Musk Restores Balance

For John, BLUF:  It appears Mr Elon Musk has restored balanve to X, but that is seen by some as inbalance.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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"X, Elon Musk’s social media platform formerly known as Twitter, appears to be attempting to limit its users’ access to The New York Times."

From Althouse, by Professor Ann Althouse, 12 September 2023.

Here is the lede plus rhree:

"Since late July, engagement on X posts linking to the New York Times has dropped dramatically.  The drop in shares and other engagement on tweets with Times links is abrupt, and is not reflected in links to similar news organizations including CNN, the Washington Post, and the BBC...."

From "Twitter appears to throttle New York Times" (Semafor).

We're told this might have something to do with "a broad shift in platforms over the last five years... toward a splintering in which Facebook has largely gotten out of the news business, Twitter has shifted increasingly toward becoming a conservative media company, and Google and Apple are the remaining the platform giants interested in distributing other outlets’ news."

That's so sloppily written I feel insulted putting my time into trying to understand it.  There's been a "shift" in which "Twitter has shifted."  The double "shift" tells you no one serious is proofreading over there.  And what's the "splintering"?  It sounds exciting, but the sentence just goes on to make vague, questionable assertions.  My impression was that Twitter (AKA X) has stopped censoring conservative speech.  If you think it now looks like "a conservative media company," perhaps you're observing how important censorship has been to the dominance of liberal speech in social media.

Professor Althouse writes:  "If you think it now looks like "a conservative media company," perhaps you're observing how important censorship has been to the dominance of liberal speech in social media."  Yes, there has been a sense from some quarters that there was a thumb on the scale.  And Federal Courts are recognizing that.

Mr Stewart Brand coined the phrase Information wants to be free.  I take it to mean that information wants an even playing field, so people can determine the truth, for themslves.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

Stopping Internal Migration

For John, BLUF:  It seems President Biden is looking to fix the illegal immigration problem by allowing them in. but restricting them to the border states.  This is a bad idea.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Biden Move to Keep Illegals in Texas Is Part of the Democrat Long Game

From PJ Media, by reporter Matt Margolis. 9 September 2023, 11:42 AM.

Here is the lede plus one:

Remember when Democrat officials nationwide virtue-signaled their support of illegal immigration by declaring themselves sanctuary cities and states?  That was amusing.  But then, when red states starting shipping their illegal immigrants to these illegal-immigration-loving locations, suddenly, they weren’t so keen about it?  That was even more amusing.  Just as quickly as these illegal immigrants started showing up in liberal enclaves the local population and leaders figured out they didn’t actually want them there—and they’re complaining endlessly about the drain on resources and increase in crime.

In comes Joe Biden, the architect of the ongoing border crisis, who is now considering forcing illegal immigrants to stay in Texas as they await screening for asylum.  This would severely limit their ability to travel in a country they don’t belong in in the first place.

“Administration officials have been considering the idea as a way to stem recent increases in the numbers of migrant families crossing the southern border, which reportedly reached an all-time high last month,” the Los Angeles Times reports.  “Supporters of the remain-in-Texas idea, which has yet to be finalized, hope that it would help the administration advance its goals of quickly deporting families who fail initial asylum screenings and deterring other families from crossing in the first place.”

The first question is why, if the US border is not sacred to the immigrant, why would the border between Texas and Louisiana or Arkansas or Oklahoma be sacred:  The second question is if the Biden Administration will tax the rest of the nation to help fund the "remain in Texas" consequences.  As New York City Mayor eric Adams points out, providing for illegal immigrants is not cheap.

This is a national problem, but without national solutions.  I would like to see politician of both major parties coming together, with experts from relevant institutions, such as the Congressional Research Service, to inform the People and to craft laws to allow for orderly absorption of immigrants in a manner that allows orderly absorption.

There is the question as to if the President can stop interstate migration of immigrants will he try to stop other migration between states.

We should all be communicating with our Representatives in Congress to encourage them to fix this, and if they don't we should vote them out.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

Closing the Circle

For John, BLUF:  In Virginia Horse Country the arrogance of a School Board helped elect Glenn Youngkin as Governor, and Winsome Sears at Lieutenant Governor.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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‘We Righted a Wrong’: Virginia Governor Pardons Father Whose Daughter Was Sexually Assaulted at School

From Natioonal review, by Reporter Ari Blass, 10 September 2023 1:16 PM.

Here is the lede plus one:

Virginia governor Glenn Youngkin has pardoned a father, Scott Smith, who was convicted of disorderly conduct for protesting a school-board meeting after his daughter was sexually assaulted by a male wearing a skirt in a girls’ bathroom.

“I spoke with Mr. Smith on Friday, and I had the privilege of telling Mr. Smith that I will pardon him, and we did that on Friday,” Youngkin told Fox News Sunday.  “We righted a wrong.  He should’ve never been prosecuted here.  This was a dad standing up for his daughter.”

Of course he did.  This is closing the circle.  The actions (and inactions) of the Loudoun County School Board helped put Governor Youngkin in office.  The pruported rapist not only committed this crime, but when transferred to a new school, went on to repeat his performnce.

Unless the nomenclature cleans up its act there will be more distrust in institutions, and more office holders displaced.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

The Indirect Approach

For John, BLUF:  Former President Donald Trump must be seen as a major threat to Democrats and Bureaucrats, for them to go to these extremes to prevent him running for office.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Will Colorado Force Trump Off the Ballot?

From PJ Media, by Reporter Lincoln Brown, 7 September 2023, 6:12 PM.

Here is the lede plus three:

No matter where one stands on Donald Trump, one must agree that it is the understatement of the century to say that the saga is unprecedented in American history.  The efforts to ensure that the man never sets foot in the Oval Office again are destined to become the stuff of legends and history lessons, not to mention a docudrama on Netflix or Amazon Prime.

The latest effort to ensure that nothing orange ever passes through the West Wing again (with perhaps the exception of an actual orange) involves invoking the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, specifically, Section Three:

No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice-President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof.  But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability. (Emphasis added.)

The D.C.-based group Citizens for Responsibility & Ethics in Washington (CREW) has joined the fight to keep Trump off the 2024 ballot by filing a lawsuit Wednesday in the District Court in the City and County of Denver, Colo.  A press release on CREW’s website states that Trump has, in fact, violated the 14th Amendment, and Crew has filed the suit on behalf of six Republican and unaffiliated Colorado voters.

But, yet, Impeachment failed and recent indictments do not include either "insurrection or rebellion".  So insurrection or rebellion can be imputed by the exclusion of Mr Trump from the ballot?  It would appear so.

There is a gamble here.  That would be that the tens of millions who have voted for Mr Trump in the past, and wish to vote for him in the future will not rise up against the Government, in a real insurrection.  I would not encourage such acton.  If Mr Trump is denied the opportunity to stand for office then his suppoorters should unite around another candidate, one who promises to go after the deep state.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

The Cars Are Evil School

For John, BLUF:  .  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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'ALL CARS ARE BAD':  Pete Buttigieg's Equity Advisers Want You To Stop Driving

Here is the sub-headline:

Transportation secretary's equity committee aims to bring 'diversity' and 'inclusion' to America's infrastructure

From The Washington Free Beacon, by Reporter Charles Hilu, 1 September 2023.

Here is the lede plus three:

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is appointing a group of "leading experts" to advise him on "transportation equity," including several who argue that cars cause climate change and promote racism and therefore should be phased out.

Buttigieg earlier this month appointed 24 new members to his Advisory Committee on Transportation Equity, an Obama-era body that Buttigieg is reviving after the Trump administration scrapped it.  Included on the committee is Andrea Marpillero-Colomina, a "spatial policy scholar" who says "ALL CARS ARE BAD" given that they cause "a myriad of environmental issues and conditions."  Another Buttigieg appointee, self-described "transportation nerd" Veronica Davis, argued in an August essay that cars perpetuate "systemic racism" and are therefore "the problem" in America's transportation system.

Buttigieg's appointments—and his decision to revive the equity advisory committee—reflect the Biden administration's whole-of-government emphasis on diversity, equity, and inclusion.  President Joe Biden shortly after taking office in 2021 issued an executive order that called on federal agencies to "pursue a comprehensive approach to advancing equity for all."  Under the order, agency heads must conduct an "equity assessment" to identify policies that create "systemic barriers" in minority communities.

