The slow Emailgate trickle continues

President Me-Me-Me Obama is surely behind the slow trickle of Hillary Clinton emails.  It must be his direction that suddenly has the classified label being slapped on the emails.  Why?  He does not like Hillary.  He does not want her to be the next president. Clearly

The State Department said Monday afternoon that when it releases the latest tranche of Hillary Clinton's emails tonight, 'somewhere around 150' of them will have been 'upgraded to classified' status.

Agency spokesman Mark Toner briefed reporters in advance of the periodic release, which was rescheduled twice during the day and is now expected at 9:00 p.m. EDT.

Under intense questioning, Toner conceded that the review of about 7,000 pages of emails in the latest batch has uncovered the 150 communications 'that have been subsequently upgraded classified.'

He emphasized that 'the information we've upgraded was not marked classified at the time the emails were sent.' But Toner seemed to hedge his bets against future decision-making inside the U.S. Intelligence Community.

It's as if the Obama administration knows something and is playing a game of chicken with Hillary - get out of the race or we'll make you get out. They're holding back the trump card, but showing Hillary they are not afraid to torpedo her down the road if she doesn't bow out.

The biggest virtue of Trump

Forget all of the things about speaking plainly, not being an inside the beltway politician, for conservatives, there may be one big overlooked virtue of having Donald Trump in the race - he might derail Jeb Bush's not-so-conservative Republican establishment candidacy.

Three top Jeb Bush fundraisers abruptly parted ways with his presidential campaign on Friday, amid internal personality conflicts and questions about the strength of his candidacy, POLITICO has learned.

There are different versions of what transpired. The Florida-based fundraising consultants — Kris Money, Trey McCarley, and Debbie Aleksander — have said that they voluntarily quit the campaign and were still working with Bush's super PAC, Right to Rise Super PAC. Others said the three, who worked under the same contract, were let go because they were no longer needed for the current phase of the campaign.

Then again, it might speak to his being a Democratic plant for the Hillary Clinton campaign because as we all know, she's not as unbeatable as everyone thinks and I'm sure she's worried about running against Jeb Bush.

Sunday Verse

Who can say, “I have made my heart pure; I am clean from my sin”?

~Proverbs 20:9

C'Mon, Black Lives Don't Matter

More accurately, black lives don't matter any more or less than white lives, Asian lives, Hispanic lives, Native Indian lives or any other lives. They all matter.  And to that end, everyone should be treated equally under the law. That is a conservative position, not a liberal one. Liberals build so much of their belief structure on special treatment. As if two wrongs will ever make a right.

Special treatment sews the seeds of division and animosity. It doesn't help people understand each other. I'm not suggesting that your cause is completely pointless, rather that your approach is flawed.

If you are a "black lives matter" protester, or supporter, think about that with respect to how to achieve your goal of having people realize that equal treatment under the law is your objective. Of course black lives matter - the only ones who don't realize that are homicidal maniacs and hard core racists. But you will get much more buy in from everybody else if you changed your slogan to something more all-inclusive, like:

Every life matters.

I'm just suggesting that you'll get more buy-in that way, rather than being confrontational. Think about it.

Saturday Learning Series - Short Bio Catherine the Great

A short bio on Russia's Catherine the Great.

Friday Musical Interlude - Genesis live 2 times

Genesis live at Wembley Stadium in 1987, followed by a 1972 performance on Belgian TV with Peter Gabriel as the front man.

What if Trump Wins? Then What?

It's Friday and I'm in a less serious mood so I'm going to play a little bit of a speculation game.  Let's start with the premise. Suppose Donald Trump, in a public fit of "throw the bums out", wins the presidency as an outsider.  If that sentiment is what drives this election cycle, you might even see Carly Fiorina or Ben Carson as is his running mate.  So now he's won.  He wants to get serious with a border fence with Mexico.  He wants to start calling China on illegal and unfair trade practices.  He wants to gut and simplify the 75,000+ page Tax Code and streamline the IRS.  And he's going to have to probably appoint a Supreme Court Justice or two during his tenure.

Now what?

Assuming the GOP hold Congress and the Senate, will the likes of Boehner and McConnell work with Trump to achieve these things?  Some of Trump's agenda items might be easy sells to the GOP establishment, others might be impossible.  

What will his foreign policy look like?  He's full of bluster now, but there is some danger to operating that way on a day to day basis.

And what happens when it comes to social policy?  Does he ignore issues like abortion?  What kind of Supreme Court justices will he nominate?  That's a particularly important question that has yet to be answered. Have Trump's own positions actually changed as he claims, or is he just saying what he needs to say to get elected?

Who might he surround himself with as Department Secretaries and advisors? Will it consist of yes-men/women, or will he appoint knowledgeable people to help him make informed decisions?  If he appoints lackeys then there's a danger of a lot of bad decision-making due to a lack of understanding of circumstances. On the other hand, if he appoints experts, it dilutes his image as a reformer bringing in a fresh set of ideas, and cleaning up the existing mess.

It could be an amazing presidency, it could be a disaster of a presidency. One thing is certain, it'll be an interesting one.  What's even more interesting is the growing number of Americans on both sides of the aisle seemingly frustrated enough to be willing to roll the dice on Trump.

CNN doesn't want you to see Carly Fiorina in the GOP debate

CNN doesn't want you to see Carly Fiorina in the next GOP debate. It doesn't matter if she's surging in the polls, enough so to be on that stage.  Why?  She's not Hillary Clinton. CNN doesn't want voters knowing that the GOP is actually NOT the party of old white men. Cruz, Carson, Fiorina, are examples that stand out from the old white men on the Democrats' side -- Sanders, Biden, O'Malley, Hillary Clinton...

Thursday Hillary Bash - Wagons Uncircling

Alright, this may be a future candidate laying the groundwork for his own entry into the race to win the Democratic primaries for the nominee for president.  Nevertheless, Martin O'Malley says it's not a good idea to start circling the wagons around Hillary Clinton.

