Hiroshima Revisited

For John, BLUF:  Friday last was the Anniversary of the dropping of a nuclear weapon on the Japanese City of Hiroshima.  Yesterday, Nagasaki.  Many see that action as a terrible blot of our American narrative.  The Writer of the blog mentioned does not think so.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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The Horrific Treatment of Civilians During Japan's "Reign of Terror":  Uncle Sam's 2 Atomic Bombings Prevented Unit 731 From Dropping Bubonic Plague Bombs on America; + 18 Other Reflections on Hiroshima

From ¡No Pasaran!, by the Blogger, 6 August 2021.

Here is the lede plus one:

Among the many things we are not conversant with regarding World War II is the sheer number of Chinese civilians wiped out subsequent to the Doolittle raid on Tokyo. Try to imagine the number of Chinese "collaborators" (from the Japanese point of view) punished (killed) for providing solace to 80-some American stranded airmen whose war exploits they knew nothing about, and said exploit having in any case resulted in less than 90 Japanese deaths.

Do you think it might be about 25 Chinese civilians? 250? Perhaps 2,500? Certainly not 25,000? The answer is perhaps ten times that: close to a quarter of a million! Yes, you read that right: the Japanese army killed an estimated 250,000 Chinese civilians as punishment for aiding the escape of Doolittle’s Raiders from Chinese territory.

How to end a war is a complicated issue, made more complicated by those on the losing side not being willing to give in.  The losing side has to acknowledge it is the losing side.  In the Summer of 1945 it did not look like Japan had realized it was on the losing side of the conflict.  In Germany, with the suicide of Chancellor Hitler, there were those willing to sign a surrender document.  In Japan that was not the case.  However, two nuclear weapons were very sobering for the Emperor.  Even so, there were those who were willing to fight it out to the bitter end.  Fortunately, in the corridors of power they did not prevail.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

Jacksonian Voters

For John, BLUF:  Yes, it is time for Republicans and other Trump voters to understand what they have in common.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Where'd you go, Ohio? How a swing state went red

From The Washington Examiner, by Reporter Salena Zito, 1 August 2021, 12:00 AM.

Here is the lede plus two:

The old adage in politics used to be, “As Ohio goes, so goes the nation.”  And for the most part, since the start of the 20th century, the Buckeye State had earned that adage, only twice failing to support the national presidential winner — once in 1944 and again in 1960.

That all changed last November when Joe Biden became the first person since 1960 to win the presidency without carrying Ohio.  Many in the Washington, D.C.-based political class decided that the people of Ohio had changed.

Well, they haven’t.  This misapprehension comes from many Washington journalists having more of a cultural connection with the Democratic candidates they cover than with the voters.  The key to understanding Ohio in 2021, and its election in 2022, is to understand how the political parties have changed.

So, we hve a sea change in politics in Ohio.  While it didn't change the outcome of the 2020 Election, it could play a future role.  Thus it is worth paying attention to the change.  That does not mean the Democratic Party can do anything about it, but it would help to understand it.

Further down in the article, Report Zito advances the thesis that Republicans are becoming Jacksonians, while the Democrats are moving away from our 7th President:

More than 20 years ago, Walter Russell Mead identified a certain type of American as “Jacksonian,” after the former Democratic president of the 19th Century, identifying their political attitudes with a region that overlaps with much of Appalachia.  Jacksonianism originated with the Scotch-Irish who had come to the country in its early days and settled there.  Many of the later Irish and Italian immigrants, who came to work in factories around the turn of the last century, were eventually assimilated into this culture and adopted Jacksonian values, including a sense of self-reliance, a distrust of authority, patriotism, loyalty to community, and admiration for the police and military.

“Jacksonians were attracted to law and order Republicans such as Nixon, or the patriotic anti-communist, Ronald Reagan,” [Youngstown State University political science professor Paul] Sracic said.  "But they usually considered themselves Democrats since they tended to be working class and associated the Republican Party with the wealthy.  Trump converted the Republican Party into the Jacksonian Party; this change is likely permanent, and future Republican candidates will adopt this message.”

This brings us to the Pauline Kael quote from back in 1972:

I live in a rather special world.  I only know one person who voted for Nixon.  Where they are I don't know.  They're outside my ken.  But sometimes when I'm in a theater I can feel them.

Yes, there is a cultural circle that does not have empathy for Republicans.  In fact, in that circle many think of Republicans as deplorables.  However, we are a diverse nation and while there are inter-pentatrations, we tend to group in regions.

It might reduce the back and forth rancor a bit if the Main Stream Media were more aware of the "other" America.  It might not change political minds, but it might allow for a better understanding of each other's viewpoints.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

Ever Green Question

For John, BLUF:  How long has US Attorney John Durham been at this?.  A long time.  John Durham was given the task in April 2019.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Will Biden DOJ Allow Us to See the Durham Report?  I’m Skeptical

From PJ Media, by Columnist Matt Margolis, 26 July 2021, 11:24 AM ET.

Here is the lede plus one:

Joe Biden’s Department of Justice says that the John Durham report into Obamagate should be submitted in a way allowing for public release, reports the Washington Examiner.  This, on its face, sounds like good news.

Senators Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Ron Johnson (R-Wisc.) had requested answers from Attorney General Merrick Garland regarding the status of the investigation, but Deputy Assistant Attorney General Joe Gaeta wrote in response to their inquiry that he could not comment on an ongoing investigation.  However, he did note that “the Special Counsel, to the maximum extent possible and consistent with the law and policies and practices of the Department of Justice, shall submit to the Attorney General a final report, and such interim reports as he deems appropriate, in a form that will permit public dissemination.”

