President Gets Mousetrapped

For John, BLUF:  The President has not had a good relationship with the Press since he came down the Golden Escalator.  But, perhaps, they have been an unusually effective avenue for him to get out his message.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Insanity Wrap #57: Donald Trump Is Literally Hitler™ (Not)

From PJ Media, by Reportere Stephen Green, 24 September 2020.

Here is a quote from the article, which they lifted from Rolling Stone.  the lede plus one:

Reporter:  Win, lose or draw in this election.  Will you commit, here today, for a peaceful transferal of power after the election?  There’s been rioting in many cities across this country.  Would you commit to making sure that there is a peaceful transferal of power after the election?

Trump:  Well, we’re going to have to see what happens.  You know that I’ve been complaining very strongly about the ballots and the ballots are a disaster and —

Reporter:  But people are rioting.  Do you commit to making sure that there’s a peaceful transferal of power?

Who was that reporter?  Not readily available information.  I even checked the White House "Remarks by President Trump in Press Briefing" for yesterday listed only "Q".

The wording is not the same as some of the headlines, for example, the headline at Rolling Stone.  I think the President answered the question properly.  However, he didn't anticipate the question being twisted and that is on him.

On the other hand, the Reporter was acting more like an gent provocateur.  Shame on him.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

Amish for Trump

For John, BLUF:  Interesting that the Plain Folk are possibly turning out for Trump.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Here's What You Need to Understand About That Amish Trump Parade in Ohio

From PJ Media, by Reporter Paula Bolyard, 22 September 2020.

Here is the lede plus one:

Media outlets far and wide made much of the fact that the Amish held a parade, complete with horses and buggies, to show their support for President Trump in a small Ohio town over the weekend.

The parade did happen, but most of the reports on the event were, shall we say, overblown.  That said, the idea that the Amish, who traditionally eschew voting for national political candidates, could turn out for Trump on Election Day is worth exploring.

If President Trump wins it will be at the retail level, block by block.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

The Fires of California

For John, BLUF:  The mainstream Media is not being completely honest with us about the current epidemic of fires out West.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Forest Fires Aren’t at Historic Highs in the United States. Not Even Close

Here is the sub-headline:

California’s wildfires are a serious matter, but the official record of the United States shows forest fires in the US today are far below the annual average in the 1930s and 1940s.

from The Foundation for Economic Education, by Mr Jon Miltimore, 21 September 2020.

Here is the key paragraph:

News agencies and NIFC were simply ignoring all data prior to 1960.  When this data is included, one sees 2017’s record setting fires burned about one fifth of the acreage of fires in 1930 and 1931.  These were peak years, but they were not exactly anomalies, Lomborg pointed out.  The entire data set, a quarter century of figures that comes from the official record of the United States, shows the yearly average between 1926 and 1952 was several times higher than the peaks of today.

the numbers are charted in the article.

So, if folks aren't honest about forest fires, what else are they not being honest about?

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

Equal Rights in Education

For John, BLUF:  I worrry that the COVID-19 Panic will distract us from the needed effort to improve school performance and student outcomes  Already, here in Massachusetts, we have kicked MCAS down the road several years.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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DOJ JOINS CHALLENGE TO NEW MEXICO’S RESTRICTION ON PRIVATE SCHOOL OPENINGS

From Power Line, by Mr Psaul Mirengoff, 21 September 2020.

Here is the lede plus two:

In response to the Wuhan coronavirus, New Mexico has limited the capacity at which schools are allowed to operate. Public schools are permitted to operate at 50 percent of capacity. Private schools are allowed to operate only at 25 percent.

Given this severe limitation on its ability to operate, one academy decided not to open, but instead to rely on instruction online. The father of a student at that school filed a lawsuit alleging that New Mexico violates the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution by using one rule for public schools and another for private ones.

