Crashing the System

For John, BLUF:  We face continuing problems with illegal immigration, which is not being fixed by small moves from the Biden Administration.  It will soon become overwhelming.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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In a recent post (3 July 2024) (Stop Asking For Uncle Sam to Pay Your Bills) I talked about the costs of illegal immigration to the individual States♠  and how even the Federal Government can not fund this problem.

This is not a good situation.  It is only adding to the inflation problem we are alredy facing.  The TV Network CNBC said, in March of this year, "The U.S. national debt is rising by $1 trillion about every 100 days".  In February of this year Forbes reported that the Congressional Budget Office now says tht the interest on the US Federeal debt now exceeds the Defense Budget.

This growing debt will eat our budget.  Not just Defense, but also things like Social Security and Medicare.  It will damage, and then destroy the US Dollar as the world reserve currency.  As US News and World Report told us in February of this year, "For the U.S., it would likely mean less access to capital, higher borrowing costs and lower stock market values."  That is bad news for all families as they try to live from paycheck to paycheck.  It also means, in the end, less support for those who need Government support.

We need to wake up and realize that we can not do everything.  We need to prioritize and look for cheaper solutions.  We need to start paying down our national debt before it eats the budget.

And, perhaps we should turn off the flow of illegal immigrants, who are costing us a lot of money, and interest payments.

As I thought about this problem I was reminded of a course in American History I took at UMass Lowell Continuing Education.  The authors of the textbook we used were Profesors Richard Cloward and Francis Fox Piven, of Columbia Univerity.

The Cloward–Piven strategy is a political strategy outlined in 1966 by American sociologists and political activists Richard Cloward and Frances Fox Piven.  The strategy aims to utilize "militant anti poverty groups" to facilitate a "political crisis" by overloading the welfare system via an increase in welfare claims, forcing the creation of a system of guaranteed minimum income and "redistributing income through the federal government".

Do you think it is possible that someone on that behind the scenes team running the Biden Administraion has hit on the idea of fundamentally changing our welfare system by crashing it with illegal immigrants?  Fixing such a crash could involve reallocating resources within the Federal Budget or it could involve changing tax types and rates, or both.  As we mix poverty, unemployment, homelessness illegal immigration and medical coverage we could see radical shifts not seen since the 1930s.

This is one of those things which will appear all of a sudden and overwhelm the Administration and Congress.  If someone is prepared with a solution, no matter how foreign to our culture, they will have an edge in presenting that solution and getting it approved.

Regards  —  Cliff

♠  According to Brilliant Maps, as of 4 June 2024, only 7 states have 5,000 or fewer illegal immigrants:  Alaska, Maine, Montana, North Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, Wyoming.  Two more had 5,000 to 15,000 illegal immmigrants, New Hampshire, South Dakota.  The rest had more, some up over a million.  Is the Federal Government trying to break the Republican Government of Texas?

Stop Asking For Uncle Sam to Pay Your Bills

For John, BLUF:  We can't have it all and trying to do it will bankrupt the nation.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Pols want data on migrant sponsors

Here is the sub-headline:

Letter demands Gov. Healey conduct review, require reimbursement

From The Lowell Sun, by Boston Herald Reporter Gayla Cawley, 3 July 2024.

Here is the lede plus one:

A group of Massachusetts senators are demanding that the governor review how many migrant families being supported by taxpayers entered the U.S. on the condition of having their expenses covered by a sponsor, and that she make those people pay up.

Eleven state senators, led by Democrat Michael Moore and Republican Minority Leader Bruce Tarr, sent a letter to Gov. Maura Healey and Housing and Livable Communities Secretary Edward Augustus, calling for accountability for those who have made commitments to provide financial support for migrants under the federal Humanitarian Parole Program, “but have not fulfilled that commitment.”

All good stuff, but I want to focus on a paragraph further down in the story;:

“We appreciate the pressure you have placed on the federal government, and we continue to hope that Congress will act,” the June 25 letter states. “However, we ask that you also seek to hold to account those who have legally committed themselves to provide financial support for these migrants.”

