Friday, December 7, 2018
Republican Valadao concedes in CA-21
Valadao concedes in California congressional race:
Valadao called Cox to concede Thursday and released a statement,
saying “representing the Central Valley in Congress has been the honor
of a lifetime.” ...
Valadao was almost 5,000 votes ahead of Cox on election night, but
late returns caught up with the three-term congressman – as they did for
six of his fellow California Republicans. With the certification of
elections in Fresno, Kings, Tulare and Kern counties this week, the
final margin appears to be 862 votes – less than one percentage point –
in Cox’s favor.
Don't piss down my back Brainard and tell me this is full employment, beyond full employment, or pearly shells
I love Pearly Shells.
Twelve years ago 63.4% of the population had a job. In November 2018 it's just 60.6%. We could easily have 164 million employed. Instead we've got only 156.8 million, 7.2 million fewer adjusted for population.
At the rate we're going it'll be the year 2025 before we're back to 63%.
Brainard knows NOTHING!
The country's a triangle apparently, and has a north coast: Nancy Pelosi oddly omits the east coast in border security statement
And you thought that 57 states thingy and hundreds of millions of Americans enrolling in Obamacare was just Obama.
Democrats evidently have spatial relations thinking impairment.
We have a responsibility, all of us, to secure our borders, north, south, and coming in by plane, on our coasts -- three coasts, north, south and west. And that -- that's a responsibility we honor, but we do so by honoring our values, as well.
Tucker Carlson tells it like it is on our one term president, unhappily concludes socialism is the future
Though often a measured Trump supporter, Tuesday’s interview was not Carlson’s first verbal-lashing of the president; he called Trump’s attacks on then-attorney general Jeff Sessions, following his recusal from the Russia investigation, a “useless, self-destructive act.” ...
“His chief promises were that he would build the wall, defund Planned Parenthood and repeal Obamacare, and he hasn’t done any of those things,” Carlson said, adding that those goals were probably lost causes. Trump, he said, doesn’t understand the system, and his own agencies don’t support him.
“He knows very little about the legislative process, hasn’t learned anything, hasn’t surrounded himself with people that can get it done, hasn’t done all the things you need to do, so it’s mostly his fault that he hasn’t achieved those things,” he added. ...
He has come to believe that Trump’s role is not as a conventional president who promises to achieve certain things and then does. Instead, it’s to “begin the conversation about what actually matters.” ...
[H]e called Rep.-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and her socialist group “the future.” He also criticized the Republican Party, suggesting that it “will die” if it doesn’t begin to fairly represent middle-class American voters.
Thursday, December 6, 2018
Striking a blow for white nationalism on its way out the door, The Weekly Standard informs us Cory Booker is a lot more injun than Elizabeth Warren
See Cory Run:
The country’s racial history is an ever-present issue for Booker, one
of only three African American senators, but he wants to see his
complicated heritage as a source of communion rather than anger. Some of
his ancestors were slaves but several were slave owners—and one was a
Confederate soldier. A DNA test revealed that he’s 47 percent African,
45 percent European, and 7 percent Native American (which is about 70
times more Native American than Elizabeth Warren).
One term president is down to $5 billion for part of a wall: Lame Duck Republicans kick shutdown can from tomorrow to Dec. 21
It would give lawmakers more time to hash out an agreement on spending and President Donald Trump’s demand for $5 billion to fund his proposed border wall.
Congress has approved spending bills for five government agencies, such as the Departments of Defense and Health and Human Services. It has to fund seven more, including the Department of Homeland Security, which has emerged as the biggest sticking point as Congress tries to avoid letting funding for those agencies lapse.
Sen. Crazy Hirono of Hawaii insults the voters like Hillary did, says Dems too smart to connect well with voters
It's tough out here on the plantation, yes sir, not knowing what to do and all without constant direction from our betters.
Wednesday, December 5, 2018
Selective prosecution by DOJ undermines faith in the justice system, divides the country and threatens the peace
With a Republican president in place and soon-to-be Democrat-run House, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has conveniently remembered that they have the ability to prosecute people who lie to Congress. This was a power they had inexplicably forgotten about during the 10 years that Democrats were benefiting from witnesses who lied.
W's eulogy for his father is so good . . .
. . . it makes you wish his father had died more often.
