Good morning! Here is your news briefing for Thursday November 21, 2019.
THE DAILY SIGNAL
| Nov 21, 2019 |
| Good morning from Washington, where Democrats and Republicans both like something about the testimony of EU Ambassador Gordon Sondland during the fourth day of public impeachment hearings. Fred Lucas has the gist, while Rep. Jody Hice, R-Ga., provides commentary. On the podcast, we’re joined by a merchant seaman who’s helping protesters in Hong Kong. Plus: good guys with guns, a tax plan that spurs jobs, and “Problematic Women.” On this date in 1934, future music legend Ella Fitzgerald wins the weekly Amateur Night at Harlem’s Apollo Theater after the teen decides to sing rather than dance. |
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News 7 Key Moments From Gordon Sondland’s Testimony on Day 4 of Impeachment Hearings By Fred Lucas Sondland, ambassador to the European Union, insists in his sworn testimony that President Trump told him on the phone that there was “no quid pro quo.” More Analysis ‘They’re Willing to Die’: What an American in Hong Kong Sees By Rachel del Guidice Cody Howdeshell says he saw Hong Kong police “beat these kids that were already half dead with their nightsticks and began to absolutely tear them out with no mercy, probably dislocating limbs, and shoved them against the wall and arrested them.” More News Impeachment Inquiry Is ‘a Trial in Search of a Crime,’ Rep. Jody Hice Says By Rachel del Guidice “They are searching for every haystack they can possibly find in hopes that there’s a needle somewhere that they can bring forward and say, ‘Aha, we have something to impeach him,'” says Rep. Hice. More Commentary A Pro-Growth Alternative to the Left’s Tax Hike Agenda By Adam Michel If Congress and President Trump really want to lock in prosperity, they must pursue both lower taxes and smaller government. More Commentary Problematic Women: Christine Blasey Ford, Chick-Fil-A, and Impeachment By Virginia Allen Even as Christine Blasey Ford is lauded again, Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., is called “trash” by feminists who oppose her role in the impeachment hearings. More Commentary These Law-Abiding People Used Guns to Defend Themselves in October By Amy Swearer After two men armed with handguns broke into a family’s home, severely beating the father and threatening his 11-year-old daughter, the pregnant mom got an AR-15 to defend her family. More | ||
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THE EPOCH TIMES
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“Outside show is a poor substitute for inner worth.” AESOP Good morning, Early on Monday morning, four masked men entered the print shop of the Hong Kong edition of The Epoch Times. The men threatened the factory staff before using a flammable liquid and some paper to set fire to a printing press and rolls of paper. Fortunately, none of the staff were injured, and the fire was quickly put out—but not before causing significant damage. The entire incident was caught on surveillance camera footage and can be seen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdiWUGN_6Ew The incident is the latest in a series of escalating attacks by the Chinese regime on freedom of the press in Hong Kong. Read the full story here. https://www.theepochtimes.com/masked-intruders-set-fire-to-hong-kong-epoch-times-printing-press_3150829.html Every Impeachment Witness Has Said Yes to Possible Hunter Biden Conflict of Interest: Stefanik 104 Arrested in Undercover Florida Trafficking Operation More Than a Million Marijuana Plants Seized, 148 Arrested in Raids in 2019 Major Newspaper Publisher McClatchy Nearing Bankruptcy: Reports In his opening statement at the Nov. 19 impeachment hearing, House Intelligence Committee ranking member Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) recommended that the American public read an article by investigative reporter John Solomon titled “Debunking Some of the Ukraine Scandal Myths About Biden and Election Interference.” Read more Gen. John Raymond, leader of the U.S. Space Command—a precursor to the yet-to-be-established Space Force—outlined on Nov. 18 the agency’s “significant” advances, including the developing of “space warfighters,” and said he was eager for Congress to pass the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act to work on the sixth military branch of the armed forces. Read more The FBI’s use of informants has multiple problems, according to a report by the Justice Department’s inspector general released on Nov. 19. Some of the major issues highlighted by Inspector General Michael Horowitz are delays in properly vetting the informants and a lack of record-keeping when there are problems with them. Read more This year marks the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, and valuable lessons could be learned from former President Ronald Reagan’s policies and vision that contributed mightily to the bloodless collapse of the Wall and the Soviet empire. Read more Shen Yun is not your ordinary performing arts company. Every year, the company not only contends with the challenges of bringing a high-end stage production to hundreds of cities around the world, but also must deal with an unrelenting campaign by the Chinese communist regime to interfere with its performances wherever it goes. Read more The American Medical Association says there should