While I am relatively confident immigrants are not clamoring to go to Alasks or North Dakota.♠  That said, immigrants do tend to be spread out across the fruited plain, if not by choioce, then by the acts of certain State Governors.

This, in turn, means that there are not large pockets of US tgaxpayers who can pony up the money for Massachusetts or New York City or Chicago to house immigrants.  The only way the Federal Government can hep the individual states to pay for the care and feeding of our millions of illegal immigrants is to print money.  We are financing it with debt.

As Senator Evertt Dirkson (R-IL) is reported to have said:  "A billion here, a billion there, pretty soon, you're talking real money."

This is not a good situation.  It is only aqdding to the inflation problem we are alredy facing.  The TV Network CNBC said, in March o fthis year, "The U.S. national debt is rising by $1 trillion about every 100 days".  In February of this year Forbes reported that the Congressional Budget Office now says tht the interest on the US Federeal debt now exceeds the Defense Budget.

This growing debt will eat our budget.  Not just Defense, but also things like Social Security and Medicare.  It will damage, and then destory the US Dollar as the world reservre currency.  As US News and World Report told us in February of this year, "For the U.S., it would likely mean less access to capital, higher borrowing costs and lower stock market values."  That is bad news for all families as they try to live from paycheck to paycheck.  It also means, in th end, less support for those who need Government support.

We need to wake up and realize that we can not do everything.  We need to prioritize and look for cheaper solutions.  We need to start paying down our natoinal debt before it eats the budget.

And, perhaps we should turn off the flow of illegal immigrants, who are costing us a lot of money, and interest payments.

Regards  —  Cliff

♠  An old Air Force expression about Montana is "Why not Minot?  Freezin' is the reason."

For John, BLUF:  I wrote this up for my middle Brother, to help explain some of what is going on the the Grand Old Party.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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The Uniparty circa 2023

Here is the sub-headline:

Does it exist?

From Past/Present/Future, by Mr Michael Slipko, 12 January 2023.

Here is the lede plus one:

If you spend enough time listening to House Republicans Chip Roy, Matt Gaetz, and Lauren Boebert you will soon hear about the Uniparty.  In right-wing dogma, the concept of the Uniparty has existed for about a decade, and has become de facto far-right Republican doctrine.

That is, a shadow party composed of both moderate Republicans and Democrats, is the backbone of Washington. And according to them, it is up to patriotic Americans to disable and destroy it in any way possible.  In doing so, the “swamp” will be drained, and Americans will experience true freedom and liberty.

Today in a speech on the House floor, Chip Roy (R-Texas) mentioned the Uniparty:

We used to have a lot of back-and-forth between Democrats and Republicans…we used to accuse them of being tax-and-spend Democrats…Then something changed along the way, and we stopped debating tax policy…and now everybody in this Congress, for the most part, are spend-and-spend members of Congress…spend-and-spend members of a Uniparty.

The concept is not as outlandish as it sounds. One academic theory put forth by historian Michael F. Holt, says the concept of a Uniparty was a primary cause of the 1850s political crisis that led to civil war.  Then, the two major political parties of the time - the Whigs and the Democrats - effectively became a Uniparty.

Lance has come up with the term “Awoke” to describe the mentality of Republicans and Conservatives (and Libertarians and some Liberals).  However, as this article suggests, “The Uni-Party” may be a better catch phrase to describe the mentality.  Not that they want to be the Uni-Party, but that they loath the Uni-Party.  They see it made up of squish Republicans and Democrats.

Those who loathe the Uni-Party are the bane of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s existence.  He wants compromises so as to pass the FY2024 Budget before 1 October 2023.  Those Republicans who hate the Uni-Party see it as just more compromising away the future of our Children and our Republic.  In fact Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz (Panhandle Republican) threatened Speaker McCarty with a motion to vacate his chair, which, if done, would muddle ongoing budget negotiations.

It is only a small rift in the House Republican Majority.  However, the majority is thin.  And President Biden has just vetoed the Defense Appropriation Act.

