Election Interference

For John, BLUF:  The Democrats, in 2024, got election help from overseas, including from the British Labour Party.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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CONSCIOUSNESS OF GUILT

From 𝕏, by Mr Jim Ferguson, 14 January 2025, 6:21 AM.

Here is the Tweet:

BREAKING: Labour’s Head of Operations, Sophia Patel, has deleted her LinkedIn profile and locked her Twitter after explosive allegations surfaced that she organized 100 Labour staffers to meddle in the 2024 US election—allegedly to prevent Donald Trump’s reelection.

Here’s where it gets serious: thanks to extradition laws signed by former Labour PM Tony Blair, it’s now easier for UK citizens to be sent to the US to face charges.

Patel could potentially be charged with:
1️⃣ Election Interference
2️⃣ Failure to Register as a Foreign Agent (FARA)
3️⃣ Conspiracy to Commit an Offense Against the US
4️⃣ Cybercrime or Unauthorized Access
5️⃣ Transporting Funds for Unlawful Purposes
6️⃣ Interstate Travel to Aid Unlawful Activities

If convicted, these charges carry severe penalties, including significant fines and prison time.  Is Patel now terrified she’ll be extradited and prosecuted under US law?  This could explode into a major international scandal with far-reaching implications.

I don't see this as a big deal.  Considering the number of elections our Government has meddled in, that someone outside our nation should play in ours is not a susrprise.  That is not to say that we shouldn't take steps to limit outside intererence.

On the other hand, this move was a little tone deaf on the part of Prime Minister Keir Starmer and the Labour Party.  Maybe they thought Candidate Kamala Harris would win, but it was a bet with a big down side.

I say grant Ms Patel a pardon and use it to heckle Mr Starmer.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

Pay Without Work

For John, BLUF:  In Minnesota the democrats in the Lower House of the State Legislature are not willing to meet, as a way of frustrating the Republican majority.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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CONSTITUTIONAL CRISIS IN MINNESOTA [UPDATED]

From Power Line, by Blogger John Hinderaker, 12 January 2025.

Here is the lede plus two:

Minnesota is a purple state, balanced on a knife’s edge, as the 2024 election showed.  There are 134 Minnesota House districts, and when the returns were in, it looked like Republicans had gained enough seats so that the House would be tied, 67-67.  But then it came to light that one of the Democrats’ candidates had cheated: in House District 40B, Democrat Curtis Johnson falsely claimed to reside in the district, a constitutional requirement.

His Republican opponent filed an election contest, which was successful, as the evidence against the Democrat was overwhelming.  A district court issued an injunction barring Johnson from taking that seat.  A special election will be held to fill the seat at some time in the future; the exact schedule is now the subject of litigation.  So currently there are 133 elected representatives holding election certificates:  67 Republicans and 66 Democrats.  Republicans hold a majority, brought about by the fact that Democrats cheated and got caught.

Democrats are panicked over the prospect that they will lose control over one house of Minnesota’s legislature, and they have determined on a desperate strategy.  The 2024 legislative session begins on Tuesday, and all 66 Democrats are going to refuse to show up for work.  Their theory is that by hiding out, they will prevent the establishment of a quorum, and thereby disable Minnesota’s House (effectively, the entire legislature) from doing any business.  They hope that at some point in the future, they will win a special election in 40B, at which time they say they will go back to work.  Meanwhile, they intend to continue drawing their pay as legislators.

Yes, Minnesota is the State with Governor Tim Walz, Ms Kamla Harris' running mate in 2024.

Heaven forfend that the business of the People of Minnesota gets done.

And letting Author John Hinderaker have the last word:

However cynical you may be about Democrats, you are not cynical enough.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

Hegseth to be Grilled

For John, BLUF:  A question for the US Senate is if Nominee Pete Hegseth is the person to lead the Department of Defense into a new future.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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The U.S. is unprepared for a major war.  Can Pete Hegseth fix that?

Here is the sub-headline:

Trump's defense secretary pick would face a staggering challenge in readying America for war.

From The Wash Post, by Reporter Max Boot, 13 January 2025.