You can watch him, here.
And here's the transcript (I've edited out the "laughters", you can supply your own):
GEORGE W. BUSH: Distinguished guests, including our presidents and first ladies, government officials, foreign dignitaries and friends, Jeb, Neil, Marvin, Doro and I and our families thank you all for being here.
I once heard it said of man that the idea is to die young, as late as possible.
At age 85, a favorite pastime of George H.W. Bush was firing up his boat, the Fidelity, and opening up the three 300-horsepower engines to fly -- joyfully fly -- across the Atlantic with the Secret Service boats straining to keep up.
At age 90, George H.W. Bush parachuted out of an aircraft and landed on the grounds of St. Ann's by the Sea in Kennebunkport, Maine, the church where his mom was married and where he worshiped often. Mother liked to say he chose the location just in case the chute didn't open.
In his 90s, he took great delight when his closest pal, James A. Baker, smuggled a bottle of Grey Goose vodka into his hospital room. Apparently, it paired well with the steak Baker had delivered from Morton's.
To his very last days, Dad's life was instructive.
As he aged, he taught us how to grow with dignity, humor and kindness, and when the good Lord finally called, how to meet him with courage and with the joy of the promise of what lies ahead.
One reason Dad knew how to die young is that he almost did it, twice. When he was a teenager, a staph infection nearly took his life. A few years later, he was alone in the Pacific on a life raft, praying that his rescuers would find him before the enemy did.
God answered those prayers. It turned out he had other plans for George H.W. Bush.
For Dad's part, I think those brushes with death made him cherish the gift of life, and he vowed to live every day to the fullest.
Dad was always busy, a man in constant motion, but never too busy to share his love of life with those around him.
He taught us to love the outdoors. He loved watching dogs flush a covey. He loved landing the illusive striper. And once confined to a wheelchair, he seemed happiest sitting in his favorite perch on the back porch at Walker's Point, contemplating the majesty of the Atlantic.
The horizons he saw were bright and hopeful. He was a genuinely optimistic man, and that optimism guided his children and made each of us believe that anything was possible.
He continually broadened his horizons with daring decisions.
He was a patriot. After high school, he put college on hold and became a Navy fighter pilot as World War II broke out.
Like many of his generation, he never talked about his service until his time as a public figure forced his hand. We learned of the attack on Chichi Jima, the mission completed, the shoot-down. We learned of the death of his crew mates, whom he thought about throughout his entire life. And we learned of the rescue.
And then another audacious decision: He moved his young family from the comforts of the East Coast to Odessa, Texas.
He and Mom adjusted to their arid surroundings quickly. He was a tolerant man. After all, he was kind and neighborly to the women with whom he, Mom and I shared a bathroom in our small duplex, even after he learned their profession: ladies of the night.
Dad could relate to people from all walks of life. He was an empathetic man. He valued character over pedigree. And he was no cynic. He looked for the good in each person and he usually found it.
Dad taught us that public service is noble and necessary, that one can serve with integrity and hold true to the important values like faith and family. He strongly believed that it was important to give back to the community and country in which one lived. He recognized that serving others enriched the giver's soul. To us, his was the brightest of the thousand points of light.
In victory, he shared credit. When he lost, he shouldered the blame. He accepted that failure is a part of living a full life, but taught us never to be defined by failure. He showed us how setbacks can strengthen.
None of his disappointments could compare with one of life's greatest tragedies, the loss of a young child. Jeb and I were too young to remember the pain and agony he and Mom felt when our 3-year-old sister died. We only learned later that Dad, a man of quiet faith, prayed for her daily. He was sustained by the love of the Almighty, and the real and enduring love of our mom. Dad always believed that one day he would hug his precious Robin again.
He loved to laugh, especially at himself. He could tease and needle, but never out of malice.
He placed great value on a good joke. That's why he chose Simpson to speak.
On e-mail, he had a circle of friends with whom he shared or received the latest jokes. His grading system for the quality of the joke was classic George Bush: The rare sevens and eights were considered huge winners, most of them off-color.
George Bush knew how to be a true and loyal friend. He nurtured and honored many -- his many friendships with a generous and giving soul.
There exists thousands of handwritten notes encouraging or sympathizing or thanking his friends and acquaintances. He had an enormous capacity to give of himself.
