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

CHICAGO'S TAX DOLLARS AT WORK – FROM THE WASHINGTON TIMES:   Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel on Tuesday assured incoming high schoolers that they need not to worry about President Trump ending the “Dreamers” program, saying Chicago Public Schools are a “Trump-free” sanctuary for young illegal immigrants.  “To all the Dreamers that are here in this room and in the city of Chicago: You are welcome in the city of Chicago. This is your home. And you have nothing to worry about,” Mr. Emanuel told a group of freshman on the first day of classes at Solorio Academy High School, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.  “Chicago, our schools, our neighborhoods, our city, as it relates to what President Trump said, will be a Trump-free zone. You have nothing to worry about,” Mr. Emanuel said. “And I want you to know this, and I want your families to know this. And rest assured, I want you to come to school … and pursue your dreams.”   Maybe the mayor can figure out a way to get these kids to school safely.  I guess that doesn't count for much in Rahm Emanuel's backyard.

KIND OF RUNS IN THE FAMILY – FROM THE WASHINGTON POST:  Hillary Clinton said that the email her spiritual adviser, the Rev. Bill Shillady, sent her on the morning after she lost the 2016 presidential election helped her heal from her devastating defeat.  It wasn’t until months later, when Shillady published that email in a book, that it came to light that he had plagiarized the words that so moved the candidate.  Now, less than a month after the book’s publication, the publishing house that printed it says it is pulling the book off the shelves because it’s riddled with plagiarism.  “Abingdon Press initiated an extensive review of the book and was alarmed to discover other content unattributed by the author. Abingdon Press has zero tolerance for plagiarism,” the Rev. Brian K. Milford, the president of the publishing company, said in a statement. “Consequently, we have discontinued sales, will remove existing copies from all sales outlets, and will have them destroyed along with our existing inventory.”  The Clintons sure know how to pick 'em.

GOOD MOVE – FROM THE MIAMI HERALD:  The Pentagon said Tuesday that was putting two U.S. Navy ships staffed with Marines on standby to help FEMA in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma.  Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis “approved the use of USS Kearsarge and USS Oak Hill along with the Marine Corps to support FEMA response operations for Hurricane Irma,” said Pentagon spokeswoman Heather Babb.   Terrific.  Let Americans see the capabilities of the armed forces up close.  We have a gap in America between military and civilian, and it is dangerous in a democracy.  The people must feel that the military is part of them, not a class apart. 

September 5, 2017