe air, drink water, eat food, take medicine or in any other way interact with the Courts this is a very bad decision." She went on to describe Gorsuch as "well outside the mainstream of American legal thought." I would advise Ms. Pelosi that it is up to Congress to make laws regarding clean air, clean water, and safe food and medicines. It is definitely not the job of the courts. What Pelosi and people like her really want in a Supreme Court Justice is a guarantee that they will uphold every left-wing piece of legislation passed by Congress and every left-wing rule made by the Administrative state - the Constitution be damned.
Free speech again is front and center. With regards to the violent protests at UC Berkeley, forcing the cancellation of a speech by Milo Yiannopoulus, I was very pleased to see the Los Angeles Times come down on the right side of the issue. As the Times said in their 2/3/17 editorial, the prevention of Yiannopoulos "from speaking to a willing audience of campus Republicans should make supporters of free speech shiver." Added the times: "This is just the latest variation on the age old argument of the censor that 'error has no rights,' or, put another way, that one only has a right to free speech if one is speaking the 'truth.' It's an insidious notion that needs to be opposed in every generation." This blog has criticized the Times in the past, but now I wish to give credit where credit is due. Although, the LA Times has been accused of refusing to print letters to the editor in rebuttal to climate change - so I am not sure how that comports with their editorial.
Elizabeth Warren was prevented from continuing her Senate floor speech against Jeff Sessions when Mitch McConnell raised Senate Rule XIX. That rule prohibits Senators from "besmirching the character and motives of their colleagues." (From the 2/9/17 WSJ editorial.) Sessions, nominated for Attorney General, was a Senator at the time of the debate over his qualifications. Clearly, the House and the Senate have the right to make their own rules. Warren had been reading from a letter about Sessions written by Coretta Scott King, the late widow of Martin Luther King. On the one hand, the free speech advocate in me says she should have been allowed to continue her speech from the Senate floor. (She did continue it on Facebook and in various media outlets, getting far more attention than a Senate speech would ordinarily get.) On the other hand, the Hubert Humphrey approach to politics in me (Humphrey was known as the Happy Warrior, remaining friendly with his political adversaries) sides with the WSJ comment that "the Senate is an institution that used to run on civility and comity." So, should the Senate enforce their rule on civility, or should it be allowed to reflect the ever-growing hostility between liberals and conservatives, a hostility that plays out daily in our personal lives, on social media and in society as a whole?
A 2/12/17 editorial in the New York Times rightfully raises concerns about some proposed laws in various states which, if enacted, might have a chilling effect on speech. However, their editorial, "Peaceful Protests Are Not a Crime," fails to discuss the issue of exactly when a protest crosses the line from "peaceful" to something else. We can all agree that what we saw recently at UC Berkely, with the setting of fires and smashing of store windows and an ATM, cannot in any way be considered "peaceful." But I am not sure the NY Times sees a problem with demonstrators blocking roads and highways, without a permit. Do non-protesters lose their right to get to work on time, or wherever they may be going, because of protesters? Do emergency vehicles - fire, ambulance and police - not have a right to take care of the people who need them? And what about people waiting for that ambulance or fire engine or police car? Do protesters have a right to shout down members of Congress at a Townhall meeting, preventing the Congress member from speaking? Why does their right to protest exceed the right of the people's representative to speak to his constituents? Does the NY Times support the "heckler's veto?"
Wednesday, February 1, 2017
Hollywood Propaganda
In the television show "Homeland," Mandy Patinkin plays Saul Berenson, the head of CIA operations in Europe. In the January 29, 2017 episode, "The Covenant," Berenson goes to visit his sister, who lives in a Jewish, West Bank community. (Berenson and his sister are Jews.) The sister had moved with her now deceased husband from Indiana to Israel. She complained to her brother Saul that he should have tried to be more understanding of her husband.
Saul: "There's no bending with a fanatic." Sister: "Moshe (the husband) made me proud to be a Jew." Saul: "He turned you against your family. He brought you to live in a place that's not yours. Where you don't belong." Sister: "Please, Saul, let's not do this." Saul: "Haven't you driven enough people from their homes already? Bulldozed their villages. Seized their property under laws they had no part in making."
