QUESTION ASKED: What happens if Hillary loses the Nevada Caucuses?
Archive for 2016
February 20, 2016
HMM: NATO warns Turkey it can’t count on support in a conflict with Russia as tensions escalate.
So, as I kind of predicted, we’ve chosen weakening NATO over World War III. Possibly the right choice, but it’s Putin and Erdogan who put NATO in this position, which is bad.
WHY AREN’T WE DISCUSSING FATHERLESSNESS? It’s the elephant in the room this election year.
Related: Rebuilding a Marriage Culture in 21st-Century Black and Latino America.
LIFE IN THE ERA OF HOPE AND CHANGE: How the DNC Helps Clinton Buy Off Superdelegates: As floodgates open to donations from special interests, the future of the party is auctioned to the highest bidder.
In a giant step backwards in eliminating special interests in Washington, the Democratic National Committee overturned a ban introduced by Barack Obama in 2008 restricting donations from federal lobbyists and super PACs. Unfortunately for Bernie Sanders’ supporters—who take pride in the Democratic presidential candidate’s refusal to accept funds from super PACs—the decision disproportionately benefits Hillary Clinton, as she is the only Democratic presidential candidate taking such donations.
Campaign finance reform has been a major issue this political cycle, as both Democratic presidential candidates have incorporated it into their platforms—but only Mr. Sanders has acted on his proposal by refusing to accept super PAC money. According to The New York Times, Ms. Clinton received $47.9 million from super PACs in 2015, despite openly advocating for campaign finance reform. Ms. Clinton’s actions contradict her words, and suggest her proposals for reform are merely for political expediency.
Like Ms. Clinton, DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz also accepts money from super PACs and corporate interests. Given Ms. Wasserman Shultz’s campaign financing strategies—in conjunction with the virtual bankruptcy the DNC is facing under her leadership—the rescinding of the ban on donations from federal lobbyists and super PACs should come as no surprise, but what it demonstrates is still sobering. Special interests have undermined the trust between the government and the American people to the extent that public outcry against corporate influences are resulting in regressing policies for campaign finance reform. As Mr. Sanders leads calls for politicians to ethically rid themselves of ties to wealthy individuals and corporations, the Democratic Establishment is doing everything possible to inoculate themselves from those calls to action.
It’s all about the opportunities for graft.
IN TODAY’S WSJ: How the Sex-Harassment Cops Became Speech Police, by FIRE’s Will Creeley (Paywalled).
LIBERAL LAWYER WHO CLERKED FOR SCALIA SINGS HIS PRAISE: “In one essay she debunks everything the Left has told us about Scalia.”
AT AMAZON, fresh deals on bestselling products, updated every hour.
Also, coupons galore in Grocery & Gourmet Food.
Plus, Kindle Daily Deals.
And, Today’s Featured Digital Deal. The deals are brand new every day, so browse and save!
I’M REALLY LOSING PATIENCE WITH TWITTER: The Twitter Star Chamber Suspends Stacy McCain.
NO, THIS ISN’T A PARODY: Schoolwork, advocacy place strain on student activists: Students struggle with mental health, academic pressures as they act on social justice responsibilities.
Two weeks ago, the University released the final version of its diversity and inclusion action plan, which could not have been compiled without the exhaustive efforts of students throughout last semester.
“There are people breaking down, dropping out of classes and failing classes because of the activism work they are taking on,” said David, an undergraduate whose name has been changed to preserve anonymity. Throughout the year, he has worked to confront issues of racism and diversity on campus.
His role as a student activist has taken a toll on his mental, physical and emotional health. “My grades dropped dramatically. My health completely changed. I lost weight. I’m on antidepressants and anti-anxiety pills right now. (Counseling and Psychological Services) counselors called me. I had deans calling me to make sure I was okay,” he said.
As students rallied to protest two racist columns published by The Herald and the alleged assault of a Latinx student from Dartmouth by a Department of Public Safety officer, David spent numerous hours organizing demonstrations with fellow activists. Meanwhile, he struggled to balance his classes, job and social life with the activism to which he feels so dedicated. Stressors and triggers flooded his life constantly, he said.
David turned to CAPS and reached out to deans for notes that extended his deadlines for assignments. These were helpful, he said, but acted only as “bandages” for the underlying causes of stress.
Justice Gaines ’16, who uses the pronouns xe, xem and xyr, said student activism efforts on campus are necessary. “I don’t feel okay with seeing students go through hardships without helping and organizing to make things better.”