be “a total ban on all e-cigarette and vaping products that don’t meet Food and Drug Administration” requirements. “The recent lung illness outbreak has alarmed… Read more See More Top Stories We can’t predict the future, but we can always prepare for the unexpected. At Wise Company, we specialize in long-term food storage and dehydrated food along with other survival gear to help you get through whatever life brings your way. Our meals are healthy and flavorful and when the time comes to prepare them, you can do so in mere minutes — all it takes is a little water. These ready-made, affordable meals are just as convenient for life’s pleasures, like camping trips, as they are for life’s inconveniences, like floods or disasters. Click here or on the banner below to claim your complimentary copy of our exclusive survival guide, and be entered to win a free month supply of food! How Socialists Used Teachers Unions Such as the NEA to Destroy Education By Alex Newman When examining the hydra that is the collectivist “education” establishment that dominates public schools in the United States, among the most important tentacles have been the teachers’ unions—especially the National Education Association. Read more One Hundred Years of De-platforming By Diana West I recently picked up and was quickly hooked by “Not Seeing Red: American Librarianship and the Soviet Union (1917–1960),” a 2002 book by Stephen Karetzky. Sure, the topic sounds esoteric, but in this era of “de-platforming” and social media censorship, it’s hotly relevant. Read more See More Opinions Chinese Ramp Up Illegal Money Transfers By Valentin Schmid (November 5, 2015) As more people realize Chinese growth data cannot be trusted, the market is looking at capital outflows to gauge the true state of the Chinese economy. If people are moving their money out, it’s a red flag. Estimates using official data put total capital outflows at $850 billion up to the end of September, well on track for a $1 trillion total by the end of the year. Read more Four masked intruders set a fire in the printing warehouse of the Hong Kong edition of The Epoch Times in the early hours of Nov. 19, marking the fourth attack on the facility since its opening more than a decade ago. The attack is believed to be the latest effort by the Chinese Communist Party to silence The Epoch Times. Epoch Times Attacked in Hong Kong Advertisement: Copyright © 2019 The Epoch Times, All rights reserved. Want to change how you receive these emails? 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THE WASHINGTON FREE BEACON
THE HILL
| © Getty Images Welcome to The Hill’s Morning Report. Happy Thursday! Our newsletter gets you up to speed on the most important developments in politics and policy, plus trends to watch. Alexis Simendinger and Al Weaver are the up-early co-creators. Find us @asimendinger and @alweaver22 on Twitter and CLICK HERE to subscribe! The House impeachment effort took a major turn on Wednesday as U.S. Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland testified that there was a clear quid pro quo linking Ukraine announcing investigations into political rivals to a meeting between President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Sondland also told investigators during his eyebrow-raising opening statement that not only was he aware of the arrangement, but others throughout the administration were as well. Among those, he rattled off a list of who’s who in the government ranks: Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Vice President Pence, White House acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney and outgoing Energy Secretary Rick Perry (The Hill). “I know that members of this committee have frequently framed these complicated issues in the form of a simple question: Was there a ‘quid pro quo?’ As I testified previously, with regard to the requested White House call and White House meeting, the answer is yes,” Sondland said during a lengthy opening statement. In the view of Democrats on the panel, Sondland’s testimony represented a seminal moment in the impeachment push. House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-Calif) told reporters that Trump and Pompeo are engaged in a “concerted” effort to obstruct the investigation (The Hill). The Hill: Sondland brings impeachment inquiry to White House doorstep. Politico: Democrats say new Sondland leads won’t slow impeachment drive. The Hill: Pence’s office denies he spoke with Sondland about investigations. Looking back at the ambassador’s day before lawmakers, The Hill’s Mike Lillis and Scott Wong note that Sondland added to what has become a damning picture of the involvement of Rudy Giuliani, the president’s personal lawyer. “We weren’t happy with the president’s directive to talk with Rudy. We did not want to involve Mr. Giuliani,” Sondland said. “I believed then, as I do now, that the men and women of the State Department, not the president’s personal lawyer, should take responsibility for Ukraine matters.” Meanwhile, Republicans — along with the president — hung their hat on a part of Sondland’s testimony: that there was no promise of unlocking military aid for Ukraine in exchange for investigations into former Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden. GOP lawmakers hammered the point home during multiple exchanges with the ambassador, including Reps. Michael Turner (R-Ohio) and Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.). “Mr. Sondland, let’s be clear: No one on this planet — not Donald Trump, Rudy Giuliani, Mick Mulvaney, Mike Pompeo — no one told you aid was tied to political investigations, is that correct?” Turner asked Sondland. The ambassador responded, “That’s correct.” The New York Times: 5 key things we learned from Gordon Sondland. The Associated Press: How Sondland’s testimony stacks up to his past statements. Tom Rogan: Why Gordon Sondland’s testimony won’t change much. Sondland was not the only witness to offer up consequential testimony. Laura Cooper, the deputy assistant secretary of Defense for Russia, Ukraine and Eurasia, revealed to investigators that the Ukrainians were aware of the hold on the military aid by the administration on July 25. Cooper told the panel that that her staff received two emails on July 25 in which the State Department said the Ukrainian Embassy and House Foreign Affairs Committee were “asking about security assistance.” The emails came on the same day as Trump’s call with Zelensky. As Brett Samuels writes, Cooper’s revelation could be problematic to a main GOP line of defense — that the hold on Ukraine aid was ultimately lifted and that the Ukrainians were not aware of the freeze in funding early enough for there to have been a quid pro quo. With testimony from Sondland, Cooper and David Hale, a top diplomat, out of the way, investigators will speak publicly with Fiona Hill, a former National Security Council senior director for Europe and Russia, and David Holmes, counselor for political affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine. © Getty Images LEADING THE DAY POLITICS & CAMPAIGNS: Following the whirlwind day on Capitol Hill, the political circus continued in Atlanta as Democratic candidates took part in the fifth Democratic debate. In a departure from the first four debates, Wednesday night’s affair was more civil as most of the candidates trained their fire on the president rather than each other. However, as always, there were multiple key battles between candidates on certain issues. Following routine exchanges in the opening 90 minutes, Biden found himself tangled with Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), who panned the former vice president for opposing legalizing marijuana during a campaign stop this week. Booker told the former VP that he thought he “might have been high” when he made the comment because marijuana is already legal in America for “privileged people” (The Hill). Biden, who celebrated his 77th birthday on Wednesday, touted his support from African American voters and key Democratic figures, but made a verbal blunder, saying that he was supported by the only African American female senator in history, referring to former Sen. Carol Moseley Braun (D-Ill.), even though Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) stood footsteps away from him on stage (The Hill). Despite the misstep in the back-and-forth, it remains to be seen whether Biden’s advantageous support among African American voters will hold through the primaries. In multiple instances during the campaign, Biden has faced potential landmines that could have derailed his standing with the key voting bloc, including his discussions about the 1994 crime bill and bussing. None has appeared to have damaged his strength as a presidential contender among black voters. According to a recent NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll and a survey of primary voters in South Carolina, Biden leads overwhelmingly with African Americans, taking 49 percent and 44 percent, respectively. The ongoing impeachment hearings arose as a subtext but not a central subject of Wednesday’s debate. Biden said the president’s interest in securing investigations by Ukraine of his actions as vice president show that “Trump doesn’t want me to be the nominee (The Hill). Notably, the words “Hunter Biden” were not mentioned once during the two hour contest. Niall Stanage: Five takeaways from the Democratic debate. Elsewhere, Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) held their own without making any major missteps that will harm their campaigns down the road and continued to push for their signature progressive agendas. In the centrist lane, South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttgieig turned in a solid performance as he makes headway in polls, headlined by surveys that show him leading in Iowa and New Hampshire. While some expected bitter disputes between him and Warren on myriad issues, those were largely avoided. However, Buttigieg did find himself in a sparring match with Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii) after she claimed that Buttigieg was interested in sending U.S. troops to Mexico. The criticism was based on a comment the Indiana mayor made in Los Angeles over the weekend. Buttigieg labeled the attack “outlandish” (The Hill). The Hill: As Buttigieg rises, Biden is still the target. The Hill: Harris rips Gabbard over Fox appearances during Obama years. The Associated Press: Wednesday’s debate revisited well-plowed ground over “Medicare for All.” Issues of particular importance to female voters arose throughout Wednesday’s debate, including paid family leave and abortion. The conversation also led to talk about the role of women in politics and the level of experience needed to become president. Buttigieg’s age (he will be 38 in January) and his experience to be president were featured in that discussion. The exchanges led Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) to defend her recent remarks that women are treated differently in politics (The New York Times). “Women are held to a higher standard. Otherwise we could play a game called ‘Name Your Favorite Woman President,’ which we can’t do because it has all been men,” she said. The debate featured four female debate moderators, only the third time a debate has featured women-only questioners: MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow, Andrea Mitchell and Kristen Welker, and Ashley Parker of The Washington Post. The New York Times: The electability debate, brought to you by the people who want to be elected. The next debate and final meet-up of the year will take place in Los Angeles on Dec. 19. While Wednesday’s back-and-forth did little to reshuffle the top-tier among Democratic contenders, one latecomer — former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick — would like to get on that stage in California but is unlikely to meet thresholds set for fundraising and polls. > Former President Obama, who is tiptoeing into 2020 politics, headlines a fundraiser this afternoon in Los Altos Hills, Calif., to benefit the Democratic National Committee. Associates say the 44th president nudged back into politics sooner than he imagined because of concerns that the diverse electorate his party brought together is being split by “Medicare for All” and immigration proposals — ideas that he thinks could alienate moderate voters in the 2020 election (The New York Times). © Getty Images IN FOCUS/SHARP TAKES MORE CONGRESS: Surprise medical bills: Lawmakers are feeling pressure to pass legislation protecting patients from surprise medical bills (The Hill). But the effort faces major obstacles, including from an intense lobbying campaign from doctors and hospitals, and the difficulty of getting anything done in the divided political climate (The Hill). Autonomous vehicles: Senators heard from the federal government’s top regulators about their efforts to put self-driving cars on the nation’s roads. During a Wednesday hearing, the focus was on supporting the speed of innovation balanced against federal safety regulations (The Hill). Marijuana decriminalization: A divided U.S. House committee approved a proposal Wednesday to decriminalize and tax marijuana at the federal level, a vote that was simultaneously described as a momentous turning point in national cannabis policy and a hollow political gesture. The House Judiciary Committee approved the proposal 24-10 after more than two hours of debate (The Associated Press). “Madam chairwoman!”: Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) formally won the gavel of the House Oversight and Reform Committee on Wednesday, becoming the first woman to chair the powerful panel that is at the forefront of investigations into the Trump administration (The Hill). *** WHITE HOUSE & ADMINISTRATION: The Education Department released wage data for university degrees on Wednesday for the first time, detailing the median debt and earnings for specific programs at colleges and universities across the country. For example, a student could research whether engineering majors graduate with higher amounts of debt at one school or another or whether graduates of the English language program or the nursing program at one school receive greater monthly earnings one year after graduation (The Hill). > Bureau of Land Management employees who decide to take severance instead of accompanying the agency as it moves out West will have to be out of their jobs by Jan. 31 (The Hill). © Getty Images OPINION Is Joe Biden finished? by pollster John Zogby, opinion contributor, The Hill. https://bit.ly/37kZa97 Pete Buttigieg has now lost all confidence from black voters, by Shermichael Singleton, opinion contributor, The Hill. https://bit.ly/35iAQ5N WHERE AND WHEN 📺 Hill.TV’s “Rising” program features The Hill’s political journalist Julia Manchester, who recaps the Democratic presidential debate while reporting on-site in Atlanta; Adam Green, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, with reaction to the fifth presidential primary debate; and Republican National Committee spokeswoman Liz Harrington, who offers GOP debate reaction. Coverage starts at 9 a.m. ET at http://thehill.com/hilltv or on YouTube at 10 a.m. at Rising on YouTube. The House meets at 9 a.m. Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) will hold a weekly press conference at 10:45 a.m. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) will hold his weekly news conference at 11:30 a.m. The House Intelligence Committee will hold a sixth day of impeachment hearings beginning at 8 a.m. with witnesses Hill and Holmes. The Senate convenes 10 a.m. Senators face a midnight deadline to pass a government funding measure through Dec. 20. The president and first lady Melania Trump will present the National Medal of Arts to actor Jon Voight and other recipients, and bestow the National Humanities Medal to novelist James Patterson and chef Patrick J. O’Connell, famous for celebrated Virginia restaurant Inn at Little Washington, among others. Pompeo is in Brussels. The National Archives in Washington today will mark the 15th anniversary of the film “National Treasure,” which was a successful box office franchise starring Nicolas Cage as Benjamin Franklin Gates, who steals the Declaration of Independence and searches for the Knights Templar Treasure. Information about the screening from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., complete with family activities and optional costume dress code, is HERE. ELSEWHERE ➔ Israel: Election challenger Benny Gantz on Wednesday announced he failed to form a coalition government within the allotted time, just as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu failed before him. The paralysis in government could lead to an unprecedented third election in Israel. Netanyahu wants the power to shift back his way, especially because he awaits an expected indictment on corruption charges as early as today (The Associated Press). ➔ Climate science: The Supreme Court on Friday will consider whether to take up a prominent climatologist’s defamation suit against a venerated conservative magazine, in a case that pits climate science against the free speech rights of global warming skeptics. The dispute between Michael Mann and National Review has attracted attention from lawmakers, interest groups and the media as the court weighs whether to add a potentially blockbuster First Amendment showdown to an already politically charged docket (The Hill). ➔ Genetically modified rice: Bangladesh appears to be the first country to approve genetically altered golden rice for planting, a crop altered to help prevent blindness by providing half the beta carotene children need daily. The modified food staple has been controversial for decades (Science). © Twitter THE CLOSER And finally … It’s Thursday, which means it’s time for this week’s Morning Report Quiz! Inspired by this week’s start of the third season of “The Crown,” we’re eager for some smart guesses about fact and fiction behind the Netflix version of British royals in the 1960s and 1970s (The New York Times). Email your responses to asimendinger@thehill.com and/or aweaver@thehill.com, and please add “Quiz” to subject lines. Winners who submit correct answers will enjoy some well-earned newsletter fame on Friday. When was Prince Charles’s investiture and crowning as Prince of Wales, a title he was given initially in 1958? 1966 1969 1972 1975 Princess Margaret announced her separation from Antony Armstrong-Jones in 1976. What was the main cause of the split? Antony was constantly traveling An affair with Roddy Llewellyn Queen Elizabeth pushed for the separation for the good of the crown. None of the above In 1965, former President Lyndon Johnson hosted Princess Margaret at the White House. Did Johnson ever host Queen Elizabeth during his presidency? Yes No While Prince Charles met his first wife, Diana Spencer, in 1978, when did he meet his eventual second wife, Camilla Parker Bowles, whom he married in 2005? 1971 1975 1979 1983 © Twitter The Morning Report is created by journalists Alexis Simendinger and Al Weaver. We want to hear from you! Email: asimendinger@thehill.com and aweaver@thehill.com. We invite you to share The Hill’s reporting and newsletters, and encourage others to SUBSCRIBE! To view past editions of The Hill’s Morning Report CLICK HERE To receive The Hill’s Morning Report in your inbox SIGN UP HERE Morning Report Sign Up FORWARD Morning Report Privacy Policy | Manage Subscriptions | Unsubscribe Email to a friend | Sign Up for Other Newsletters The Hill 1625 K Street, NW 9th Floor, Washington DC 20006 ©2019 Capitol Hill Publishing Corp., a subsidiary of News Communications, Inc. |
AXIOS
By Mike Allen
🍷 Good Thursday morning from Charlottesville. When I flew in from our event in Dallas, I went straight to Little Star, opened on West Main this year by Ryan Collins, formerly a José Andrés chef in D.C.
- My buddy Rob Hoppin and I split both the pork spare ribs and the beef back ribs.
- Today’s Smart Brevity™ count: 1,159 words … 4½ minutes.
1 big thing … Scoop: Impeachment witness to warn of “fictional narrative”
Gordon Sondland is sworn in. Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images
Former White House official Fiona Hill will tell today’s impeachment hearing that a “fictional narrative” about Ukraine, driven by partisan politics, distracted President Trump from the real threat that Russia poses to America’s democracy.
- Why she matters: Hill, who left last summer as Trump’s top adviser on Russia and Europe, gives House investigators a window into former national security adviser John Bolton’s objections to Trump’s Ukraine activities.
- In closed testimony last month, Hill said Bolton called Rudy Giuliani a “hand grenade that is going to blow everybody up.”
A “John Dean moment”? Ambassador Gordon Sondland declared at yesterday’s hearing that Trump and his lawyer Rudy Giuliani explicitly sought a “quid pro quo” with Ukraine, leveraging an Oval Office visit for political investigations of Democrats, AP writes in its recap.
- “Was there a ‘quid pro quo?'” Sondland asked. “With regard to the requested White House call and White House meeting, the answer is yes.”
- The rest, he said, was obvious: “Two plus two equals four.”
Sondland testified that it was also his understanding Trump was holding up $400 million in military aid, which Ukraine badly needed with an aggressive Russia on its border, in exchange for an announcement of Biden investigations.
