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NOVEMBER 22,  2016

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

INTRIGUING CHOICE FOR THE UN – FROM THE NEW YORK POST:  President-elect Donald Trump has picked South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley to be US ambassador to the United Nations, according to a report in The Post and Courier of Charleston, SC. The Palmetto State governor accepted the diplomatic position and a formal announcement was expected to be made on Wednesday morning, according to The Washington Post.  Haley is best known nationally for talking state lawmakers into taking down the Confederate Flag from the South Carolina State House grounds after last year’s Charleston church shootings, which killed nine.   A fine appointment.  Nikki Haley is the daughter of immigrants from India.  She is a woman of color and a solid Republican governor.  She did not support Trump for the nomination, and her selection symbolizes the new president's openness.  The press, of course, will give Trump no credit. 

AND DR. BEN – FROM FOX:   It appears the doctor is in.  Former Republican presidential candidate Dr. Ben Carson is close to accepting the position of secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in President-elect Donald Trump's cabinet, a GOP source with knowledge of the offer told Fox News late Tuesday.  The source said Carson would consider Trump's offer over the Thanksgiving holiday before making a final decision.  On Tuesday, Carson told Fox News' "Your World with Neil Cavuto" that the HUD position was "one of the offers [from Trump] that is on the table."  "Our inner cities are in terrible shape," Carson said. "And they definitely need some real attention. There have been so many promises made over the last several decades and nothing has been done, so it certainly is something that has been a long-term interest of mine."  At first Carson had said he didn't want to join the government.  That has clearly changed.  He came from a ghetto background and, with his mother's encouragement, became an eminent physician and surgeon. 

THE LEFT NEVER LEARNS – FROM DAILY CALLER:  Hampshire College in Massachusetts has announced that it will no longer fly the U.S. flag at all in response to an incident where the flag was taken down and burned. The president of the college says that by getting rid of the flag the school will be able to focus on other issues like halting Islamophobia and promoting gay rights.  The mess for Hampshire College started a week and a half ago, after Donald Trump’s victory in the U.S. presidential election. The school responded to Trump’s victory by keeping the U.S. flag at half-staff, as if in mourning, which upset some community members. Then, on the night before Veterans Day, somebody took the flag down and set it on fire. While the motive isn’t known, there have been many examples of students burning U.S. flags to protest Trump’s electoral victory.  While the flag was replaced in time for a Veterans Day commemoration, Hampshire College president Jonathan Lash has announced the school won’t be flying the flag at all anymore.  “We will not fly the U.S. flag or any other flags at Hampshire for the time being,” Lash said in a campus-wide email, according to Campus Reform.  Really brilliant, isn't it?  Bow down to the mob.  Hampshire is one of the country's most left-wing colleges, and proves it constantly.

November 22, 2016       Permalink

THE DEM DISASTER – AT 11:47 A.M. ET:   Democrats are holding a variety of head sessions to try to figure out what went wrong.  Actually, some of these meetings seem intelligent.  The adults in the party, both of them, are coming to terms with reality.  From Reuters: 

MONTPELIER, Vt. (Reuters) - Still sifting through the wreckage of the Nov. 8 election, Democratic leaders nationwide are struggling to find a new message to claw back support and avoid years in the political wilderness.

Not only do Republicans control the White House and both the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives, they now hold 33 governor’s offices.

New England, long considered reliably Democratic, is a prime example of the party's demise.

Republican Phil Scott won in Vermont over Democrat Sue Minter who was criticized, like presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, for failing to develop an economic message that resonated with voters worried about good-paying jobs.

Considered a liberal bastion, Vermont has a tradition of sometimes choosing a Republican governor to keep one party from having too much control.

Elsewhere, Republican Chris Sununu will replace a Democratic governor in New Hampshire while Maine and Massachusetts already have Republican governors.

“We lost the governorship of freaking Vermont,” lamented Washington-based Democratic strategist Chris Kofinis. “We didn’t just lose an election. This was a national rebuke. This was biblical.”

Republicans also command 32 state legislatures and have full control -- meaning they hold the governor’s office and both legislative chambers -- in 24 states, including swing states such as Florida, Ohio, Michigan, and Wisconsin. When President Barack Obama was elected in 2008, they controlled just nine.

“There are more Republicans at the state legislative level than there have ever been,” said Tim Storey, an analyst with the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Republicans scored a major coup when they seized the Senate in traditionally liberal Minnesota, giving it full control of the legislature, and they gained full control of next-door Iowa.

COMMENT:  Many Americans still don't understand the full extent of the Democratic disaster.  There is so much attention paid to the presidential race that many news organizations give skimpy coverage to the "down ballot" races.  That is where the Republican Party has cleaned up in recent years.  It's hard to find any great victories for the Democrats.  Obama was the exception, not the rule.

Read the whole piece.  Well reported, with the exception of a few snide remarks.