Today, the Justice Department filed a statement of interest in the case. It argues that under Supreme Court law, parents’ educational choices for their children are a fundamental constitutional right, and that New Mexico has no grounds for abridging that right by adopting stricter rules for private schools than for public schools.

I wonder what is the local New Mexico politics involved here.  Is this the result of Public School Teachers Unions trying to cut back on the competition?  Otherwise it doesn't make much sense.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

Education Failing

For John, BLUF:  Yes, this is two years old, but The InstaPundit thought it important, and so do I.  It hasn't improve in the last two years.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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9 Years Into Common Core, Test Scores Are Down, Indoctrination Up

Here is the sub-headline:

Common Core sucked all the energy, money, and motivation right out of desperately needed potential reforms to U.S. public schools for a decade, and for nothing.

From The Federalist, by Mrs Joy Pullmann, 5 November 2018.

Here is the lede plus three:

It’s been about nine years since the Obama administration lured states into adopting Common Core sight unseen, with promises it would improve student achievement. Like President Obama’s other big promises — “If you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor” — this one’s been proven a scam.

“If you set and enforce rigorous and challenging standards and assessments; if you put outstanding teachers at the front of the classroom; if you turn around failing schools — your state can win a Race to the Top grant that will not only help students outcompete workers around the world, but let them fulfill their God-given potential,” President Obama said in July 2009.

He went on to state his faith that Common Core — at that point unwritten — would “not only make America’s entire education system the envy of the world, but we will launch a Race to the Top that will prepare every child, everywhere in America, for the challenges of the 21st century.” Race to the Top was a $4 billion money pot inside the 2009 stimulus that helped bribe states into Common Core.

So here we are, nine years later. Common Core has been officially rolled out into U.S. public and even many private schools for at least three to five years now. Are American children increasingly prepared for the “the challenges of the 21st century”? We’re actually seeing the opposite. They’re increasingly less prepared. And there’s mounting evidence that Common Core deserves some of the blame.

I am in agreement with the Author  Neither Common Core, nor Leave No Chiled Behind, has given our public education an upward thrust.

For thoe who think this is strictly on the schools, I don't agree.  An important factors is parents and their impact on their children.  Parents are an important factor in their children's perserverencer in school, and their children's success.  Improvementd in education will require more than fixing eduction.  It will require fixing our social services system.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

Passing of An Important Justice (Justice Ginsburg, RIP)

For John, BLUF:  There is no denying that Justice Ginsburg has left a noticeable mark on the US Supreme Court.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Champion Of Gender Equality, Dies At 87

From National Public Radio, by Reporter Nina Totenber, 18 September 2020.

Here is the lede plus two:

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the demure firebrand who in her 80s became a legal, cultural and feminist icon, died Friday. The Supreme Court announced her death, saying the cause was complications from metastatic cancer of the pancreas.

The court, in a statement, said Ginsburg died at her home in Washington surrounded by family. She was 87.

"Our nation has lost a justice of historic stature," Chief Justice John Roberts said. "We at the Supreme Court have lost a cherished colleague. Today we mourn but with confidence that future generations will remember Ruth Bader Ginsburg as we knew her, a tireless and resolute champion of justice."

Let us have some time of mourning and reflection before we fall into fighting over this now vacant seat.

May she rest in peace, and condolences to her family.

Regards  —  Cliff

Rioting Continues

For John, BLUF:  Do mobs in the street impact the outcome of national elections?  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Since the BLM autonomous zone was such a raging success in Seattle, BLM has decided to set one up in Minneapolis

From The New Neo, by the Blog Mistress, 18 September 2020.

Here is the lede plus one:

Are they trying to get Minnesota to flip to Trump?

Because with news like this, one wonders:

Then the Blog goes on to mention setting up a George Floyd autonomous zone in Minneapolis and actions in Portland.

It does cause one to wonder what is going through the minds of the Democratic Party Pooh Bahs.  Does the Biden-Harris Camp have an opinion?

Hat tip to the .

Regards  —  Cliff