The former Maryland governor -- struggling to climb out of low single digits in national Democratic primary polls -- said Clinton will continue to be dogged by her use of a personal email address on a private server during her tenure as America's top diplomat.

"Until we start having debates, our party's going to be defined and branded by questions like: What did Secretary Clinton know, when did she know it, and when will the FBI conclude its investigation?" O'Malley told reporters in New Hampshire. "That's not a formula for success in the fall."

O'Malley went further than other Democratic presidential candidates have. Clinton's top-polling challenger, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, has avoided direct intra-party attacks and instead trained his fire on Wall Street and Republicans.

He also criticized the Democratic National Committee for scheduling only six debates, saying those nationally-televised events are opportunities for the party to focus on big ideas, rather than Clinton's email drama.

"I think it's a big mistake for us as a party to circle the wagons around the inevitable frontrunner," O'Malley said Thursday.

Even a Democrat can be right about some things. The reason he's emboldened is the same reason Joe Biden suddenly looks serious about getting into the race; Hillary is in trouble.

Trump versus a real loudmouth

I'm re-thinking my original opinion on Trump versus Jorge Ramos.  Thanks Allahpundit for that by the way.

Ramos starts speaking as Trump is stepping to the mic, before Trump can so much as look at him. Trump calls on another reporter and Ramos just keeps going.

What he wants to say is that he thought he had a greater moral right to question Trump. He’s an activist. Unlike the other reporters in the room, he was there to push a cause and wanted to use Trump’s media megaphone to amplify it. When you’re speaking open-borders “truth” to security power, your righteous urgency leaves no room for professional courtesy. And now he’s a free-speech martyr, all because Trump wouldn’t stand there and be heckled at length — even though he did eventually let Ramos back in for a little heckling and counter-heckling...

Why Trump has a responsibility to answer questions from a guy who finds him so “dangerous” as to supposedly warrant denunciation from the wider, supposedly impartial media, I have no idea. Jim Geraghty notes that last week Ramos called Trump “the loudest voice of intolerance, hatred and division in the United States.” The day liberals decide that Obama or Hillary Clinton is duty bound to engage in press-conference colloquies with, say, Rush Limbaugh is the day Trump is duty bound to engage Ramos.

So I jumped to a conclusion prematurely. Ramos was the loudmouth here. He's supposed to be a journalist. That's how he got in, not as a debate opponent. Shut up and wait your turn Ramos. And if you can't bring yourself to do that, stand outside and shout your protests. You can't be both a journalist and a heckling, protesting ass.

Right on cue - CNN pounces on Trump for being obnoxious. Slavish devotion to the liberal pyramid scheme:

(CNN)If you don't know who Jorge Ramos is, or respect his role in American media, you're really not fit to be president.

After ejecting Univision anchorman Jorge Ramos from a news conference Tuesday evening, Donald Trump characterized him as a "very emotional person" and claimed not even to know who he was. Later, after symbolically deporting Ramos from the press event, Trump magnanimously allowed him back into the room to bully him from the pulpit.

PUH-LEEZ Ruiz. Trump doesn't owe anything to Ramos. Ramos has a right to be their as a journalist. He is NOT more important than every other journalist in the room. He doesn't get to decide when he asks his questions. Let him run for president if he wants to run how press conferences (his) are run. Let's see how well a presidential run goes for him.

Clinton Owns Up To Emailgate (Missteps)

S'all good, right?

Not that she did anything wrong mind you.

Hillary Clinton calculus at this point must be accept some responsibility and spin it that you are big enough to learn from some of your minor mistakes. And she want to be sure you understand this was a minor transgression.

Hillary Rodham Clinton said Wednesday that she understood why people had questions about her decision to use only private email while she was secretary of state and that she took responsibility for that decision, a shift from her past remarks about an issue that has dogged her since shortly before she began her presidential campaign.

Her remarks, made during a campaign stop in Iowa, came as Mrs. Clinton has faced growing criticism for making light of her email use, which Democrats fear has become an albatross on her hopes of winning the White House. “What, like with a cloth or something?” she said to a Fox News reporter last week who had asked whether she had “wiped,” or erased, her email server before turning it over to the F.B.I. recently.

“I know people have raised questions about my email use as secretary of state, and I understand why,” Mrs. Clinton said Wednesday. “I get it. So here’s what I want the American people to know: My use of personal email was allowed by the State Department. It clearly wasn’t the best choice. I should’ve used two emails: one personal, one for work.”

IMPLIED: Now move on people!

Jeb Bush pulls a Hail Mary on SCOTUS

If Jeb Bush stands any chance of winning over grassroots conservatives he's got to get the Supreme Court nominations talking points exactly right.  I'm not my dad, I'm not my brother.  I'll nominate real conservative justices.  But this is not the 30 seconds left in the 4th quarter Hail Mary.  It's not even a 1st quarter Hail Mary.  This is still the pregame warm ups.  What gives?

Jeb Bush may be panicking already.

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush has tried to put some distance between himself and his famous family’s history of judicial nominations, saying he would look only at potential picks who have a “proven record” rather than bowing to political considerations.

He said past presidents — whom he didn’t name, but the past two Republicans in the White House were his father and his brother — have picked people “that don’t have a proven record” because they’ve been too worried about facing an increasingly bloody Senate confirmation process.

“They wander, and you go, ‘How could that be?’” Mr. Bush said at a town hall meeting this month in Keene, New Hampshire.

Firstly, he's not wrong. But distancing himself from family this early just seems a little bit desperate. He seems worried. He should be worried. But he should not be showing it this obviously.

On the campaign trail today (2nd edition)

Some more observations from on the campaign trail today. Snark is free.  You're welcome.

While the Washington Post is aghast, (aghast I tell you!),  that a Rasmussen Reports poll indicates conservatives feel Hillary Clinton should suspend her campaign, apparently New Hampshire Democrats might agree.  Bernie Sanders has overtaken her lead in a poll in that state. Actually, it's the second poll to suggest that. Chris Cillizza, you're raising the kind of objections conservatives were raising about polls showing Obama ahead in 2012. Worded badly.  Sampled badly. Not fair. Automated. We complained about Rasmussen for some of the same reasons in 2012 Chris, when it showed Obama leading.  News flash Chris, the poll's probably right, and you're probably wrong. Oh, and Bernie's contending.

Joe Biden, most assuredly, is in. As the band Foster the People sing, "Call It What You Want".  I call it a wonderful future gaffepalooza.  But please, not until you've derailed Hillary, Joe.

Rick Perry soon to be  0 for 2?  With staffers jumping ship in favor of the S.S. Trump, or even a life raft, Perry's political fortunes may be, well - over.  Two disastrous runs in a row should spell the end of a career.  But let's face it, this is the GOP we're talking about here.  It may be his turn in 2020 or 2024.

Newt Gingrich's run meanwhile, ended somewhere in 2012. So Rick Perry should take heart.  And by that I mean heart medication.  Couldn't hurt at this point.

Rand Paul has taken a shrewd strategy, bypassing unimportant early states like Iowa and New Hampshire and headed straight for the delegate rich game-changer state of...Alaska?  Maybe he's seeking the all important Palin endorsement.

Chris Christie is meanwhile busy fighting corporate polluters in New Jersey.  You know, governing.  It should serve him well - in New Jersey, which sadly does not provide him enough delegates to win the Republican nomination. Oh well.

Donald Trump has turned anger into hipness. I don't think he'll do the same for spurring on racial division. Crossing the line from questioning to pure antagonism - heck, maybe he still is a Democrat. Oh, by the way, anchor babies.

Looking for some schadenfreude?

Yes, the market took a beating today.  But be glad you're not in China or Russia.

Putin’s failures are becoming more evident on a daily basis. No one denies that Russia is a kleptocratic state whose leaders have stolen much of the national wealth. But Russia has also become a pariah that breaks rules of the international order, engages in official lies, and owes huge damages in international courts. Putin’s Kremlin promotes and supports a view of the world that causes world leaders to scratch their heads in dismay.

Putin’s economic policies are a disaster. Despite promises of diversification, Russia remains a petro state at the mercy of the price of oil. Struck by a perfect storm of falling oil prices, international sanctions and self-imposed embargoes, the Russian economy is in its sixth quarter of recession with only miserly growth in sight. Living standards are falling despite Putin’s promises of stability and prosperity. The investment collapse has served to mortgage Russia’s economic future. Only Putin’s bureaucracy seems to be surviving unscathed. The vaunted reserve funds are close to being depleted. Little is left for a rainy day, and Putin’s handouts are ceasing even to his friends.

And looking to China is not much of an option for the erstwhile fellow communists;

The world financial system is at a dangerous juncture. Markets no longer believe that China’s Communist leaders are in full control of the country’s $27 trillion debt bubble, or know how to manage fast-moving events beyond their ken...

It turned into a global rout after the Shanghai composite index crashed 8.5pc on China’s “Black Monday”, pulverizing its July lows after the central bank (PBOC) - oddly passive - refused to come to the rescue as expected with a cut in the reserve requirement ratio for banks.

Beijing’s botched efforts to prop up the country’s stock markets have collapsed. An estimated $300bn of state-orchestrated buying achieved nothing, overwhelmed by an avalanche of selling by investors forced to cover margin debt.

Professor Christopher Balding from Peking University wrote on FT Alphaville that China is lurching from one incoherent policy to another, shedding credibility and its aura of omnipotence at every stage. “There is a very real risk that Beijing is losing control of the story,” he said.

America is in rough shape, but don't worry, elsewhere it's worse.

I have seen the Democratic Future...

This is a BFD.

...And it's Biden.

There have been a number of stories about president Obama wanting his successor to be his third term.  He's not done and he doesn't believe Hillary is the person to continue his work.  Biden makes more sense. Biden is a dupe, a clod, and he'd take advice from Obama. Perhaps even instruction.  Elizabeth Warren probably would have been the perfect one to carry the torch in his eyes, but she's not going to run in 2016.  Maybe down the road.

So why not have her as the vice-presidential nominee on the Biden ticket?  Biden it seems, is already taking his marching orders from Obama on the notion:

Vice President Joe Biden left the seclusion of the Delaware home where he's been weighing a presidential run to meet Saturday with Elizabeth Warren — another influential Democrat who has faced calls to enter the 2016 race.

The unusual weekend huddle with Warren, a Massachusetts senator, took place at the Naval Observatory, the vice president's official residence, said an individual familiar with the meeting. An Obama administration official said Biden had traveled at the last minute to Washington for a private meeting and planned to return to Delaware the same day...

Biden's meeting with Warren was the latest sign that the vice president is seriously considering entering the race, and that he's increasingly discussing it with Democratic leaders outside of his small cadre of longtime advisers.

Warren, a vocal advocate for economic fairness and Wall Street reform, has notably refrained from endorsing Hillary Rodham Clinton, Sen. Bernie Sanders or the other candidates. She retains the vocal support of many in the liberal wing of the Democratic Party, making her endorsement one of the most highly sought in the primary.

Except it's not an endorsement he's after. Perhaps as a step on the way to a running mate, but not as the goal itself. The Obama vision is likely Biden for two terms followed by Warren for two more, when Obama, having served an additional two terms vicariously through Biden, would either hand the torch to her, or continue to have her beholden to him and at a minimum seeking his ear on decisions. Hillary Clinton meanwhile, will be purged from the power structure.

