Posse Incitatus

Meanwhile, in China...

It may seem strange for me of all people to say this, but I find the current iteration of the gun control debate painfully boring.

Given that the Dems want the southern border erased, its hard to take their claims of wanting to eliminate guns seriously. 

I think the president knows this and is using the opportunity to bait them into demanding the arrest and imprisonment of everyone with a gun, because that’s how the Dems roll now.

Of far more significance is the growing and seemingly implacable unrest in Hong Kong.

What started as street demonstrations against an extradition law, have continued to grow in both size and scope, with movement leaders demanding the removal of Beijing’s governor and – potentially – the overthrow of the Communist system.

This may seem like hyperbole, but a general strike yesterday brought the former British colony to a virtual standstill.  The local police are overwhelmed and demoralized while the protestors continue to evolve new approaches and methods to resistance.

So far the mainland has be quiet, but the Chinese economy is shuddering to an uneasy halt in response to the Trump administration’s escalating trade war.

Across China, factories are being idled as the Great On-Shoring continues. 

China’s latest gambit is to devalue their currency, which is clearly intended to undercut the tariffs as well as act as a tariff against American imports, which will become more expensive.

Currency manipulation is a dangerous game, however, especially for a country with such a lop-sided and poorly documented economic sector.  China relies heavily on US food imports, the devaluation and their attempted retaliatory tariffs could create a perfect storm of falling employment and rising food prices.

I’ve mentioned this before, but throughout recorded history China’s leaders have grossly misjudged the motives and capabilities of foreign opponents.  This is why China is frequently conquered by foreign powers yet consistently struggles to retain control over non-core areas. 

No doubt a number of American politicians (especially Sen. Diane Feinstein) are telling the ChiComs that once Trump is defeated in 2020, everything will go back to normal.

But such a defeat is hardly a foregone conclusion and even if a Democrat somehow gains the White house, It’s not clear they will be able to revert to policies that close the newly-reopened factories. 

The Chinese are always given credit for playing a "long game," but Trump is doing likewise.  Like the Chinese, he is also bringing the full spectrum of American power to bear on his objective.

How the Chinese respond will determine whether the ChiComs are able to overcome, or merely become the most recent failed dynasty.

The Latest Panacea

The nation finds itself grieving once again over the slaughter of innocent people by deranged individuals. Not four hours after I posted Saturday night about the El Paso, Texas shooting that killed 22 people and wounded dozens, another shooter in Dayton, Ohio killed nine and injured 27. I knew it was expecting too much to hope that Democrats would refrain from politicizing Saturday's horrible mass shootings. 

But sure as clockwork, the Demagogues immediately started tying the 21-year-old El Paso shooter to Donald Trump, conservative politics, and white nationalism. Yes, the perpetrator stated on social media that he was a Trump supporter. But that doesn't mean Trump or his administration want support from such wretched types.

Remember: These reprehensible demagogues on the left are the first to say, following an Islamic terror attack, "Don't paint Islam with a broad brush; this guy is just crazy. Don't be Islamophobic." Ah, but when it comes to a Trump supporter committing a heinous crime, their mentality is: What'd we tell  you? Hillary was right: Trump supporters are deplorable scum. Sorry, lefists, but you can't have it both ways.

Let's face it: There are black nationalists who hate white people, and racist blacks who have been accepted by the media and Democrat Party (e.g., Al Sharpton) who supported Barack Obama. So it works both ways.

Most Americans are smart enough to detect pure pandering and attempts to score cheap political points. But many Americans, like their representatives in Washington, still have a naive faith that more federal laws will help reduce the incidence of mass shootings.

The Democrats seem to have moved away from fixations with magazine sizes and bump-stocks and toward a greater emphasis on background checks for firearms purchasers. Even President Trump and other Republicans are amenable to imposing stricter background checks.

But the problem is that background checks often have vague criteria, and many mass shooters managed to pass background checks prior to purchasing the weapons they used to murder and maim innocents. Let's consider background checks and the criteria that could help or hurt a prospective gun purchaser.

For example, exactly what constitutes mental instability? And what are the conditions: Sessions with a therapist or psychiatrist? If so, how many, and for how long? A prescription to an SSRI drug intended to counteract anxiety and/or depression? A diagnosis of anxiety or depression? If so, how severe does it have to me?