Many a person would tell you that Dad became a mentor and a father figure in their life. He listened and he consoled. He was their friend.
I think of Don Rhodes, Taylor Blanton, Jim Nance, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and perhaps the unlikeliest of all, the man who defeated him, Bill Clinton. My siblings and I refer to the guys in this group as brothers from other mothers.
He taught us that a day was not meant to be wasted. He played golf at a legendary pace. I always wondered why he insisted on speed golf. He was a good golfer. Well, here's my conclusion: He played fast, so that he could move on to the next event, to enjoy the rest of the day, to expend his enormous energy, to live it all.
He was born with just two settings: full throttle, then sleep.
He taught us what it means to be a wonderful father, grandfather and great grandfather. He was firm in his principles, and supportive as we began to seek our own ways. He encouraged and comforted, but never steered.
We tested his patience. I know I did.
But he always responded with the great gift of unconditional love. Last Friday, when I was told he had minutes to live, I called him. The guy who answered the phone said, "He -- I think he can hear you, but he hasn't said anything for most of the day." I said, "Dad, I love you, and you've been a wonderful father." And the last words he would ever say on earth were, "I love you, too."
To us, he was close to perfect. But not totally perfect. His short game was lousy.
He wasn't exactly Fred Astaire on the dance floor.
The man couldn't stomach vegetables, especially broccoli.
And by the way, he passed these genetic defects along to us.
Finally, every day of his 73 years of marriage, Dad taught us all what it means to be a great husband. He married his sweetheart. He adored her. He laughed and cried with her. He was dedicated to her, totally.
In his old age, Dad enjoyed watching police show reruns, the volume on high.
All the while, holding Mom's hand. After Mom died, Dad was strong, but all he really wanted to do was hold Mom's hand again.
Of course, Dad taught me another special lesson. He showed me what it means to be a president who serves with integrity, leads with courage and acts with love in his heart for the citizens of our country.
When the history books are written, they will say that George H.W. Bush was a great president of the United States, a diplomat of unmatched skill, a commander-in-chief of formidable accomplishment, and a gentleman who executed the duties of his office with dignity and honor.
In his inaugural address, the 41st president of the United States said this, "We cannot hope only to leave our children a bigger car, a bigger bank account. We must hope to give them a sense of what it means to be a loyal friend, a loving parent, a citizen who leaves his home, his neighborhood and town better than he found it.
"What do we want the men and women who work with us to say when we are no longer there? That we were more driven to succeed than anyone around us, or that we stopped to ask if a sick child had gotten better, and stayed a moment, there, to trade a word of friendship."
Well, Dad, we're going to remember you for exactly that and much more. And we're going to miss you. Your decency, sincerity and kind soul will stay with us forever.
So through our tears, let us know the blessings of knowing and loving you, a great and noble man, the best father a son or daughter could ask. And in our grief, let us smile, knowing that Dad is hugging Robin and holding Mom's hand again.
You can watch him, here.
And here's the transcript (I've edited out the "laughters", you can supply your own):
GEORGE W. BUSH: Distinguished guests, including our presidents and first ladies, government officials, foreign dignitaries and friends, Jeb, Neil, Marvin, Doro and I and our families thank you all for being here.
I once heard it said of man that the idea is to die young, as late as possible.
At age 85, a favorite pastime of George H.W. Bush was firing up his boat, the Fidelity, and opening up the three 300-horsepower engines to fly -- joyfully fly -- across the Atlantic with the Secret Service boats straining to keep up.
At age 90, George H.W. Bush parachuted out of an aircraft and landed on the grounds of St. Ann's by the Sea in Kennebunkport, Maine, the church where his mom was married and where he worshiped often. Mother liked to say he chose the location just in case the chute didn't open.
In his 90s, he took great delight when his closest pal, James A. Baker, smuggled a bottle of Grey Goose vodka into his hospital room. Apparently, it paired well with the steak Baker had delivered from Morton's.
To his very last days, Dad's life was instructive.
As he aged, he taught us how to grow with dignity, humor and kindness, and when the good Lord finally called, how to meet him with courage and with the joy of the promise of what lies ahead.
One reason Dad knew how to die young is that he almost did it, twice. When he was a teenager, a staph infection nearly took his life. A few years later, he was alone in the Pacific on a life raft, praying that his rescuers would find him before the enemy did.