Regards  —  Cliff

Democrats No Longer Soft on Crime?

For John, BLUF:  Frankly, the President's budget may throw a lot of money at policing, it doesn't seem headed in the direction of effective policing.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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It turns out the Democrats aren’t soft on crime at all

From The New NEO, by NEO, 29 March 2022.

Here is the lede plus two:

Forget these Soros DAs. Forget “defund the police” – you must have imagined it.^  Forget the Floyd riots and the open borders.

Forget it all, because of Biden’s proposed new budget:

The plan sent to Congress allocates more than $32 billion to fighting crime, especially violent crime, with $20.6 billion going to the Department of Justice and $3.2 billion in discretionary resources for funding local and state law enforcement, much of it in the form of grants to hire more police officers.  About $30 billion in mandatory resources will be funneled to “support law enforcement, crime prevention, and community violence intervention.”

Except, with Federal Money comes Federal control.  That oftem means one size fits all.  What is good for Caalifornia is assumed good for both Montana and Main.

Further, as The NEO says, a lot of it is wrong headed, such as working to restrict gun ownership.  And there are parts that look like they are aimed at fighting the efforts of some states to clean up their voting laws.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

"Bird Dogging" the Boston Marathon

For John, BLUF:  This is about Democrat Rennaissance Woman Krysten Sinema, Senator, College Prof, Marathoner, and the shrill way the Democratic Party is going about trying to force her to conform to the desires of President Joe Biden and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Far-left activists plan to ‘bird-dog’ Sinema during Boston Marathon over opposition to Biden spending plan

From The Washington Examiner, by Reporter Kate Scanlon, 11 October 2021, 11:07 AM.

Here is the lede plus three:

Completing a marathon is hard enough.  Sen. Kyrsten Sinema will also have to grapple with a group of far-left activists hounding her on Monday at the Boston Marathon.

It's not clear whether the Arizona Democrat will be competing or watching the race.  Sinema, known as a passionate athlete, qualified for the Boston Marathon but broke her foot at a different marathon earlier this year.  A spokesperson for her office did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the nature of her participation in Monday’s event.

Either way, activists from the Green New Deal Network plan to confront Sinema over her objections to President Joe Biden’s proposed $3.5 trillion social spending package.

According to the Boston Globe, the Green New Deal Network, a coalition of 15 national organizations, said its activists plan on “bird-dogging” Sinema, a protesting tactic in which activists confront a politician at an unexpected time or place.  They're mad at her objections to the size of the spending bill, which has yet to be written.  Activists plan to confront her with signs reading, “Senator Sinema:  Pass the Full Deal,” “Senator Sinema:  Stop Running.  Start Listening,” and “Senator Sinema:  Stop Running From Us.”

The Boston Marathon was an iconic event, but is now being reduced to another political stage.

is there no neutral ground where we can meet and enjoy ourselves?  Is there no gathering where the enjoyment of friends and family is allowed a few hours of joy?  Frankly, this seems more like driving the opposition from the field than reasoned discourse.  It is about power, as in Europe, after WWI, and we know how that turned out.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

Slight of Hand

For John, BLUF:  Sometimes, when talking about the US Defense Budget, advocates will compare it to the rest of the descretionary budget, rather than the whole Federal budget.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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My vote? Cut Pentagon Bloat!

From an EMail from Peace Action, by Ms Lilly Dragnev, Friday, 28 May 2021.

Here is the letter I received:

Dear Cliff,

President Biden’s FY 2022 budget is scheduled to be released today.  In it, he is requesting $753 billion for the Pentagon, a $13 billion increase over Trump’s last budget!

The real work begins in Congress, however.  Soon the Congressional debate will begin about where to actually allocate our taxpayer dollars.  We need to take this moment to collectively call for their use on sorely underfunded human needs over more Pentagon bloat.  Today, I ask you to speak out against the billions of dollars allocated to the Pentagon year after year.  We have an opportunity to reallocate funds from the Pentagon into healthcare, infrastructure, education, racial justice, sustainable energy programs, and so much more.  Help us urge Congress to seize this important opportunity.