The committee will advise Buttigieg on "promising practices to institutionalize equity into agency programs, policies, regulations, and activities" and plans to meet for the first time this fall, according to Buttigieg's August announcement.  Marpillero-Colomina told the Washington Free Beacon that she is not "advocating for a complete erasure" of cars but intends to push Buttigieg to move America away from its reliance on private motor vehicles.

Regarding equity, we should all be in favor.  However, we should all have a sensae of the future we are lookoing for.  Is it one where we roll back the advantages of some to gain equity. or is it one where we advance some so they have equity with others?  The folks at this Equity Advisory Committee of the Department of Transportation sound like they are the "roll back" kind.

Free Enterprise, and oother freedoms, have allowed hundreds of millions to lead a better life.  I would hate to see that global progress come to a halt, so we can have equity at a lower level of prosperty.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

Alternative to Impeachment

For John, BLUF:  We don't need another Impeachment Hearing and Vote, followed by a Senate Trial.  I would like those folks in DC to cut a deal.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Letter to Lori, 28 August 2023

Here is a letter I wrote to my Congresswoman, Lori Trahan:

I was disappointed to hear on the news on Sunday that there is talk of opening an impeachment investigation of President Joseph R Biden.  I think that would be bad for governance and bad for our nation.  This is not to say I believe President Biden was not involved in his Son’s business, but that the best solution would be for him to resign for health reasons.  Then the House, and the Senate, can get down to working important issues for the people, such as dealing with illegal immigration (my rough guesstimate being two million such immigrants a year, and about forty thousand being our Commonwealth’s fair share).

I would like to see the DOJ take Mr Hunter Biden into a safe harbor, with a solid plea deal.  That would give President Biden an opportunity to then step down, knowing his Son is safe.

Then we can all knuckle down to the important work we face.  All of us, Republican and Democrat and others.

I have yet to hear back.

Regards  —  Cliff

Into Africa

For John, BLUF:  Africa is still emerging from a period of colobialism.  We are not doing a good job of being the Good Guys.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Ignoring Biden's Fallout in Africa

From ewerickson sunstack, by Blogger Erick-Woods Erickson, 1 September 2023.

Here is the lede plus two:

As a growing number of African countries devolve into chaos and seek alliances with countries opposed to US policy, the Biden administration is nowhere to be seen on the national stage.

Just this week, military leaders in Gabon instigated a coup that ousted the country’s longtime leader.  If you follow the news, you’ll notice this story sounds familiar.  The exact same thing happened in the West African country of Niger that turned a historically American ally into chaos and fleeing to Russia for help.  Earlier this year two Sudanese generals declared war on each other devolving one of the world’s poorest countries into civil war.  Additional countries like the Central African Republic, Libya, and Mali have ignored the US and sought help from Russia’s Wagner military.

It’s worthwhile noting that before Biden handed Afghanistan over to the Taliban, progressives at the State Department hoisted the rainbow flag over Kabul in a symbolic gesture that thoroughly infuriated small conservative nations around the world.  Aside from the optics of turning our friends over to the terrorists, the Biden administration forgets that gestures like this do not sit well with many of the small African countries sitting on valuable oil and rare earth minerals.

What is happening in Africa should be important for two reasons.  First, we are dealing with fellow human beings.  Some 14% of our population can trace its roots, in whole or in part, back to Africa.♠  Second, Africa is a mineral rich area, at a time when things like oil and rare earths are in increasing demand.  That is to say, for a better life, we need to be able to purchase things that are produced in various African nations.

Our current focus is the Indo-Pacific, and rightfully so.  There are nations there we wish to see prosper, such as Japan, Korea, Taiwan, The Philippines and India.  Then there is South America and the Middle East, not to mention Europe.  But, the President needs a strong player to cover Africa.  Someone who is believed to have access to the Oval Office.  Not John Kerry, but someone like John Kerry.  We need to think of Africa, especially Sub-Saharan Africa as more than an anti-terrorism campaign.  It needs to be about human rights and self-determination.  It needs to be about capital investment and human development.  It needs to be about human freedom.

If we snooze we lose.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

♠  I suspect the number is higher if we all looked, at least at the single digit percentage level in a DNA test.  For example, the Iberian Peninsula was a great mixing bowl for half a millennium. : Then there was Latin America, with its own mixing of peoples.