Free Will in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead

Getting philosophical for a moment, the purpose of liberty to is to allow us to exercise our free will and the purpose of the founding of America was to provide liberty for all - the exercise of free will.  But do we have free will?

Besides being humorous, the play/movie Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead is a study in free will versus determinism.  There's an interesting take on the play in the second video below, but first here's a trailer from the movie in case you haven't heard of the play.  The movie stars Gary Oldman and Tim Roth.

Kelo - Little Pink Houses

Via Reason TV, a documentary on the Supreme Court's Kelo decision on eminent domain.  This is going to be a documentary every American should see as eminent domain is a symptom of a greater problem - government abuse of power.

Sunday Verse

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

~1 Peter 2:9

Feel good moments

I thought I'd share this moment of generosity from a young boy at a Boston Red Socks game. Proof, that not all is lost in America.

Here's a bonus item, an amazing ball girl catch:

Saturday Learning Series - Short Bio Florence Nightingale

A short bio on Florence Nightingale.

Friday Musical Interlude - Heart Live at Cal Jam 2

Heart performing Barracuda at 1978's Cal Jam 2.

Pope wants to enter America across the Mexican border

Maybe I should not have quit.

According to RollCall:

Lawmakers and immigration activists expect the pontiff’s message will resonate beyond Capitol Hill and inspire members of Congress and their constituents. The pope's U.S. schedule includes an address to Congress on Sept. 24 and a meeting two days later with immigrants and Hispanic families at Philadelphia’s Independence Mall.

“He’s been clear on our failure to respond appropriately to immigrants and refugees,” Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., told CQ. “I don’t think anyone will have any doubt on where the church stands on immigration after the pope visits the United States.”

Pope Francis has been vocal about the treatment of immigrants since he became the head of the Roman Catholic Church in March 2013. Last year, he called the surge of Central American children crossing the border into the United States a “humanitarian emergency.” In a June encyclical letter on climate change, Francis noted the “tragic rise” of immigrants fleeing poverty.

Is the Pope socialist? I believe so. Regardless, this is all a humanist agenda masquerading as Catholic doctrine. Environmentalism, immigration. Is this really what the Pope needs to focus on when Christians are being persecuted around the world? And why the publicity stunt?

As an aside - It's ironic that certain Democrats feel it's important for Catholics to heed their Pope when it comes to immigration, but it's a totally different story when it comes to abortion.

Thursday Hillary Bash: Worst uh, um, job in America

Currently the worst job in America:  Hillary Clinton spokesperson. You can hear the strain trying to make a growing scandal palatable.

Take a joke people!!

American's can't take a joke anymore. PC police are winning. A discussion from Reason TV.

Hillary Clinton imploding?

Like I said before, implosion in progress.

On the campaign trail today

Overpriced snark.

Some notes from the campaign trail today, with an appropriate amount of snark. It's early, there are a lot of contenders and it turns out, snark and cynicism are easy. And a bit fun.  There's plenty of snark to go around. I haven't decided on a horse to back, so don't take it personally if I offend your candidate of choice. There aren't enough Democrats in the race so I'm a little short on snark there. Not my fault - Hillary has frightened almost all comers away. Besides, my snark is Canadian snark - so snark light.

Bobby Jindal sounded off on Scott Walker's health care plan. Because, that's big news. Nothing like hitting someone at the bottom of the top tier to grab some headlines. Right?

On the lighter side, there was Marco Rubio's day, could a perfect spiral become a downward spiral? It's not a big deal, but it's not going to help him. Unless he wants to play for the Redskins Native Americans.

The Washington Post held  a pity party for Bernie Sanders and his run against big media outlets. Like..the...Washington...Post?

Is Rand Paul souring on Rand Paul? At least, is Rand Paul souring on Rand Paul for president? "Rand Paul endorses Rand Paul!" Rand Paul, Rand Paul, Rand Paul. Did I say Rand Paul enough? Somebody has to do it.

Rick Perry shared his true feelings on the band Metallica. It's about time he stopped ducking the issue.

Hillary Clinton doesn't think Black Lives Matter, changing hearts doesn't matter, only regulation matters. Stand back, there's an implosion in progress.

Jeb Bush feels America has under-empowered the NSA. No wonder Clinton wants to face him.

Mike Huckabee declared the West Bank is part of Israel. That solves that.

Rick Santorum...wait you're still reading?  Alright, he attacked Ben Carson's medical research.

Ben Carson looks like he might win (Arizona).

Democrat Martin O'Malley poised to debate himself.  He stands a good chance of winning too.

Donald Trump, the New York Times has officially declared him the devil. And Heidi Klum, declares him an idiot. Seems like a smart marketing ploy except if it were it would be obvious and therefore, not smart.

Carly Fiorina slipped up and praised some Muslims.  Back in 2001. Is Michele Bachmann just jealous?

American national security secrets kept in a bathroom?

Alright, there's a concern about someone hacking into Hillary Clinton's private server and stealing potentially uber-sensitive state secrets. I get that. But a server, in a bathroom, in a private business, guarded by what, a night guard?

A smart Russian or Chinese team could get the entire server out.  Suddenly it seems beyond dumb, beyond careless, it seems farcical. That it is in a bathroom only adds to the absurdity but it also brings to light the precarious and foolhardy nature of Hillary's private server.

The IT company Hilary Clinton chose to maintain her private email account was run from a loft apartment and its servers were housed in the bathroom closet, Daily Mail Online can reveal.

Daily Mail Online tracked down ex-employees of Platte River Networks in Denver, Colorado, who revealed the outfit's strong links to the Democratic Party but expressed shock that the 2016 presidential candidate chose the small private company for such a sensitive job.

One, Tera Dadiotis, called it 'a mom and pop shop' which was an excellent place to work, but hardly seemed likely to be used to secure state secrets. And Tom Welch, who helped found the company, confirmed the servers were in a bathroom closet.