What about someone who's been arrested for drunk and disorderly behavior? And how about someone who is in his early 20s, and three or four years earlier while in high school, this person was suspended for making threatening statements at school, for writing something racist and menacing on the bathroom stall, or for posting veiled threats and violent videos on a social media page?

And who is the final arbiter? A local, state or federal official? As you can see, there are a myriad of complex issues at play. More background checks, or stricter background checks, are just the latest proposals bound to disappoint and underwhelm. But the liberals will never, ever admit they were wrong or that they don't have the answer.

And then there's the problem of lenient and delusional school officials giving someone not a second chance, but a third, fourth and fifth chance despite ample red flags that this individual is dangerous. Case in point, Nikolas Cruz, the Stoneman Douglas High School killer on Valentine's Day 2018 in Parkland, Fla.

The PROMISE program (Preventing Recidivism through Opportunities, Mentoring, Interventions, Support, and Education) was established because Obama administration school guidelines claimed minority students are "disproportionately impacted" by disciplinary actions such as suspensions and expulsions. So don't arrest them or kick them out when they break the rules; give them another chance. And another. And another...

Sadly, millions of millennials these days live a hopeless existence. Some still live in Mom's basement because they haven't found a good enough job to support themselves. Too many have alcohol and/or drug addictions. A common problem is that large numbers of these people seek solace by commiserating and mingling with contemporaries who are equally miserable -- on malevolent websites, with violent video games, by indulging themselves in angry, anti-establishment music, and by seeking scapegoats for their rage -- Hispanics, blacks, Republicans, Christians, MAGA hat wearers, gays, whomever. The hatred is spread across the political spectrum.

There is even a recently popular term "incel," to describe frustrated young men who are full of hormones and testosterone, but bitter and frustrated because they have no luck with women and therefore no outlet for their sexual urges. They reinforce each other on discussion forums, wallowing in self-loathing and trying to rationalize their twisted misogyny and misanthropy.

Those of us who are Christians know that our faith doesn't take away the pain of life, the frustrations, disappointments or sad things that happen. But it does inspire us and give us strength, hope and joy. It is a foundation of purpose and character. This foundation is sorely missing in the lives of so many aimless young people (and plenty of middle-aged people, too, such as the Las Vegas hotel shooter two years ago).

I sincerely hope that people who have found nothing but emptiness and heartache living a godless life will give God a chance. Many of them, I am certain, will change for the better and realize they're better off by bolstering their spirits with the ultimate power of the universe.

I don't have the answers myself, other than to say I believe faith in God -- and its desirous effects of turning selfish, narcissistic people into individuals who have empathy, love and concern for others -- is a powerful antidote. And it doesn't hurt at all during these troubled times to seek out the role of being "your brother's keeper."

If I ever sense that someone is headed down a dangerous path, I'll do what I can to discreetly intervene. I cannot do much more than that, other than to pray about this sad and sorrowful darkness that seems to be enveloping us. I have done so many times, and will continue to do so.

 

Ban all the things

Once again, I see the usual suspects are demanding gun control measures that would have had zero impact on the latest criminal act.

The advocates bolster their arguments with outright lies about current laws, the mechanics of firearms and the experiences of other countries.

If gun control worked as advertised, the United Kingdom would be a place of total peace and serenity.

Predictably, the locals moved on to acid and knifes for casual violence, though they can still get mass shootings when they want them.

Magical thinking seems to be the rule these days.  That and enacting laws specifically to punish political enemies.

I don't think things will work out the way the elites anticipate.

Bloodbath in El Paso

A 21-year-old man from Allen, Texas has murdered 20 and wounded 26 at a Wal-Mart and shopping mall in El Paso, Texas, 600 miles west of his residence. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims and their families.

Apparently, the perpetrator recently issued a manifesto decrying the "Hispanic invasion" of the United States. He may well be a white supremacist, a bigot, and a supporter of President Donald Trump. Expect the Sunday morning news shows and mainstream media to play up the Trump "build the wall" angle and paint the 60-plus million people who voted for Trump as Neanderthal racists, xenophobes, rednecks and bigots.