Sister: "This land was promised to Avraham (Abraham)." Saul: "Promised? A covenant with G-d made thousands of years ago. Doesn't that strike you as a form of insanity?" Sister: "You don't understand Saul. You never have. I love the life that G-d has given me." Saul: "How can you love making enemies? How can you love knowing that your very presence here makes peace less possible?" Sister: "I have a family, a community, a life filled with faith and purpose. Saul, what do you have?"
So there you have it. In a rather short scene, we get to hear that Israel has no right to any land in the West Bank, that Jews are the reason there is no peace between Israel and the Palestinians, and, of course, no belief in the Jews' biblical/historical ties to the land. All the left-wing positions regarding that part of the Middle East.
In yet another scene in the same episode, we see Saul interrogating a money man for the Iranian government. He claims to have used much of the millions to which he had access as a down payment for the purchase of the latest Russian anti-ballistic missile system. He then added this: "Something you should know. Iran doesn't want a nuclear weapon. Never did...Three decades of sanctions are killing us. We had to find a way to get them lifted. So we started spinning centrifuges. That got some attention. So we start some more - even more attention. In the end, all we had to do was negotiate away a program we never wanted in the first place."
While Saul does not seem to believe the man, the point was made. The Iranians really do not want nukes. So, I guess there is little point in enacting further sanctions; and certainly no point in ever using military force. You got that, Trump? Don't create another Iraq. At least, that's the message.
I get the fact that this is TV. It's fictional. But here, the subject matter addressed some major real world issues of our time. So, I think it is fair to ask - how many people are sucked into this left-wing propaganda, as if it is the truth? At the end of each day my wife and I usually watch a one hour drama. There are many instances where I will pause a show and point out yet another, often subtle, gratuitous left-wing talking point. These shows often act as vehicles for allowing the expression of left-wing views. The same biases can be seen on a daily basis in the mainstream media; and can be heard regularly from left-wing professors at our colleges and universities. No one should underestimate the power of propaganda. No one should underestimate the left's ability to sway people's views by repeating the same thing over and over - especially given their ability to communicate those views in so many different forums.
Saul: "There's no bending with a fanatic." Sister: "Moshe (the husband) made me proud to be a Jew." Saul: "He turned you against your family. He brought you to live in a place that's not yours. Where you don't belong." Sister: "Please, Saul, let's not do this." Saul: "Haven't you driven enough people from their homes already? Bulldozed their villages. Seized their property under laws they had no part in making."
Sister: "This land was promised to Avraham (Abraham)." Saul: "Promised? A covenant with G-d made thousands of years ago. Doesn't that strike you as a form of insanity?" Sister: "You don't understand Saul. You never have. I love the life that G-d has given me." Saul: "How can you love making enemies? How can you love knowing that your very presence here makes peace less possible?" Sister: "I have a family, a community, a life filled with faith and purpose. Saul, what do you have?"
So there you have it. In a rather short scene, we get to hear that Israel has no right to any land in the West Bank, that Jews are the reason there is no peace between Israel and the Palestinians, and, of course, no belief in the Jews' biblical/historical ties to the land. All the left-wing positions regarding that part of the Middle East.
In yet another scene in the same episode, we see Saul interrogating a money man for the Iranian government. He claims to have used much of the millions to which he had access as a down payment for the purchase of the latest Russian anti-ballistic missile system. He then added this: "Something you should know. Iran doesn't want a nuclear weapon. Never did...Three decades of sanctions are killing us. We had to find a way to get them lifted. So we started spinning centrifuges. That got some attention. So we start some more - even more attention. In the end, all we had to do was negotiate away a program we never wanted in the first place."
While Saul does not seem to believe the man, the point was made. The Iranians really do not want nukes. So, I guess there is little point in enacting further sanctions; and certainly no point in ever using military force. You got that, Trump? Don't create another Iraq. At least, that's the message.
I get the fact that this is TV. It's fictional. But here, the subject matter addressed some major real world issues of our time. So, I think it is fair to ask - how many people are sucked into this left-wing propaganda, as if it is the truth? At the end of each day my wife and I usually watch a one hour drama. There are many instances where I will pause a show and point out yet another, often subtle, gratuitous left-wing talking point. These shows often act as vehicles for allowing the expression of left-wing views. The same biases can be seen on a daily basis in the mainstream media; and can be heard regularly from left-wing professors at our colleges and universities. No one should underestimate the power of propaganda. No one should underestimate the left's ability to sway people's views by repeating the same thing over and over - especially given their ability to communicate those views in so many different forums.
