Mitch McConnell: Democrats’ Pattern is ‘Shoot first, correct the facts later’. People notice the old communist ethos: ‘show me the man and I’ll find you the crime.’

“When the simple notion that judges should be faithful to the Constitution looks like an attack on your agenda, maybe it’s your agenda that needs a makeover, not our independent judiciary. When you are this willing to launch unhinged personal attacks, you reveal a whole lot more about your own radicalism than about the men and women you target.

California to ban facial recognition software in police body cams? Jazz Shaw – “We’ve already covered numerous stories about cities in California passing legislation designed to ban the use of facial recognition software by law enforcement. Apparently it’s too easy to catch criminals these days or something.”

“I understand the valid concerns some people have over facial recognition software because some of it is still quite error-prone. But I’ve yet to see one documented instance where a person was incorrectly identified by the software and then went on to be tried for a crime they didn’t commit. The results are always looked at by a human being who can quickly figure out that the technology screwed up. This should be doubly true in the case of body cams because the human officer is seeing the same thing the camera is recording in real-time.

California continues to attempt to make the jobs of police officers more difficult while doing nothing to benefit the citizens being served. This is a sad state of affairs.

“The real bombshell”: CBS News hits NYT over Kavanaugh story to focus on witness tampering. Ed Morrissey – “No one expects the Democrats to admit that they participated in a witch hunt and character assassination, although such an admission would certainly be nice. But maybe, just maybe, they can shut the hell up about it and let us pretend they have some remorse over the Kavanaugh episode. Especially now that CBS’ Jan Crawford has boiled it down to its essence.” Morrissey might be behind the curve with the ‘let it be’ sympathies. Others have had enough and seek justice.

The House Drug Pricing Bill Is A Shameful Joke. Peter J. Pitts – “Patients often lose access to the best medicines when their government adopts price controls.

According to the CBO, to achieve any significant savings, the government would have to follow through on its threats of “not allowing (certain) drug(s) to be prescribed.” In other words, the government would drop some drugs from Medicare’s coverage to save money. That would be a raw deal for patients.
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When Americans say, “My drugs are too expensive,” what they generally mean is that their co-pays at the pharmacy are too expensive. And they’re right. But co-pays aren’t tied to list prices.

Goldman Sachs Analysis: Good Grief, Trump Might Be Serious About China… sundance – “What is funny about CNBC pushing this story, NOW, is how the claims within the CNBC story can be fact checked; and their predictions are, well, absurd (especially in hindsight).”

“This Goldman Sach’s claim –made in May– can now be reviewed for accuracy by actual results on import pricing assembled by the Bureau of Labor Statistics in September: …

As you can see, four months after the Goldman Sach’s claim, the results are entirely false. The price of imported goods has decreased; additionally, China has further devalued their currency since May, creating an even a larger price offset.
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What’s the takeaway? Well first, Goldman Sachs controls hundreds-of-billions. Goldman is the predominant voice that all of the other Wall Street multinationals’ look toward. Goldman is the incubator for almost all of the financial experts at the Fed. Goldman is also the baseline for all of the main Wall Street pundits….

Goldman is also 100% demonstrably wrong.

NYTimes Does it Again: Omits The Fact that Kavanaugh’s Accuser Was Clinton’s Defense Attorney. – “In a major twist, NYTimes editorial was pressured to make a correction to it’s bombshell story” … “NYTimes was pressured to update its story only after The Federalist’s Mollie Hemingway flagged the article’s omission on Twitter:”

“Nevertheless, democratic presidential candidates Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris, Bernie Sanders, Beto O’Rourke, Cory Booker and Julian Castro, among others, were fast to declare that Kavanaugh “must be impeached,” citing the NYTimes allegation.

Media Weaponized: Continued Assaults On Kavanaugh Are Political Warfare That Should Concern Us All. Sara Carter – “The story delves into white privilege, prejudice and every other angle you can imagine. Kavanaugh is the villain of privilege and Ramirez is the innocent victim, who as a college student was forced to grow up too soon.”

“The New York Times, along with other main stream outlets, have not hesitated in publishing damaging stories on Justice Kavanaugh. Many of the stories they have already published were based on unverified allegations and contained no proof of the sexual assault accusations he was being accused of by several women who claimed to have known him in high school and college.

CNN, MSNBC, as well as, numerous pundits smeared his name on the cable networks. How can these outlets and news organizations get away with printing hearsay? Because the executives at these media outlets are not holding their writers to the same standard they would if the story was about someone they supported. …

The all out assault campaign on political opponents can only exist because the main stream media has chosen a side. Those executives believe they know more than the American people and challenge any figure, particularly Justice Kavanaugh, because he is a direct threat to their leftist ideals. The media has been weaponized in a way we have never experienced in modern history and only because those running the organizations have allowed it to be. It erodes our Democracy and frankly, makes us as vulnerable as banana republics where media outlets side with political candidates and are in the pockets of their nations intelligence agencies.

That Helpful Kavanaugh Reminder. Rod Dreher – “And then the Democrats went to work, attempting to destroy the man based on unconfirmed, and unconfirmable, allegations, and his sex and ethnicity.”

“And on and on. More to the point, Republicans did not invent the mob-like behavior of the news media in the Kavanaugh affair. In the last 24 hours, I’ve heard from three friends — two Democrats, and one anti-Republican independent — who have written to express profound concern about this political moment, and the behavior of the liberal mob. One of the Democrats — no fan of Trump or Kavanaugh — told me that her party has lost her over all this. The independent told me he hasn’t voted GOP in 30 years, but that may change this November, because of the “malice” (his word) on the left. And the third remains a devoted Democrat, but he is agonizing over the demons now taking over his political side, and worries if they can ever be reined in.

NYT: On second thought, never mind about the Kavanaugh penis-pushing incident; Trump: “HORRIBLE PEOPLE … are looking to destroy”. Ed Morrissey – “The book’s authors, both reporters for the paper, crafted this article to deliberately deceive readers. They published the allegation while hiding the denial. That’s not reporting — it’s advocacy, and particularly inept advocacy at that. This calls into question the veracity of everything else this pair has done and will do with this subject matter, and perhaps beyond that as well.”

“The New York Times owes Brett Kavanaugh an apology, and a full retraction of this article rather than just an “editor’s note.” Their reporters found nothing more than yet another example of uncorroborated campus rumor about events from three decades or more ago, fueled by politics and a need to sell books and papers. Everyone associated with this should be ashamed of themselves, assuming that any of them have the capacity for shame.

Lawfare Group Begins Delegitimizing Supreme Court… sundance – “What we are seeing today from the Lawfare Alliance appears as a designed effort to continue this overall agenda; now focused on delegitimizing the Supreme Court of the United States.”

National Women’s Hall of Fame inducts a domestic terrorist and a traitor. Karen Townsend – “Angela Davis and Jane Fonda made the cut this year.” Shame? What’s that?

A huge gender disparity for loss of life trying to save others. Mark Perry – Bing search results show a M:F ratio of 273:1 for ‘dies while saving’ for man v woman and a 7:1 for father v mother. – “For that huge gender disparity, you can thank #Patriarchy, #ToxicMasculinity, and #MalePrivilege.”

Trumped Out? Victor Davis Hanson – “After nearly four years of ceaseless attacks by Democrats and the press, the strange thing is not that Trump can be occasionally wearisome, but that he is even still breathing.”

Guns and Poses: Democrats Demagogue Death. David Catron – “Welcome to the jungle of phony stats and irresponsible policy proposals.”

What have the Houthis wrought? Bill Schanefelt – “The weekend attack on the Saudi oil refinery may well be looked back at as a true hinge moment in history, for it represents the first time a world power, Iran, through its agents in Yemen*, struck another world power with large numbers of drones in a coordinated fashion.”

Getting an education in the Big Apple: George Packer’s honesty, a parent’s dilemma … neo – “I didn’t really write this post to muse on the dilemma of George Packer the individual. But he’s especially interesting to me because I believe he stands for a large group of liberals who are currently wrestling with the consequences of what they supported, thinking the results would be good, and finding that the left had other and more terrible things in mind.”

The Democrat debate was terrifying. Who are these people? Patricia McCarthy – “No made-up accusation is over the line. No plan to eviscerate the Constitution is a bridge too far.”