In the wake of The Herald’s opinion pieces, Gaines felt overwhelmed by emotions flooding across campus. Students were called out of class into organizing meetings, and xe felt pressure to help xyr peers cope with what was going on, xe said. Gaines “had a panic attack and couldn’t go to class for several days.” . . .
Other students have also seen their academic work impacted by their efforts to advance social justice causes. This past semester, David spent class time on his activist work in order to address a time-sensitive issue. As a result, one of David’s professors lowered his grade because he was distracted in class, he said.
Sampedro was also on the committee that planned workshops for the Latinx Ivy League Conference, including Paxson’s presentation to students following the assault by a DPS officer on a student earlier that weekend. “I remember seeing all the tears in the room — that was traumatizing — and then not being able to focus on my homework,” she said. “Homework was the least of my worries.”
This is the Ivy League. Really, why not just abolish it?
SALON’S OFFERINGS FOLLOWING DEATHS OF BIN LADEN AND SCALIA PROVIDE A ‘DISGUSTING’ JUXTAPOSITION.
But one entirely keeping with Salon’s oeuvre down through the years.
Related: Reaction to Justice Scalia’s Death Reveals Pathologies of Social Media.
For well over half a century, the MSM has made the most vile smears against conservatives; it’s not surprising that many of their consumers have internalized them.
ANALYSIS: TRUE. Confirmation fights got bitter because government got bigger.
Well, that and Democrats using the courts to ram through divisive social changes that they’re too timid to go on the record supporting and/or risk dying in statewide ballot boxes, such as abortion, gay marriage, and socialized medicine. Or as Mark Steyn wrote in 2009, when Obama was still pretending to be against gay marriage:
Democrats win by pretending to be to the right of who they really are. Their base understands and accepts this. Thus, when Democrat candidates profess to believe that “marriage is between a man and a woman” or to be “personally passionately opposed to abortion” or even to favor “the good war” in Afghanistan and if necessary invade Pakistan, their base hears this as a necessary rhetorical genuflection to the knuckledragging masses but one that will be conveniently discarded on the first day in office.
Or when the politically convenient Supreme Court decision is handed down. QED: “It’s Constitutional, Bitches.”
FROM THE HOME OFFICE IN CHAPPAQUA: 10 Times Democrats Vowed To Block Republican Court Nominees.
I VERY MUCH DOUBT THAT THIS IS SOMETHING NEW: Democrats want to play politics with education jobs in Maryland.
ASHE SCHOW: Ten colleges with free speech problems.
The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education has released its annual list of colleges and universities that don’t uphold free speech for their students.
In an article for the Huffington Post, FIRE President and CEO Greg Lukianoff provided specific details as to how each school ended up on the list.
Mount St. Mary’s University, for example, made the list due to the firing of two employees who were critical of the university president’s plan to use a student survey to identify potentially low-performing students to dismiss from the school. After a backlash, the president reinstated the employees, but that has done little to assuage fears of retribution for dissension.
Northwestern University also makes the list for opening up a Title IX investigation against professor Laura Kipnis because she had written an article disagreeing with how universities are handling campus sexual assault. Kipnis was eventually cleared of wrongdoing, but not before witnessing firsthand how the process is used as a weapon. One of the kickers to this story is that in these Title IX investigations, the accused is allowed to bring a “support person” to accompany them during the proceedings, although this person is not allowed to speak. The “support person” who sat in with Kipnis was then accused of violating Title IX because he spoke generally about the process during a Senate meeting.
Read the whole thing.
NEWS YOU CAN USE: Lessons From Al Capone On Countering Islamist Violence.
HILLARY GOLDMAN-SACHS CLINTON: Clinton faces tough questions on Wall Street speeches.
Hillary Clinton deflected a call from a Nevada voter to release transcripts of her speeches to Wall Street groups and pushed back at accusations that her reluctance to make those documents public was just “political rhetoric.”
“I am happy to release anything I have when everyone else does the same, because every other candidate in this race has given speeches to private groups, including Sen. Sanders,” she said during Thursday’s MSNBC Democratic presidential town hall, referring to rival candidate Bernie Sanders.
“I was the candidate who went to Wall Street before the crash. I was the candidate who said to them, ‘You are wrecking our economy.’ ”
Clinton opponents have coalesced around a call for her to release transcripts from paid speeches she gave to major Wall Street firms. They say it will shed light on how tough she would be with the banking sector as president.