November 22, 2016        Permalink

IRAN WARNING – AT 8:41 A.M. ET:   Former CIA chief Michael Hayden has issued an unusually blunt warning about our softness toward Iran.  Obama won't listen.  Trump should.  From The Hill: 

Former CIA Director Michael Hayden said early Sunday that the Obama administration is held hostage by the Iran nuclear agreement.

“We don’t push back on Iran in a whole lot of other places,” Hayden told ABC’s “This Week.”
Hayden, a critic of the Iran deal, said United States foreign policy in the next administration should push back against Iran in Iraq, Syria, and the Gulf states.

“If the Iranians want to walk away from the deal, fine,” he added.

President-elect Donald Trump campaigned on a promise to get rid of the Iran nuclear agreement.

Hayden has been a critic of Trump, saying in a Washington Post op-ed earlier this month that the president-elect is a "useful tool" of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

COMMENT:  Hayden speaks his mind, and, yes, he is right in saying that Trump must be confronted on his overly friendly attitude toward Putin.  Remember that Obama had the same attitude until reality set in.  As did Hillary Clinton.

But Hayden is also right about Iran.  That country laughs out loud at us, and the laughter has increased since the nuclear deal, a deal in Iran's favor.  Let's see Trump put his policy where his mouth has been.

November 22, 2016       Permalink

ALERT ABOUT EUROPE – AT 8:25 A.M. ET:  Our own State Department has now put out a terror alert on Europe.  Note carefully.  From Reuters: 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The State Department on Monday issued an alert to U.S. citizens about a heightened risk of terrorist attacks throughout Europe, particularly during the holiday season.

"U.S. citizens should exercise caution at holiday festivals, events, and outdoor markets," it said in a statement, adding that there was credible information that Islamic State, al Qaeda and their affiliates continued to plan attacks in Europe.

The department noted extremists had carried out attacks in Belgium, France, Germany and Turkey in the past year, and said it remains concerned about the potential for attacks throughout Europe.

"U.S. citizens should exercise vigilance when attending large holiday events, visiting tourist sites, using public transportation, and frequenting places of worship, restaurants, hotels, etc.," the statement said.

The travel alert expires on Feb. 20, 2017, it said.

COMMENT:  I fear we're asleep again, to be wakened only by the next tragedy.  And remember, America itself is especially vulnerable during times of presidential transition.  Our political class is handing over power, new people are learning their jobs, a festive inauguration is planned.

"Eternal vigilance," the founders said.  Good words.

November 22,  2016     Permalink

NOVEMBER 21,  2016

SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – AT 11:53 P.M. ET:  

THE TRUTH COMES OUT – FROM FOX:   The public editor for The New York Times said Sunday that the number of complaints the newspaper received over its coverage of the 2016 presidential campaign spiked to five times its normal level.  Complaints to the paper included claims that its coverage was biased against Trump during the general election as well as accusations from readers that it favored candidate Hillary Clinton over Bernie Sanders during the Democratic primaries.  “My colleague Thomas Feyer, who oversees the letters to the editor, says the influx from readers is one of the largest since Sept. 11,” public editor Liz Spayd wrote.  Spayd says others are calling into customer care at multiple times the usual rate and had “a variety of concerns, including the election coverage.”  If the public inflicts enough economic pain on wayward newspapers, maybe some editors will listen.

LET THEM FOLLOW THEIR DREAM – FROM MSN:    SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Supporters of a plan for California to secede from the union took their first formal step Monday morning, submitting a proposed ballot measure to the state attorney general's office in the hopes of a statewide vote as soon as 2018. Marcus Ruiz Evans, the vice president and co-founder of Yes California, said his group had been planning to wait for a later election, but the presidential election of Donald Trump sped up the timeline.  "We're doing it now because of all of the overwhelming attention," Evans said.  The Yes California group has been around for more than two years, Evans said. It is based around California taxpayers paying more money to the federal government than the state receives in spending, that Californians are culturally different from the rest of the country, and that national media and organizations routinely criticize Californians for being out of step with the rest of the U.S.  The first thing the new nation of California would do is apply for foreign aid from the United States.

GREAT LESSON IN POLITICS – FROM AFP:   Wisconsin served up one of the biggest surprises of an election day that shocked America and the world: no one thought the midwestern state would fall to the Republican billionaire.  Clinton was so sure of victory she did not even bother to campaign here after the Democratic primaries, instead sending her daughter Chelsea or her husband, former president Bill Clinton.  "She probably thought she had Wisconsin wrapped up," said Ronald Roberts, a 67 year old retiree, as he left a shop called Bill the Butcher. Its aging sign is missing the R.  "You can't take the voters for granted because they'll stay home," said Roberts, who used to work as an auto mechanic.  That is just what happened here, according to exit polls taken on November 8. Stop anyone in this part of town, where there is not a white person in sight, and they will tell you as much.  "I feel that she is no better than Trump. That's why I didn't vote," said Brittany Mays, a young woman who works in a beauty salon.  The stay-at-home Democrats, one of the great election stories of 2016.  The only poll that counts is the one on election day.

