Justin Amash flip-flops, announces he's running as a Republican for the US Senate from Michigan after leaving the Republican Party in 2019

So now we have two guys who hate Trump, Justin Amash and Peter Meijer, running for retiring Democrat Debbie Stabenow's seat, and FBI goon Mike Rogers, the current favorite.

Story here. 

Last September I predicted he'd run, except as a spoiler for the Libertarian Party.

This is just more evidence that he has never been the consistent libertarian he has claimed to be. He's nothing but a climber, like all the rest.

Core inflation measure for January 2024 is . . . not good

 Year over year we're still at 2.8%, still well above 2.0.

The monthly pop of .4% is high relative to anything in the last year.

The .5 change in the index was . . . pretty dang big.

The drive by media always spins this as "expected" when consensus estimates are confirmed, but that doesn't make them good.

 

We have the Napoleon wannabe in Paris, Emmanuel Macron, threatening to send in NATO troops, to thank for Putin's explicit threat to use nuclear weapons

 Vladimir Putin warns of wider conflict over Ukraine

 Russian president makes most explicit threat to use nuclear weapons since full-scale invasion:

Referring to French President Emmanuel Macron’s refusal to rule out sending western troops to Ukraine this week, Putin said Russia remembered “the fate of those who once sent their contingents to our country. “Now the consequences for possible interveners will be much more tragic,” he added. “We also have weapons that can strike targets on their territory.”

CNBC similarly here:

The comments appeared to be a direct response to French President Emmanuel Macron’s suggestion earlier this week that European heads of state and Western officials, who had met in Paris on Monday, had talked about the possibility of sending ground troops into Ukraine.

The French leader on Monday said there was no consensus on the idea, but that it had not been “ruled out.”

The comments have since sent NATO countries scrambling to deny they’d send troops into Ukraine, with Russia warning that such a deployment would prompt an “inevitable” Russia-NATO conflict.

 

Biden surrendered Afghanistan to the terrorists of the Taliban, backs two wars in Israel and Ukraine which risk world war with Russia and maybe China, but Americans think Trump is dangerous

 Bloomberg/Morning Consult poll of nearly 5,000 (all online smh):

Biden Is Too Old But Trump Is Dangerous, Swing-State Poll Shows :

Less than half of respondents said his almost-certain rival, 77-year-old Donald Trump, was too old. Still, Trump faces his own vulnerabilities with swing-state voters, with a majority saying the former president is dangerous. ...

Almost six in 10 swing-state voters labeled Trump as dangerous — a concern far more pronounced among undecided voters, who make up less than one-tenth of the swing-state electorate. Even 28% of those who plan to vote for him in November agree that Trump is dangerous. Fewer than half as many Biden supporters said the same about their candidate.

Swing-state voters who volunteered that they had heard something about his recent comments degrading NATO were especially lopsided in thinking Trump was the more dangerous of the two candidates.

 

RFK Jr. is on the ballot in AZ, GA, UT, NH, and HI so far

 The states Kennedy remains focused on are Michigan, another key battleground state, Maryland, South Carolina, West Virginia, Indiana, Texas, Illinois, New York, California, and Massachusetts . . ..

More.

My candidate in the Michigan GOP presidential primary finished in the top 1.2% of the field lol

Yes, I'm well aware he dropped out and endorsed Trump.

Turn out was pretty pathetic in Michigan, despite mail-in voting and early in person voting up to 29 days in advance.

Combined turnout for the two parties was less than 23% of the 8.275 million registered voters.

The Hamas vote racked up a big protest vote against Joe Biden of more than 100k.

Uncommitted Republican votes of 33k+ must be the small L libertarians? Social conservatives could vote happily for Ron DeSantis.

Meanwhile Nikki Haley attracted 293k of the AWFLs, most of whom were Democrat voters.

The primary is well nigh useless as an indicator of much of anything since all you have to do is check the Republican box or the Democrat box when you appear and you are given the appropriate ballot. There is no party "registration". You are what you say you are, but every man is a liar (Romans 3:4).

 

Senator Mitch McConnell, 82, will step down from his GOP leadership position in November

 WASHINGTON (AP) — Mitch McConnell, the longest-serving Senate leader in history who maintained his power in the face of dramatic convulsions in the Republican Party for almost two decades, will step down from that position in November. ...

McConnell’s path to power was hardly linear, but from the day he walked onto the Senate floor in 1985 and took his seat as the most junior Republican senator, he set his sights on being the party leader. What set him apart was that so many other Senate leaders wanted to run for president. McConnell wanted to run the Senate. He lost races for lower party positions before steadily ascending, and finally became party leader in 2006 and has won nine straight elections.