The U.S. spends more on its military than the next eleven countries combined.  Such consistently massive military budgets have been funding wars and overseas operations that disproportionately target and harm people of color around the world — all while simultaneously eating up funding for critical programs here at home, which then takes a greater toll on communities of color.

Even as we face a historic pandemic and another economic crisis, President Biden requested that nearly half of the budget be spent on the military-industrial complex.  He requested a whopping $13 billion more for the military than Trump did.  This increase alone is 33% greater than the entire Center for Disease Control budget! Clearly, our priorities, and certainly our true security, are misplaced.

Demand your members of Congress speak out and vote against ever-growing Pentagon spending by adding your name to this petition today!

With talk of life returning to normal, we need to remind those in charge that “normal” didn’t work for many communities — communities marginalized by the status quo of endless revenue streams toward the Pentagon and simultaneous cuts to the critical programs that could offer change.  Let’s make sure that the world we move toward as we rein in this pandemic is not one where few profit at the expense of many, but instead one in which Congress puts taxpayer dollars into the critical programs we need to help everyone thrive.

For peace and true security,

Lilly Dragnev
Peace Action

Budget numbers are tricky.  Here are the numbers from President Biden's Budget release.

ITEMS	MONIES (Billions)
Receipts	3,421
Outlays	6,550
Deficit	3,129
DISCRETIONARY
Defense	754
Non-Defense	913
MANDATORY
Social Security	1,186
Medicare	767
Medicade	518
Other	1,255
Net Interest	305

That is a lot of money.  And some of it may be optomistic.  Remember, we are talking billions of dollars.  Remember the late Senator Everett Dirksen, "A billion here, a billion there, and pretty soon you're talking about real money."

This is what I wrote back to Ms Dragnev:

Lilly

Divert it for what? More domestic spying?  I hope not.  More mental health? Only if we find a program that works.  Homelessness?  I think we are avoiding the hard questions.  And, we need to agree on peace.  The idea that we will support Hamas and not Israel leaves open the question of then what?  I would propose Jewish Dakota.  Where else would they go?  Baring the Second Coming, they have to be somewhere, unless folks are advocating they be eliminated as a race.  The Corbynization of the Democratic Party is an embarrassment for those of us who had supported HHH or Shirley Chisholm or Jimmy Carter.

As for the Pentagon, we need to decide what we wish to do.  Is North Korea, nuclear armed, a threat to South Korea or Japan?  Do we care about Taiwan?  Should India be left to deal with Pakistan and China on its own?  What would that look like?  What about Ambazonia, or the larger danger of Islamification of Africa?

.

You can't rationally pick a defense budget until you have decided what it is that you wish to accomplish.  Strategy, per Colonel Arthur F Lykke, Jr, is matching ends ways and means.  I had Colonel Art Lykke as a Professor at Army War College.  I adapted his view to "Strategy is matching objectives, threats and opportunities in a resource constrained environment."  Either way, you need to nail down the objectives, the "ends".

Is there anything out there worth fighting for?

Regards  —  Cliff

Federal Government Fiscal Health

For John, BLUF:  We haven't turned the corner on Federal Budget Deficits, and don't appear to have a plan, either Party.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Federal budget deficit tops $1 trillion: CBO

From Axios, by Ms Rebecca Falconer, 9 September 2019.

Here is the lede plus one:

The federal deficit exceeded $1 trillion in the first 11 months of fiscal year 2019, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) said in a report published Monday.

The big picture: The deficit is $168 billion more than for the same period in the previous fiscal year. The growing deficit has been driven by mandatory spending in areas including Social Security and Medicare, President Trump's tax cuts, and bipartisan agreements to increase spending in areas such as defense — which contributed toward overall federal government spending increasing 7%.

• The current deficit of $1.068 trillion is expected to be reduced when quarterly tax payments are paid in September.
• Trump's tariffs on imported goods from China contributed toward the federal government’s revenue increasing 3% in the first 11 months of the 2019 fiscal year, along with other sources such as individual income and payroll taxes and corporate taxes.