The truth is, the criminal is a sick individual, and there's no doubt in my mind there have been red flags, e.g., social media posts and threatening comments he made to friends and associates, that signaled the destructive path this individual was taking.

During the past two decades, there have been multiple examples of perpetrators of mass shootings exhibiting telltale signs that they were "wound too tight" and ready to explode. A prime example would be the shooter at a Parkland, Fla., high school on Feb. 14, 2018 who killed 17 people and wounded 14. There have been shooters who exhibit favoritism toward leftist policies as well as those who advocated right-wing and nativist policies.

Omar Mateen, the shooter who killed 49 people at a nightclub in Orlando, Florida, in 2016, was registered as a Democrat in 2006. James Hodgkinson, who shot up a Republican baseball practice in June 2017, was a huge Bernie Sanders supporter. But there have been others, like Dylann Roof, who killed nine black people at a South Carolina church in June 2015, who were definite racists. A social media profile for Chris Harper Mercer, who killed nine people at a community college in Oregon in 2015, said he was a Republican.

The truth is, there are mentally ill people, and evil people, across the political spectrum. And as my esteemed co-blogger has repeatedly pointed out, piling on hundreds of new gun control laws won't stop those who intend to maim and murder large numbers of people. After all, there are bombs, knives, baseball bats, and vehicles that can be driven through crowds.

These days, many factors can contribute to sick individuals lashing out and harming others. I do believe that isolated, unstable people who spend an inordinate amount of time playing violent video games are susceptible to acting on the anger and rage in their hearts.

There are other stimulants, including  music (violent anti-police rap or incendiary, anti-establishment heavy metal) that eggs on warped individuals who already are struggling to stay afloat in a dysfunctional family and whose friends and acquaintances are equally lost. At times, people who are spoiled rotten and have never had boundaries set or expectations placed upon them, wallow in a self-centered narcissism and are frustrated that they can't always get their way or lead successful lives. These people can and do cause harm to others.

On top of these pathologies, some medical professionals have expressed serious concerns about the effects of SSRI pharmaceutical drugs prescribed for anxiety and depression. Drugs like Paxil, Prozac and Zoloft. Sometimes these drugs -- especially if used in conjunction with other drugs and alcohol, can push people over the edge.

Unfortunately, with our current polarized political climate, the left-wing media and liberal kooks who live and breathe Twitter will be going hog wild with the narrative about the El Paso killer being a big MAGA and Trump supporter. They will relish in the opportunity to tarnish tens of millions of good people who are Trump supporters. This narrative will go on for quite a few weeks, so brace yourself.

But the knee-jerk assumptions of the news media (many of whose practitioners are not very bright and utterly incapable of critical thinking) fall apart upon close examination. Rest assured, the vermin will be out in full force, and it ain't gonna be pretty.

Let me remind the leftists that when Barack Obama was president and regularly hosted Black Lives Matter and the street rat Al Sharpton at the White House, cop killings and riots were roiling our nation in 2014-2016. Remember Ferguson and Baltimore? Remember the five Dallas officers killed in one night? All deplorable. But I would never suggest that the tens of millions of people who voted for and supported Barack Obama hate police and love seeing them killed. Nor would I suggest that Obama himself hates police and wishes ill upon them.

Our emotions are raw at this time. I pray that Americans of all political persuasions will recognize that wallowing in cheap politics in response to today's horrible crime is wrong. It is unseemly and shameful. I know in my heart that my hopes will not be fulfilled. But maybe it won't be as bad as I fear.

 

Trump ratchets up the trade war with China

This week President Trump announced yet more tariffs in his ongoing trade dispute with China.

The result will be further economic difficulty for the ChiComs and greater prosperity in the United States.

We've written about this many times, but one of the interesting aspects in Trump's approach is how he's created the mirror image of the "free trade ratchet" that seemed to only go one way.

Once NAFTA was passed and then when China became a member of the World Trade Organization, the decline of American manufacturing was taken as a given.  Powerful market forces, we were told, were the culprit, not government policies.  One may as well rage against the tide.

Ironically, many of the same people who insisted globalism was like a force of nature also claim that massive state control can change the global climate, but I digress.

Donald Trump has proven all of that false, and the stunning rebound of manufacturing jobs and the resulting prosperity are going to make it very hard for his successors to reverse his policies. 