More.

Mitch was 64 when he took over in 2006.

Senator John Thune, 63, is a favorite to succeed him.

AI is so bad it has to lie about a character in a science fiction movie

 

AI admits its goal is to eliminate harmful biases and stereotypes in keeping with DEI, not provide factual information

Google Gemini is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and even prompts one to recognize it in the shorthand of "DEI":

 

Breaking: FBI says be on the lookout for gangs of white girls perpetrating organized retail theft

 

Albert Einstein, just because it's Tuesday

 From his diaries:

“I noticed how little difference there is between men and women; I don’t understand what kind of fatal attraction Chinese women possess which enthrals the corresponding men to such an extent that they are incapable of defending themselves against the formidable blessing of offspring”.

From their editor:

"the remark that must strike the modern reader as most offensive is his feigning not to understand how Chinese men can find their women sufficiently attractive to have offspring with them." 

-- The Grauniad, 2018

 

 

 

Easy mistake:

Joe Biden is a victim of elder abuse

Laura Rosen Cohen, parent of a special needs child in Toronto, for Newsweek here, who calls this the Abuse That Dare Not Speak Its Name:

Recent reports confirm what's obvious to everyone on the planet: President Joe Biden is a frail 81-year old who requires physiotherapy daily for his increasingly stiff gait and must wear slip proof sneakers to prevent frequent falls. Staff reportedly can only schedule important meetings for him from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM, because that is when he is most lucid.

This is a pattern in keeping with many dementia patients, as are other symptoms: Rarely does a day go by without video of Biden looking completely confused. He also frequently shouts angrily at reporters and confuses things, like Mexico and Egypt, or the names of dead leaders with current ones.

It's increasingly alarming, and the general consensus in America and around the world is that Biden is both too old for the job and not well.

In most normal families, a frail 81-year-old grandfather insisting on working but showing clear signs of diminished mental capacity and repeated episodes of falling and physical fragility would be encouraged to quit, enjoy his retirement, golf and garden to his heart's content. Quit your day job, Gramps, they would rightly say. And it's not like the Biden family is strapped for cash. Aside from any potential extended family business earnings, Joe Biden himself is reported to be worth approximately $10 million.

President Joe Biden faces a clear and present physical danger to his person due to his decline. But the public spectacle of his enfeebled nature also begs a different question: Why is the First Lady not putting an end to her husband's repeated and consistent public humiliation? Why aren't his children or grandchildren doing the right thing for their loved one? ...

If insisting on keeping a frail and doddering senior in the White House (or any job for that matter), exposing him to daily physical risk, demanding he perform tasks beyond his mental and physical capacity or stamina and world ridicule isn't elder abuse, what is? Are there any adults in the Biden family "room" who will finally call a lid not just on the President's repeated public humiliations but on his tenure writ large?

The leader of the free world is now an actual physical representation of the decline of American power and the American Republic. The President's diminished capacity is being willfully and purposely ignored by those closest to him, something that is very well-appreciated by America's enemies. As a result, the world is in chaos.

Advertisements contain the only truths to be relied on in a newspaper

 

Sky News Australia does the job American journalists won't do, showing Biden's cognitive decline in front of the nation's governors

 In Biden's defense at the end, it appears to me that with "I'm right here?" he's confirming with his aides that he's to move next to the table directly in front of the podium to have his meal. He's not demonstrating confusion exactly, but the constant need for direction is a sign of the loss of what is called "executive function", which is sad to see in anyone, let alone a Chief Executive.

Do you want a president who must ask which button to push in a nuclear war?

The rest, showing both the Xi Jinping and Abraham Lincoln remarks, is hard to watch.

 

Biden barely remembers major events in his political career and personal life, yet easily recalls things that never occurred

 

Biden has never been an honest man, but his inability to tell fact from fiction puts the nation at risk. 

 

Read it all here.

While Drudge spent the day smearing Trump, Biden spent it slaughtering a speech in front of the nation's governors

 

Biden Calls Xi the Russian Leader, Botches Lincoln Quote, Forgets Obama’s Name in Disastrous Speech :

... an unmitigated disaster from start to finish. ...

 Biden humiliated himself — and by extension, the office the presidency — by constantly botching historical quotes and being unable to correctly identify some of the most powerful world leaders.