November 21,  2016     Permalink   

TRUMP APPROVAL RISES – AT 10:33 A.M. ET:  This good news was bound to come.  From the Washington Times: 

President-elect Donald Trump’s favorable rating has jumped 9 points since the election and now sits at 46 percent, according to a poll released Monday.

Forty-six percent of registered voters also said they have an unfavorable view of Mr. Trump, according to the Politico/Morning Consult poll.

Just before the election, Mr. Trump had a 37 percent/61 percent favorable/unfavorable split.

“Trump’s favorability among voters has reached new highs since he became president-elect,” said Morning Consult Cofounder and Chief Research Officer Kyle Dropp. “This honeymoon phase is common for new presidents. For example, Obama saw about a 20-point swing in his favor following the 2008 election.”

COMMENT:  Trump's personality is not an asset, but his reputation as a can-do guy is an asset.  If he gets things done, and they're major things, he can wind up in very positive territory.  He will, however, have to develop a strategy to get around a press that will be permanently hostile.  Reagan spoke over the heads of the press, directly to the American people.  Trump can do the same.

November 21,  2016     Permalink

OH I JUST CAN'T WAIT.  CAN YOU? – AT 9:22 A.M. ET:  Mr. Obama announces the future plans for his mouth.  The excitement builds.  From Fox:   

LIMA, Peru – President Barack Obama said Sunday he doesn't intend to become his successor's constant critic -- but reserved the right to speak out if President-elect Donald Trump or his policies breach certain "values or ideals."

Offering a rare glimpse into his thoughts on his post-presidency, Obama suggested once he was out of office he would uphold the tradition of ex-presidents stepping aside quietly to allow their successors space to govern. He heaped praise on former President George W. Bush, saying he "could not have been more gracious to me when I came in" and said he wanted to give Trump the same chance to pursue his agenda "without somebody popping off" at every turn.

But Obama suggested there may be limits to his silence.

"As an American citizen who cares deeply about our country, if there are issues that have less to do with the specifics of some legislative proposal or battle or go to core questions about our values and ideals, and if I think that it's necessary or helpful for me to defend those ideals, I'll examine it when it comes," Obama told reporters.

COMMENT:  No president has probably done more to rip up our values and ideals than Barack Obama.  I fear we will be seeing Jimmy Carter, the sequel.  Quick, my pills!  And if you think you've seen fawning now, wait 'til he's ex-President Obama.  Mount Rushmore won't be good enough.

November 21, 2016       Permalink 

AWFUL – AT 9:08 A.M. ET:  Americans are waking up to learn that three, possibly four, police officers were shot over the weekend, with one dead.  The worst case was in San Antonio.  From Fox:

Authorities in Texas were hunting for a gunman Monday accused of killing a detective after shooting him twice in the face while he was writing out a traffic ticket to a driver.

San Antonio police Chief William McManus identified the fallen officer as Benjamin Marconi, 50, a 20-year veteran of the force. Marconi was shot to death in his squad car late Sunday morning outside police headquarters, police said.

According to Fox San Antonio, the U.S. Marshals service took a “person of interest” into custody at around 9:20 p.m. local time but no further information was given on the person.

However, police said early Monday that the search for a male suspect was still underway and that no arrest had been made. McManus said he doesn't believe the suspect has any relationship to the original driver who was pulled over, and no motive has been identified.

This undated image released by the San Antonio Police Department shows 20-year police veteran, Det. Benjamin Marconi, 50, who was shot and killed Sunday, Nov. 20, 2016, while on duty in San Antonio, Texas. Marconi was shot to death in his squad car while writing out a traffic ticket.

And...

In St. Louis, a police sergeant was hospitalized in critical condition but expected to survive after being shot twice in the face Sunday night in what the police chief called an "ambush." Police reported early Monday that the suspect was later killed in a shootout with police.

Police Chief Sam Dotson said the 46-year-old officer was shot twice in the face.

And...

Two other police officers were also shot Sunday night, but it wasn't clear whether the incidents were targeted attacks.

An officer with the Gladstone, Missouri, police department near Kansas City was shot, along with a suspect. A Sanibel, Florida, officer was shot in the shoulder during a traffic stop Sunday night, and was treated for his injuries and released.

COMMENT:  Shootings of police officers are up dramatically this year.  It's open season on cops.  President Obama doesn't seem to care, but I think President Trump will.

I would not be shocked to see President Trump send federal troops into an American city, just as President Eisenhower sent troops into Little Rock in 1957 to enforce a court order integrating Central High School. 

November 21,  2016    Permalink