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FEBRUARY 10,  2017

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

THERE'S NO BUSINESS LIKE – FROM THE DAILY MAIL:   The Obamas appear to be modeling their post-White House life after the Clintons, by joining the speaking circuit.   On Friday, it was reported that the former president and first lady had signed to Harry Walker Agency, the same agency that represents Bill Clinton. No official speaking events have been announced yet.   The couple have also hired attorneys Robert Barnett and Deneen Howell to help with with book deals. Barnett previously helped the Clintons, George W. Bush and wife Laura, Sarah Palin and Ted Kennedy get published.   Mr Obama has already written two books, but this will be the first time that his wife has taken pen to paper. The former first lady is also scheduled to appear as a guest judge on the next season of Masterchef Junior, apparently carrying on her cause to teach children about nutrition.   Before leaving office, Obama said he wasn't going into retirement - but planned to stay active in public life. The announcements comes just days after the Obamas returned from a two-week vacation to Palm Springs and the Caribbean.  In typically Biden fashion, Obama's VP took no break and got straight to work on his new career. On Friday, Creative Artists Agency announced that they have signed Biden and his wife Jill as their newest clients.  When Harry Truman left the White House he returned home to Missouri, put his suitcases in the attic, and retired.  No big money.  No superlawyers representing his books, no Hollywood.  He never sold his presidency to anyone.

PROSECUTE – FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER:   The D.C. police are investigating a possible assault against Education Secretary Betsy DeVos when she was blocked from entering a local middle school Friday morning.  The police department tweeted one man had been arrested for assaulting a police officer at the protest at Jefferson Middle School Academy.  DeVos first tried to enter the building when protesters physically blocked the stairwell. DeVos and her staff turned away and were followed by a chanting protester who ripped her for her political donations to Republicans.  The protester chanted "Shame!" at DeVos as she got into her vehicle.  This came close to violence, and yet we fail to hear any condemnations from leading Democrats.  The Democratic Party is increasingly under the thumb of the far left. 

DEEP REGRETS – FROM THE WASHINGTON TIMES:  Bill Maher would “happily” hand over the $1 million he donated to then-President Barack Obama in 2012 to Mitt Romney if it would alter history.
HBO’s “Real Time” host sat down with CNN’s Van Jones for an interview set to air Friday night and discussed the law of unintended consequences now that President Trump is the 45th U.S. commander in chief. The comedian lamented his Priorities USA Action donation aimed at stopping Mr. Romney’s presidential ambitions.  “Oh, the Bush years. I wish,” Mr. Mahertold the CNN host. “You know, I gave Obama a million dollars. You know that, right? His PAC. I would happily give that million dollars right now to Mitt Romney if he would take over the country. I gave it to prevent Mitt Romney president — I would [be] begging Mitt Romney to be president”  Liberals like Maher, who has some sense, are clearly lost, confused, and unwanted.  They're finally realizing that the Democratic Party isn't really liberal, just leftist and pathetic.  When they start yearning for George W. Bush you realize what has become of the party of Roosevelt, Truman, and Kennedy.

February 10,  2017     Permalink

A GOOD, OPTIMISTIC VIEW – AT 11:49 A.M. ET:  Is Trump beating the Democrats?  From IBD: 

Leaders in the Democratic Party probably should have thought twice before deciding to mount a scorched-earth campaign against President Trump. So far, they've failed to stop any of Trump's picks, or gain public support for their cause. They have, however, succeeded in making themselves look unhinged.

As we write this, not a single Trump Cabinet pick has withdrawn or failed to secure confirmation, which puts him well ahead of President Obama, who was forced to withdraw several of his initial appointments due to scandals. That included Tom Daschle, Obama's pick for Health and Human Services, who'd failed to pay taxes, and his Commerce pick, Bill Richardson, who was being investigated for allegedly doling out government contracts in exchange for campaign contributions while governor of New Mexico.

The best Democrats have been able to accomplish was to force Vice President Pence to cast the tiebreaking vote to confirm Education Secretary Betsy DeVos.

They've also failed to convince a majority — or even a plurality — of the public to oppose any of Trump's executive orders, according to a Morning Consult/Politico poll, which asked about 11 of his most controversial ones.

In fact, the orders Democrats invested the most time and energy in attacking get the strongest public support.

Fully 55% approve of Trump's executive order putting a temporary hold on visas and refugees from terror-prone countries. Only 38% disapprove it. (The IBD/TIPP poll found that 51% support Trump's order on refugees.) The same share approves of Trump's order to revoke funding for sanctuary cities. A majority (54%) also back Trump's call to freeze all federal regulations.

This is a stunning failure on the part of Democrats to sway public opinion, despite having the full support of sign-wielding activists, several corporate executives, most celebrities and the entire mainstream press.

As for the press, their unrelenting campaign against Trump — and their determination to label just about everything he says as a lie — has backfired as well. An Emerson College poll found that the public views the Trump administration as more truthful than the news media, with 48% saying Trump is truthful, compared with only 39% who say the media are being truthful.

COMMENT:  Read the whole thing, and smile.

February 10, 2017       Permalink

ASSAD ADMITS THE OBVIOUS – AT 10:56 A.M. ET:   Yes, Virginia, there are terrorists among the refugees.  From Michael Isikoff at Yahoo News: 

Weighing in on one of the most contentious issues in American politics — the danger posed to host countries by the 4.8 million people who have fled from Syria’s civil war — Syrian President Bashar Assad told Yahoo News that some of the refugees are “definitely” terrorists.

In an exclusive interview with Yahoo News at a presidential office in Damascus, Assad said President Trump’s freeze on admitting refugees from his country — part of an executive order that has drawn widespread protests and is being challenged in federal court — “is an American issue” on which he would not take sides. But asked if some of those who fled are “aligned with terrorists,” Assad quickly replied, “Definitely.”

“You can find it on the Net,” Assad went on: “Those terrorists in Syria, holding the machine gun or killing people, they [appear as] peaceful refugees in Europe or in the West.” He said he couldn’t estimate how many there might be, but he added that “you don’t need a significant number to commit atrocities.” He noted that the 9/11 attacks were pulled off by fewer than 20 terrorists “out of maybe millions of immigrants in the United States. So it’s not about the number, it’s about the quality, it’s about the intentions.”

COMMENT:  I hate to give a cruel dictator any credit, but Assad speaks with common sense.  Of course there are terrorists in the refugee stream.  There are also a disturbing number of men of fighting age, rare for a refugee stream. 

I'm afraid we'll have to learn the hard way.  And, when the tragedy occurs, the mainstream media will blame Trump.

February 10, 2017       Permalink

NOTHING TO SEE, NOTHING TO SEE – AT 10:14 A.M. ET:  In the midst of all our talk about refugee streams, terrorism, and threats, the world moves on, and informs us.  From AP:

PARIS — Anti-terrorism forces arrested four people Friday in southern France, including a 16-year-old girl, and uncovered a makeshift laboratory with the explosive TATP and other ingredients for fabricating a bomb. France’s top security official said the raid thwarted an “imminent attack.”

A police official said the teen had pledged loyalty to the Islamic State group in a recent video.

The prosecutor’s office said around 70 grams (2.5 ounces) of TATP were seized in the Montpellier-area home of a 20-year-old man, along with a liter each of acetone, oxygenated water and sulfuric acid. TATP, which can be made from readily available materials, was used in the deadly November 2015 attacks in Paris and the March 2016 attack in Brussels carried out by Islamic State extremists.

Two other men were arrested, a 33-year-old and a 26-year-old, along with the teenage girl, according to the prosecutor’s office, which handles terrorism investigations in France.

The police official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the investigation, said one of the suspects was believed to be planning a suicide attack but that the investigation had not yet uncovered a specific target.

He said one person in the group had tried to reach Syria in 2015 and was known to intelligence services. The group — notably the girl — attracted new attention with their social media postings, he said.