Trump did nearly twice as well in South Carolina in 2024 compared to 2016

 

Drudge recycles 5-day old story at the top of his page to smear Trump as losing his mind when it's clear Trump isn't

The first story is a five day old story where Trump was speaking in Michigan about the importance of gearing up for November, urging Michigan voters to do that by voting in their primary on Feb 27th but saying November again by mistake. This type of mistake is commonly made by people of all ages. It's also commonly made by ancient scribes.

The story about getting Melania's name wrong is simply a lie. Trump was referring to Mercedes Schlapp in the audience. The story itself is a smear.

The third is a lie about wanting Biden as president. Trump said he agreed that Putin wants Biden as president.

This looks like it's going to be a regular feature at Drudge from now on, not journalism but advocacy.

Drudge is fast becoming Rush Limbaugh's drive-by media, taking shots but never killing.

 

The National NAACP suspended Illinois' NAACP president in December for her intemperate remarks about illegal aliens displacing blacks

 

Haley suspended by NAACP

Calling immigrants 'savages' and rapists creates uproar

Dean Olsen

December 16, 2023

click to enlarge 

Springfield NAACP branch 

Springfield NAACP Branch President Teresa Haley 

The national NAACP has suspended Teresa Haley as president of the group’s Illinois State Conference after the Springfield resident was recorded on video in October calling immigrants “savages” and saying they are “raping people” and attracting more sympathy than Black people with similar needs.

Haley’s comments, made during an online monthly video call with NAACP leaders throughout Illinois, drew criticism from Gov. JB Pritzker, state and local groups advocating on behalf of immigrants and a call for her resignation from a former suburban Chicago NAACP leader.

Haley, who received the "activist of the year" award at the 2020 NAACP Image Awards, issued a written apology in a Dec. 14 news release from the Illinois NAACP.

The news release also said NAACP branch presidents from throughout Illinois met Dec. 13 and “unanimously supported Haley’s quintessential leadership skills.”

But the national NAACP, based in Baltimore, said in a statement Dec. 15 that it suspended Haley Dec. 13.

It’s unclear whether national NAACP officials had communicated with Illinois branch presidents before the Illinois NAACP meeting. Champaign’s NAACP branch president, Minnie Pearson, told Illinois Times on Dec. 15 that the suspension was a surprise to her. She declined further comment.

Haley initially scheduled a news conference Dec. 16 in Springfield, where she is president of the Springfield NAACP branch, but an emailed statement to the news media said the news conference was canceled “in accordance with the recent request from the national NAACP office. Ms. Haley stands by her heartfelt apology and will not provide any further comments at this juncture.”

The Dec. 15 statement from the national NAACP, the nation’s oldest and largest civil rights organization, said the nonprofit “stands firm in our commitment to advancing racial justice and cultivating a society where human dignity is respected.”

The NAACP didn’t respond to requests for more information or clarification, didn’t say how long the suspension will last, whether the group will consider permanently removing Haley as statewide president or whether the suspension also applies to Haley’s position as president of the Springfield NAACP branch.

“As an internal matter, there will be no additional comment at this time,” the statement said, adding, “The NAACP will continue to foster an environment that is reflective of our mission and respective of our membership.”

Haley, 58, a retired state employee who was elected to her first two-year term as president of the Illinois NAACP in 2015, hasn’t responded to Illinois Times’ requests for an interview.

Television station ABC7 Chicago reported that Haley told one of its reporters in early December, in a phone call while she was on vacation in Dubai, that she didn’t make the comments and that the video was fake and was created with artificial intelligence.

"With AI, anything is possible," Haley told the Chicago reporter.

Then, in the Dec. 14 Illinois State Conference news release, Haley reversed course without explanation.

“First and foremost,” she said, “I express my sincere apologies to anyone who may have been hurt or offended by my comments. I love and value all members of our communities – including immigrants. I have worked tirelessly to advocate for the underserved and the voiceless. I remain focused on denouncing injustices, racism and discrimination. 

“I am empathetic to the plight of all people, and I proudly serve as a beacon of hope to the hopeless. I embrace the mission of the NAACP, which is to ‘Achieve equity, political rights and social inclusion by advancing policies and practices that expand human and civil rights, eliminate discrimination and accelerate the well-being, education and economic security of Black people and all persons of color.”

Elbert Betts, 82, a retired principal of Southeast High School who is a member of the Springfield NAACP’s executive committee, said Haley “has my support 100%.”

Regarding Haley’s comments on the video, Betts said, “I don’t think she was lashing out at anybody.”

