Introducing Our Next President

For John, BLUF:  This post is designed to explore the out edges of what is possible in the next two months.  It is not a prediction, but rather a scenario for exploring possibilities.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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After Peru’s New President Resigns, Lawmakers Search for New Leader

Here is the sub-headline:

Sunday resignation adds fuel to a political crisis that started with a surprise impeachment of previous president

From The Wall Street Journal, by Reporters Ryan Dube and Juan Forero, 15 November 2020.

Here is the lede plus two:

Peru was without a president Sunday night, after its latest leader resigned just six days after taking power and lawmakers were unable to agree on a new head of state to end a constitutional crisis that exposed deep popular anger over corruption in the country’s political class.

A country that before the coronavirus pandemic was considered a shining economic star, Peru is now flailing in uncharted waters.  There is no president at the helm, and a fractured and deeply unpopular congress is trying to decide who should lead the country while people protest in the streets.  With two presidents gone in less than a week—Martín Vizcarra was impeached Monday and then Manuel Merino, who engineered his predecessor’s ouster, resigned Sunday—Peru has been teetering with anarchy.

On Sunday night, the same lawmakers whose impeachment of Mr. Vizcarra touched off six days of protests were debating who among them would be chosen to replace Mr. Merino, who had no vice president.  They had at one point been considering a left-wing lawmaker, Rocio Silva, who had broken with most lawmakers to vote against impeachment.  Media reports said the lawmakers also were considering members of the centrist Purple Party, which overwhelmingly opposed removing Mr. Vizcarra.

Yes, this is so last month.  Also, Pewru doesn't have the Constitutionally mandated path of Preasidential success we have.  But, yet, we seem to be slipping into a bit of a succession crisis.

Look at what is happening.  The media, from NPR to Twitter suppressed the Hunter Biden story.  Now it is out in the open.

Why?

My guess is they♠ no longer need Mr Biden, and like Vice President Spiro T Agnew, he will be given a chance to go quietly, clearing the way for Sen Kamala Harris.♥

And, did anyone catch Michael Savage saying, on NewsMax that it is over?  (My Wife has abandoned Fox and moved to NewsMax.  I still try †o catch Tucker.)

It is, after all, 2020, and all things are possible.  Here is hoping she learned some things from Willie Brown, a very smart Assembly Speaker and San Francisco Mayor.

Hat tip to Kermit's Key West Key Lime Shoppe.

Regards  —  Cliff

♠  Who are they?  Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer and Tom Perez.  Besides, while Joe Biden is a China fan, Nancy Pelosi is for Taiwan.
♥  If Senator President Harris should Not make it until we have a new Vice President, then Speaker Pelosi is ready to step up.

Bad Counting Diminishes Our Reputation as a Nation

For John, BLUF:  Yes, this is almost a week old, but it is still on topic, since several States still haven't achieved settled vote totals.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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The U.S. Inability To Count Votes is a National Disgrace. And Dangerous.

Here is the sub-headline:

Nations far poorer and less technologically advanced have no problem holding quick, efficient elections.  Distrust in U.S. outcomes is dangerous but rational.

From Greenwald at Substack, by Reporter Glenn Greenwald, 4 November 2020.

Here is the lede plus one:

The richest and most powerful country on earth — whether due to ineptitude, choice or some combination of both — has no ability to perform the simple task of counting votes in a minimally efficient or confidence-inspiring manner.  As a result, the credibility of the voting process is severely impaired, and any residual authority the U.S. claims to “spread” democracy to lucky recipients of its benevolence around the world is close to obliterated.

At 7:30 a.m. ET on Wednesday, the day after the 2020 presidential elections, the results of the presidential race, as well as control of the Senate, are very much in doubt and in chaos.  Watched by rest of the world — deeply affected by who rules the still-imperialist superpower — the U.S. struggles and stumbles and staggers to engage in a simple task mastered by countless other less powerful and poorer countries: counting votes.  Some states are not expected to finished their vote-counting until the end of this week or beyond.

The same data and polling geniuses who pronounced that Hillary Clinton had a 90% probability or more of winning the 2016 election, and who spent the last three months proclaiming the 2020 election even more of a sure thing for the Democratic presidential candidate, are currently insisting that Biden, despite being behind in numerous key states, is still the favorite by virtue of uncounted ballots in Democrat-heavy counties in the outcome-determinative states.  [One went to sleep last night with the now-notorious New York Times needle of data guru Nate Cohn assuring the country that, with more than 80% of the vote counted in Georgia, Trump had more than an 80% chance to win that state, only to wake up a few hours later with the needle now predicting the opposite outcome; that all happened just a few hours after Cohn assured everyone how much “smarter” his little needle was this time around].

Further on Mr Greeewnwald wrote:

After the pervasive voting problems in the 2018 midterms, I wrote an article with my Brazilian colleague Victor Pougy describing the extraordinary speed and efficiency with which Brazil — a country not exactly renowned for its speed and efficiency — counts its votes.

Brazil is not a small country. It is the fifth most-populous nation on the planet.  Although its population is somewhat smaller than the U.S.’s (330 million to 210 million), its mandatory voting law, automatic registration, and 16-year-old voting age means the number of ballots to be counted is quite similar (105 million votes in Brazil’s 2018 presidential election compared to 130 million votes in the 2016 U.S. presidential election).  And on the same date of its national elections, it, too, holds gubernatorial and Congressional elections in its twenty-seven states.

And yet Brazil — a much poorer and less technologically advanced country than the U.S., with a much shorter history of democracy — holds seamless, quick vote counts about which very few people harbor doubts.  The elections are held on a Sunday, to ensure as many people as possible do not have work obligations to prevent voting, and polls close at 6:00 p.m.

For the 2018 presidential run-off election that led to Jair Bolsonaro’s victory, 90% of all votes were counted and the results released by 6:00 p.m. on the day of the election: the time the last state closed its polls.  The full vote tally was available within a couple of hours after that.  The same was true of the first-round voting held three weeks earlier — which also included races for governor, Senator and Congress in all the states:  full vote totals were released by computer shortly after the polls closed and few had any doubts about their accuracy and legitimacy.

That is an indictment for sure.  This election is an embarrassment to our nation.  Specific examples of vote counting, like Philadelphia, PA, is especially embarrassing.  Worse, it is a slap in the face from Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez and his apparatchiks.

Then there was the tampering with the information available to the voters by social media.  This says that social media is part of a partisan press and does not deserve exemption from being sued.

We need to get back to honest elections.  Gsining office is not more important than personal integrity.  In addition, throwing the bums out does not justify cheating to achieve that goal.

And, no, I am not advocating a voting age of 16.  I would like to return to 21.  As for Sunday voting, that would be fine with me.  Mail-in voting is fine, but the envelope has to be returned by the day before the election.  No late ballots, no excuses.

Regards  —  Cliff

Tulsi Suspends Campaign

For John, BLUF:  Yes, amongst the Democrats she was my favorite.  And DNC Chairman Tom Perez did her wrong.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Here is the first paragraph of Candidate Tulsi Gabbard's EMail this morning:

I want you to hear this from me first, C R. I owe you an incredible debt of gratitude for all you’ve done as the heart and soul of our people-powered campaign: Today, I’ve made the decision to suspend my campaign for the presidency.

Here is the Video of her talk.  Click here and not on the picture.

Note that she suspends, but does not end.

Also, ahe endorses Candidate Joe Biden.

Regards  —  Cliff

Sunday Dem Debate

For John, BLUF:  I admit I had forgotten about the debate and was watching a Hallmark mystery movie.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Live-blogging the Democratic debate:  coronavirus edition

The JALTCOH Blog, by Blogger John Althouse Cohen, 15 March 2020.

Here is the conclusion:

My verdict:  Biden won. Sanders is so far behind that in order to make any real progress in turning things around, he would have needed to have a fantastic performance while Biden stumbled badly.  That didn't happen.

We are still a ways from the Democratic National Convention, 13-16 July 2020, at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

The other thing of interest is that Former Vice President Joe Biden committed to putting a woman on the Ticket, as the Vice Presidential nominee.  Who was not revealed.  Possibilities include Senator Klobachur, Senator Warren, Senator Kamala Harris, Senator Gillibrand, former DNC Chairman Donna Brazille and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.  Given the terrible way the Democratic National Committee Chair Tom Perez has treated Representative Tulsi Gabbard I double she is in the running.  I am guessing the call will go to .

As a side note, a guest on Fox and Friends Mr Tony Katz, just made the point that the lack of an audience seemed to hurt Senator Sanders, who feeds off the crowd.  He also made the point that to know what is happening in the hinterland, follow the reporting of Reporter Salena Zito.

Hat tip to Ann Althouse.

Regards  —  Cliff

Democrat Debate Stage

For John, BLUF:  The Democratic Party Presidential Debates are boring and arbitrary in their choice of candidates.  But, if it make the party faithful happy I guess it is OK.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Do FEC Records Prove Michael Bloomberg Bought His Way onto the Democrats' Debate Stage?

From PJ Media, by Reporter Matt Margolis, 1 February 2020.

Here is the lede plus one:

On Friday, the Democratic National Committee announced a major change of their debate requirements for the upcoming primary debate February 19 debate in Las Vegas, removing the individual donor threshold, thus opening the door for billionaire Michael Bloomberg to participate.  Because Bloomberg is self-funding his campaign, it was impossible for him to meet the 225,000 individual donor threshold to participate in the debates.

The donor threshold was controversial when it was first rolled out last year, but that doesn't mean everyone's happy now that it is gone.  Current and former candidates were, in fact, outraged at the news because the DNC refused prior requests to change the rules to ensure more diversity on stage.

"The DNC didn’t change the rules to ensure good, diverse candidates could remain on the debate stage," tweeted Elizabeth Warren.  "They shouldn’t change the rules to let a billionaire on. Billionaires shouldn't be allowed to play by different rules—on the debate stage, in our democracy, or in our government."

. . .

Tulsi Gabbard's response was slightly different.  Instead of moaning about the Democrats not changing the rules to ensure diversity on stage when Democratic voters apparently preferred older and whiter candidates, she accused Bloomberg of buying the DNC.

Once more representative Tulsi Gabbard is spot on.

But, in fairness to Mayor Bloomberg, the DNC sold out to him.  It is on them.  They are no better now than they were under Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz, back in 2016.  They should have stuck with Ms Donna Brazile.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

Yes, Lavrentiy Beria

For John, BLUF:  Soviet Leader Lavrentiy Beria was infamous in his day, a symbol of the badly distorted Soviet "Justice" System.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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LISTEN:  Liberal Democrat Dershowitz Compares Democrats To Russian Secret Police Under Stalin, Blisters CNN

FromThe Daily Wire, by Hank Berrien, 11 November 2019.

Here is the lede plus one:

Speaking on the John Catsimatidis radio show, famed attorney and liberal Democrat Alan Dershowitz blistered CNN for its coverage of the impeachment proceedings against President Trump, saying, “CNN has banned me from their airwaves.  CNN will not allow me on their network because they don’t want a liberal Democrat to be telling their viewers the truth about the Constitution.”  Dershowiz also ripped Democrats, comparing them to the Russian secret police under the murderous Russian dictator Josef Stalin, asserting, “The Democrats are now making up crimes.”

Catsimatidis prompted Dershowitz by asking, “Do the Democrats today think that the American public is so stupid on some of the things they’re doing?”

Dershowitz replied:

They’re very scary.  They’re very frightening to any civil libertarian.  Whether you’re a Democrat or Republican; whether you come from New York or the middle of the country, you should be frightened by efforts to try to create crimes out of nothing.  The latest twist was people on television, particularly CNN and MSNBC, are saying that if the president or somebody else was to name the whistleblower in the Ukrainian situation, that person would be guilty of a crime.  I said in the afternoon yesterday — searching the federal criminal statutes from beginning to end — I couldn’t find the crime.  It reminds me of Lavrentiy Beria, head of the KGB, said to Stalin, he said, “Show me the man and I’ll find you the crime.”  Which he really meant, I’ll make up the crime.

Yes, Lavrentiy Beria?

Maybe it is time for Speaker Pelosi or Minority Leader Schumer or DNC Chairman Perez to introduce the vast majority of Democrats to Kübler-Ross.  The vast majority are stuck in Stage 1—Denial.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

Abortion Without Planned Parenthood

For John, BLUF:  Maybe it is a guild thing.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Let us be up front about it.  I think abortion is a sin and a crime.  That said, I realize there are vast differences of opinion here in these United States.