Trump's America First Immigration Policy
President Trump has been the object of much criticism over his newly announced immigration policy. With his "America first" policy, Trump said this: "And let the test of everything we do be a simple one: Is it good for the American people?"
As for illegal immigration, Trump was strong, as usual. "All Americans, not only in the states most heavily affected but in every place in this country, are rightly disturbed by the large numbers of illegal aliens entering our country. The jobs they hold might otherwise be held by citizens or legal immigrants. The public service they use impose burdens on our taxpayers. That's why our administration has moved aggressively to secure our borders more by hiring a record number of new border guards, by deporting twice as many criminal aliens as ever before, by cracking down on illegal hiring, by barring welfare benefits to illegal aliens."
Trump continued: "In the budget I will present to you, we will try to do more to speed the deportation of illegal aliens who are arrested for crimes, to better identify illegal aliens in the workplace...We are a nation of immigrants. But we are also a nation of laws. It is wrong and ultimately self-defeating for a nation of immigrants to permit the kind of abuse of our immigration laws we have seen in recent years, and we must do more to stop it."
Okay, I owe you all an apology. As in the last post, the above quotes are not from Trump at all. Rather, the above words were said by then President Bill Clinton in his 1995 State of the Union address. So, what's the point? Just to play a trick on everyone? Hardly. The first point is to demonstrate the never ending hypocrisy of the left. When a Republican utters certain words and proposes certain policies - we see demonstrations and even rioting in the streets. When said or done by a Democrat - nary a peep.
But, there is a far larger and more important point. When today's Democrats talk about what is "mainstream" they are really talking about their leftist worldview. Mainstream American values, as enunciated by Bill Clinton, and especially when said by Donald Trump, are now completely anathema to a large segment of the Democratic Party. As previously noted in this blog, the Democrats have been moving further and further to the left, a move which Obama accelerated. However, because of their inability to see how far they have moved, they think it is the Republican Party that has moved further to the right. Think of it as being a passenger (democrat) in a car and looking at a pedestrian (republican) standing on the sidewalk. The car takes a left turn, but the passenger doesn't have any sensation of movement. Therefore, the passenger perceives that the pedestrian is walking away in the opposite direction - to the right.
Here's the proof. Try reading the above quotes to a democrat and see what their reaction is. If you are a democrat reading this, then truthfully, how did you react before you knew it was Clinton speaking those words?
As for illegal immigration, Trump was strong, as usual. "All Americans, not only in the states most heavily affected but in every place in this country, are rightly disturbed by the large numbers of illegal aliens entering our country. The jobs they hold might otherwise be held by citizens or legal immigrants. The public service they use impose burdens on our taxpayers. That's why our administration has moved aggressively to secure our borders more by hiring a record number of new border guards, by deporting twice as many criminal aliens as ever before, by cracking down on illegal hiring, by barring welfare benefits to illegal aliens."
Trump continued: "In the budget I will present to you, we will try to do more to speed the deportation of illegal aliens who are arrested for crimes, to better identify illegal aliens in the workplace...We are a nation of immigrants. But we are also a nation of laws. It is wrong and ultimately self-defeating for a nation of immigrants to permit the kind of abuse of our immigration laws we have seen in recent years, and we must do more to stop it."
Okay, I owe you all an apology. As in the last post, the above quotes are not from Trump at all. Rather, the above words were said by then President Bill Clinton in his 1995 State of the Union address. So, what's the point? Just to play a trick on everyone? Hardly. The first point is to demonstrate the never ending hypocrisy of the left. When a Republican utters certain words and proposes certain policies - we see demonstrations and even rioting in the streets. When said or done by a Democrat - nary a peep.
But, there is a far larger and more important point. When today's Democrats talk about what is "mainstream" they are really talking about their leftist worldview. Mainstream American values, as enunciated by Bill Clinton, and especially when said by Donald Trump, are now completely anathema to a large segment of the Democratic Party. As previously noted in this blog, the Democrats have been moving further and further to the left, a move which Obama accelerated. However, because of their inability to see how far they have moved, they think it is the Republican Party that has moved further to the right. Think of it as being a passenger (democrat) in a car and looking at a pedestrian (republican) standing on the sidewalk. The car takes a left turn, but the passenger doesn't have any sensation of movement. Therefore, the passenger perceives that the pedestrian is walking away in the opposite direction - to the right.