Hat tip to Memeorandum.

Regards  —  Cliff

Earmarks For the Winners

For John, BLUF:  A Federally financed bridge to nowhere?  Yes, the Democrats control the House and money is leaking.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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THEY’RE BACK!  HOUSE DEMS PLANNING EARMARK RESTORATION

Read the Blog Post and then go to the Link.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

Tear Down Those Walls?

For John, BLUF:  What is the Wall fight about?  The 2020 Race.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Byron York:  In border talks, a new fight for barrier deniers

From The Washington Examiner, by Columnist Byron York, 29 January 2019.

Here is the lede plus two:

A House-Senate conference committee is beginning work on a package of border security policies that, it is hoped, can win the support of both Democrats and Republicans.  The final product is certain to include several measures that already have full, bipartisan approval:  more immigration judges, more technology to detect illegal drugs at ports of entry, more humanitarian aid for migrants in custody, etc.

The hang-up, of course, will be a border barrier.  President Trump insists on money — his demand is $5.7 billion — that would build new steel-slat barriers along about 230 miles of the U.S.-Mexico border.  About 80 miles of that would replace current, dilapidated, inadequate fencing, while 150 or so miles would cover currently unfenced areas.

On the other side are Democrats led by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who has called a border wall "an immorality between nations" and denies evidence that a barrier would increase border security by decreasing the number of illegal crossings into the United States.

If we take the Speaker at her word, and in her utterance she may just be echoing President Ronald Reagan ("Mr Gorbachev, tear down this wall), then she should be ensuring the bill has a couple billion dollars to tear down the boarder wall with Mexico, say starting with the 160 miles from the Pacific shore, south of San Diego, to Yuma, Arizona.  That would give us the opportunity to determine if we lose anything in terms of effectiveness without the wall.

It doesn't make sense to me, but Speaker Pelosi has all those staffers helping her.  But, if the wall is morally wrong, then it must come down.  On the other hand, this might just be about 2020, and the Democrats can't afford to give President Trump a win, any win, in light of the fight for 2020.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

Impeachment as Politics

For John, BLUF:  I bet the Editors of The Atlantic think there should also be a new Brexit Vote, being unhappy with the last outcome.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Impeach Donald Trump

Here is the sub-headline:

Starting the process will rein in a president who is undermining American ideals—and bring the debate about his fitness for office into Congress, where it belongs.

From The Atlantic, by Senior Editor Yoni Applebaum, from the March 2019 Issue.

Here is a key paragraph:

John Doar, the attorney hired by the House Judiciary Committee to oversee the Nixon investigation, handed off the question of what constituted an impeachable offense to two young staffers:  Bill Weld and Hillary Rodham.  They determined that the answers they were seeking were to be found not in old case law, but in the public debates that raged around past impeachment efforts.  The memo Weld and Rodham helped produce drew on that context and sided with Black:  “High crimes and misdemeanors” need not be crimes.  In the end, Weld came to believe that impeachment is a political process, aimed at determining whether a president has fallen short of the duties of his office.  But that doesn’t mean it’s arbitrary.  In fact, the Nixon impeachment left Weld with a renewed faith in the American system of government:  “The wheels may grind slowly,” he later reflected, “but they grind pretty well.”

Well, those are a couple of familiar names, at least in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

And, it is clear from the above that Impeachment isn't so much about illegality as it is about animus.  I think we can safely say that there is a degree of animus in our nation's capitol.

Speaking of animus, here is the concluding paragraph:

Today, the United States once more confronts a president who seems to care for only some of the people he represents, who promises his supporters that he can roll back the tide of diversity, who challenges the rule of law, and who regards constitutional rights and liberties as disposable.  Congress must again decide whether the greater risk lies in executing the Constitution as it was written, or in deferring to voters to do what it cannot muster the courage to do itself.  The gravest danger facing the country is not a Congress that seeks to measure the president against his oath—it is a president who fails to measure up to that solemn promise.

I can see the standoff over the budget for a portion of the Federal Workforce leading to the Speaker of the House moving forward with a Bill of Impeachment.  I would prefer she cut a deal with the President.  But, part of this is about positioning for 2020.