But the audience member, an avowed Sanders supporter, questioned her trustworthiness on the issue by referencing her shift on gay marriage.
“I do respect you very much,” the voter said. “In fact, only a decade ago, I was a very big supporter of yourself and your husband.
“It actually broke my heart when you said marriage was between a man and a woman. How can we trust that this isn’t just more political rhetoric? Please just release those transcripts so we know exactly where you stand.”
Clinton pushed back against the characterization and defended of her change of heart on gay marriage by noting endorsements from pro-LGBT groups.
Those are her principles, and if you don’t like them, she has others.
YOU STAY CLASSY, MIAMI HERALD: “In South Carolina, No More Darko Marco” sneers headline above photo of Marco Rubio, Nikki Haley, and senators Tim Scott and Trey Gowdy.
“DONALD TRUMP MAKES ME MISS GEORGE W. BUSH,” Dana Milbank writes in the Washington Post, and as Steve Hayward responds at Power Line, “I’ve been expecting something like this,” as “The ‘Strange New Respect’ Award Makes a Comeback.”
Of course, “Strange New Respect” cuts both ways; Wingnuts author John Avalon writes in the Daily Beast that “Donald Trump Is Running for Richard Nixon’s Third Term.” complete with crude Photoshop of Trump’s maniacally grinning head over Nixon’s as he makes the V-for-victory sign before climbing into Marine One. But Avalon’s headline doesn’t have much of a sting after the left — including multiple New York Times columnists — have spent the last quarter century rehabilitating the 37th president, both because they admire his Great Society-era expansion of the federal government, and to use as a cudgel against his GOP successors.
TENNESSEE SHERIFF CITES BEYONCE VIDEO AFTER SHOTS FIRED AT HIS HOME.
Given the awesome mystical powers to warp men’s minds that clip art and scary words have been granted by the media in recent years, who knows what a pop video can make people do?
IT’S COME TO THIS: Japan’s Shinzo Abe rebukes MPs after Obama ‘slave’ remark.
Japan’s PM Shinzo Abe issued a stern rebuke after one of his lawmakers sparked a row by saying US President Barack Obama has “the blood of slaves”.
Kazuya Maruyama from Mr Abe’s ruling party made the remark on Wednesday during a parliamentary session.
Mr Abe said that as elected representatives of the people MPs should have “self-discipline”.
Mr Obama is the son of a white mother and a black Kenyan father who went to the US as a student.
Mr Maruyama made the comment while discussing the evolution of the US into a world superpower.
“Now in the United States, a black man serves as president. With the blood of black people. This means slaves, to be clear.”
He added later: “It was unthinkable at the founding of the country that a black man, a slave could become president. That’s how dynamically America has evolved.”
Technically, of course, this is false: Obama isn’t descended from former American slaves at all. But Maruyama can be forgiven for getting that wrong, given this Black History Month speech by Obama:
President Obama held a reception celebrating Black History Month at the White House on Thursday.
In his remarks, he emphasized the influence of African-American culture on the nation.
“From our earliest days black history has been American history,” he said. “We’re the slaves that carry the stone to build this White House. The soldiers who fought for our nation’s independence, who fought to hold this union together. Who fought for freedom of others around the world. We’re the scientists and inventors who helped unleash American innovation.”
“We’re the slaves.” Well, for certain values of the word “we.”
AND AS WE WIND ON DOWN THE ROAD TO IDIOCRACY: Sanders and Trump Have Risen from the Wreckage of a Broken Culture.
Related: “The 2016 election and the rise of Donald Trump mark the lasting triumph of postmodernism—that signal creation of European theorists of the 1960s popularized and democratized on American college campuses in the 1970s. Postmodernism’s core notion is there is no core—to anything. There is no essential truth, no intrinsic meaning; what we imagine to be truth is just a hierarchy, an order, we are imposing on whatever it is we are analyzing or interpreting.”
As Michael Walsh has written, the Frankfurt School and its offshoots did their job of poisoning American culture remarkably well.
AUDIO: Trump in interview on the day after Iraq invasion: It’s ‘a tremendous success.’
Related: Allahpundit tweets, “Good point by Andy McCarthy. If Trump was against ousting Saddam in 2003, why was he for it in 1991?”
The same could be asked of Al Gore and many other Democrats.