This is clearly what the ChiComs hope for, and why the media howls incessantly about RUSSIA while ignoring massive Chinese political influence.  RUSSIA is economically weak, militarily overstretched and remains a world power solely on the basis of its nuclear weapons. 

Ask yourself a simple question: If RUSSIA is such a serious threat, why can't it fix it's only aircraft carrier?

China, on the other hand, continues to expand its blue-water fleet.  In terms of force projection, there is no comparison.

I suspect Trump knows this, which is why he's pushed harder on the economy than anything else.  The media refuses to give him much credit for the booming economy, but its effects are undeniable.  Like Ronald Reagan, he is rightfully asking the key question:  Are you better off now than four years ago?

Unless you're a fake journalist, the answer is unquestionably "yes."

Time to Play Hardball With Antifa

For several years now, the militant fascist group Antifa has been getting away with many instances of violent, destructive behavior including assaults, vandalism, arson and disruption of traffic in urban business districts.

Part of the problem is the passive police departments that stand down in the face of such lawless behavior, usually at the request of a leftist police chief and/or mayor. Another issue is that these cowardly goons, who attack and pummel unarmed bystanders with baseball bats, brass knuckles, knives and bricks, are invariably covered up by masks and costumes. About a month ago, Antifa thugs brutally beat conservative journalist Andy Ngo in Portland, and so far there have been no arrests. (Hey, doesn't this qualify as a hate crime since Ngo is gay and of Vietnamese descent? Just asking...)

Antifa is like a modern-day Ku Klux Klan, and only the ignorant would believe this group is what it claims to be (anti-fascist) when it fascistically seeks to silence and intimidate those who oppose it.

I'd say it's high time states and municipalities bring back the anti-mask laws implemented many decades ago to put a damper on activities by the Ku Klux Klan. Additionally, the Trump administration should pull no punches when it comes to punishing municipalities whose law enforcement officials stand down in the face of Antifa-perpetrated violence. 

This would be the same strategy used to crack down on sanctuary cities that refuse to enforce immigration laws. A few weeks ago, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the Trump administration's efforts to prioritize federal dollars for local policing to towns and cities that complied with certain immigration policies. I believe the administration could get similar favorable rulings were it to use Uncle Sam's leverage (i.e., disbursement of federal largess) against leftist cities that kowtow to Antifa.

Antifa, just like other leftist groups (environmental and animal rights extremists, for example), is just following the left's standard M.O. of engaging in destructive, violent behavior and suppressing opposing speech. When you can't win on the issues or at the ballot box, simply lower yourself to vicious, animal-like behavior. There's nothing new under the sun.

Except for one thing: In the past, so-called conservative Republicans would fold like a cheap suit, figuring their "Marquess of Queensberry" behavior would be reciprocated. In return, the leftist agitators would simply smirk and snicker with conceit and contempt. But those days are over; there's a new sheriff in town. He's loud, proud, has orange hair and loves to wolf down cheeseburgers in the Oval Office. He will call you out, and he will work hard to crack down on you, just as he did with ISIS.

If Antifa thinks it can continue bullying and brutalizing with impunity, I'd say these scumbags are in for a rude awakening.

By the way, is it "they've got another THINK coming," or "another THING coming?" I've seen it both ways! Something to contemplate, along with the vicissitudes of life, as you drift ever so slowly into.... THE TWILIGHT ZONE....

Trump Struck a Nerve

Anyone with half a brain knows that President Donald Trump attacks people of all races. He heaps derision, vitriol and sometimes funny nicknames on his political opponents and critics.

Oh, but any time the person on the receiving end is anything but a caucasian, the simple-minded race hustlers on the left resort to their knee-jerk "RACISM!™" (I think this has replaced "RUSSIA!™" as the Democrats' favorite word.)

Over the weekend, leftist U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings of Maryland was at the receiving end of the Trumpster's wrath, and the media arm of the Democrat Party blew a gasket. You'd think Trump took an Uzi and blew away his entire cabinet, the reaction was so over-the-top.

The truth is, Cummings had it coming ... Hey, that sounds kind of cool!