However, there is still the question of Vice President Pence.

UPDATE:  Here is a review from The Hill.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

A Budget, or Not?

For John, BLUF:  I wonder if President Trump is a President who can force a shutdown and get away with it?  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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As lawmakers return to work, shutdown fears loom

From Defense News, by Reporters Leo Shane III and Joe Gould, 3 September 2018.

Here is the lede plus three:

In four weeks, lawmakers could be heading into the midterm elections with a newly adopted federal budget and a sense of pride for finishing their work on time.

Or they could be heading home with a short-term budget extension and a lot of angry voicemails from Pentagon leaders complaining about their long-term budget plans.

Or they could be stuck in town dealing with a partial government shutdown, a potential political disaster as voters head to the polls.

Given the stakes, the appropriations issue will dominate Congress’ September session.  Party leaders have said in recent days they are cautiously optimistic that they can finish a substantial portion of the work by the Sept. 30 deadline.

I am old enough to remember when the US Federal Budget ran from 1 July to 30 June.  Because the Budget tended to be late, Congress changed the Budget period to 1 October to 30 September.  It was a solution with its own problems.  Budgets are still late, but now there is the (possibly perverse) pressure of elections for Federal Office.

Not every change is for the better  And I caution against going for 1 January, which means the outgoing Congress could just kick it down the road a couple of days to the incoming Congress a few days later.

Regards  —  Cliff

Reform

For John, BLUF:  I wonder if the US Congress should just cut the FBI budget for next year (FY 2019) by ten percent.♠  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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The FBI Is in Crisis.  It's Worse Than You Think

From Time Magazine, by Eric Lichtblau, 3 MY 2018.

Normally I would add a couple of paragraphs from the article (this time a rather longish article), but this time the headline speaks for itself.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

♠  For comparison, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Fiscal Year 2018 budget request proposes a total of $8,774,477,000 (As in Billion) in direct budget authority, of which $8,722,582,000 is for Salaries and Expenses and $51,895,000 is for Construction.  The S&E request includes a total of 33,533 direct positions and 31,999 direct full time equivalents (FTE); the positions include:  12,484 Special Agents, 2,950 Intelligence Analysts and 18,099 Professional Staff.

Gloating

For John, BLUF:  Do you think the Democrats are that confident of victory in November, that they can afford to rub Republican noses in the dirt?  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Pelosi, Schumer declare ‘victory’ with GOP spending bill

From The American Mirror, by Mr Victor Skinner, 22 March 2018.

The lede plus three:

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and her esteemed counterpart in the Senate, Sen. Chuck Schumer, are declaring the spending bill rushed through by Republicans this week as “a victory.”

“The distinguished leader has clearly put forth many of the priorities that we’re very proud of in a bill that’s one yard high,” Pelosi said of House Speaker Paul Ryan at a joint press conference with Schumer on Thursday.

“It’s one yard high,” Pelosi repeated, referring to the stack of documents that make up the legislation. “About half of it is the bill, a quarter of it is earmarks, and another quarter are report language.”

Pelosi skewered Republican House leaders for sidestepping the normal process for moving the legislation, alleging the goal was to rush it through before folks realize what’s in it.

Frankly, this is just tacky.  And, it is unlikely to engender future cooperation.  I am thinking that at this rate the Democrats need to win Yuge in November, so they can override any potential Presidential Veto.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

Just More People Offended

For John, BLUF:  Isn't this what the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr, thought—"live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character".  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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The contemptible concept of 'white privilege' is just ugly, angry racism

Here is the sub-headline:

Maxime Bernier is right: Identity politics dissolves community, reduces a country to subsets of clans, and obscures the diversity of individual lives

This Opinion Piece, by Mr Rex Murphy, 9 March 2018, appears in the National Post (Canada).

Here is the lede plus five:

There is much to choose from this week, including the infantile wailing and moronic ignorance of social-justice hooligans driven crazy mad (Pavlovian response) by Jordan Peterson giving a lecture, by invitation, at Queen’s University.  (Three cheers for Queen’s president and the law faculty for inviting Dr. Peterson.)