Here is the lede plus three:

Tuesday's confirmation hearings for defense secretary are sure to focus on all the troubling allegations of misconduct swirling around intended nominee Pete Hegseth (which he has denied).  But let's not lose sight of the big picture.  The essential question that senators must ask is whether Hegseth, a Fox News host and former National Guardsman, has the capacity and experience to prepare the armed forces to fight a major war — and, if so, how he would go about it.  Because right now, the U.S. military simply is not ready to defeat an adversary such as China or Russia in a protracted conflict.

Don't take my word for it:  That's the judgment of the congressionally chartered, bipartisan Commission on the National Defense Strategy, which issued its final report in July.  The commission, chaired by former California congresswoman Jane Harman, came to a sobering conclusion that did not get the attention it deserved:  "The threats the United States faces are the most serious and most challenging the nation has encountered since 1945 and include the potential for near-term major war. ...  The nation was last prepared for such a fight during the Cold War, which ended 35 years ago. It is not prepared today."

The commission went on to warn that "China is outpacing the United States and has largely negated the U.S. military advantage in the Western Pacific" and that "the U.S. military lacks both the capabilities and the capacity required to be confident it can deter and prevail in combat."

The problem isn't that the U.S. military has gone "woke," as MAGA partisans such as Hegseth allege.  The problem is that America became complacent after the Cold War when it downsized its armed forces and its defense-industrial base.  Since then, the United States has prepared a military suitable for fighting insurgents in Afghanistan or Iraq — but utterly inadequate for an extended fight against a major power.

Yes, the question is how to navigate the Department of Defense toward a new readiness goal, while garnering support in Congress for the needed funding. : As Author Boot points out, to meet President Trump's demand that NATO nations spend 5% on Defense, it would be an increase of $600 billion a year, to more than $1.4 trillion a year.

People can say that Mr Hegseth lacks the managem3ent experience to guide the Defense behemouth.  On the other hand, we have had a number of successful managers from industry who have not been up to the task of turning out a winning military force  Secretasry of Defense Robert S McNamara comes to mind.

But, success at the Pentagon is more than efficient spending of money.  It is also about building a cohesive fighting force, united and innovative.  I would think that Nominee Hegseth could be that person.

Regards  —  Cliff

Four Years of Ignorance

For John, BLUF:  What are Democrats talking about when they talk about an insurrection on 6 January 2020.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Just a rant:

From , by Blogged Charles Glasser, 7 Januaary 2025, 10:02 am.

Here is the lede plus two:

LOOKING BACK (A bit long): I’ve studied an awful lot of history in getting a degree in political philosphy, and that through the very left-leaning CUNY school system.  On reflection, it has become clear to me that anyone who uses the word “insurrection” descibing the idiocy of Jan. 6 has no idea what they are talking about.

Was it a riot?  Yep.  Were many of the particpants dopes?  Yep.  But read how John Adams, Robespierre, Lenin, Mao and Castro pulled off genuine “revolutions” and you’ll see that mobbing a capitol building isn’t even close.  You need to control central information and transportation hubs, get the army to back you, and bring weapons.

None of that happened on J6.  If you use the word “insurrection” to describe J6:  You have zero credibility.

Sums up my view on the issue.  For example, who went to the studios of NPR to take control of that source of information to the Citizens?

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

6 January 2021

For John, BLUF:  Democrats seem to have long memories, but an inability to understand that some are less locked in on the events of 6 January and its long term impact on our Democracy.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Wow, Democrats Lost the Capitol Riot Narrative Big Time

From PJ Media, by Writer Matt Margo,is, 6 January 2025, 6:14 PM.

Here is the lede plus one:

In the four years since the Capitol riot, Democrats have tried incessently to turn it into a national tragedy akin to 9/11 and/or the Pearl Harbor attack. With the goal of preventing Trump from being able to seek the presidency again, they even called it an insurrection (it wasn’t) and accused Trump of inciting it (he didn’t).

There efforts failed, and Trump was reelected on November 5, becoming the first Republican presidential candidate to win the national popular vote since George W. Bush. Oh what a sweet victory it was. On Monday, Trump’s victory over Kamala Harris was certified, and once again, Democrats proved they just can’t let their phony baloney narrative go.

The article comtains numbers showing how attitudes have shifted on the events of 6 January 2021.  One paragraph that stood out was this.