It can also be disclosed that the small number of employees who were aware of the Clinton contract were told to keep it secret.

Hillary's cavalier dismissal of the concerns raised should not disqualify her from running for president.  But her cavalier lack of concern for national security - as Secretary of State no less - should disqualify her from a chance of ever winning.

Scott Walker going "Me too" on policy?

This was probably the guy I felt had the best shot at being the Not Bush nominee.  But after a lackluster debate performance, Scott Walker seems to already be on panic mode.  Rumor has it he's thinking about a staff shakeup.

And then there's this 'me too' policy positioning.

Via Hot Air;

Now here’s Walker, who spent the first few months of the year desperately trying to atone for his previous squishiness on immigration as a pol in Wisconsin by taking the hardest line in the GOP field on amnesty, including heavy hints that he might reduce legal immigration as president to protect American workers. Two months after Trump got into the race talking about Mexican rapists and a day after he finally revealed his immigration plan, Walker’s reduced to telling reporters that Trump’s plan is a lot like his own and that, like Trump, he too would eliminate birthright citizenship for children born to illegals inside the U.S. That’s a controversial position, one possibly further to the right than even Walker would have been willing to go had Trump not joined the race. But that’s the power of Trumpmania: It’s capable of moving the entire field towards a stronger conservative stance, at least on select issues.

While the policy shift towards legal immigration and strictness on illegals, and then some, is a shift towards America first conservatism and away from his former wishy-washy stance, it's still painful to watch a candidate so well versed in fighting liberals, looking for an angle and seeming sheepish about it. It's not pleasant to watch.

Clintongate

Hillary Clinton is so rife with scandal, she deserves her own 'gate' scandal moniker (or should that be Monica?).

Today alone on Drudge, there's a story about the classified emails on her server now tallying up to 305. There's no way that's the final number, it's going to go up. Another story details how well over 17,000 emails are missing entirely.  I'm sure there's nothing to see in any of those.  Move along folks. Woodward, yes he of Watergate fame, says it reminds him of the missing Nixon tapes. 

This is only going to get worse.  Mostly that's true because Hillary will continue to not care.  There's nothing more important than her being president. Laws? She scoffs at laws.  I was wrong about her being as bad as Obama as a president.  She'd be worse.

The Stump For Trump Girls

I haven't taken much interest in the Stump for Trump girls, until they got targeted by MSNBC.  Here's their response.

Clinton Math

Here's what I surmise the Hillary Clinton calculus is on the growing emailgate. 

(1) Do what you want, when you want, how you want, regardless of whether there are legal or moral issues with it.

(2) Cover it up.

(3) If Step 2 is successful, move on.  If not, ensure that any investigation or other public image issues happen at least 15 months prior to the election for president.

(4) Depend on the media that you don't really care for, to carry your water and declare it a dead issue long before the election occurs. So that any question of it down the road can be portrayed as sour grapes, or political ploys.

(5) Swat down Bernie Sanders, Joe Biden et. al. 6-12 months before the election.

(6) Republicans don't matter, accept the presidency in due course.

I said calculus. Well, the whole thing seems very derivative of Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. So, there.

Sunday verse

“I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.”

~John 14:18

Uber vs. Taxation

Here in Toronto, the city has been going after Uber with frothing ferocity of a rabid raccoon. Why?  They claim the ride sharing app and company flout safety laws.  What they actually are flouting is the ridiculous licensing fees imposed on regular cabbies to fill city coffers with revenue. The city unsurprisingly doesn't like that.  They've moved from legal and media assaults on the company to fining the independent drivers and possibly the riders to working on a new by-law.

It's all about the tax money for the city and not about laissez faire economics as it should be as far as economic growth goes. California is in the same boat as Reason TV documents.

Interestingly here in Toronto, a woman who was an innocent bystander was shot recently outside a club after several cabbies refused to pick her up because her fare would have been too low to be worth their while.

Saturday Learning Series - Short Bio Mother Theresa

A short bio on Mother Theresa.

Carly Fiorina goes Laissez Faire

For those unfamiliar with the French term,

Laissez-faire (/ˌlɛseɪˈfɛr-/, French) is an economic system in which transactions between private parties are free from government interference such as regulations, privileges, tariffs, and subsidies. The phrase laissez-faire is part of a larger French piece and literally translates to "let (it/them) go", but in this context usually means to "let go"

In other words, it's about free market economics. Apparently so is Carly Fiorina. Her position on vaccinations is simple, and well, a perfect laissez faire approach. You do what you want, but we'll do what we want in response to concerns from more rationale parents. The market will dictate actions:

She argued for some degree of parental choice back in February when BuzzFeed asked her about it. But now that she’s cracked the GOP field’s top tier, I guess the “gotcha” effort needs to begin in earnest. What better place to start than with an issue that tripped up Chris Christie and Rand Paul earlier this year?

She draws the line where most Republicans would, I imagine: The state can’t dictate to a parent over their child’s health, but that parent has no right to put other parents’ children at risk in the schoolyard.

Seems simple and difficult to refute. Are you one of those parents who want no one getting vaccines? Convince us that's a bright idea. (Tip: You won't). Score one for Carly Fiorina.

Friday Musical Interlude - Blondie, Live, 1982

Full Concert - Blondie performing live at the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto in 1982.


Track list:
1 Rapture
2 Island Of Lost Souls
3 Danceway
4 The Tide Is High
5 Heart Of Glass
6 Hanging On The Telephone
7 Dreaming
8 One Way Or Another
9 War Child
10 Start Me Up
11 Call Me

Hillary - A private email server in the face of Chinese hacking?

Why?  Did you not know any better or just not care?  In case you hadn't heard, Hillary Clinton ran a private email server during her tenure at State. What she did is possibly outside of government rules governing such activity.  Perhaps it's even outside the law.