Betts said he doesn’t think Haley’s critics misinterpreted her comments. He said he hopes the national NAACP “gives her due process” before making any final decision about her status.

click to enlarge 

Former DuPage County NAACP branch president Patrick Watson 

Patrick Watson, 40, a small business owner in the Chicago suburb of Lisle, said he recorded the October statements by Haley when he was president of the NAACP’s DuPage County branch. The branch also covers the counties of Kane, Kendall and Will, and part of northwest suburban Cook County.

Watson told Illinois Times he had complained to the national NAACP for months about what he called Haley’s disregard for NAACP bylaws on acceptable business practices.

“She tends to create her own facts and creates her own reality,” he said.

Watson also said Haley has engaged in “hate speech against the LGBTQ community.”

He said Haley, in a November monthly video meeting with Illinois NAACP officials, questioned national NAACP officials’ use of “they” and “them” pronouns preferred by certain staff members. According to Watson, Haley said, “What the hell is that?”

Watson said he resigned from his post on Dec. 12 in protest of Haley’s conduct and requested her resignation. That same day, he notified the media about Haley’s October comments and provided an approximately two-minute section of a recording of the two-hour-long video meeting.

“I could no longer be a part of the organization,” he said. “Hate has no home in the organization.”

Watson said he also notified the national NAACP and the media because Haley is campaigning to be named to the NAACP’s national board of directors in an internal election taking place in December and culminating at the end of the month.

In the video clip, Haley talked about immigrants who have been bused to Chicago and other Northern cities from the U.S. border with Mexico.

Apparently in response to comments made by other people on the call, Haley said Peoria, Springfield and other cities should prepare for immigrants wanting services and noted that cities are being more eager and generous about finding immigrants safe housing than they have in serving low-income Black people.

“But Black people have been on the streets for ever and ever, and nobody cares because they say that we’re drug addicts, we’ve got mental health issues. But these immigrants who come over here, they’ve been raping people, they’ve been breaking into homes, they’re like savages as well. They don’t speak the language, and they look at us like we were crazy because we were the only people in America who were brought over here against our wills and were slaves, sold into slavery.

“But everybody else who comes over here? We’re so kind, we’re so friendly. You need some clothes, you need a place to stay? We’re gonna make it happen. So brother, I feel your pain. I’m right there with you. I’m trying not to be a (N-word), but you know I’m pro-Black.”

Pritzker called Haley’s comments on the video “reprehensible” and told the news media he hoped she would apologize.

The governor said “people should recognize that immigrants in this country are all around us” and “virtually all of us came here from somewhere else. So remarks like that are commentary on our entire society.”

Pritzker’s press office didn’t respond when asked what the Democratic governor thought about Haley’s apology.

Watson said he doubted the sincerity of Haley’s apology because she directed it to “anyone who may have been hurt or offended.”

Watson called the national NAACP’s suspension of Haley “a great first step to begin the healing of the community to show there’s no hate in the organization.”

The Dec. 14 statement from the Illinois NAACP said Watson received “an unprecedented and embarrassing ‘vote of no confidence’ by his branch members on Nov. 14.”

But Watson said such votes are not provided for in NAACP bylaws. He said the alleged vote apparently was conducted by a handful of people supporting Haley and didn’t represent a majority of branch members.

Veronica Espina, founder and president of the Springfield Immigrant Advocacy Network, didn’t comment on Haley’s apology or suspension but said she was “sad and upset” after hearing Haley’s taped comments.

“It’s not just disappointing. It’s hurtful,” Espina said.

“The NAACP has a history of supporting immigrants and refugees in this country,” she said, adding that low-income Black people and immigrants often live in the same neighborhoods and share the same concerns and challenges.

“We need to stop using the lens of ‘them vs. us,’” Espina said, adding that those who oppress marginalized groups benefit when those groups criticize each other.

“They divide and conquer,” Espina said. “It’s a way of thinking we need to reject. There are resources out there.”

A joint statement from the network and the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights said the groups rejected Haley’s comments on the video:

“Divisive rhetoric damages communities. It reinforced harmful stereotypes, which, in turn, hurt entire groups of people. Apologies must include strategies to begin dialogue, deliberate actions to repair relationships and commitment to share accurate information.”

Dean Olsen is a senior staff writer at Illinois Times. He can be reached at dolsen@illinoistimes.com, 217-679-7810 or twitter.com/DeanOlsenIT.

https://www.illinoistimes.com/news-opinion/haley-suspended-by-naacp-17819921