A deeper dive reveals an even more striking reality.  In January 2021, 48 percent of voters blamed Trump for the Capitol riot.  By December 2023, that number had fallen to just 37 percent.  Fewer Americans blamed Trump, fewer thought it made him ineligible to lead, and, perhaps most tellingly, far fewer cared enough to remember it.  When asked about their biggest memory of Trump’s first term, only 5 percent of Americans pointed to January 6.  Among Republicans, it was a meager 2 percent.

Politico reported that today the US Department of Justice announced it is considering more prosecutions with regard to the events of 6 January 2021.

Federal prosecutors are weighing charging as many as 200 more people for their involvement in the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol — including 60 suspected of assaulting or impeding police officers during the riot that nearly derailed the transfer of power from Donald Trump to Joe Biden.

I expect it is to the advantage of Republicans that leading Democrats, such as Senator Chuck Schumer, remain fixated on the events of four years ago.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

Lighting a Candle

For John, BLUF:  We should all be aware of the Miracle of Hanukkah, and fortunately, it falls during the general time of CHristmas.  This movie captures the spirit of the event. And it can be found in song.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Hanukkah on the Rocks

From IMDB.

Here is the story line:

One week before Hanukkah, corporate lawyer Tory finds herself unexpectedly unemployed and questioning the career she's dedicated years to.  As she helps her Bubby prepare for the holiday, she embarks on a quest across Chicago to find the last box of coveted Hanukkah candles.  Her search leads her to Rocky's, an Old Town bar, where she encounters Jay, a charming doctor from Florida, his grandfather Sam and a cast of quirky regulars who make her rethink everything.  Torn between keeping her job loss a secret and embracing a newfound sense of belonging, Tory ends up bartending at Rocky's, transforming it into the vibrant "Hanukkah on the Rocks" celebration.  Through festive food, drinks, and games, she revitalizes the bar, bonds with Jay, and finds the courage to pursue her true calling.  As Tory navigates the holiday, she learns that sometimes a detour can lead you exactly where you're meant to be, lighting the way to a future filled with joy, romance, and self-discovery.

I admit I was totally charmed by Actress Stacey Farber, playing the lead as recently terminated lawyer Tory.  The rest of the cast is pretty good also.

The movie is about hope and spiritual growth, as Tory and other cast members work through their early trials.  And their spiritual issues.  Thus, it is a true ovie in the spirit of Christmas.

Hanukkah is a holiday that Americans should honor.  The eight days of Hanukkah represent the period needed for ritual purification of the victorious returning Maccabee soldiers, so they could produce ritually pure oil for the Temple.  upon returning, they had found one cruse (cruit) of ritually pure oil available.  The miracle, aside from the victory of the Maccabees over the Greeks, was that the one day of oil lasted for seven more, so that properly ritual oil could be produced.

The Maccabees were fightong for religious, freedom to worship God as they thought right and proper.  This is a goal that all Americans should applaud and support.

Regards  —  Cliff

Kevin, alone in His Father's House

For John, BLUF:  Well, it made me think of Kevin in Home Alone.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph

Cycle C

Here is the Gosoel Reading (Luke 2:41-52):

Each year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover,
and when he was twelve years old,
they went up according to festival custom.
After they had completed its days, as they were returning,
the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem,
but his parents did not know it.
Thinking that he was in the caravan,
they journeyed for a day
and looked for him among their relatives and acquaintances,
but not finding him,
they returned to Jerusalem to look for him.
After three days they found him in the temple,
sitting in the midst of the teachers,
listening to them and asking them questions,
and all who heard him were astounded
at his understanding and his answers.
When his parents saw him,
they were astonished,
and his mother said to him,
“Son, why have you done this to us?
Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety.”
And he said to them,
“Why were you looking for me?
Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”
But they did not understand what he said to them.
He went down with them and came to Nazareth,
and was obedient to them;
and his mother kept all these things in her heart.
And Jesus advanced in wisdom and age and favor
before God and man.

The thing I took from the Gospel was the way Jesus, alredy demonstrating knowledge of who He was and His eventual mission, still understands the importance of family and family relations.  He returns with his Parents to Nazareth "and was obedient to them."  This is a model for all families.  Members of families need to respect their place in the group and all work together to make everyone succeed.

Regards  —  Cliff