God answered those prayers. It turned out he had other plans for George H.W. Bush.
For Dad's part, I think those brushes with death made him cherish the gift of life, and he vowed to live every day to the fullest.
Dad was always busy, a man in constant motion, but never too busy to share his love of life with those around him.
He taught us to love the outdoors. He loved watching dogs flush a covey. He loved landing the illusive striper. And once confined to a wheelchair, he seemed happiest sitting in his favorite perch on the back porch at Walker's Point, contemplating the majesty of the Atlantic.
The horizons he saw were bright and hopeful. He was a genuinely optimistic man, and that optimism guided his children and made each of us believe that anything was possible.
He continually broadened his horizons with daring decisions.
He was a patriot. After high school, he put college on hold and became a Navy fighter pilot as World War II broke out.
Like many of his generation, he never talked about his service until his time as a public figure forced his hand. We learned of the attack on Chichi Jima, the mission completed, the shoot-down. We learned of the death of his crew mates, whom he thought about throughout his entire life. And we learned of the rescue.
And then another audacious decision: He moved his young family from the comforts of the East Coast to Odessa, Texas.
He and Mom adjusted to their arid surroundings quickly. He was a tolerant man. After all, he was kind and neighborly to the women with whom he, Mom and I shared a bathroom in our small duplex, even after he learned their profession: ladies of the night.
Dad could relate to people from all walks of life. He was an empathetic man. He valued character over pedigree. And he was no cynic. He looked for the good in each person and he usually found it.
Dad taught us that public service is noble and necessary, that one can serve with integrity and hold true to the important values like faith and family. He strongly believed that it was important to give back to the community and country in which one lived. He recognized that serving others enriched the giver's soul. To us, his was the brightest of the thousand points of light.
In victory, he shared credit. When he lost, he shouldered the blame. He accepted that failure is a part of living a full life, but taught us never to be defined by failure. He showed us how setbacks can strengthen.
None of his disappointments could compare with one of life's greatest tragedies, the loss of a young child. Jeb and I were too young to remember the pain and agony he and Mom felt when our 3-year-old sister died. We only learned later that Dad, a man of quiet faith, prayed for her daily. He was sustained by the love of the Almighty, and the real and enduring love of our mom. Dad always believed that one day he would hug his precious Robin again.
He loved to laugh, especially at himself. He could tease and needle, but never out of malice.
He placed great value on a good joke. That's why he chose Simpson to speak.
On e-mail, he had a circle of friends with whom he shared or received the latest jokes. His grading system for the quality of the joke was classic George Bush: The rare sevens and eights were considered huge winners, most of them off-color.
George Bush knew how to be a true and loyal friend. He nurtured and honored many -- his many friendships with a generous and giving soul.
There exists thousands of handwritten notes encouraging or sympathizing or thanking his friends and acquaintances. He had an enormous capacity to give of himself.
Many a person would tell you that Dad became a mentor and a father figure in their life. He listened and he consoled. He was their friend.
I think of Don Rhodes, Taylor Blanton, Jim Nance, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and perhaps the unlikeliest of all, the man who defeated him, Bill Clinton. My siblings and I refer to the guys in this group as brothers from other mothers.
He taught us that a day was not meant to be wasted. He played golf at a legendary pace. I always wondered why he insisted on speed golf. He was a good golfer. Well, here's my conclusion: He played fast, so that he could move on to the next event, to enjoy the rest of the day, to expend his enormous energy, to live it all.
He was born with just two settings: full throttle, then sleep.
He taught us what it means to be a wonderful father, grandfather and great grandfather. He was firm in his principles, and supportive as we began to seek our own ways. He encouraged and comforted, but never steered.
We tested his patience. I know I did.
But he always responded with the great gift of unconditional love. Last Friday, when I was told he had minutes to live, I called him. The guy who answered the phone said, "He -- I think he can hear you, but he hasn't said anything for most of the day." I said, "Dad, I love you, and you've been a wonderful father." And the last words he would ever say on earth were, "I love you, too."
To us, he was close to perfect. But not totally perfect. His short game was lousy.
He wasn't exactly Fred Astaire on the dance floor.
The man couldn't stomach vegetables, especially broccoli.