Firstly if you listen to the explanations of how the emails were set up, handled and managed, it seems convoluted and inefficient.  Either she's okay with inefficiency, or else she had specific reasons to do this despite the unnecessary complexity.  Please note - I am specifically implying nefarious reasons. If she had good reasons, we'd already know about it.

But beyond that, with the repeated evidence of Chinese hacking doesn't it just seem like a dangerous and unnecessary national security risk?

It seems kinda risky to me. It seems kinda not-ready-for-prime-time.  It seems kinda self-before-country. Frankly it seems illegal, dishonest and disgusting.

Since when, Hillary?

Big Brother style image for an above the law candidate.

Democrats want equality for all, just maybe a little bit extra for the ruling class (i.e. them).  Since when does someone have the option to agree to turn something over to the FBI?

Hillary Rodham Clinton’s attorney has agreed to provide the FBI with the private server that housed her e-mail during her four years as secretary of state, Clinton’s presidential campaign said Tuesday.

Her attorney also has agreed to give agents a thumb drive containing copies of thousands of e-mails that Clinton had previously turned over to the State Department.

Must be nice to have the power to decide what you feel like sharing with authorities. Just like it must be nice to be able to operate rogue, outside of rules that had, say Condoleeza Rice, done this you'd have had a meltdown Hillary. There's no evidence that equal means equal to Democrats

And was the delay purposeful and just enough to get some privately contracted experts in there to delete anything incriminating?

Exit question for Hillary supporters: How do you sleep at night? Or, have you just been so hoodwinked you can't even tell anymore? The latter question actually, is aimed at Democratic voters in general.

Exit Question II: Is the term "agreed" just the Washington Post's way of minimizing the problem and making Hillary look magnanimous in the face of unreasonable doubt?

Don't get too excited too quickly

My first thought was YES!  But lets don't get too excited too quickly by this news. 

As pressure builds on Hillary Clinton to explain her official use of personal email while serving as secretary of state, she faced new complications Tuesday. It was disclosed her top aides are being drawn into a burgeoning federal inquiry and that two emails on her private account have been classified as “Top Secret.”

The inspector general for the Intelligence Community notified senior members of Congress that two of four classified emails discovered on the server Clinton maintained at her New York home contained material deemed to be in one of the highest security classifications - more sensitive than previously known.

 This is a federal probe.  The underlying motivation may be to clear Hillary Clinton in a suspiciously timely manner, adding fuel to her presidential run.

Another possible outcome is for Hillary to downplay the outcome. One or two classified emails out of literally thousands was just an oversight. The media will eat that up, and it suddenly won't matter that she was operating outside of legal parameters to begin with. All that will matter is that it was minor and this is clearly a witch hunt by the vast right wing conspiracy.

I'm hopeful that Hillary gets her comeuppance. I'm hopeful that there really is animus between Hillary and Obama. But I'm no Pollyanna. A little skepticism will serve us well with this good news, lest we grow dependent on something to derail Hillary Clinton having to come out of this. It may be a decoy for conservatives.

Two views on the state of the GOP & conservatism

There's some good discussion from Unapologetic Prophet in the comments on my post over at Left Coast Rebel.  While we disagree (less than he probably imagines), it has been an engaging discussion that hopefully will continue.

Obama trying hard not to be a lame duck

The president really wants to cement his legacy over the last part of his tenure.  Having broke bread with Cuba, he's turned his attention to Iran.  He's apparently seeking to be the president who finally put to rest decades-old fights with other nations.  It probably has never occurred to him that there was always a reason those fights existed and, he's certainly never considered the unintended consequences of unmerited generosity in negotiations or foreign policy.  He's going to end up doing more harm than good in his supposedly lame duck years.

Here's his speech, absolutely vilifying those who oppose his quest for an Iran deal. It's disgusting, but it proves Obama is all about himself and his own glorification.

He points out that everyday Iranians have incentive to push their government towards conciliation. That's the most infuriating part - where the hell was that notion when this was going on in 2009???

Face it Mr. President, you messed it up, badly. This deal will not fix that.

How do I know excommunicating Trump is a bad idea for the GOP?

I wrote yesterday that dis-inviting Donald Trump was a bad idea for the GOP whether it's the GOP or independent events that could be perceived as being a GOP handheld maneuver (i.e. done by Red State but perhaps orchestrated by the GOP) . I stand by that.

In fact I'm going to double down on it.  My reasoning is that, as Bluegrass Pundit points out, if the New York Times is on your side, you're doing something wrong.

As George Will said this morning referring to his polling status, Donald Trump will seek his own level.

Sunday Verse

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

~Hebrews 12:1-2

Tackle Trump head on, don't dis-invite him!

For all the hand wringing over Trump vs. Megyn Kelly, and Trump's tweet, did it not occur to anyone that dis-inviting Trump from an event in Atlanta might be the sign Trump takes as Republicans and their supporters not being fair to him that causes him to decide to run as an independent and guarantee Hillary a victory?

Trump is not demanding that he be crowned the GOP candidate.  He's asking to be treated fairly. Yes his comments against Kelly were harsh. Does that merit an exclusion from the Atlanta event?  It seems a little overly high-handed and harsh. And Trump would not be out of line thinking he's being singled out. So banning him from the debate - he's still leading in the polls for now - is asking him, taunting him, into initiating a third party run.

Damn conservatives can be so stupid some times! 

Erik Erickson, whom I normally respect, should confront this head on if he has an issue with Trump.  After all, if Trump eventually offends every conservative and Republican, he's not going to win anything.  And the more opportunities he has to speak, the sooner his act will wear thin.  And if not, well than maybe you're being too thin-skinned about his comments. 

Don't be a coward.  Give him a platform, Trump will bring his own rope. Don't give him one and he'll bring a gun.

Saturday Learning Series - Short Bio Queen Elizabeth I

A short bio on Queen Elizabeth I.

Friday Musical Interlude - Budapest

George Ezra's Budapest from 2014.

4000 posts

This is it, post #4000 on this blog. Wow. That seems like a lot. Does that make me a loud mouth, blow hard, know-it-all? Nah. I'll just keep on going.

Also exciting for me - a couple of months back, I passed 1 million page views. If it were a record, I'd have gone platinum.  I've also made over $200 from this blog in just under 7 years. So...there's that.

Was it a FOX hit job on Trump?

Last night after the debate, my initial impression was that Fox did not want Donald Trump coming out of the debate still standing.  This morning in response to a comment from Proof Positive, I wrote the following:

...Trump I think blew an opportunity. Fox clearly wanted him to fail, starting the debate with the 'general' question about third party run. If Trump didn't see it coming, it speaks to his preparedness. He could have put his hand up and argued that while he wholeheartedly supports conservative principles, it's a tactical move not to reveal that answer just yet because he feels that the RNC has to prove that they'll treat him fairly.

I'm not saying that's the truth or that the RNC isn't being fair, just that it would have been a more palatable answer for Republican voters and for conservatives.

As for the Fox broadcast, I think more practice would help them stylistically. It really seemed like a sub-par performance. Not horrible, but definitely nothing to brag about. Post debate the Frank Luntz panel seemed like a Trump hit job too, since those opinions were starkly anti-Trump and as you point out, the (faulty methodology) Drudge poll presents a diametrically opposed result.

My fear is not that Trump doesn't get a fair shake but rather that those who control the microphone on the right (i.e. Fox) are going to winnow down the field until their preferred establishment candidate wins out. This morning they highlighted a Ben Carson clip to show he did well in the debate, and it wasn't his closing remarks, which were clearly his best.

I smell a guided predestined outcome. I hope that feeling goes away because I don't like the idea of being a tinfoil hat, conspiracy theorist. - See more at:

It turns out, I'm not alone on this. Reaganite Republican:

Sadly, Fox proved themselves to be absolute GOP establishment hacks they way the were so obviously out to kill Trump last night... the loaded, purpose-engineered questions aimed at him took up a lot of time -were intellectually dishonest- and showed they're trying to hand a GOP 'lead' back to Jeb that apparently Fox News' attack-dogs Kelly, Baier, and Wallace were tasked with retrieving for it's proper owner.

While William A. Jacobson at Legal Insurrection may have softened his stance, he felt it:

At times I felt the aggressive attacks on candidates were inappropriate, and much of the show was the moderators using oppo-research type facts to get a reaction. Trump was the focus of most of this. That’s not the role of moderators. BUT, when viewed in its entirety over the two hours, I think the moderators achieved a good result.

While that was only a cursory check of opinion, I'm quite certain others noticed it too. As I stated, this is not about fairness to Trump. This is about fairness in general. Don't tilt the playing field in favor of Jeb Bush. If he really is the best candidate, he will win the nomination. If he needs your help to win, Fox I'm talking to you, then he's not strong enough to take on Hillary, the DNC and the mainstream media. Keep your powder dry until the eventual candidate goes against Hillary (or Bernie). Let the Republican voters decide for themselves you paternalistic $@&#%s! Or do you want to be remembered for hosting debates just like this woman on the left?

Post Debate quick thoughts

The debate was long.  It was short on details probably because there were a lot of candidates on stage.  No one flamed out.  No one performed above expectations.  There were a number of good moments, but none great. The most engaging perhaps were Ben Carson's closing comments. But I don't think anybody won, or lost. I think the quality of discussion and debate got better as the night went along.  I don't think there was a clear cut winner.

BUT,

While I respect the Fox moderators as news commentators,  I think they were a bit too familial and not as professional as they could have been.  Sadly, particularly Megyn Kelly looked more like she was hosting her show than being a moderator or panelist.  She's talented and I hate to say it, but it was not her best night. It wasn't terrible, but it wasn't as professional as I'd expected.

Thursday Hillary Bash - Dems phoning it in for her?

Are Democrats trying to ensure a Hillary Clinton glide path to the nomination?  One other candidate seems to think so:

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA — Democratic presidential candidate Martin O'Malley in an exclusive interview Wednesday with The Hill accused party insiders of trying to tilt the primary contest in Hillary Clinton's favor.

O’Malley lit into the Democratic Party for seeking to limit the number of presidential debates, which he said would help Clinton glide to the nomination.

O’Malley said he raised the issue with the chairwoman of the Democratic Party, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.), during last week’s National Urban League conference in Fort Lauderdale. “There's an effort by a few insiders to try to limit the number of debates that we have and I've shared with the chair — Debbie Wasserman Schultz — that I think that’s a grave mistake and I think it's undemocratic,” O'Malley told The Hill in between in-between campaign stops in Cedar Rapids and Des Moines.

“It's all about trying to pre-ordain the outcome, circle the wagons and close off debate,” O'Malley said. “If they could actually accelerate the date of the Iowa caucuses and hold them tomorrow — they'd like to do that. Then there'd be no campaign at all. That's what they'd really like.”

It would not be a big surprise if that was the case.

Debate Night GOP style

And here I am without popcorn.  From the sound of it Carly Fiorina won the first (undercard) debate.  I don't know, I missed it because I was on my way home from work.  That's why it was an undercard debate.  But frrom the commentary I'm seeing and hearing, I expect she'll be in the prime time slot next time around. 

In Brief

Here's my prediction for tonight - Scott Walker will win.  Why? Trump may consolidate his numbers but he is not likely to expand on them - not at this point.  Despite the appeal of his bull in a China shop approach, he really does need to acquire some polish.  That's going to take more time if it is even possible.