Interior Minister Bruno Le Roux said the arrests in three locations in the Montpellier area “thwarted an imminent attack on French soil.

COMMENT:  The French were lucky this time.  They weren't so lucky last year.  President Trump keeps warning of the increasing threat of terror, and he gets ignored, or even gets lectures on his "dark" view of the world.  Hint to liberals:  There is darkness in the world.

February 10,  2017     Permalink

FEBRUARY 9,  2017

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

POLICE BLOTTER NEWS – FROM ABC LOCAL:  According to police in Alexandria, Louisiana, officers responded to the report of a man stuck in the chimney of a business early Friday morning.  Employees told officers that when they arrived at the business, they could hear a man yelling. They found he was stuck.  While officers were in route, police say the man was able to free himself from the chimney. He then reportedly threw a brick at an employee before running from the store.  Officers were soon able to locate the suspect. Police identify him as 41-year-old Matthew Mobley of Alexandria.  Police say this is the 77th time Mobley has been booked into the Rapides Parish Detention Center.  Authorities might have noticed there was a problem after the 75th time.

PATHETIC – FROM THE DAILY MAIL:   The Royal Navy’s fleet of attack submarines are all currently out of action – and Ministry of Defence chiefs are said to have kept it a secret from the Prime Minister.
Britain’s seven ‘hunter-killer’ vessels are understood to be ‘non-operational’, with five understood to be undergoing maintenance.  It is believed the HMS Astute, commissioned in 2010, is the only one currently at sea although she is still ‘weeks away’ from active service following a tune-up.  According to The Sun, it is the first time in decades Britain does not have an attack submarine on stand-by to respond to threats.
Sources said the Navy’s three Astute-class vessels – built by BAE Systems - are ‘beset by problems’ despite costing around £1.2billion each.   The others currently in service are the HMS Ambush - which is being repaired after crashing into a tanker off Gibraltar in 2016, and HMS Artful.   What a sad comedown from the once-glorious Royal Navy.  And it's happening here, too, with a frightening number of Navy and Air Force planes out of service because funds aren't available for needed maintenance.   We hope Trump will correct this.

THE REALITY – FROM THE DAILY MAIL:  France is going to put the Eiffel Tower behind an 8ft-high glass wall to protect it from terrorists following an attack at the Louvre.  The security measure is part of a multi-million euro plan to prevent jihadist attacks in the French capital, which have claimed 238 lives around France in the past two years.  It will cost around €19million and comes after a machete-wielding man stormed the Louvre last week in the latest attack on French soil.  'The terror threat remains high in Paris and the most vulnerable sites, led by the Eiffel Tower, must be the object of special security measures,' said deputy mayor Jean-Francois Martins.  'We have three aims: improve the look, make access easier and strengthen the protection of visitors and staff.'  'The wall will prevent individuals or vehicles storming the site visited by six million people each year.'  So it appears we're not the only ones thinking of walls.  I wonder how many leftist groups will condemn the wall in Paris.  Don't hold your breath waiting.

February 9, 2017        Permalink

DEMS IN ANGUISH – AT 11:48 A.M. ET:  And why shouldn't they be?  They scream a great deal but have no real power.  They're in their worst political position since 1920.  And now they're arguing over the legacy of their most recent demigod, Barack (come to save us) Obama.  From The Politico:   

A painful Democratic rift over Barack Obama’s political legacy is finally bursting into the open.

For years, the former president’s popularity among Democrats stifled any public critiques of his stewardship of the party — a period in which the party suffered tremendous losses at the state and local levels.

But now that Obama and the political operation that succeeded his campaign, Organizing For Action, have expressed interest in playing a role in the task of rebuilding, it’s sparking pitched debates over how much blame he deserves for the gradual hollowing out of a party that now has less control of state-elected positions than at any other time in nearly a century.

That degree of mistrust — rooted in the idea that OFA was always primarily interested in advancing the president’s political interests, often at the expense of the party — is already showing signs of hampering Obama’s former Labor Secretary Tom Perez as he pursues the chairmanship of the Democratic National Committee. And the wariness — expressed by nearly three dozen Democrats in interviews — also threatens to create a divide between Obama’s loyalists and the rest of the party.