“Legitimate historians are rare these days; nearly all have been politicized by academia and its power to persuade, and by its love of Howard Zinn’s slanderous and wholly inaccurate version of US history.
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Only the perceived crimes of America matter now. We are all to be indicted for being born here. We are to be condemned and punished if born Caucasian, as if we had a hand in the nature of our birth.
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The debate of Thursday night should be a huge wake-up call for all freedom-loving Americans. Every one of the Democrat candidates wants to curb nearly all of the freedoms guaranteed by the Bill of Rights — speech, assembly, the right to bear arms. They mean to restrict our access to health care, fuel, food, electricity, mobility by car or air, goods in markets.
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The fact that there have been no American flags on the stage at any of the Democrat debates says it all. One thing is certain: This election season is going to be a bumpy ride. Like the colonists of 1776, we are looking at the choice between freedom and tyranny. All Americans need to be cognizant of the deadly seriousness of their vote in 2020. Trump’s style and his tweets may offend some but his dedication to the preservation of America is boundless. He has pledged his life and fortune to the cause. Gratitude is in order

Young conservative in burning face ad: ‘I don’t care about AOC’s feelings’. Zachary Leeman – “@AOC response is the Democratic party in a nutshell. They are more offended by truthful words than the acts of their political ideology that has killed millions of innocent victims. I don’t care about @AOC feelings — I care about stopping her lies about the lies of socialism,” Heng tweeted.”

““This is the face of socialism and ignorance. Does Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez know the horrors of socialism? My father was minutes from death in Cambodia before a forced marriage saved his life. That’s socialism. Forced obedience, starvation,” Heng narrates during the commercial.

She continues, “Mine is a face of freedom. My skin is not white and not I’m outrageous, racist, nor socialist. I’m a Republican.”

AOC had a meltdown in reaction to the ad.

If the AOC response isn’t indicative, try Allahpundit: The “burning AOC” anti-socialism ad – “I groaned last night as I watched this since the entire dynamic was apparent in an instant.” It’s a double standards deja vu. Allahpundit and Juan Williams seem to have a lot in common when it comes to political knee jerking.

General Flynn Goes On Offense Against the Deep State. John Hinderaker – “It appears that Ms. Powell may have sources inside the bureaucracy where she once worked; or possibly she has just done a better job of assembling the bits and pieces of information that have become public over the last three years than anyone else (with the exception, I hope, of John Durham and William Barr). The gist of her argument is that the federal government’s prosecution of General Flynn is so corrupt, so dishonest, so egregious, that it should be dismissed. That is how it looks to me. We will see whether Judge Sullivan agrees.”

Income gains for US households and workers are much more upbeat than what’s being reported by the media. Mark Perry – “a closer look at the Census Bureau data reveals there are several reasons that it’s maybe not such “a darn depressing story,” and might be a much more optimistic story of income gains for Americans than is being reported by the media.”

Debating A Murderer President, A Racist USA, A Dying Planet. Thomas McArdle – “But what actually stood out, for all the claims that “the American people are so much better than this,” as Sen. Kamala Harris said, and promises to “trust the American people,” as Mayor Pete Buttigieg put it, is the contempt shown on that stage in Houston for the people’s judgment – and their character.”

“Presumably, Trump would like to kill the people who enjoy record high employment under his policies. Apparently, white supremacist presidents giveth and taketh away.
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So why exactly would we want to give these supposed distributors of racially motivated punishments more cash?
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The way to save our dying planet is apparently by killing our racist country’s economy.

There was a lot more. Harris, who can’t make up her mind on her health reform proposal, claimed: “Under my Medicare For All plan, people have the choice of a private plan or a public plan.” Maybe “Medicare For Some” would be a better name for that.

Warren seems to think she can increase China’s minimum wage, not just ours:
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Self-loathing is a strange, new strategy for winning the White House, but next year will reveal whether it can work.

Gaetz: Dems Impeachment Push are ‘Perverting The Founding Fathers…Safeguards’. Sara Carter – “last week I argued that Nadler’s push for impeachment is not just a crisis for Trump but one for America. I stand by that argument. The Democrats continue to push multiple false narratives in an effort to target Trump.”

“Remember, over the past several years Nadler, Rep. Adam Schiff and other Democrats haven’t wasted any time spreading false rumors. They have spread disinformation campaigns against the Trump administration.

Nadler’s committee, along with his Democratic colleagues, argue the resolution is similar to procedural votes that took place during the impeachment investigations into Presidents Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton. Not true. And they still have no evidence of obstruction and no evidence that Trump has committed any crime.

Most importantly, don’t buy this Democratic narrative America. All these lawmakers are doing is wasting your tax payer dollars on more nonsense and political theater.

This is politics at its worst and damages our nation far more than Trump.

CNN Defends Andrew McCabe: “Prosecuting lying in these very esoteric circumstances, is very rare”… sundance – “As you listen to Jeffrey Toobin defend former FBI Director Andrew McCabe, play a little mental juxtaposition game and replace McCabe with General Mike Flynn.”

Everything That’s Wrong With Health Care In One Tweet. John Merline – “In 1960, half of the nation’s medical bills were paid out of pocket. Outside of hospital visits, insurance didn’t cover routine care. Patients paid doctors in cash for checkups and routine tests.”

“It’s worth noting that at 10%, the out-of-pocket share of health spending is lower in the U.S. than in almost every other country that has declared medical care a “right” and promises “universal coverage.”
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What’s needed isn’t less out-of-pocket spending for health care, but more of it. In every other part of the market, choice and competition drive down prices and increase quality. The same would work in health care, if government policies would stop discouraging it.

When doctors’ offices are full of Groupon-wielding patients, the health care system will no longer be “bonkers.” It will be reformed.

Flynn Lawyer Response to Threats and Targeted Harassment by Chairman Adam Schiff… sundance – “Not enough people understand the role of the Lawfare group in the corruption and political weaponization of the DOJ, FBI and larger intelligence community.”

“What Media Matters is to corrupt left-wing media, the Lawfare group is to the corrupt DOJ and FBI.
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The Lawfare continuum is very simple. The corrupt 2015 Clinton exoneration; which became the corrupt 2016 DOJ/FBI Trump investigation; which became the corrupt 2017 DOJ/FBI Mueller probe; is currently the 2019 “impeachment” plan. Weissmann and Mueller delivering their report evolved the plan from corrupt legal theory into corrupt political targeting. Every phase within the continuum holds the same goal.

The current “impeachment strategy” is planned-out within the Lawfare group.

After the 2018 mid-terms, and in preparation for the “impeachment” strategy, House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler hired Lawfare Group members to become committee staff.
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The Lawfare group ensures you have the right to remain guilty until they verify your politics and determine your alignment with the tribe. If accepted, your disposition shifts to innocent and you receive a pass to avoid any legal jeopardy…

Nadler’s Push For Impeachment Is A Crisis For America, Not Just Trump. Sara Carter – “Basically, the Democrats are desperately searching for a crime: any crime will do and they are not going to stop until they find one.”

“Chairman Jerrold Nadler doesn’t seem to care about anything unless it’s “impeachment.” He has no evidence of malfeasance by the President but he, like Rep. Adam Schiff, D-CA, don’t seem to care.

They are holding congressional hearings in search of a crime. Mind you, they have no evidence of anything but they are hoping, like they did with their debunked Trump Russia collusion theory, that they will find one.
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Remember, over the past several years Nadler, Schiff and other Democrats haven’t wasted any time spreading false rumors, in other words a disinformation campaign, against Trump on their favorite friendly cable news outlets like MSNBC or CNN.
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For what? I don’t get this at all. The American people are tired of this Washington D.C. political shark game. I’m sure the American people want a government that works for them and I’m guessing stop all these targeted attacks against the president.

Climate Change Has Been A Routine Scare Tactic Since The 1930s. Martin Armstrong – “It was Malthus who first published his “Essay on the Principle of Population as it Affects the Future Improvement of Society” in 1798.” It’s what they do, again and again, and again.

More than 900 Amazon employees plan strike over climate change inaction. Evie Fordham – “Amazon’s strike will coincide with a 16-year-old activist Greta Thunberg’s Global Climate Strike beginning on Sept. 20 as well.” Yes, it’s what they do.

The best speech on Brexit — from a shocking source. Thomas Lifson – “the arrogant, unaccountable transnational organizations, of which the EU is a leading example, have served global elites better than ordinary citizens of their constuent countries.”

“Watch this speech in Germany’s parliament, the Bundestag, by AfD’s co-leader Alice Weidel and start to realize that populism is a global force in the highly industrialized world, and that the complaints we Anericans feel against our elites, and the complaints Brits have against ceeding controt ot he EU, are all of a piece. She does not hesitate to point her fingers at France, which is leading the resistance to a negotiated Brexit.

One America News Network files $10 million defamation lawsuit against Rachel Maddow, MSNBC, and corporate parents. Thomas Lifson – “President Trump isn’t the only one who hits back.”