Jeb Bush will do well, but he will probably not impress anyone other than more big donors.  That leaves Scott Walker with the biggest opportunity.  I expect him to nail it.  We'll know soon enough.

GOP - too many candidates?

Andrew Klavan weighs in on whether a large field is good or bad.  At least we're not the old white people party like the Democrats.

Canada's having an election too

On October 19th, Canadian's go to the polls for a national election.  On the same night as the first GOP candidates debate(s), the Canadian leaders will stage their first debate.  Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper is seeking a fourth term and a second consecutive majority government.  He's facing some stronger headwinds this time than in previous elections. While former uber-liberal Prime Minsiter Pierre Elliot Trudeau's neophyte and ill-prepared son has faded as a current threat, the socialist New Deomcratic Party has surged to the front of the polls.  And in seat projection, it's very tight.  Out of 338 seats (it used to be 308),

The Conservative Party and New Democratic Party are tied for the projected average number of seats with 127 seats and are 43 seats from winning a majority government.

Harper's in tough and he needs a good debate like he had last time around. Yet he has also not done a lot for his base. Taxes remain stubbornly high and he's using tax refund tricks to buy votes in a really cynical and progressive liberal choosing winners sort of way. That's going to help him with some voters and annoy those, like myself, who are left out of the largess.

While I am not happy with the Harper government, I recognize every other alternative would be far worse, especially the prospect of an NDP government.

The first GOP debate participants are set

Fox News debate one for the GOP is set.  I'm a bit surprised who is in the 10th spot.

Joe Biden his time?

Joe Biden, is he running against Hillary? Maybe yes, maybe no. Speculation runs both ways.

The vice-president, who has twice mounted runs for the White House, signaled he was still open to exploring a third presidential bid this weekend when longtime aide Josh Alcorn joined the Draft Biden Pac. This was the first official link between Biden’s close-knit circle of loyalists and the effort mounted by fans of the vice-president to encourage him to jump into the 2016 campaign.

Those close to Biden emphasized to the Guardian this week that the vice-president has still not made a decision about whether to run for president. Instead, they noted that Alcorn’s move should be read as a signal that Biden hasn’t ruled out a run and that his supporters should not yet sign on with other campaigns.

Biden it appears is holding his decision until September. That seems like it's too late to start. But who knows what's going on behind the scenes? He could be quietly preparing, under cover of a White House that's run by the leader of the Democrat-no-fan-of-Hillary-Clinton-club, president Obama.

Biden 2016? I'm skeptical. He may feel Hillary is unstoppable. He may feel he's missed his window. He may not see Hillary's vulnerabilities, having twice been bested by what many thought were also-rans. It would be interesting to see how Biden might shake up the race. Would he steal votes from Hillary Clinton or Bernie Sanders? Or maybe both? While I don't think he's ultimately going to run, I think it would be enough to shake up the race if he did.

Embrace thine enemy

No, it's not Biblical, it's a complaint.   After president Obama embraced Cuba, and made a deal with Iran, it looks like next on his list is the remains of Hugo Chavez' Venezuela.  Chavez may be dead, but the Venezuelan economy is still gasping for air.  Obama may be about to perform CPR.

The Obama administration’s charm offensive with unfriendly states has rolled through Myanmar, Iran and Cuba. Next stop: Venezuela. Just months after the administration declared Venezuela a threat to U.S. national security, it’s working to improve relations, driven by concern that upheaval there could destabilize the region.

State Department officers have been meeting quietly with officials in the leftist government of President Nicolas Maduro since April to develop what Secretary of State John Kerry has called “a normal relationship.”

The outreach is another test of President Barack Obama’s 2009 inaugural pledge to “extend a hand” to repressive and corrupt regimes if they are “willing to unclench” their fists.

Falling oil prices, plummeting foreign reserves, a 68.5 percent inflation rate and growing political tensions are battering Venezuela. There’s enough at stake that even a Justice Department probe into the alleged drug ties of the lead Venezuelan in the talks hasn’t derailed the diplomacy.

North Korea must be looking at this wondering what they need to do to ensure financial aid from America.

Sunday Verse

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

~Romans 8:31

Norman Lear, social...conservative?

This is good to hear, but, Huh? Wasn't expecting this.

“Everybody knows me to be a progressive or a liberal or lefty or whatever. I think of myself as a bleeding-heart conservative. You will not f— with my Bill of Rights, my Constitution, my guarantees of political justice for all. But does my heart bleed for those who need help and aren’t getting the justice that the country promises them and the equal opportunity the country promises? Yes. I’m a bleeding heart, but I think myself to be a total social conservative. The people who are running just don’t seem to have America on their minds, not the America I think about. When I was a kid we were in love with America. As early as I can remember, there was a civics class in my public school. And I was in love with those things that guaranteed freedom before I learned that there were people who hated me because I was Jewish. I had a Bill of Rights and a Constitution, those words out of the Declaration that protected me.

Saturday Learning Series - Is the West doomed?

Does success automatically lead to decay and failure?  It's an interesting question. And this video is an  interesting discussion between Dr. Jim Penman and Stefan Molyneux about that very topic. Dr. Jim Penman presents an interesting theory explaining the perhaps inevitable decline of the West.

Western civilization is on a path to destruction. In coming decades, economies will shrink, democracy will retreat and nations crumble. The long-term result will be grinding poverty, superstition and disease.

This isn't scaremongering it is science. In Biohistory: The Decline and Fall of the West, Dr. Jim Penman, PhD, details a revolutionary new theory about why civilizations collapse. For the first time, Penman directly links human biology with the rise and fall of civilizations a cataclysmic relationship that brought the Romans, the ancient Greeks and all other Empires to their knees.

Is it already too late to change the course of history?

Saturday Learning Series - Short Bio Susan B Anthony

A short bio on Susan B Anthony.

Socialism's long con

How socialism has tricked so many into believing in it. A good explanation.