Eighteen-year-old [Ohio] cheerleader is charged with 'killing her newborn baby and burying it in her backyard' after cops found the child's body following a tip from her doctor

It is the UK's Daily Mail, so thus the long headline.  The reporter is Ms Valerie Edwards, with a dateline of 21 July, updated on 22 July 2017.

My first question is what happened to the Physician-Patient Privilege?  Maybe Ohio isn't a "Common Law" state.

Second question is where are all those Democrats who recognize the right to a fourth trimester abortion?  Is it a right only if it is performed by Planned Parenthood and someone makes a profit, but not a right if you do it yourself?  This seems a little strange and I want to know why Tom Perez and Nancy Pelosi are not out protesting this hauling into court of a woman who apparently did it herself, the old fashioned way, the way it would have been several hundred years ago.

Hat tip to the Druge Report.

Regards  —  Cliff

Montana Rep Race Larger Question

For John, BLUF:  There seems to be a belief within the "Resistance" that at some point the American People will wake up go Democrat.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Liberals Wanted a Fight in Montana. Democratic Leaders Saw a Lost Cause.

It is The Old Gray Lady, 26 May 2017, by Reporters Jonathan Martin and Alexander Burns.

Here is the lede plus four:

BOZEMAN, Mont. — The Democratic defeat in a hard-fought special House election in Montana on Thursday highlighted the practical limitations on liberal opposition to President Trump and exposed a deepening rift between cautious party leaders, who want to pick their shots in battling for control of Congress in 2018, and more militant grass-roots activists who want to fight the Republicans everywhere.

Rob Quist, the Democratic nominee in Montana, staked his campaign on the Republican health care bill, but he still lost by six percentage points, even after his Republican opponent for the state’s lone House seat, Greg Gianforte, was charged with assaulting a reporter on the eve of the election.

The margin in this race was relatively small in a state that Mr. Trump carried by more than 20 percentage points last year.  But Mr. Quist’s defeat disappointed grass-roots Democrats who financed nearly his entire campaign while the national party declined to spend heavily on what it considered, from the outset, an all-but-lost cause in daunting political territory.

This tension — between party leaders who will not compete for seats they think they cannot win and an energized base loath to concede any contests to Republicans — risks demoralizing activists who keep getting their hopes up.  It also points to a painful reality for Democrats:  Despite the boiling fury on the left, the resistance toward Mr. Trump has yet to translate into a major electoral victory.

First let us deal with the lede.  It is a one sentence paragraph.  A sentence of 58 words.  Based on the admonitions I received on Staff Course, that should have been three sentences.  The theory being that no sentence should be more than 20 words.  Only the most skillful writers, the James Joyce's and William Faulkner's of the world, should write sentences of more than 20 words.

Living where I do in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts I have some sympathy for the Democratic Party Activists.  National and State Committees that will not spend money, or cannot, are just frustrating creatures to deal with.  Down at the grass roots we always believe that this time the voters will see the light, if only we spend enough on advertising.

Hat tip to the Drudge Report.

Regards  —  Cliff

Deviationism

For John, BLUF:  Democrats are in denial.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Dems struggle with abortion litmus test

From The Hill and Reporter Lisa Hagen, on Friday, the 28th.

How does Law Professor Glenn Harlan Reynolds put it?  "They told me that if I voted for Trump it would be like Nazi Germany"?

While Senators Bernie Sanders and Chuck Schumer, and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, deny it, Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez is saying different.

He followed up with another statement last week, saying that every Democrat should be pro-abortion rights — a stance Perez said is “not negotiable” and shouldn’t vary by city or state, according to The Huffington Post.

Since the Democrats♠ are really attacking Deviationism, perhaps the better analogy is to the Soviet Union.  Think of poor Earl Browder and Browderism.

In the mean time, would someone please explain to me how this is going to help Democrats gain votes in the next election?  Opposition to abortion in each of the four trimesters is not restricted to a small group of uneducated Caucasians, mostly Roman Catholics, in the hinterlands.  Ms Ilyse Hogue notwithstanding.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

♠  From the article there is this quote from NARAL Pro-Choice America President Ilyse Hogue:  "If Democrats think the path forward following the 2016 election is to support candidates who substitute their own judgment and ideology for that of their female constituents, they have learned all the wrong lessons and are bound to lose."