A NRA Member Makes Some Humble Suggestions on Gun Control. Roger L. Simon – “Few things exist on which there is more BS spoken than gun control.”

“You only have to look to Paris, where personal gun ownership is virtually illegal for private citizens and multiple dozens of people were murdered by jihadis at the Bataclan Theater and across the city, or Chicago, another supposedly gun-free zone, relatively anyway, where five were murdered and at least 29 wounded over the last weekend alone, for corroboration.

People who believe this kind of confiscation or control will solve everything, or even close, are living in a virtue-signaling/morally narcissistic dreamland.
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Yes, it’s true that the statistics on mass killings are fudged and exaggerated, but as a member of the NRA I have a few, tentative, suggestions:

Here we go. NRA sues San Francisco. Jazz Shaw – “It sounds like the NRA has a pretty solid case here. If the city had only passed some sort of nonbinding resolution calling the group a “domestic terrorist organization” they might have gotten away with it.” … “But when the city elders decided to declare that they would limit business with the NRA and its supporters, they definitely crossed a line.”

Debunking Howard Zinn … neo – “Even before Zinn wrote his book, there was a movement to tear down the way American history had been taught before.”

“So Zinn’s book fell on fertile ground, and without that encouragement I doubt it would have had the widespread effect it did. Most of us (and that includes me) weren’t paying much attention at the time. That’s how it was possible that the book’s influence became so widespread. At this point, can a counterbook such as Grabar’s have much effect? It seems to me that the tide against which it is swimming is very very strong.

Is It Illegal for a President to Make Money From Outside Businesses While in Office? Josh Ocampo – “Three lawsuits have been filed against Trump that invoke the Emoluments Clause; two have been dropped and one by Congressional Democrats remains active.” Ocampo is rather confused about the emoluments clause and why cases get dismissed. He does illustrate lawfare tactics based on deceit and distortion and suspicion and distruct work. It’s what they do.

Did Trump Rallies Really Increase Hate Crimes by 226%? Rick Moran – “As you can see, the left brings Mark Twain’s words to life: “There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics.” In this case, you have to ask are the professors that stupid? Or do they think that we are?” Moran has a problem, the ‘both sides guilty’ thing where the only cases he has go one way but that doesn’t inhibit innuendo or judgement sans evidence – or even contradictory to what is readily available.

“Trump makes use of the phrase “fake news” all too often. Many times, what he calls “fake news” is actually accurate reporting of his idiocy and ignorance.

But this is definitely one instance that Trump would be correct in calling out the media for reporting “fake news.” It’s not only “fake,” it’s an outright lie.

The Downside Of Prosperity: Madness Made Affordable. I & I Editorial Board – “No other system on Earth has created greater wealth for more people, and lifted more out of poverty than free market capitalism. But it has also brought a drawback we have to live with: plenty of idle time and available resources to feed foolish and too-often destructive activities.”

“None of this is to say we shouldn’t promote prosperity. We are made wealthy only to the degree we are free. Purposely curbing or slowing prosperity to restrain the shameful and sometimes criminal behavior of a few would restrain the liberty of all.

But a civilized people cannot tolerate domestic terrorists, “black bloc” rioters, street brawlers, and violent agitators To let this behavior go on, and in Ayers’ case reward it with a teaching pulpit, is to invite cultural and societal decline.

Bucknell University To Host Antifa Leader Who Promotes Political Violence. Alexander Riley – “At the campus where I teach, this week we are seeing an example of this insidious creep toward the left’s open embrace of violence against those who advocate for conservative ideas.”

Did Jerry Nadler lie to a federal judge? Thomas Lifson – “If you or I lied to a judge in a filing, there would be serious legal consequences, perhaps a fine and incarceration, for our legal system depends on absolute truth in filings to the courts.”

Perception is all: sacrificing safety to give in to fear … neo – “Why would a person planning a mass murder respect a store’s request that he not bring a gun into the store? That would be a bizarre notion.”

The long, strange road to passing SB 276 appears to be near its end…finally. David Gorski – “The long strange battle to get SB 276, the law designed to close that loophole, reveals a lot about the difficulty of legislating science-based policy, even in California.”

In a recent discussion, “facts” kept being mentioned as if their existence was all that was needed to support certain allegations, assumptions, and accusations. The thing is, facts are like the reeds used to make a basket. Some are strong, healthy, and well woven to create a basket that doesn’t leak and will last. Others are weak and poorly woven so that a basket made from them leaks like a sieve and doesn’t last very long before falling apart. Being able to tell one from the other – how facts are put together and how strong they are for the case being made – this is the challenge.

Or maybe the story of the Three Little Pigs might work better as an analogy for you? Are your intellectual structures made of straw or brick?

Natural Disasters and the AR-15. Erik Root – “As Dorian wreaks havoc, leaving some communities in a temporary state of nature, the right to protect ourselves is consequential. The natural right to self-defense is inalienable.”

Lies the Left Tells About Guns. Rachel Bovard – “For starters, the “assault weapons” ban of 1994 had no meaningful effect on the homicide rate.”

“The simple fact that we have a right to own guns doesn’t mean individuals must own them, use them, or even like them. But what it does mean is that people advocating further regulation of firearms at least should have a baseline understanding of how firearms actually work, as well as the current statutory environment that regulates their purchase, handling, and use.

Unfortunately, the current rhetoric coming from Democrats betrays a deep misunderstanding about all of those things.

Here are some of the worst offenses.

The Enemies of American Infrastructure. Edward Ring – “America’s inability to build anything big has almost nothing to do with the quality of American engineering, or the capabilities of America’s construction industry. The blame lies exclusively with American politicians, judges, government bureaucrats, and plaintiff attorneys.”

“Nobody wants to throw away all environmental protections, but the process now in place of permit delays and litigation has paralyzed the nation. It has become extreme. Americans are wearing out infrastructure that was built decades ago. Thanks to permitting delays and litigation, the costs of replacements and upgrades are prohibitive.

President Trump, who made his billions in the construction business, has done as much as he possibly can to cut regulations on builders, but without support from Congress or the courts, change is incremental.
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If these environmentalists, bureaucrats, and plaintiff attorneys actually believe in saving a planet and a people desperately threatened by “climate change,” they’re being awfully impractical.
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Kotkin’s analysis is accurate. “Public employee groups” and “the renewable energy lobbies” are special interests. If not one and the same, they are allied with the government bureaucrats and environmentalist attorneys who amass power and money every time they stop or delay another infrastructure project or housing development. They are sapping American wealth, oppressing the American people, and empowering hostile regimes around the world.

The Nuclear Option: Meteorologists, the Professional Fake Forecasters. Charles Hurt – “Sheathed in their nerdy white lab coats and pocket protectors, armed with their little TV weather screen clickers, they are ready for battle against the Great Orange Force of Nature.”

“Every shred of information included in the president’s tweet came directly from — that’s right — meteorologists. The very same meteorologists who then turned viciously against Mr. Trump as soon as their own predictions, as usual, turned into total fantasy.

The harshness should not be towards weather forecasts but rather towards the lie and how dearly it is held – the fact that their complaint or accusation is sourced back to them in an early forecast and only about an insignificant part of that forecast.

The stakes are too high for Apple to spin the iPhone exploits. T.C. Sottek – “Apple attacks Google’s credibility instead of focusing on a vulnerable population.” This is a case of downplaying a crisis that isn’t comfortable. When it comes to security, all computers are vulnerable and any breaches found should bring to mind the idea that many others that have not been found probably exist. Apple also has China problems and is conflicted by these breaches appearing to be a part of Chinese persecution of the Uighur community.

Chick-fil-A opens first international store as eager customers step over bodies of ‘die-in’ protestors. Thomas Lifson – “There is something magical and quietly hilarious about the ability of a fast-food chain peddling chicken to arouse deep outrage from the alienated few and yet record-setting patronage by the greater public.”

“Yesterday, Chick-fil-A ventured beyond the borders of the United States for the very first time, opening the first of 15 planned stores in the Greater Toronto Area, and militant homosexuals as well as animal righties attempted to obstruct customers, some of whom started lining up as early as 6:30 AM, from entering the store.
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People observing the tenets of their religion are targeted. How is this not religious bigotry?

The display of self-righteous anger backfired, as customer calmly stepped over and around the bodies attempting to block access and entered to enjoy delicious chicken sandwiches and nuggets.
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I recall that something similar happened when the company opened its first store in Manhattan; Mayor deBlasio fumed, protestors gathered, but so did crowds of customers, and after the protestors went away, the crowds continued to mob the store.
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Perhaps frustrated by their ineffectiveness, protestors escalated: … The craziness of damaging property and spewing obscenity to “defend love” is obvious to most people.