And by the way, he passed these genetic defects along to us.
Finally, every day of his 73 years of marriage, Dad taught us all what it means to be a great husband. He married his sweetheart. He adored her. He laughed and cried with her. He was dedicated to her, totally.
In his old age, Dad enjoyed watching police show reruns, the volume on high.
All the while, holding Mom's hand. After Mom died, Dad was strong, but all he really wanted to do was hold Mom's hand again.
Of course, Dad taught me another special lesson. He showed me what it means to be a president who serves with integrity, leads with courage and acts with love in his heart for the citizens of our country.
When the history books are written, they will say that George H.W. Bush was a great president of the United States, a diplomat of unmatched skill, a commander-in-chief of formidable accomplishment, and a gentleman who executed the duties of his office with dignity and honor.
In his inaugural address, the 41st president of the United States said this, "We cannot hope only to leave our children a bigger car, a bigger bank account. We must hope to give them a sense of what it means to be a loyal friend, a loving parent, a citizen who leaves his home, his neighborhood and town better than he found it.
"What do we want the men and women who work with us to say when we are no longer there? That we were more driven to succeed than anyone around us, or that we stopped to ask if a sick child had gotten better, and stayed a moment, there, to trade a word of friendship."
Well, Dad, we're going to remember you for exactly that and much more. And we're going to miss you. Your decency, sincerity and kind soul will stay with us forever.
So through our tears, let us know the blessings of knowing and loving you, a great and noble man, the best father a son or daughter could ask. And in our grief, let us smile, knowing that Dad is hugging Robin and holding Mom's hand again.
Shameless Sen. Alan Simpson can talk of Bush 41's no new taxes betrayal and his loyalty in the same breath without blinking an eye
Yeah, Bush 41 was loyal to everyone but the taxpayer.
Bush 41's Americans with Disabilities Act has made the Social Security disability insurance trust fund nearly insolvent because no one ever imagined people would milk it
Contrary to critical analysis, Bush 41 did have a vision thing, it was just a mistaken vision.
He imagined a kinder gentler America full of kinder gentler people, at the expense of a sober estimation of human nature which recognized and reckoned with the baser instincts residing in every human heart.
Conservatives are supposed to specialize in that, but Bush 41 did not.
This mistaken example of liberalism wasn't just a one-off, either. The lack of sobriety extended also to his hate crime legislation.
Bush 41 imagined you could eradicate hate by criminalizing it, as if America ought to become a theocracy with "Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer" becoming the law of the land. But who doesn't kill except out of hate? "Nothing personal, just business" is for the movies, not reality. It's as if long established laws differentiating involuntary manslaughter from murder never existed. Now the damn idea has metastasized into the force which is at the heart of America's perilous polarization, and its insanity. We aren't allowed to hate anything except the haters, while entertaining our hate secretly all the while. Enter cognitive dissonance on a national scale. Everyone knows the truth, they just can't say it.
So they're saying Bush 41 was a patrician as they bury him today. Puritan was more like it.
No one expected that more Americans with disabilities would be dependent on government 25 years later, but that’s what has happened. ...
The ADA made no change to Social Security, yet there has been a substantial increase in the number of people who saw the offered hand described by President Bush bearing a monthly check.
The number of workers who receive Social Security disability-insurance payments has almost tripled. At the end of 2014, 9 million workers had a disability award that entitled them and their dependents to a monthly government check. This was a 197 percent increase over the 1990 number; over the same period the working-age population had increased by only 29 percent.
The disability path out of the labor market has become much more inviting since the ADA became law. More claims point to pain and other conditions whose diagnoses largely rely on patients’ subjective experiences rather than the self-evident disabilities of those who have appeared in coverage of the ADA’s 25th.
Tuesday, December 4, 2018
Camille Paglia: So far the Democrats have no one to run against Trump
Kamala Harris = ruthless inquistor without crossover appeal
Elizabeth Warren = screechy representative only to the upper middle class
Kirsten Gillibrand = a wobbly mediocrity
Cory Booker = has all the gravitas of a cork
Andrew Cuomo = yapping puppy with a muddy tail
Bernie Sanders = old and creaky
Joe Biden = creaky and old
Hillary = damaged goods, stumbling, hacking and shop-worn
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