Here's the proof. Try reading the above quotes to a democrat and see what their reaction is. If you are a democrat reading this, then truthfully, how did you react before you knew it was Clinton speaking those words?
Monday, January 23, 2017
Trump's "Dark" Inaugural Speech
The mainstream media lost no time in saying that Trump's inaugural speech was "dark." For example, the first page of the next day's New York Times referred to a "uniquely dark vision of the U.S." Their lead editorial that day was entitled "President Trump's Dark Vision." So let's take a look at the darkest paragraph in Trump's speech.
"That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the way we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet."
To be honest, that does sound somewhat bleak, perhaps dark even. Except, it was not Donald Trump who uttered those words. The above paragraph actually came from the January 20, 2009 inaugural address given by Barack Obama. And the very same New York Times criticizing Trump, said this about Obama's speech: "President Obama gave them (the people in attendance) the clarity and respect for which all Americans have hungered. In about 20 minutes, he swept away eight years of President George Bush's false choices and failed policies..." Does anyone really not understand why Trump does not trust the media?
Trump was also accused of giving a divisive, rather than a unifying, speech. Here is what he said: "The oath of office I take today is an oath of allegiance to all Americans." Divisive? How? "When you open your heart to patriotism, there is no room for prejudice. The Bible tells us 'how good and pleasant it is when G-d's people live together in unity.'" Not exactly divisive.
Trump: "It is time to remember that old wisdom our soldiers will never forget: that whether we are black or brown or white, we all bleed the same red blood of patriots, we all enjoy the same glorious freedoms, and we all salute the same great American Flag." Why is that not unifying? Admittedly, he did not mention each and every interest group that the left panders to - the Muslims, the gays, the transgenders and the rest of the "identity politics" crowd. Now, before any of you accuse me of G-d knows what, let me be clear. I have lived my life with the simple philosophy of treating everyone I come across as another human being - entitled to respect as such, until proven otherwise. But Republicans and conservatives look at the world differently from the way the left does. For us, regardless of you who are, if you are here legally, you are a fellow American. We don't care if you are a black American or gay American or any other type of American.
Trump: "And whether a child is born in the urban sprawl of Detroit or the windswept plains of Nebraska, they look up at the same night sky, they fill their heart with the same dreams, and they are infused with the breath of life by the same almighty Creator." Dark? How? It would not surprise me if Trump feels far more motivated to help those kids in Detroit, and in other troubled cities across America, than Obama ever did. If he even tries, he will have done more than Obama did. If he succeeds, he should have no expectation that the media will praise him.
Go ahead and read Trump's inaugural speech. Perhaps those on the left will only see darkness and divisiveness; and those on the right will only see a unifying and uplifting speech. This writer has frequently noted that perception becomes reality. And while many on the right have criticized Trump (myself included) over various issues, do not look for the left to praise him on anything. And definitely do not look for the mainstream media to give a fair take on any of Trump's words and deeds.
"That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the way we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet."
To be honest, that does sound somewhat bleak, perhaps dark even. Except, it was not Donald Trump who uttered those words. The above paragraph actually came from the January 20, 2009 inaugural address given by Barack Obama. And the very same New York Times criticizing Trump, said this about Obama's speech: "President Obama gave them (the people in attendance) the clarity and respect for which all Americans have hungered. In about 20 minutes, he swept away eight years of President George Bush's false choices and failed policies..." Does anyone really not understand why Trump does not trust the media?
Trump was also accused of giving a divisive, rather than a unifying, speech. Here is what he said: "The oath of office I take today is an oath of allegiance to all Americans." Divisive? How? "When you open your heart to patriotism, there is no room for prejudice. The Bible tells us 'how good and pleasant it is when G-d's people live together in unity.'" Not exactly divisive.
Trump: "It is time to remember that old wisdom our soldiers will never forget: that whether we are black or brown or white, we all bleed the same red blood of patriots, we all enjoy the same glorious freedoms, and we all salute the same great American Flag." Why is that not unifying? Admittedly, he did not mention each and every interest group that the left panders to - the Muslims, the gays, the transgenders and the rest of the "identity politics" crowd. Now, before any of you accuse me of G-d knows what, let me be clear. I have lived my life with the simple philosophy of treating everyone I come across as another human being - entitled to respect as such, until proven otherwise. But Republicans and conservatives look at the world differently from the way the left does. For us, regardless of you who are, if you are here legally, you are a fellow American. We don't care if you are a black American or gay American or any other type of American.