John Dean: The James Comey of Watergate. Geoff Shepard – “Both are media darlings in spite of outrageous professional conduct.”

“Both Comey and Dean were political lawyers. While holding presidential appointments to positions of extraordinary importance, each intentionally misled his president — and then lied about it.
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Both played critical roles in worsening political scandals that were largely of their own making.
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Each was less than candid in meetings with his respective president.
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Each quickly became a critical actor in an all-out effort to end a presidency.
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Both received exceptionally lenient treatment from federal prosecutors.
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Both have been feted at congressional hearings chaired by Democrats and are now featured regularly in friendly appearances on CNN and MSNBC, where any questioning about their own prior actions is strictly off-limits.
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Each man quickly wrote a bestselling book, spinning his own disgraceful actions in the best possible light. …

Astonishingly, both now teach courses on ethics and professional responsibility, seemingly in the belief their conduct was exemplary to other members of the legal profession.
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Details about all of these matters, Comey’s and Dean’s, are easily ascertainable by journalists interested in objective reporting. What is so disturbing is the realization that the mainstream media must really still hate President Nixon to continue to make someone like John Dean their hero — and the same is obviously true for President Trump with James Comey.

Is Chicago a Gun Crime Sanctuary City? Daniel John Sobieski – “Hypocrisy has a new poster child for what Lightfoot fails to note is that what is important is not where the weapons came from, but what happened to the gun criminals and gangbangers afterword,”

Yes, Marianne Williamson, The Left Is As Mean As A Pit Of Vipers. I & I Editorial Board – “I know this sounds naïve,” she said in an interview with the magazine’s executive editor, but “I didn’t think the left was so mean. I didn’t think the left lied like this.”

“The politics of the left are animated by those who want to manage, control, and bully. All require a certain level of malice. Decent people, kind folks, don’t want to run other people’s lives. They have no need to call those they disagree with racists, bigots, and white supremacists. Neither do they feel compelled to force society to conform to their schemes.

German Industrial Orders Plunge – The Surface Reason is China – The Underneath Reason is Trump… sundance – “China’s currency devaluation makes their exports cheaper; however, at the same time it makes any of their imports more expensive. As a consequence China buys less… and that now exhibits in lower purchases of German stuff.”

“All of those nations who were counting on Chinese purchases are now going bananas. This is why the multinationals blame Donald Trump… and to make matters even worse – the U.S. economy is thriving, while they watch from the sidelines. It’s a delicious dynamic.

For more than three decades global economies have grown by removing wealth from the United States. The U.S. multinationals have countered the economic arguments by claiming those global economies have purchased U.S. treasuries; but that means we trade our current wealth for future debt.

President Trump has reversed this dynamic. We are repatriating our national wealth through new trade policies, and will pay for any incurred foreign debt by expanding our own economy and controlling our own destiny.

Woman Drops ‘Forcible Kiss’ Trump Lawsuit After Furious Judge Views Cellphone Footage. Tyler Durden – “Johnson is also dropping a separate claim that the Trump campaign underpaid women and minority employees, with Zavareei once again slamming the Obama-nominated Jung.”

“Trump attorney Charles Harder said in response to the filing: “Ms. Johnson’s court filing last night, giving up the case, represents total victory for President Trump, and fully vindicates him of Johnson’s false accusation.”

“Ms. Johnson’s filing last night also fully vindicates the Trump Campaign, and verifies that the Trump Campaign fully complied with all applicable laws as to Ms. Johnson and all of its other employees.”

Harder had argued that Johnson repeatedly violated a nondisclosure agreement in connection with her work for the Trump campaign.

“The President and Campaign are weighing their legal options against Ms. Johnson at this time, and have demanded that she reimburse them for the attorneys’ fees and costs they incurred in her failed lawsuit,” he said, adding “Just as the President defeated the Stormy Daniels’ lawsuit and obtained an order requiring her to pay his legal fees, so too should Alva Johnson reimburse the President’s legal fees and costs incurred here.”

Interestingly, the MSM seemed to hold this “credible accusation” at arm’s length – perhaps because Trump kissing a black woman would conflict with their ‘super racist president’ narrative, or maybe because it was obvious BS from the start?

The Left’s determination to destroy us from within. Patricia McCarthy – “Candidate Barack Obama promised to “fundamentally transform America,” and he succeeded in doing just that. He pushed the Democratic Party from what was a semblance of JFK liberalism to abject Alinskyite hate-America radicalism.”

“The Democrats now champion socialism, restrictions on free speech, post-term abortion, and the doxing and blacklisting of those with opinions they find unacceptable. They support the abrogation of the Second Amendment. In their view, only criminals should and will have guns.
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Every Democrat presidential candidate opposes ICE, the agency tasked with stemming the tide of illegal immigration. All of them have implicitly admitted their contempt for our police and sanctioned violence against them. They clearly value illegal migrants over citizens.

CVS, Wegmans, Walgreens Ask Customers Not to Bring Firearms into Stores. Liz Sheld – “If someone is prepared to slaughter 10, 20 or more innocent civilians shopping in a drug store, do you think they are inclined to respect the “wishes” of a retail outlet that doesn’t want firearms in its establishment?”

Thunderstruck – Flynn Attorney Sidney Powell Drops Atomic Sledgehammer of Truth on DC Court…. sundance – “In an explosive response filing today, which includes the phrase “sunlight is the best disinfectant”, attorney Sidney Powell has outlined the soup-to-nuts construct of the malicious government action taken during their targeting her client Michael Flynn.”

What Is Justice For McCabe? Tyler Durden – “Of course, if protocol had been followed, McCabe would not have been able to have Flynn grilled without preparation and without counsel. That put Flynn in a very different posture from Hillary Clinton.”

“I don’t pretend to be a McCabe fan. Nevertheless, I have sympathy for him. The 2016 election will define his career, but it does not fairly reflect his long years of service defending the rule of law and American national security. If we could consider his case in a vacuum, and I had my druthers, I would not want to charge him. He was fired for cause in disgrace and is slated to lose at least some of his pension. These are significant penalties. I’d like to be able to say, “Enough is enough, no need to pile on with an indictment.”

But there’s more to it than that. A lot more.

On IG Horowitz’s report and the meaning of Russiagate… neo – “I do have a caveat, however. The fat lady has not yet sung on James Comey.” … “That said, I wonder whether Comey will ever be indicted. I tend to doubt it.”

Trump ‘Lies,’ Biden ‘Slips’ — But Fact Checks Tell Different Story. Kalev Leetaru – “The way in which fact-checkers frame the hyperbole and falsehoods that typically define the political sphere tells us a lot about the fractured state of society, but the narrative of Donald Trump as an unparalleled serial liar appears at odds with actual fact-checking verdicts.”

“Fact-checkers have often adopted a similar distinction in their editorialized headlines, labeling Trump’s errors as “bizarre,” “baffling,” “bungles” and “whoppers” whereas his predecessor Barack Obama’s were merely “misleading” or “cherry-picked.”
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In contrast to CNN’s depiction of Trump as an unrestrained liar and the vivid language used in fact-check headlines, when it comes down to the actual verdicts, it seems fact-checkers haven’t measured Trump’s statements over the last four months to be significantly worse than those of Biden.

For an example of distorted perception, Allahpundit nearly always has something. See Joe Walsh clashes with Fox’s Stuart Varney: Has Trump ever told the American people a lie? – his choice for the big Trump lie? The border wall. Then there is a nitpick on the Chinese negotiations where Allahpundit contradicts himself. The real lie of significance is in Allahpundit’s misrepresentation and distortion supporting ‘fake news’ and a false reality.

Yet another example from Allahpundit is Cavuto rebukes Trump on air: This network doesn’t work for you, Mr. President – this distorts the president in much the same way the loyalty smear does. Obama presented ‘us’ as himself. Trump is clearly referring to the American people. But those who allow their preconceptions and biases to taint their perceptions will find some way, any way, to interpret Trump to fit their narrative rather than make any attempt to fit reality.

Another example is from Mark Perry: Venn diagram of the day using Hurricane Dorian to expose the intellectual bankruptcy of the protectionists, aka ‘scarcityists’ – “graphically illustrate the intellectual inconsistency of many protectionists scarcityists (as Jon Murphy calls them). Scarcityists are those who support protectionist trade policies and claim that erecting trade barriers are economically beneficial to Americans, even though they restrict the flow of goods entering the country from foreign producers, raise prices for Americans, restrict consumers’ choices, and reduce competition.” The cutesy ad hominem is a clue. The distortion of the issue at hand is another. The falsity is in context deceit and over-simplification of factors at play.