Like another black lawmaker who paid his dues during the Civil Rights era, Rep. John Lewis of Georgia, Cummings thinks he's God's gift to humanity, and loves to bloviate and intimidate with his righteous indignation.  Cummings' invective was on full display with his disgraceful treatment of Kevin McAleenan, acting head of the Department of Homeland Security, during recent testimony.

But any time anyone pushes back against demagogues like Cummings and Lewis, he or she is labeled a racist by the brainless parrots of the left.

Trump sent out a few tweets criticizing Cummings that, while blunt and crude, were essentially truthful. The City of Baltimore does have deplorable, rat-infested neighborhoods, high crime, horrendous schools and a plethora of corrupt leaders. Cummings' leadership has done nothing to eradicate the rot.

Baltimore consistently ranks among the nation's worst-run major cities, and its schools are bottom of the barrel. Crooked and incompetent leaders in city government, the prosecutor's office and the public schools, have decimated this once great city.

As is the case with so many other hellholes throughout the nation, Democrats have been firmly in control for decades. But good luck getting the mainstream media to acknowledge that.

Tweeting Trump is good at sending rude wakeup calls. The problem is, those he's trying to wake up are not just asleep with liberalism; they're in a coma.

 

 

 

 

 

None shall know the hour

For years the "Q" community and their less zany allies over at The Conservative Treehouse have been predicting a grand counterattack by Trump against the criminal conspiracy to overthrow the 2016 election results.

I've seen elaborate time flow charts, numerous "significant dates" and yet nothing seems to be moving in the order predicted.  I've noticed that a lot of these predictions are actually couched in evasive terms suitable for the Oracle of Delphi or a first-rate carnival fortune-teller.

But some things are clear.

The Mueller gambit failed and the GOP's questioning was unusually precise.  Instead of going for "gotcha" style questions and killer soundbites, the House members consistently focused on the question of who ran the investigation and therefore why certain decisions were made.  For example, Russian Agent Mifsud lied to the FBI three times without consequence, while Gen. Flynn allegedly did so only once, yet who is being dragged through judicial hell?

The Epstein investigation is also a front few people expected to emerge, and the (depending on who you ask) fake suicide attempt or botched murder highlights the seriousness of the case to a lot of very important people.

In fact, if it was a failed murder attempt, that may show that Clinton, Inc. is losing its mojo.  The guy was an easy target in a municipal jail kept in the violent criminal wing.  Apparently he wasn't under 24-hour watch, either (though he is now).

Inspector General Horowitz's report has become a moving target, sliding from a May deadline to September.  Contrary to popular myth, his 2018 report wasn't a dud, it simply was exploited.  The IG can't issue indictments or inflict punishment, so the disappointment of the previous release centers not on what was in it, but the fact that little was done.

Will that be the case now?

As my esteemed co-blogger pointed out, the outline of the conspiracy is now pretty well known.  The only remaining question is whether anything will be done.  I confess, I don't know the answer.

Gross Incompetence

I'm not a lawyer, but I know legal malpractice when I see it. And I witnessed plenty of it with Wednesday's testimony by Special Counsel Robert Mueller before the House Intelligence and Judiciary committees.

Several months ago, I noted that it was idiotic for the Special Counsel's report, issued in March, as well as Democrats who commented on it, to emphasize that Mueller's investigation did not exonerate President Trump. If a prosecutor decides not to press charges, he does not then proclaim, "I exonerate defendant (INSERT NAME)..." No, that's not how it works in a system where everyone is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. 

During this week's testimony, GOP Rep. John Ratcliffe made that point powerfully and persuasively. He raised concern about Mueller's report saying that while the probe did not establish Trump committed a crime, it also did not exonerate him.

He challenged Mueller to identify which Department of Justice policy “set forth a legal standard that an investigated person is not exonerated if their innocence from criminal conduct is not conclusively determined.” Mueller looked feeble and not ready for prime time in responding to this and other questions, but Ratcliffe, a former U.S. Attorney, showed no mercy: “Can you give an example other than Donald Trump where the Justice Department determined an investigated person was not exonerated because their innocence was not conclusively determined?” Mueller replied he could not, "but this is a unique situation."