Trump: "And whether a child is born in the urban sprawl of Detroit or the windswept plains of Nebraska, they look up at the same night sky, they fill their heart with the same dreams, and they are infused with the breath of life by the same almighty Creator." Dark? How? It would not surprise me if Trump feels far more motivated to help those kids in Detroit, and in other troubled cities across America, than Obama ever did. If he even tries, he will have done more than Obama did. If he succeeds, he should have no expectation that the media will praise him.
Go ahead and read Trump's inaugural speech. Perhaps those on the left will only see darkness and divisiveness; and those on the right will only see a unifying and uplifting speech. This writer has frequently noted that perception becomes reality. And while many on the right have criticized Trump (myself included) over various issues, do not look for the left to praise him on anything. And definitely do not look for the mainstream media to give a fair take on any of Trump's words and deeds.
Monday, January 16, 2017
I'm Sick Of It!
I'm sick of the left-wing intolerance, outright bullying and hypocrisy. I implore my conservative friends and readers to stand up to the left's harassment at every opportunity. And I would hope that those on the other side of the political fence will also speak out against the bullying and harassment.
A dear friend recently took down her Facebook page. She explained: "I'm just sick to death of bleeding heart liberals pointing accusatory fingers in my direction. I've kept my mouth shut for eight long, miserable years and the second I express an opinion, I'm excoriated. I'm just so tired of it. What with Trump being inaugurated this coming week, the abuse is about to get much worse."
At least 28 Democratic members of the House say they will not attend the Trump inauguration. A presidential inauguration is a demonstration of this country's peaceful transfer of power from one administration to the next. The entire world watches. But, the Democrats are fond of boycotts. After all, 58 Democrats refused to attend Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu's speech to Congress in early 2015, when he explained his opposition to the Iranian nuke deal.
Democratic Representative John Lewis is referred to as a "civil rights icon." That makes it all the more disappointing that he said "I don't see this President-elect as a legitimate president." He explained that Russian involvement helped elect Trump and destroy Hillary. Of course, whatever Russian involvement there may have been (which should be investigated) does not mean that is why Trump won. And wasn't Lewis, along with many other Democrats, outraged that some attacked Obama's legitimacy, based on where he might have have been born?
California Congresswoman Barbara Lee explained why she would not attend: "I will not be celebrating. I will be organizing and preparing for resistance." Wait a second. In 2009, weren't the Democrats whining about Republicans allegedly saying they wanted Obama to fail, when they really wanted Obama not to be successful in passing his left-wing agenda? Sounds like Lee is saying she wants Trump to fail. When Republicans did it, many said it was because they were racist. Anybody accusing Lee of being racist? No, because conservatives understand policy differences do not equate to racism.
Singer Jennifer Holliday had to withdraw from participating in the Trump inauguration. According to The Blaze, Holliday explained: "It brought a lot of threats from people already saying I'll never work again. If that's what America has come to, where we all hate and bully people, there's no more freedom of speech." Holliday then apologized to her LGBT supporters for her "lapse of judgment." If I had the opportunity, I would explain to Ms. Holliday that today's leftists do not even recognize that they are no different than Joseph McCarthy. Assuming they know what McCarthyism was, they would still condemn it, yet miss the irony of engaging in the same tactics themselves.
The Daily Mail reported that opera singer Andrea Bocelli also withdrew from participating in the inauguration. His reason? He received death threats. Threats, intimidation, bullying - none of it will stop unless people on that side of the fence strongly speak out against it.
CIA Director John Brennan felt a need to publicly warn Trump about easing sanctions on Russia. "I think he does not have a full appreciation and understanding of what the implications are of going down that road." Apparently, Brennan must have felt that Obama had a much better understanding of Russia. Like when Obama was caught on the open mic telling Medvedev: "On all these issues, but particularly missile defense, this can be solved, but it's important for him (Putin) to give me space...This is my last election. After my election I have more flexibility." Medvedev: "I understand. I will transmit this information to Vladimir (Putin)."