America, the Racist. Mary Grabar – “As usual, capitalism is the culprit. Zinn plays fast and loose with numbers and sources in his effort to prove that capitalism is at the root of racism.” This is about a ‘history’ book that has influenced public education since 1980. It is a very long ‘fact check’ concerning a propaganda effort of significant impacts.

“In fact, according to the best quantitative evidence, 12 to 13 percent of slaves died in transit from Africa to the Americas during the history of the Middle Passage. Sometimes a larger percentage of the slave ship’s crew died on the voyage. In the Dutch slave trade, one in five crewmen died at sea. But it suits Zinn’s purpose to exaggerate the true numbers and to ignore the historical context of a time and place when life was more perilous for all.

Zinn acknowledges that slavery existed in Africa—where, in fact, it predated the discovery of America—but presents it as a kinder, gentler kind of slavery
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So why did such an evil, capitalist system fight a bloody war to end slavery? After all, within the capitalist system, slavery was profitable: it “remained a profitable investment at the time it was abolished regardless of country,” write . So there was something beyond the profit motive that ended slavery in the West. Yes, within the capitalist country that Zinn condemns, slavery was killed for moral reasons. …

In fact, the campaign to abolish slavery was a Western thing and a relatively new thing at the time.
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Histories in the Soviet Union airbrushed certain facts, as they did certain personages from photographs. Zinn does the same thing, airbrushing out evidence that contradicts his claims.

Rejection of Moral Absolutes Plagues the Modern Left. Trevor Thomas – “If death — anyone’s death — brings you joy, you should intently re-examine your worldview.”

“However, today’s Democratic Party is as far from rational as it is from moral. Even more than the vengeful tweets over a dead philanthropist or the angry threats over a potential Supreme Court vacancy, few things illustrate this as well as the gender debate the modern Left insists we have.

Rational thinking has a lot to do with moral behavior.

Hubris as A Strategy… sundance – “This is a justification memo, written by an outgoing National Security Advisor Susan Rice to document why there have been multiple false and misleading statements given to the incoming President Trump and all of his officials.”

“Every lie, every omission, every false and/or misleading statement, must first be filtered through the “By The Book” prism of Trump being considered a Russian asset. This is the justification trap democrats are waiting to exploit for maximum damage and diminishment of counter attack.

The “By the Book” justification, where every action could have been taken because Trump might have been an actual Russian operative, is the weapon under the camouflage tarp as the radical left lures-in their political opposition. They shrug their shoulders and say in condescending voice: ‘well, we didn’t know; we had to be prudent‘, etc.

Getting outraged about the Obama administration’s lies, misstatements and fabrications can backfire if you don’t first think about it from their constructed frame-of-reference.

How do you solve a problem like James Comey? Patricia McCarthy – “The I.G. Report on Comey released on Thursday is a damning document. Much of what it reveals is not new, but the details within are shocking.” Basically, the system of checks and balances seems to have failed and, worse, many are beginning to think the implementation o necessary consequences has failed as well.

“All of the participants must pay for their crimes. If they do not, the Constitution means nothing, the law means nothing, justice and fairness no longer prevail in America. May AG Barr and John Durham be the men we have been promised they are. Comey and his colluders in crime need to go to prison. That is how you solve the problem of culprits like Comey. And that is all he is, a culprit, no better than a common criminal who hoped to sidestep the law. Either way, there will be a special place in hell and the history books for this team of turncoats.

The Mythical Trump Hydra. Victor Davis Hanson – “We forgot that hydras are mythical creatures and only the delusional believe them to be real.” … “Here are a few of his supposedly monstrous manifestations.”

“In reality, the Trump empire reportedly has declined by nearly $1 billion in net value, aside from the tens of millions of his own money that Trump spent on the 2016 campaign. Trump’s business interests are the most thoroughly investigated of any recent president in memory. Obama and the Clintons made millions from their presidencies; Trump may well end up losing billions.
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the Heritage Foundation in January 2018 found that the first months of the Trump Administration were more conservative than any prior Republican in recent memory
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Donald Trump is mentally and physically ill, unfit to be president … In reality, Trump easily aced the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, which calibrates pre-dementia, … In terms of age, Trump seems far more vigorous than most men at 73 … Trump is able to speak extemporaneously for extended periods of time while holding the attention of an audience of thousands.
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Trump’s real crime in matters of race and ethnicity is that, all during his pre-presidential career and during his time in office, he simply ignored race and thus felt no compunction about deriding anyone—white, black, brown, Asian, or Latino.
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Trump is purportedly an utter incompetent executive. … In reality [economy, international relations, …]

The strange thing about these various hydra heads of Donald Trump is that very few of them were based on any empirical evidence. Instead, they revealed more about the conspiracist than the object of his conspiracy theory—namely a pathological hatred of Trump and his supporters that blinded them to the actual record of governance.

Talking about rationalizations and obsessions, consider the slew of homosexual stories today. Here’s What People Who Used To Be Transgender Are Telling The Supreme Court. Nicole Russell – “In an unusual amicus brief, a group of people who used to be transgender say that not only should gender identity not be a protected class, but that it’s an imaginary construct of traumatized minds.” This is supported, yet again, in There Is No ‘Gay Gene,’ Comprehensive Scientific Study Finds. Matt Margolis – “So, what happens when science proves that homosexuals aren’t “born that way”? Perhaps we’ll find out.” But the rationalization only gets more zealous and extreme: LGBT and fourth-graders. Phil Brizzolara – “Illinois has passed a law requiring that “the history curriculum in public schools include lessons on [sic] the contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people ” see also Portland State U Punishes Professor For Proving Gender Studies Is A Joke. Peter Wood and David Randall – “Dr. Boghossian, an assistant professor of philosophy at Portland State, joined two other academics to hoax the purveyors of gender studies and kindred fields committed to turning personal gripes into taxpayer-funded “studies.” … Portland State stuck with the idea that he had carried out “improper research on human subjects.”

sundance is on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (SSCI) implications of the Ohr interviews. WARNING – Troubling Statement by President Trump: “We’re dealing with Senator Burr. We’re dealing with the committee” … Corrupt Senate Intelligence Committee Resurfaces in Bruce Ohr 302’s … AG Bill Barr’s Other Problem – The 2018 DOJ and FBI Coverup To Protect The Senate Intelligence Committee … “The problem for Attorney General Bill Barr is not only investigating what we don’t know, but rather navigating through what ‘We The People’ are already aware of…. A branch of the United States government (Legislative) was attempting a coup against the leader of another branch of government (Executive); by using the Senate Intelligence Committee and designated corrupt agents within the executive branch cabinet.”

Two Tiered System Of Justice: Top FBI Officials Escape Prosecution, While Others Pay Heavy Price. Sara Carter – “Remember how former FBI Director James Comey laughed publicly about how he set up the former National Security Advisor. He also contends it wouldn’t have happened to another administration:” … “As an American, I’m more than disturbed -I’m sickened – by their uncanny ability to skirt the law and how their friends in high ranking positions are working diligently still to protect them.”

Andrew McCabe Files Federal Civil Lawsuit Against DOJ and FBI – Claims Trump Carried Out “Unconstitutional Plan” Against Him… sundance – “The motive here is 100% political obfuscation, and the same Lawfare team is involved in the construct.”

“Again, as with the earlier Strzok lawsuit, both are not going through the process within the Department of Labor for a wrongful termination complaint. Instead both are using federal courts in an effort to construct a narrative of sorts. …

Both Andrew McCabe and Peter Strzok are claiming their first amendment (speech) and fifth amendment (due process) rights were violated. Both have filed civil suits under the same pretext. However, McCabe’s Lawfare lawyers construct an argument that goes one step further.

According to Andrew McCabe, President Donald Trump constructed a master conspiracy of influence upon the DOJ and FBI; thereby usurping the powers of the constitution in a sketchy legal theory they cannot define.
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These Lawfare ideologues are nuts. … These ideologues, purely political partisan ideologues, were running the DOJ and FBI.
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These are not normal-thinking people. These are radical leftists, with a perspective of educated activism and organizing at the core of their self identity and effort. These are Marxist views, outlooks and engagements with the world around them; demanding conformity and manipulating the law to achieve an ideological goal.

Five years ago Michael Brown died, and a movement based on lies was born. William A. Jacobson – “the lies are being spread again by many people, including by presidential candidates Kamala Harris and Elizabeth Warren, who falsely claim Brown was murdered.”

John McWhorter: ‘We were lied to’ about what happened in Ferguson (Update). John Sexton – “McWhorter makes it clear that he’s not saying there isn’t a problem between black Americans and the police. In fact, he thinks the other Justice Department report, the one that found all sorts of misbehavior by the mostly white police force, may help explain why Mike Brown reacted the way he did that day five years ago.” This is replacing the lie about Brown’s death with a lie about black crime and its consequences.

Red Flags and White Supremacists. Brian C. Joondeph – “The media and entire Democratic Party are judging an entire group of people on the basis of skin color.”

“Then there are the “red flag laws,” which is the left’s new approach to confiscating guns. These laws are unconstitutional three ways to Sunday, violating three of the rights within the Bill of Rights. These laws usurp the Second Amendment’s right to bear arms, the Fourth Amendment’s protection from unreasonable searches and seizures, and the Sixth Amendment’s right of the accused to a speedy and public trial.
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What does this have to do with white supremacy? This past week, Trump supporters are now all “white nationalist” racists. …

How long will it take before states, or the federal government, if a red flag law becomes nationalized, start to view any and all Trump supporters as “posing a danger” based on their skin color, gender, religion, and opposition to open borders?
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Not only Trump supporters, but also those who don’t buy into the man-made global warming hoax. Bill Nye, the bow tie guy, “is open to criminal charges and jail time for climate change dissenters.” Is it a stretch for some bureaucratic panel to determine that someone not buying into the climate change movement “poses a threat” and shouldn’t be allowed to possess a firearm?

Missouri Walmart gun guy will probably walk. Jazz Shaw – “In the end, what Andreychenko is guilty of is first-degree stupidity, but sadly there are still no laws on the books about that.” Yet. See the debate about Red Flag Laws in this context.

When a Mass Shooting Begat Gun Control. Edward Mcclelland – “The St. Valentine’s Day Massacre shocked the nation and spurred the most restrictive gun laws America had seen. Here’s why the same thing hasn’t happened today.” Interesting history but watch out for the bias …

Gaslighting, and The Lies Media Moves About Donald Trump. Tony Katz – “This isn’t disagreement. These are lies, purposeful and obscene. And if left unchecked, they can not only destroy a president, they can destroy our nation.”

“Lies have been told. And those lies about President Trump – pushed by media and celebrities and political elites – have been allowed to take hold in America. And we must put an end to them. A decent society demands that lies be called out, and corrected. And those who lie must be called out, and admonished.
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The definition of gaslighting is to manipulate someone by psychological means into questioning their own sanity. Gaslighting by the media is pushing a narrative, theory or belief about a person or group of people that provides political advantage to another; and that group is the Democratic Party and the political Left. Nowhere is this more prevalent than the media vs. President Trump and the GOP, and on no subject is it more prevalent than white supremacy and bigotry in the wake of the mass shootings in El Paso and Dayton.

Big lies, little lies, important lies, misstatements, gaffs, hyperbole, … all are ammunition for rationalizations and evasions. Discriminating between false witness, deceit, dishonesty, and reality requires intellectual integrity, an appropriate degree of skepticism, and critical self awareness and perception verification.

The Obamacare ‘Experts’ Are Wrong Again. John Merline – “When President Trump announced plans to provide beleaguered health insurance consumers a cheaper alternative to Obamacare, critics decried it as “sabotage.” … “It turns out that, like everything else about Obamacare, these predictions were dead wrong.”

sundance at The Last Refuge:

– Wilbur Ross Hits Chinese Cabinet Manufacturers With $4.4 Billion Countervailing Duty – Beijing Caught W/ Stunning 200%+ Subsidy Rate For Chinese Companies…

“Think of China like a big lake filled with U.S. dollars and economic value; the result of our purchases of their products. Through his ASEAN discussions with Vietnam, S Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, Japan, et al, President Trump has stealthily built a thin levy, an ASEAN dam of sorts, that will direct the China lake of economic value into Southeast Asia.

– MAGAnomics – An Incredible Team, Delivering Astonishing Results…. “Factually, substantively and empirically the workers of America are gaining ground. Bigger and better than before, and far beyond what anyone else could have delivered.”

“there is something we don’t emphasize enough: The team of Secretary Mnuchin, Secretary Ross, USTR Lighthizer, Trade and Manufacturing advisor Navarro and NEC Director Larry Kudlow, face a scale of opposition almost unfathomable in modern political terms. There are trillions at stake; hundreds of the most powerful financial interests in the world are against them; and yet this team is succeeding.

– Trey Gowdy Discusses Peter Strzok’s Political Lawsuit… “Roosterhead brings up a good point that Strzok left out Robert Mueller in his civil lawsuit against the DOJ and FBI.”

Trump Doubles Down On The China Trade War. Salvatore Babones – “If 1989 was the historical moment to squeeze the Soviet Union, then 2019 is the historical moment to squeeze China.”

“Trump’s aggressive push on tariffs has thrown the country’s expert class into a tizzy, with pundits predicting a severe shock to the American economy, blaming the trade war for every blip in stock prices, and warning of the potential for runaway inflation as consumers pay the price for Trump’s tariffs.

Meanwhile the economy is employing record numbers of people, inflation is running well below the Fed’s target rate, and stock markets are slightly up since the beginning of the “trade war” in April. The data simply refuses to satisfy the pundits’ appetite for economic carnage.

With the economy refusing to cooperate with their “gloom and doom” narrative, America’s pundits are now arguing that economic pressure is no way to get a trade deal from China.
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All of these trends are in America’s national interest. And Trump’s trade war benefits America’s allies, too. In fact, the only country in the world with an interest in China holding all the strings of global value chains is China. If the Chinese don’t realize that, then they’re in for some real surprises as the trade war drags on.

Nicolle Wallace Says “Trump Wants to Exterminate Latinos”, Then She Says ‘Sorry’ at Sara Carter – it seems the operative word is “invasion” which is now racist and means extermination to those on the Left.

Video: Protestors Shout Death Threats Outside McConnell’s Home. Jennie Taer – “Over the chaotic cacophony of cowbells and cursing, viewers can hear a series of death threats being hurled at McConnell.”

“Death Camps For Trump Supporters” Fliers Posted In New York. Tyler Durden – “The fliers feature the threatening text in red and a stylized image of Trump’s face as a skeleton.”

Here’s What A Criminology Professor Learned By Studying Every Mass Shooting Since 1966. Tyler Durden – “Our goal has been to find new, data-driven pathways for preventing such shootings. Although we haven’t found that mass shooters are all alike, our data do reveal four commonalities among the perpetrators of nearly all the mass shootings we studied.”

“First, the vast majority of mass shooters in our study experienced early childhood trauma and exposure to violence at a young age. …

Second, practically every mass shooter we studied had reached an identifiable crisis point in the weeks or months leading up to the shooting. …

Third, most of the shooters had studied the actions of other shooters and sought validation for their motives. …

Fourth, the shooters all had the means to carry out their plans.

Unfortunately, the ideas put up to “prevent future shootings” are like most ideas about trying to control the future or forecast it – they have high risk for low returns. Politics is not on the list but is quite present in the responses to tragedy. Politics is also evident alongside.

Murder: It’s a Democrat thing. Selwyn Duke – “We can start with the striking statistic that 68 percent of all homicides occur in just certain parts of 5 percent of America’s counties — and all, or virtually all, of these are Democrat areas.”

“Also striking is Democrats’ devolution on prenatal infanticide.
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projecting, leftists are also full of the hate they ascribe to others.
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Worse still is how leftists (and the conservatives who defend yesterday’s liberals’ mistakes) destroy children, on the inside, with corruptive miseducation, entertainment, and sexual-devolutionary messages and temptations. From bodies to hearts to minds to souls to statues and traditions and beyond, threatening all that’s great and good, destruction is leftists’ stock in trade.

Democrats exploiting mass shootings for political gain have forgotten the lessons of the Wellstone funeral. Thomas Lifson – “such is the vigor of Trump-hatred that there is a strong possibility of ugly words, gestures, and deeds marring the solemn ceremonies.”

“Today, Democrats face a fundamental challenge in controlling their uglier side that Republicans do not: the media do not warn them with critical feedback. With even the former “newspaper of record” allowing Democrat candidates to rewrite its front page headline,

Warning: How the VA ‘Red-Flags’ Patriots. Michelle Malkin – “Gun-grabbing crisis vultures just can’t let the latest mass shootings go to waste. “Red flag” laws are now all the rage in the Beltway as the magic pill to prevent homicidal maniacs from wreaking havoc on the nation.”

“But if you want to know how this American version of China’s social credit system would work in practice, let me remind you of how Veterans Affairs recklessly red-flags “disruptive” citizens without due process, transparency or accountability in the name of “safety.” Government bureaucrats routinely deprive our nation’s heroes of medical treatment based on arbitrary definitions of who and what constitutes a mental health menace.
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Complain too much. Criticize the powers be. Ask too many questions. Boom! You’re a threat.

If such tyranny is allowed among those who volunteered to protect and serve our country in the name of safety, imagine how it will be implemented among the law-abiding, gun-owning general populace.

How the media redefines “racism in Trump’s America”. Jazz Shaw – “While they manage to provide some balance by including people objecting to these characterizations, the argument that the President is promoting racial animus is the prevailing theme. But when it comes time to cite some proof, here’s what they offer.”

“But if they’re taking a racist message from any politician’s words it’s because they hear what they want to hear. And they lurk in chat rooms where others reinforce their distorted views. What they do with that racial hatred, however, is their own choice and their own responsibility.

You can accuse Republicans of racism all you like. But if you expect to be taken seriously, you’re going to have to do a much better job of making your case.

Trump campaign reported Joaquin Castro to Twitter, but Castro claims there was ‘no call to action’. John Sexton – “Joaquin Castro posted a list of leading Trump donors in San Antonio, Texas along with the businesses where they work. “Sad to see so many San Antonians as 2019 maximum donors to Donald Trump,” Castro wrote, followed by a list of local businesses owned by some of those donors.”

The Uneasy Compromise Of Campaign Finance Disclosure Is Ruptured. Tom Maguire – “In an era where Administration officials and prominent Republicans are being mobbed and chased out of restaurants (not to mention shot at on ballfields) one wonders where Castro thought this would lead.”

“Democrats want to talk about inciting violence? This naming of private citizens and their employers is reckless and irresponsible. He is endangering the safety of people he is supposed to be representing,” Murtaugh told the Daily Caller News Foundation.

Legally the FEC database is public record and the Congressman seems to be on solid ground. But ethically? These campaign finance disclosure rules are meant as a check on “special interests” and the politicians who might end up with reveal conflicts of interest. They are NOT meant to allow incumbents to stir up their supporters and silence the opposition.
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But if the words “chilling effect” still have meaning, what Castro has done here is way over the line. Finance disclosure laws exist in tension with the principle of a private ballot.

Sarah Palin’s Defamation Case Against New York Times Reinstated. John Hinderaker – “It is notoriously difficult–some say impossible–for a public figure to win a defamation case in the current state of the law. If the law of defamation still exists, Palin’s case should succeed. If she can’t win on the facts we have here, the courts should simply acknowledge that, if you are a public figure, it is open season on you, and no redress for libel or slander is permitted, no matter how egregious the facts.”

“A further question is what led the federal district court judge, Jed Rakoff, to bend the rules of civil procedure in rather blatant fashion, so as to throw Sarah Palin’s case out of court.

Paul Sperry: Mueller’s double deception. Scott Johnson – “Recently released court documents suggest Mueller may have made his surprise appearance before the press in Washington on May 29 as damage control after a federal judge privately threatened to hold his team in criminal contempt of court over what she called misleading language he included in his final report about Russian government interference in the 2016 election.”

The left’s big blame game after El Paso: Guns, Trump, white supremacy. Monica Showalter – “It’s nothing but cheap opportunism of the sleaziest sort.”

“The left is trying to make political hay again over a mass shooting in El Paso and then another one in Dayton, blaming the whole thing on — take your pick, guns, President Trump, or white supremacy. Just look at them go and this is hardly a comprehensive sampling of all versions of these same arguments out there:
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Guns have been around since the Constitution was signed and mass shootings have been around since the dawn of the 20th century.
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None of this is stopping Democrats and leftists from their lockstep solution of gun control, something that didn’t stop mass shootings in these gun-free zones
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What’s also obnoxious is their claim that Trump, who condemned the maniac and sent comfort to the victims, was somehow responsible. Trump has never advocated mass shooting or justified anyone who has. That won’t stop the left.
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The political opportunism is disgusting. And counterproductive. And it sure as heck isn’t going to work. Maybe they should shut the heck up for long enough for the sane people of Texas and Ohio to just clear the bodies.

How Comey set a trap for prosecutors when leaking his memos. Thomas Lifson – “Credit Comey with the legal sophistication you’d expect from a head of the FBI, but also credit the team assembled by Attorney General Barr for avoiding the trap.”

The Covington Catholic Teen Lost His First Court Battle, But Will Probably Win His Next. Margot Cleveland – “On Friday, a federal judge in Kentucky tossed Nicholas Sandmann’s defamation case against the Washington Post. Here’s why Sandmann is likely to win on appeal.”

“If Sandmann loses his appeal, the consequences will be direr than his personal defeat. As his father, Ted Sandmann said following Friday’s ruling, “I believe fighting for justice for my son and family is of vital national importance. If what was done to Nicholas is not legally actionable, then no one is safe.”

The senior Sandmann is correct. A defeat would sound the death knell to the last remaining check on a profession that has abandoned all pretense of serious, unbiased, and fact-based reporting since Donald Trump entered the political arena—defamation law.

Titus calls for Trump impeachment, will escalate Emoluments Clause probe. Humberto Sanchez – “The Emoluments Clause prohibits the president from making money off of foreign countries.” With such ignorance on the part of the ‘reporter’ is it any wonder a Democrat is so off base? This effort is basically Democrats saying they want politicians who got rich via corruption and political influence rather than entrepreneurship in the private sector. The emoluments complaints boil down to foreign diplomats staying at Trump hotels and are not about any payments to the President for governmental favors. For that, see Hillary Clinton, uranium sales to Russia, and similar episodes.

McConnell blasts WaPo’s “McCarthyism” after “Russian asset” headline. Ed Morrissey – “Call him “Cocaine Mitch,” and Mitch McConnell launches a merchandising empire. Call him “Moscow Mitch,” and, well … look out.”

“perhaps Hiatt needs to review exactly what McCarthyism is. Its original form was the smearing of public officials as Russian assets for their political views, part of a “Red scare” that had some basis in fact but quickly ran out of control and was exploited for sheer political gain. That’s a much better description of what Milbank and the WaPo did with that column than Milbank’s description of McConnell as a “Russian asset” for opposing a partisan bill on election security. Milbank doesn’t even consider that there were legitimate for McConnell’s opposition to the bills — he just jumps to the conclusion that McConnell’s failure to adopt another political position is driven by treason or disloyalty without providing any proof of either. That is, in fact, classic McCarthyism, right down to the Russian roots of it.

Smearing Mitch McConnell. Scott Johnson – “Milbank is a clown, but a clown of the influential variety whose clowning is aped by his media colleagues as the height of sophistication and wisdom.”

Representative John Ratcliffe: “Donald Trump is not above the law, but he damned sure also shouldn’t be below the law”

Rep. Guy Reschenthaler: “The drafting and the publication of some of the information in this report, without an indictment, without prosecution, frankly flies in the face of American justice and I find those facts in this entire process un-American.”

Rep. Louie Gohmert: “If somebody knows they did not conspire with anybody from Russia to effect the election, and they see the big Justice Department with people that hate that person coming after him, and then a special counsel appointed who hires a dozen or more people that hate that person, and he knows he’s innocent. He’s not corruptly acting in order to see that justice is done. What he’s doing is not obstructing justice. He is pursuing justice and the fact that you ran it out two years means you perpetuated injustice.”

The ‘Marlene Effect’: Why Our Reasonable Neighbors Are Blind to the Deep State. Ted McAllister – “While the evidence for this corruption is overwhelming, the soft power of both the deep state and the institutions supporting it is so great that public opinion remains largely immune to evidence, even as those Americans who are “woke” to it, strive to resist.”

“The distance between Marlene and the evidence, coupled with the need to have the correct opinion on matters she is incapable of assessing directly, puts her completely at the mercy of the sources of authoritative information and assessment that she has chosen. More than perhaps any other segment of the population, those afflicted by the Marlene effect are most controlled by a public opinion generated by elite institutions rather than by their own experiences (indeed, as we noted before, their experiences are shaped by the opinions with which they are supplied). Like all provincials who aspire to be known for their cosmopolitanism, Marlene cannot question the authority of her sources without exposing her complete dependence on the work of others for her most cherished opinions and values.

The Marlene effect makes people immune to evidence and dependent on a constructed narrative. The Marlene effect reveals that the most important battle is about who gets to define reality for the citizens of a self-ruling nation.

Hong Kong is in turmoil … neo citing Michael Yon – “The British helped Hong Kongers taste freedom, and rule of law, and Hong Kongers love their freedom and legitimate judicial system. They will fight. The real fight is beginning.”