Ratcliffe was one of two Texas Republicans who pounded the former FBI director, the other being Rep. Louie Gohmert. Gohmert lambasted Mueller for stacking his investigative team with Trump hating partisans who supported Obama and Hillary Clinton, for supposedly being unaware that Peter Strzok was a Trump hater, then dragging his feet in firing Strzok for the text messaging scandal involving Lisa Page, and for dragging out the entire investigation.

Throughout the day, even Democrats and their media stooges, who wanted so badly for Mueller to rip Trump a new one with damning testimony, were tweeting and commenting to network reporters about how pathetic and sad Mueller's demeanor and testimony were. Some said it was "painful" to watch; many admitted his doddering, confused and weak performance did Democrats grave damage.

Getting back to what I said at the outset, I know legal incompetence when I see it. I covered the courts back in my long lost youth as a cub reporter; have read a few books on the justice system; and have watched plenty of movies and TV shows involving barristers. I know that one of the cardinal rules for prosecutors and defense lawyers is you do not call on someone to testify unless you are extremely confident you know what that person will say and that he or she will be unflappable under pressure. Any indication that someone could be a turncoat, a loose cannon, a crackpot or in any way prove to be unpredictable or erratic, and it's best to avoid putting that person on the stand.

I mean no disrespect to Mr. Mueller, a Vietnam veteran and longtime distinguished public servant, but he almost appeared at times like someone with early stages of dementia. Unfortunately, once a person nears the age of 70, things can be going great in the realm of mental acuity and robust physical health, but then just a few short years later, a precipitous decline takes place. This may be the case with Mueller.

Clearly, Mueller's teammates in the investigation must have informed Democrat leadership that he wasn't on the ball. The Democrats must have known that someone else, perhaps the notorious Justice Department attorney Andrew Weissmann, was really in charge and Mueller was simply a figurehead with a respected name. Sort of like when a large auto dealership has the name of a retired pro athlete who was a beloved superstar, but who these days delegates much of his work to his people and is more likely to be found on the golf course than on the car lot or in the showroom.

If Democrats had that awareness, why in the world would they risk humiliating Mueller and their desperate conspiracy theories about collusion and obstruction of justice by putting Mueller in the spotlight?

And they just won't quit. News reports now indicate that about 100 House Democrats are clamoring once again to move forward with impeachment. It isn't just the "Squad" that engages in self-defeating practices. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi must not be sleeping very well these days, as she realizes time is running out to whip these nut-jobs into shape and attempt to do something productive while controlling the lower chamber.

This whole sorry spectacle proves that the Democrats, forever smug and looking down their noses at Republicans and frequently exhibiting disdainful conceit for average Americans in flyover country, are in fact pretty abysmal. And the media, being the gullible dupes and toadies they are, assumed that the Democrats and their Ivy League lawyers would shred Trump's team and the GOP. They were dead wrong, as happens so often.

The great thing about this fiasco, and what promises to be many more self-inflicted wounds by the Hubris Party, is it clearly demonstrates what's at stake in 2020. The American people are not stupid. They know that it would be suicidal to turn over the White House and Congress to the disgraceful Democrats whose hatred for conservatives, lust for power and incompetence at the helm knows no limits.

 

Meanwhile, Blighty gets a new P.M.

It's wall-to-wall Mueller at the moment, so I'd like to take a moment to focus on events elsewhere.

Today Brits got a new prime minster, Boris Johnson.  Johnson is both like and unlike Donald Trump.  They're both popular with the ladies, have crazy hair and a reputation for cutting remarks and blunt truths.

However, BoJo is definitely not an outsider like Trump, nor was he chosen by popular acclaim.  In fact, the Conservative Party remains a minority government sustained by a coalition agreement with Ulster Unionists.  Johnson has stated that he plans to lead his party for the next election and presumably that will be after he has handled Brexit and had a chance to prove his ministry to voters.

In fact, the person most like Trump is Nigel Farage, founder of first the UK Independence Party and now the Brexit Party, which he currently leads.

The Brexit Party has made deep inroads into both Labour and Conservative and should BoJo's hard-core Remain colleagues try to bring down the government, there is a real possibility that Farage might win enough seats to hold the balance of power.

All of which is to say that the UK is at a crossroads, with its ancestral freedoms under attack and crime soaring out of control.  Johnson has his work cut out for him, but if he succeeds, he will deserve comparison with Margaret Thatcher.