It turned out that Putin was the one with more flexibility. Sensing Obama's weakness, Putin and Russia took over the Crimea and Eastern Ukraine, and helped Bashar Assad slaughter tens of thousands in Syria. Of course, the prior President, Bush, did not exactly have a good grip on Putin's nature either. Bush: "I looked the man in the eye...I found him very straight-forward and trustworthy...I was able to get a sense of his soul."
Lastly, FBI Director James Comey is going to be investigated by the Justice Department's Inspector General. The investigation will look into Comey's handling of the Clinton email scandal. The left not only wants a "fall guy" to explain why Hillary lost. They also want another reason to question Trump's legitimacy as President. The Russians got Trump elected. Comey got Trump elected. The deplorables got Trump elected. Here's the truth: Obama got Trump elected; in the same way that Bush got Obama elected.
A dear friend recently took down her Facebook page. She explained: "I'm just sick to death of bleeding heart liberals pointing accusatory fingers in my direction. I've kept my mouth shut for eight long, miserable years and the second I express an opinion, I'm excoriated. I'm just so tired of it. What with Trump being inaugurated this coming week, the abuse is about to get much worse."
At least 28 Democratic members of the House say they will not attend the Trump inauguration. A presidential inauguration is a demonstration of this country's peaceful transfer of power from one administration to the next. The entire world watches. But, the Democrats are fond of boycotts. After all, 58 Democrats refused to attend Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu's speech to Congress in early 2015, when he explained his opposition to the Iranian nuke deal.
Democratic Representative John Lewis is referred to as a "civil rights icon." That makes it all the more disappointing that he said "I don't see this President-elect as a legitimate president." He explained that Russian involvement helped elect Trump and destroy Hillary. Of course, whatever Russian involvement there may have been (which should be investigated) does not mean that is why Trump won. And wasn't Lewis, along with many other Democrats, outraged that some attacked Obama's legitimacy, based on where he might have have been born?
California Congresswoman Barbara Lee explained why she would not attend: "I will not be celebrating. I will be organizing and preparing for resistance." Wait a second. In 2009, weren't the Democrats whining about Republicans allegedly saying they wanted Obama to fail, when they really wanted Obama not to be successful in passing his left-wing agenda? Sounds like Lee is saying she wants Trump to fail. When Republicans did it, many said it was because they were racist. Anybody accusing Lee of being racist? No, because conservatives understand policy differences do not equate to racism.
Singer Jennifer Holliday had to withdraw from participating in the Trump inauguration. According to The Blaze, Holliday explained: "It brought a lot of threats from people already saying I'll never work again. If that's what America has come to, where we all hate and bully people, there's no more freedom of speech." Holliday then apologized to her LGBT supporters for her "lapse of judgment." If I had the opportunity, I would explain to Ms. Holliday that today's leftists do not even recognize that they are no different than Joseph McCarthy. Assuming they know what McCarthyism was, they would still condemn it, yet miss the irony of engaging in the same tactics themselves.
The Daily Mail reported that opera singer Andrea Bocelli also withdrew from participating in the inauguration. His reason? He received death threats. Threats, intimidation, bullying - none of it will stop unless people on that side of the fence strongly speak out against it.
CIA Director John Brennan felt a need to publicly warn Trump about easing sanctions on Russia. "I think he does not have a full appreciation and understanding of what the implications are of going down that road." Apparently, Brennan must have felt that Obama had a much better understanding of Russia. Like when Obama was caught on the open mic telling Medvedev: "On all these issues, but particularly missile defense, this can be solved, but it's important for him (Putin) to give me space...This is my last election. After my election I have more flexibility." Medvedev: "I understand. I will transmit this information to Vladimir (Putin)."
It turned out that Putin was the one with more flexibility. Sensing Obama's weakness, Putin and Russia took over the Crimea and Eastern Ukraine, and helped Bashar Assad slaughter tens of thousands in Syria. Of course, the prior President, Bush, did not exactly have a good grip on Putin's nature either. Bush: "I looked the man in the eye...I found him very straight-forward and trustworthy...I was able to get a sense of his soul."
Lastly, FBI Director James Comey is going to be investigated by the Justice Department's Inspector General. The investigation will look into Comey's handling of the Clinton email scandal. The left not only wants a "fall guy" to explain why Hillary lost. They also want another reason to question Trump's legitimacy as President. The Russians got Trump elected. Comey got Trump elected. The deplorables got Trump elected. Here's the truth: Obama got Trump elected; in the same way that Bush got Obama elected.
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