New York dives into the black hole of wind turbine energy. Jazz Shaw – “It works out to $131.93 per megawatt-hour, compared to the current average cost of $41.16 in New York City and $45.05 on Long Island. Yes, that’s more than triple the current cost in the Big Apple.”

“The state can’t develop its own vast natural gas resources and is forcing out nuclear power. And when the wind slows and those wind turbines can’t generate enough power to keep the lights on in New York City there’s going to be a revolt. Don’t say you weren’t warned.

Can hotels refuse to rent rooms to ICE? Jazz Shaw – “Partisan liberal nonsense aside, the original question remains. When can companies deny service to paying customers based on the fact that they don’t like the completely legal, government jobs the officers hold? Most of the people they will be turning away would be from Mexico, Central or South America. Sounds kind of racist, doesn’t it?”

The One Person Who Shows Just How Unhinged Global Warming Alarmism Has Become. I & I Editorial Board – “But then if that voice had instead been telling us capitalism has lifted more than a billion out of poverty, Thunberg would have no forum. Though true, it doesn’t fit the narrative.”

“The kids at Vox have declared that when watching Thunberg speak, “it’s hard not to think of Cassandra, the brash young warrior of Greek myth who beseeched Apollo for the gift of prophecy.”

The more reasonable among us see a young lady who’s being exploited by an intractable, alarmist movement and a set of parents craving, what, relevance maybe.

The Voxers are correct though in observing that “Thunberg’s fearless rhetoric has proven to be enormously influential.” And therein is the problem.
…
It’s unlikely to happen, but every adult who has placed Thunberg on a pedestal should be embarrassed for taking seriously what is so plainly a stunt, for so obviously trying to signal their moral superiority over the unbelieving rubes, for flattering themselves as sages who recognize greatness. They should be ashamed for hitching themselves to the operators who are cashing in on the girl. They should be held to account for failing, or refusing, to recognize they are giving life to a cult, one that a mentally healthy society would have already turned back.

Isn’t this how the Salem Witch Trials got started? A major player in that was Elizabeth Hubbard age 17. [wikipedia]

Trump Adheres To The Law On Immigration, Shocking Lawless Democrats. Peter J. Ferrara – “The plan to deport about one million illegal aliens announced by Acting United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Ken Cuccinelli is not a matter of discretion. Cuccinelli is just following the law, and already issued court orders.” No matter, another essay on the site details how the issue is being used to gen up partisan impeachment froth.

“Those subject to deportation under the plan have already had their cases adjudicated in the United States, with immigration judges ruling they have lost their cases, and ordering them deported. Cuccinelli is just the first federal official, besides President Trump, brave enough to follow and implement the law.
…
The Democrat’s continuing illegal resistance should not be surprising, because these same Democrats have refused to abide by the rule of law with the choice of American citizens to elect Donald Trump in 2016. Instead, they have engaged in what they call Resistance, which is actually an outright Insurrection.
…
Remember what Democrats did the last time they refused to accept the results of a democratic election. They started a Civil War, rebelling against the first Republican President, Abraham Lincoln, because he wanted to end slavery.

Pelosi Rejects U.S. Sovereignty – U.S. Immigration Subject to Laws of “A Global Society”… sundance – “While explaining why she will not allow congress to debate, change or modify U.S. immigration laws, Pelosi outlines how the United States is part of a global society, without borders and without any sovereign right to impede the “human society” from entering our nation. Therefore, according to her outlook and worldview, U.S. politicians have no right to stop any migration movement.”

“Keep this in mind as we approach the 2020 election. The Speaker of the House is essentially saying, openly, publicly and without any reservation or concern, the United States of America is no longer a sovereign nation.

Pelosi vs. AOC: It’s a Beautiful Thing. David Limbaugh – “everything about modern leftist ideology is extreme. It is extreme in substance, and its practitioners are self-absorbed, sanctimonious, uncompromising and often irrational.”

“Nancy, and so many progressives, use racial smears against conservatives to neuter them — not because they believe they’re racists. They know better. It’s simply a cynical power play, and it always has been.

While it is delicious to see this tactic thrown back in Pelosi’s laughing face by one with stronger intersectionality credentials, let us not allow ourselves the luxury of sanguinity over this blissful moment. In the long run, it won’t matter much in the scheme of things.

Don’t be fooled. This is not really a battle over ideology. Nancy Pelosi and the establishment wing of the Democratic Party are not — let me repeat, they are not — moderates. These people all embrace varying degrees of an extreme progressive agenda including radical environmentalism; socialized medicine; socialism writ large, evisceration of gun rights; abortion on demand; health care and welfare for illegal immigrants; open borders; confiscatory personal- and corporate-income tax hikes; softness on Iran and terrorism; leftist judicial activism; wholesale end runs around the Constitution to secure their power, such as abolishing the Electoral College and allowing 16-year-olds and felons to vote; and so much more.

Transcript of President Trump and AG Bill Barr Citizenship and Census Announcement… sundance – “Rather than listen to media pundits explain what President Trump and AG Bill Barr said today at the White House, here’s the transcript:” Fairly short, well worth reading to see what is actually happening, the barriers being faced in conducting proper government business, the complicity of the courts, the President’s abilities to find alternative solutions, and how the President’s opposition is stimulating government behavior his opponents say they abhor but engage in themselves (except in a legal way).

Why Wind And Solar Will Never Work. John Hinderaker – “This paper by Mark Mills of the the Manhattan Institute and Northwestern University’s McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science, titled “The ‘New Energy Economy’: An Exercise in Magical Thinking,” does an excellent job of explaining why wind and solar energy will never replace fossil fuels or nuclear energy as a primary energy source.”

Bombshell Claim: Scientists Find “Man-made Climate Change Doesn’t Exist In Practice” Tyler Durden – “A new scientific study could bust wide open deeply flawed fundamental assumptions underlying controversial climate legislation and initiatives such as the Green New Deal, namely, the degree to which ‘climate change’ is driven by natural phenomena vs. man-made issues measured as carbon footprint.” See also Lubos Motl on this paper.

Fact-Check: Nevada’s Rep. Susie Lee Fearmongers Over Yucca Mountain. Alex Berezow – “While her counterargument is at least civil, it spreads disinformation about geology and public health.” When the children get dragged into an argument like this, Godwin’s rule of Hitler analogies comes to mind.

“An absolutely excellent, must-read article by physicist Dr. Richard Muller explains the science behind nuclear waste disposal. We routinely say that nuclear waste needs to be secure for about 10,000 years. That’s because, by then, most of the radioactivity has decayed away. But in reality, after merely 300 years, the level of radioactivity has declined by roughly 90%. So, the question isn’t, “Can we guarantee that Yucca is eternally secure forever and ever amen?” but “Can we ensure that Yucca is safe for about 300 years?” And that answer is yes.

Dr. Muller really slams the door shut by comparing the risk posed by a leak at Yucca Mountain to the risk posed by uranium found naturally in the soil: …

The science is utterly conclusive: Yucca Mountain is not a threat to Nevadans’ health. Grandstanding and fearmongering by politicians is why America has a completely backward energy policy.

Why Do Democrats Hate Jobs So Much? I & I Editorial Board – “The economic case against the minimum wage is robust. But the freedom argument is just as strong. It’s a shame we don’t hear it more in the only nation that was ever founded in the cause of liberty.”

Trump Right Again – More Puerto Rican Government Officials Indicted for Corruption, Wire Fraud, Money Laundering and Conspiracy… sundance – “This is the widespread corruption President Trump previously drew attention to. This overt and in-the-open corruption is why Nancy Pelosi took the entire Democrat caucus to Puerto Rico in January for a vacation with her favorite lobbyists.”

Barr Is Right: The Trump-Russia Conspiracy Is ‘Bogus,’ And Mueller Proved It. David Harsanyi – “Suddenly, investigations are bad.”

“The bogus Russia narrative, after all, caused tremendous damage. It consumed political media coverage for two years, leading to wild speculation and a string of outright false stories designed to undermined trust in the legitimacy of the electoral system for partisan reasons.

It was far more effective in interfering in American politics than anything a Russian Twitter army or hackers could ever accomplish. Simply because Democrats have now moved onto more politically useful obstruction charges doesn’t mean we don’t deserve an explanation about how a counterintelligence investigation against political opponents could make all of this happen.

Carlson versus Omar. Scott Johnson – Quotable quote: “Our country rescued Ilhan Omar from the single poorest place on Earth. We didn’t do it for the money, we did it because we are kind people. How did she respond to the remarkable gift we gave her? She scolded us, called us names, showered us with contempt.”