“[With] all due respect to President Obama, OFA was created as a shadow party because Obama operatives had no faith in state parties. So I hope the OFA role is none. I hope OFA closes their doors and allows the country and state parties to get to the hard work of rebuilding the party at the local and grass-roots level,” said Nebraska Democratic Party Chair Jane Kleeb, echoing a sentiment that has dominated private chatter among state party chairs for months. “OFA had no faith or confidence in the state parties so they created a whole separate organization, they took money away and centralized it in D.C. They gave us a great president for eight years, but we lost everywhere else."

COMMENT:  A great president for eight years?  That mindset is part of the Democratic problem.  Obama was personally popular, but his policies were not.  And a great president does not let his party collapse.  Obama was, and is, about Obama, and nothing more.  He has the capacity to do more damage if he tries to make a political comeback and renew his influence in the Democratic Party.  Democrats should hint that he deserves a long rest.

February 9, 2017        Permalink

CHANGE AT THE BORDER – AT 11:21 A.M. ET:  Apprehensions are down along our southern border.   Is it the Trump effect, or something else.?  From CNN:

Washington (CNN) Apprehensions at the southern border decreased sharply in January, according to statistics obtained by CNN -- a drop in line with yearly seasonal trends but that could give President Donald Trump an early talking point in his efforts to ramp up border security.

According to preliminary Customs and Border Protection numbers for January obtained by CNN but not yet released to the public, family unit apprehensions decreased by 42%, unaccompanied minors were down 39% and total apprehensions decreased by 27%.

Month-to-month numbers in apprehensions can be misleading. According to data for the past four years, apprehensions typically drop in January and did so sharply in 2016.

Next month's data could be critical in interpreting whether the drop was due to seasonal trends or something bigger. The amount of migration north through Mexico is also tied to the conditions in Central America, where many migrants are fleeing violence and drug cartels.

The numbers also do not take into account what are called inadmissables -- migrants who present themselves at the border and are deemed unable to enter the country, often due to lack of authorization. Apprehensions refer to those removable aliens who are arrested.

Still, Trump supporters are likely to see the numbers as vindication of his hardline approach to immigration, an indication that his tough talk and policy proposals are already deterring migrants from coming in.

COMMENT:   What President Trump is doing has been needed for years.  He is toughening border enforcement and planning to build new defenses against illegal immigration, while welcoming migrants who are legal and fully vetted.  Polls show his policies in this regard are popular.

February 9, 2017       Permalink

HORRORS!!!!! – AT 10:18 A.M. ET:   I will take time out from the important work of watching the big snowstorm outside to report on a NEW THREAT to America, a threat so vast that it may bring down the Republic.  I refer of course to President Trump's tweet defending his daughter, Ivanka, after Nordstrom stopped carrying her clothing line.

Can you imagine?  A father defending his daughter?  If this be treason...

Why, CNN rushed to defend our democracy with its grim panels of grim faces announcing the severe conflict of interest.   Why...why...Trump mentioned Nordstrom by name.  He attacked A STORE!  How dare he, and, of course, as we're now being told every day by CNN, in reporting on Trump, this was unprecedented.

The hell it was.  FDR went after "economic royalists."  He may not have called them by name, but everyone, including the news media at the time, knew who they were.  President Truman tried to seize the steel mills.  There's a long list.

Why, Trump is using the White House Twitter account to help his daughter's business.  Conflict, conflict!  Send in the cops.

Yeah, and Hillary Clinton made $95-million in recent years selling access to government.  They called them "speeches," but no one pays half a mil to hear a speech.  These big shots knew what they were paying for.

So, we are in a crisis.  The president defends his daughter.  He has brought down the house of Lincoln.  The statue of Abe at the Lincoln Memorial was seen weeping.  Jefferson left the Jefferson Memorial, to seek a safe space on a college campus. 

Let us fear for the Constitution. 

February 9,  2017     Permalink