Today the Department of Justice released its latest Inspector General Report on the 2016 Election, finding it didn't know who, if anyone, leaked information to Mr Guiliani.

I don't think the Department of Justice is all that good at investigating itself.  And maybe even others.

I am not expecting to see much in the near or medium future.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

Ending Homelessness

For John, BLUF:  The Homeless are a problem that will never go away, but it shouldn't be as bad as it is.  And, mental health is probably a large part of the solution.  But, not the whole solution.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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It’s time to finally end homelessness

From The [Lowell] Sun, by Messers Donald Whitehead and Joel Segal, 23 June 2021.

Here is the lede plus one:

On any given night in the United States, upward of a halfmillion people are homeless. And that doesn’t include the millions of others who are living hand- to- mouth in hotels, or doubled up with family members or acquaintances, in often highly stressful temporary housing situations.

A recent study by the National Low Income Housing Coalition estimates a shortage of more than 6.8 million affordable housing units for low- income Americans. “ The crisis created by COVID-19 has made it clearer than ever that stable, affordable housing for all is an imperative for public health, individual well- being, and our country,” said Diane Yentel, the group’s president and CEO.

We have the problem of homelessness, but we also have the problem of not enough housing stock.  Up here in Northern Middlesex County, in Massachusetts, we are expecting an increase of 200,000 people between 2015 and 2040.♠  Who is going to build the needed housing?  I am not sure we have the incentives in place to create that housing.

We need to start looking at this.

Regards  —  Cliff

♠  That is not counting our "fair share" of illegal immigrants coming across our Southern Border, which could be a million this year.  Thet are not all stying in Texas, or New Mexico, or Arizona, or California.

Food-flation

For John, BLUF:  It seems inflation is threatening, but the Federal Government is not concerned.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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World’s Largest Food Company Will Raise Prices Amid Inflation

From The Daily Wire, by Reporter Ben Zeisloft, 30 July 2021.

Here is the lede plus one:

Nestlé, the world’s largest food and beverage company, announced it would hike prices in response to inflation.

As of June, inflation in the United States reached a year-over-year rate of 5.4%.  Businesses and consumers are therefore seeking to retain their margins in the face of the diminishing purchasing power offered by the dollar.

Inflation is coming, and not just in food and gasoline and Christmas toys.

I hope it won't turn into galloping inflation.  That would be bad for the Middle and Lower classes.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

Former Cardinal Indicted

For John, BLUF:  This is an embarrassment to me as a Roman Catholic, yet we should not hide from it  Sin abounds.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Ex-Cardinal McCarrick charged with sexually assaulting teen

Here is the sub-headline:

Disgraced former Cardinal Theodore McCarrick has been charged with sexually assaulting a teenage boy during a wedding reception in Massachusetts in 1974

From ABC News, by Reporter Alanna Durkin Richer, 29 July 2021.

Here is the lede plus one:

Former Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, who was defrocked after a Vatican investigation confirmed he had sexually molested adults as well as children, has been charged with sexually assaulting a teenage boy during a wedding reception in Massachusetts in 1974, court records show.

McCarrick is the first cardinal in the U.S. to ever be criminally charged with a sexual crime against a minor, according to Mitchell Garabedian, a well-known lawyer for church sexual abuse victims who is representing the man alleging the abuse by McCarrick.

This says to me that we need to listen to those who say they have been molested in some way.  Not that all allegations are true, but we should not be dismissing them out of hand.

On the other hand, to go back to 1974 raises a question in my mind.  Is there a chance that he has repented and changed his actions over time?  Conversely, what do the mental sciences tell us about the ability of people to reform themselves?  I accept that perhaps someone who is a pedophile is a pedophile for ever, sad as that may be to consider.  However, if not, then what is the law and the reform of the individual for?

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

Democrats Divided

For John, BLUF:  Are the Democrats divided, between their environmentalis wing and their humanitarianist wing?  It could be a problem trying to get things done in DC.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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'Climate Change' vs. the Uyghurs

From The Pipeline, by Mr Tom Finnerty, 8 July 2021.

Here is the lede plus two:

Pretty shocking -- Politico reports on growing tensions within the Democratic coalition, with the environmental activist faction of the party objecting to even the mildest attempts by the Biden administration to confront China over its human rights violations and international aggression.

As a new Cold War takes shape between the U.S. and China, progressives fear the result will be a dramatically warming planet.  Over 40 progressive groups sent a letter to President Joe Biden and lawmakers on Wednesday urging them to prioritize cooperation with China on climate change and curb its confrontational approach over issues like Beijing’s crackdown on Hong Kong and forced detention of Uyghur Muslims.

The problem for the Biden administration is that American public opinion has shifted significantly against China in recent years, such that according to a recent Pew survey, 89 percent of Americans "consider China a competitor or enemy, rather than a partner."  This move began with Donald Trump calling out China's predatory trade policy and intellectual property violations before he was even president and continued through then-President Trump and Chairman Xi's trade war.  It was cemented, however, by the CCP's handling of the Covid-19 outbreak last year, which, if the no-longer-a-conspiracy-theory lab leak hypothesis turns out to be true, would mean that China is responsible for the most significant man-made disaster in human history.

No comment.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff