Daily Archives: July 15, 2018

07/15/18

Pro-Abortion Brett Kavanaugh Must Go

By: Cliff Kincaid | America’s Survival

President Trump broke his campaign promise to pro-lifers when he nominated Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. Ricardo Davis of Georgia Right to Life calls Kavanaugh’s pro-abortion position “morally reprehensible” and urges pro-lifers and conservatives to demand Kavanaugh’s withdrawal and for Trump to replace him with a real pro-life nominee such as Amy Coney Barrett.

From Steve Deace:

In picking Brett Kavanaugh for the U.S. Supreme Court, President Trump sent three messages.

1) Contrary to his pledge during the presidential debates, appointing judges that will overturn Roe v. Wade is not a top priority for President Trump — or at least not right now. Kavanaugh could very well pleasantly surprise us and be such a vote. Provided the pro-life movement puts a credible challenge to Roe before the Court, which it hasn’t done since Casey a quarter century ago. However, it’s guess-work either way. Amy Barrett, on the other hand, was a moral certitude to be such a vote (which is why the base wanted her). Kavanaugh, like his predecessor Anthony Kennedy (whom Kavanaugh used to clerk for) is a risk appointment for conservatives. Not necessarily a risk to be another Kennedy, as much as a risk to not turn out to be the game-changing upgrade we were hoping for. Think more John Roberts than Antonin Scalia.

2) President Trump is not interested in a prolonged ideological battle with Democrats, like Barrett would’ve ignited for months. Trump is much more comfortable with political guerrilla warfare. Like riffing at his rallies to fawning crowds, or condemning low-lying fruit like NFL kneelers and media hacktavists most of America already loathes. But here, for the first time in his presidency, he was presented the chance to truly go to war with the Left on something that really matters and determines the future, and there’s no way to spin it. He punted. Even in an election year when energizing his base, while triggering the alt-Left to public insanity, would’ve clearly helped him — he punted. Remember this missed opportunity later, should Democrats capture the House this fall and mire the president in impeachment next year.

3) The opinions of the conservative legal community, which loves Kavanaugh, matter greatly to Trump. While that’s inarguably better than anything that would’ve come from a President Hillary or any other Democrat, it also means you’re less likely to get choices that will push back on bad precedents like Roe, Kelo, etc. once on the High Court. Because this is pretty much what we see from these folks on the federal bench, too. They’re usually pretty good against new bad stuff, no threat at all against the old bad stuff. Kavanaugh is the consummate beltway legal beagle insider. He’s pretty much the same kind of pick you would’ve gotten from a Jeb Bush or any other conventional Republican had they won the presidency. He’s Team GOP, not MAGA.

Though conservative fundraising groups will send out their hosanna emails claiming otherwise, which they would’ve done had the president nominated a yellow dog, and Democrat groups will claim he’s a modern-day Moses come to re-impose Leviticus, this is all just political theater that will now be ignored out here in the cheap seats.

This is not a pick that will inspire the base to do anything other than yawn, and return to their summer. In 48 hours, he’ll largely be forgotten by most voters until his formal confirmation process begins.

It does Trump no harm, but not much good, either. Since Kavanaugh is likely to give the typical canned answers we’ve come to expect from GOP judicial nominees at confirmation hearings, he won’t have a chance to do anything that potentially pleases Trump’s base until after the midterm elections are over. Which he very well may do, but he won’t be doing it in time to alter the trajectory of the 2018 elections.

This is a political single that drives in a run, but it could’ve been a walk-off homer.

07/15/18

California Democratic Party Disses Feinstein, Endorses Commie Rival Kevin de Leon

By: Terresa Monroe-Hamilton

Kevin de Leon

Normally, I enjoy watching the left eat its own. I get a Corona and some popcorn and settle in for a good time. But when commies start snubbing their own in favor of uber commies, I get a bit more concerned than I am already. It’s not surprising because we are speaking of California here, but concerning nonetheless. Unless the big one hits soon, America is going have to deal with its own internal communist stronghold.

Fresh off Democratic Socialist of America member Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez storming New York and beating the Dem incumbent there – with the Republican candidate having almost no chance of winning – California Democrats are snubbing U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein in favor of state Sen. Kevin de Leon, her longshot Democratic challenger. He’s fresh, young and endorsed by Democratic Socialists of America as well as Democracy for America. De Leon is a big time open borders advocate and wants to abolish ICE. That was his ticket into the inner sanctum of the Democratic Party.

Feinstein had called on the party’s 360-member executive board to stay neutral in the race. They are turning their backs on the establishment Democrat here and have chosen De Leon as one of the new faces of the party instead. Her allies had warned an endorsement would create an intraparty squabble that could detract from important down-ballot races. What it will in fact do is finally lurch California into full blown communism. De Leon has been courting radicals and activists for a long, long time. He appeals to those in the party whose favorite color is red and who are seeking a fresh face and a more progressive senator to fight against President Trump.

“Tonight we showed the world what a truly unified Democratic Party looks like,” de Léon said in a celebratory tweet. “California Democrats are leading the call for a bold agenda in Washington that puts people before politics & focuses on building a future for our state that works for everyone.” “Today’s vote is a clear-eyed rejection of politics as usual in Washington, D.C.,” De Leon said in a statement after the vote. “We have presented Californians with the first real alternative to the worn-out Washington playbook in a quarter-century.”

While the right is trying to redefine themselves, the left suffers from no such indecisiveness. They were just waiting for the right time to go all the way to the left where they have always wanted to be. A total of 217 delegates voted for De Leon, of Los Angeles, while 22 cast ballots for Feinstein and 94 voted for no endorsement. That’s not even remotely close.

Kevin de Leon, center, spoke with supporters in Thousand Oaks, California, in April. Credit Melissa Lyttle for The New York Times

For the last few weeks I have written that Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is the new, communist millennial face of the Democratic Party. That she would lead a new wave of communists in the party as they rise up. People don’t seem to believe that. But it’s the reality on the ground now and De Leon is yet more proof of it. De Leon’s endorsement means that the state party will spend money promoting his candidacy this fall. He will campaign with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez… of that, I have no doubt. They will appear together with their fists in the air, speaking of a revolutionary resistance and violence will follow in their wake.

Don’t believe me? From the New York Times:

The vote for Mr. de León reflected the rise of younger liberal activists in the California Democratic leadership, some of whom regard Ms. Feinstein as a moderate compared with the intensely progressive voices who are coming up through the party ranks. These activists tend to be younger and more left-leaning than the state party at large.

[…]

Mr. de León’s victory was the latest of several triumphs for liberals in Democratic primary elections this year. Most notably, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a New York community organizer, scored a stunning upset over Representative Joseph Crowley, a Democratic Party leader and 19-year incumbent, in his bid for renomination last month. Ms. Ocasio-Cortez is the most prominent of several members of the Democratic Socialists of America who have won primaries for state and local offices this year.

Two other progressives, Jared Polis of Colorado and Ben Jealous of Maryland, also beat challengers last month for the Democratic nomination for governor in those states.

Even with that, Feinstein still holds out hope of coming out on top. She outpaces De Leon in name recognition and in cash. She has a loyal following of liberals in California. She won the June 5th primary with 44 percent of the vote compared to De Leon’s 12 percent. But… Feinstein is 85 years-old. De Leon is 51. I doubt she will survive the vote this time. I would be shocked if De Leon did not replace her. I also think that people underestimate the power of the Democratic Party in California. It’s not just embarrassing to lose their nod of approval, you lose the fundraising, the power plays and the massive political push from the party.

“We are confident that a large majority of California Democrats will vote to reelect Sen. Feinstein in November,” Jeff Millman, her campaign manager, said Saturday night. I think he is delusional. Bolshevik Bernie has far more influence in Californian politics than they realize and there are a lot of young communists following Sanders. California runs a top-two primary system that sends the two highest primary vote-getters to the general election regardless of party. The system allowed De Leon to take the No. 2 spot by squeaking past a whole list of unknown Republicans in the primary. He will throw the entire weight of the party against Feinstein.

Six U.S. House candidates for seats considered top Democratic targets joined Feinstein’s call for neutrality in a letter to members before the vote on Saturday. “A divisive party endorsement for U.S. Senate would hurt all down-ballot candidates and our ability to turn out Democrats we desperately need to vote in November,” it said. Their voices will almost assuredly go unheeded this time. A power shift is occurring in the Democratic Party and Feinstein is part of the establishment they want to purge. She has been in office since 1992. She is the ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, where she’ll take center stage this summer during the U.S. Supreme Court nomination fight. But overall she is seen as ineffectual against President Trump.

California Governor Jerry Brown signed into law SB 54 on Oct. 5, 2017, the “California Values Act,” which built upon the landmark Trust Act to help protect California immigrant residents from deportations. It is commonly known as the “Sanctuary State” act. Guess who authored that bill? Kevin de Leon did. He stated, “With today’s signing of SB 54 into law, one of the most important parts of that legal wall of protections is now in place. Donald Trump and Jeff Sessions will not be able to use California’s own law enforcement officials in an effort to round up and deport our fellow Californians.” The law took effect on Jan. 1, 2018.

“California’s local law enforcement cannot be commandeered and used by the Trump Administration to tear families apart, undermine our safety, and wreak havoc on our economy,” De Leon said at a news conference in Los Angeles where he denounced Trump and criticized his policies as “racist and xenophobic.” He has urged Governor Brown to end the California National Guard’s cooperation with President Trump concerning the border and illegal immigration.

Kevin de Leon has never met a radical group he does not love. He’s a communist and he is a rising star in Californian politics. He’s just one of the young Marxist up-and-comers that are appearing on the political scene here in America. And he’s got the full support of the Democratic Party behind him, not to mention DSA.

07/15/18

Lighten up, Francis…

By: T.F. Stern | Self-Educated American

There’s a news item via NBC that came up when I was flipping through headlines, Georgia officers on leave after coin-toss used to decide arrest . The article, written by Farnoush Amiri, Ethan Sacks and Kerry Sanders detailed the antics of a couple of cops having fun with a citizen; but it came across as anything other than funny.

“Two Georgia police officers have been placed on leave after video showed them using a coin-toss app before determining whether to arrest a woman caught speeding in April, and the police chief said he is “appalled” by the move.”

After reading the story my first reaction was, “Lighten up, Francis”, a reference to the movie Stripes that came out back in 1981.  There’s a scene where each member of the platoon was supposed say a little bit about himself, a way to get to know each other better.

One soldier, Francis, wanted everyone to call him, Psyco, and anyone who called him Francis, “I’ll kill ya’” or if anyone touches his stuff, “I’ll kill ya’”.

Sgt. Hulka leaned forward in his chair and said, “Lighten up, Francis”, and the entire platoon laughed it off.  There’s always going to be someone who takes things way too seriously.

Years ago, while working for the Houston Police Department they sent me out to enforce a brand-new, No Left Turn, traffic sign that had been installed in the Montrose area.  The purpose of the sign was tied to a recent trend of homosexual individuals cruising the area hoping to pick up like-minded individuals which generated a sustained parade of cars through one neighborhood.  It was hoped the change in traffic patterns might alleviate some cars traveling through the neighborhoods and keep them on the main roads.

As it turned out, two vehicles turned left in front of that sign at the same time and pulled over when I signaled them to the side.

The first vehicle’s driver was a Priest in full “cloth” and the other guy was one of the local hippies, for lack of a better term.  I got their driver’s licenses and immediately let the Priest go on his way, walking back toward the hippie.  The opportunity to have some fun had presented itself.

“I only have one ticket left in my book and it’s clear I couldn’t write the Priest.”  I looked the young man in the eye while reaching into my pocket for a coin.  “Tell you what…”, showing him the quarter and flipping it in the air, “…call it!”  I placed my hand over the quarter balanced on my shirt sleeve.

“You can’t do that, it’s not fair.”  The veins in his neck were swelling and he was tripping over his frustration while trying to contain his antagonism; call it fear or respect, he knew he was close to the limit.

“Come on kid”, in my best Arlo Gurthri Alice’s Restaurant imitation, “…heads or tails?  At least this way you have half a chance of getting off without a ticket.”  I let him dangle and fume for a few moments before showing him that I had a book full of tickets that I could have written and that I was just jackin’ with him.

The job of police officers isn’t supposed to be done by robots or automatons with a blank expression etched on their masks, each officer devoid of human expression while going about the task to Protect and Serve.  The folks in the Ivory Towers would like to think everything is done precisely by the book, within the confines of the Procedure Manual which defines exactly how each and every…

I can hear Ed McMann from the old Tonight Show giving Johnny Carson the familiar lead in line…  “Every single way to encounter the public… each and every traffic stop has been included in this Operations Manual…

To which Johnny would pause, looking boyishly into the camera, flicking his eyebrows and forming a smile before continuing…  “Not so, Metamucil breath…”  Folks today are missing out on real entertainment; today’s substitutes for late-night comedy talks shows are just not that funny.

So, when I read two cops are in big trouble with their Chief for having fun on the job over a traffic violation…well, let’s hope there’s a Sgt. Hulka out there to square off with this Chief of Police, take it down a notch.

Lighten up, Folks.

07/15/18

Trapper’s Quote Of The Week

By: Trapper Pettit

Actual history is irrefutable. However, it’s the partisan interpretation (real or imagined) of any historical event that should be questioned.