Then there is Justin Trudeau inviting the fanatically anti-Alberta-oil Bill Nye to Ottawa for a public chat on science, the highlight of which was the signal revelation of the centrality of breastfeeding to the scientific method — delivered by our PM. When baby wails and the milk flows, can Planck’s constant be far behind?

As well: Jaspal Atwal, failed Sikh assassin, holding what he ludicrously called a press conference.  The only takeaway: his lawyer is scarier, though not necessarily more competent.

More fertile than them all however was the brisk, chippy, and entitled Twitter blast levelled by Liberal MP and person of colour, Celina Caesar-Chavannes (Whitby, Ont.), at Conservative MP Maxime Bernier (Beauce, Que.).

Bernier had criticized an earlier tweet by Ahmed Hussen in which the Immigration Minister said the federal budget was historic for “racialized Canadians.”

Bernier said he deplored that tweet’s “awful jargon,” the pitch to “racialized” Canadians, and put out a plea for “colour blindness,” character over skin colour.  His critics, Bernier said, implied (he was) a racist because “I want to live in a society where everyone is treated equally and not defined by their race.”

You are offended by something someone says, so you say something that happens to offend me.  This strikes me as a never-ending cycle that benefits no one.  And it doesn't work.  It is time to try something new.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

Misplacing the Rule Book

For John, BLUF:  The President is out of rhythm with the political establishment in DC, and yet seems to be swaying to the tune of Middle America.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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THE ART OF THE SHUTDOWN

From Scott Rasmussen dot Com, by Mr Scott Rasmussen, 25 January 2018.

Here is the lede plus one:

President Trump didn’t respond to the so-called shutdown of the federal government in the way that the political class thought he should.  He didn’t get personally involved in detailed negotiations to end the impasse and didn’t convey a sense of crisis to the American people.

When all was said and done, this skirmish showed the dangers of underestimating President Trump and his ability to connect with voters on issues the political elites ignore.  His approach worked because he instinctively understood the strategic situation far better than Senate Democrats, establishment Republicans, and his other beltway critics.

Here is Law Professor Glenn Harlan Reynold's comment.

Weird how this keeps happening, at the same time we’re constantly told he’s a big fat idiot with the emotional stability of a toddler.

President Trump breaks the rules of DC, at a time when a large segment of the rules seem to not make sense.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff
-2, Thur 4.7

A Coming Train Wreck?

For John, BLUF:  I think perhaps the Democrats think they can pin another Federal Government Shutdown on the Republicans.  They will have most of the media on their side.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Will News Media Recall Schumer's 2013 Vow to Not Shutdown Over Immigration?

From the NewsBusters website, by Mr Rich Noyes, 18 January 2018.

Here is the 6 October 2013 quote from Senator Chuck Schumer:

We want to negotiate without a gun to our head.  Speaker Boehner comes in and he says, basically -- it's sort of like this:  Someone goes into your house, takes your wife and children hostage, and then says 'Let's negotiate over the price of your house.'

You know, we could do the same thing on immigration We believe strongly in immigration reform.  We could say, 'we're shutting down the government, we're not gonna raise the debt ceiling, until you pass immigration reform.'  It would be governmental chaos.

Of course, now is different.  A 2013 promise is obviated by … ah, Trump.  That is all I can figure.  Two New Yorkers and one has to prove to the other that he is tougher.  Is there some other explanation?

The only other possible explanation is that that prig, Senator Dick Durbin, who sees himself as Sampson, has the photos.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

Yes, Your Two Senators

For John, BLUF:  When you don't support the Republicans, this is what you get.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Here Are The Senators Who Voted To Shut Down The Government Before Christmas

From The Daily Caller and Reporter Thomas Phippen, 22 December 2017.

Here is the lede plus one:

The Senate approved a short-term spending plan to keep the government open Thursday but not without nearly a third of the chamber dissenting for various reasons.

The funding bill, called a continuing resolution, keeps the government open through mid-January.  The legislation needed at least 60 votes and passed by 66 votes, with 32 nays and two senators not voting.  That’s double the 14 Democrats who dissented against the temporary spending bill two weeks ago.

Sure, it was a freebie for our Senior Senator, Professor E Warren, and our Junior Senator, Mr Ed Markey.  But still, while they saw it as a signal to the Republicans in the Senate about DACA and other issues, I see it as a signal to the rest of us, the working stiffs and those in need of a hand up from the Government.  And this last minute passage can be trying for Government Employees.  I remember, sometime in the late '70s, having someone from the Finance Office show up with a bag for me to fly from Eielson AFB down to some small strip near Clear Air Force Station (102 statute miles by car), so some, without Direct Deposit, could get their paychecks.  That was cutting it close.

And why is Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer always so ANGRY?  Not just cranky, but angry.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

Eric Holder Threatens

For John, BLUF:  I think Mr Eric Holder wants to feel like he is still making a difference.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Eric Holder warns GOP: 'Any attempt to remove Bob Mueller will not be tolerated'

From The Hill and Reporter Mallory Shelbourne, 14 December 2017.

Here is the lede plus one:

Former Attorney General Eric Holder on Thursday warned congressional Republicans not to make any moves to remove special counsel Robert Mueller, saying such an attempt “will not be tolerated.”

“Speaking on behalf of the vast majority of the American people, Republicans in Congress be forewarned:  any attempt to remove Bob Mueller will not be tolerated,” Holder wrote on Twitter.

"[T]he vast majority of the American People"?  I wonder if former Attorney General Holder even knows what that means?

Frankly, I was firmly against messing with Mueller, until I read this piece.  But, you get judged by the friends you keep.

I guess I am still for letting Special Counsel Robert Mueller continue on to the conclusion of his investigation, but not because of a Clinton sycophant like Mr Holder threatening people, like he was still a Federal Prosecutor with no ethics.  No, because it is the right thing to do.

That said, it is time for the US Congress to explain to the Department of Justice who is in charge.  If it is hard to talk to them, then just don't fund them in the next continuing resolution.  Some funding effort could be cobbled together very quickly, after DOJ starts to respond to Congressional Committee questions.  It used to be called the "Power of the Purse", back in the day.  See this Post.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

We Have a tate Budget, But…

For John, BLUF:  I did send our State Senator (Eileen Donoghue) the Link, but have not heard back from her.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Ranking the States by Fiscal Condition 2017 Edition

This is from the George Mason University♠ Mercatus Center and Researchers Eileen Norcross, Director for the State and Local Policy Project, and Olivia Gonzalez, Research Associate, SLPP.  The date of their Research Paper is 11 July 2017.

The bottom five are:

46.  Maryland♥
47.  Kentucky
48.  Massachusetts
49.  Illinois♦
50.  New Jersey

Even making Puerto Rico a State♣ wouldn't boost us out of the bottom five.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

♠  Where our youngest son graduated from college.
♥  Where our Other Senator lives.
♦  Where our daughter lives.
♣  But, for sure they would be Number 51, at the bottom of the list if they were a state.  My preference is we cut them loose—make them independent over five years—and then allow them to become a state if they have a referendum where at least 70% of the people vote and 75% of those voters vote to join the US as a State.

For Now

For John, BLUF:  Things are a mess in the State Capitol, Springfield.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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After tax hike and budget votes, Illinois avoids credit downgrade to junk for now

From The Chicago Tribune and Reporters Monique Garcia and Kim Geiger, on 3 July.

I guess the good news is that my Daughter's new home state's Legislature is moving forward on a budget that makes some sense.

On the other hand, Fitch Ratings said:

Fitch said it will "continue to monitor the developments in Illinois," but cautioned that "temporary or partial measures, or a failure to enact a budget within the context of this session, would result in a downgrade."  The agency warned that without action, "the state risks losing full control of its budgetary decisions."

Oh, Oh.

Hat tip to The Drudge Report.

Regards  —  Cliff