- Republicans’ key point: Sondland conceded that Trump never told him directly why the security assistance was blocked.
Why he matters, per the N.Y. Times: “Sondland linked the most senior members of the Trump administration to the effort — including the vice president, the secretary of state, the acting chief of staff and others.”
- “He said they were informed of it at key moments, an account that severely undercut Mr. Trump’s frequent claims that he never pressured Ukraine.”
- Vice President Pence instantly denied discussing the investigations.
- Yesterday’s highlights.
How it’s playing:
Today’s top witness:
2. Last night’s best zinger
Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images
My favorite zinger from last night’s Democratic debate in Atlanta came from Amy Klobuchar:
- “[I]f you think a woman can’t beat Donald Trump, Nancy Pelosi does it every single day.”
During the Dems’ fifth debate, the Pete Buttigieg pile-on landed more softly than expected, Axios’ Zach Basu writes.
- Instead, the top four candidates in early-state polling — Buttigieg, Joe Biden, Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders — pulled punches, giving lower-tier candidates a chance to make waves.
- Buttigieg and Kamala Harris both sparred with Tulsi Gabbard, who has become a favorite among conservatives for her anti-interventionism and attacks on the Democratic establishment.
In the shadow of the day’s impeachment hearings, the candidates agreed that President Trump should be impeached on a charge of abuse of power.
- Biden, whose family is at the center of the Ukraine allegations, said he wouldn’t direct the Justice Department to investigate Trump after he left office: “I’d let them make their independent judgment.”
Five of the candidates — Warren, Sanders, Harris, Klobuchar and Cory Booker — would sit as jurors if articles of impeachment went to the Senate.
- Buttigieg and Biden would be free to campaign in Iowa during a trial, while the senators were in D.C.
Milestone: The debate had a greater focus on women’s issues than earlier ones, with questions about abortion rights, paid family leave and the cost of child care.
- This was history’s third primary debate moderated by an all-woman panel — MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow, NBC’s Andrea Mitchell and Kristen Welker, and Ashley Parker of the Washington Post.
- It was also the first debate of the cycle in which the first two questions went to female candidates, the N.Y. Times’ Michael Grynbaum noted.
What to watch: Booker, the highest-profile candidate who hasn’t qualified for the next debate, began his closing statement with a plea for donations to get on the December stage.
The bottom line: Biden, still atop most national polls, had gaffes (the nation needs to “keep punching at” sexual violence and harassment against women), but showed command of foreign policy.
- Axios’ Margaret Talev notes that the wide swing of Biden highs and lows underscores why he remains the frontrunner — but with real vulnerabilities.
Go deeper, issue-by-issue: See what the candidates said on voting rights, legalizing marijuana, health care, climate, a wealth tax and more.
3. 📈 Goldman forecast: “A Break in the Clouds”
“Slightly better growth, limited recession risk, and friendly monetary policy should provide a decent background for financial markets in the early part of 2020,” Goldman Sachs Economics Research says in a 21-page forecast by Jan Hatzius, Daan Struyven and Ronnie Walker.
- “We expect the global growth slowdown that began in early 2018 to end soon, in response to easier financial conditions and an end to the trade escalation.”
- “However, concerns about the impact of higher corporate taxes on profits could rise in the run-up to the U.S. presidential election. Even aside from politics, rising wage growth looks set to reduce profit margins over the next several years.”
Axios thought bubble: If you’re the Trump campaign, you heart this forecast.
4. TIME’s Idea of the Year: “How the elites lost their grip”
Courtesy TIME
“In 2019 America’s 1% behaved badly — and helped bring about a reckoning with capitalism,” writes TIME editor-at-large Anand Giridharadas, author of “Winners Take All: The Elite Charade of Changing the World”:
This year, America’s ultra-elites [including Jeffrey Epstein] seemed to bend over backwards to lend support to the idea that maybe the system they superintend needs gut-renovating. As a political movement challenging their wealth and power bubbled up, the elite’s own misbehavior trickled down. And where the two met, ideas that once seemed unutterable started, to many, to sound like the future. …
The Overton window was moving [with the 2016 election]. Then came the 2018 midterms and a new wave of Democratic candidates — most prominently, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York — questioning capitalism-as-capitalism in a way that seemed unfamiliar and fresh.
As the 2020 campaign approached, Warren jumped into the race, a beneficiary of the opening Sanders had helped carve for capitalist-critical aspirants to America’s highest office. …
Warren detailed an agenda that would put American business in a headlock. That she and Sanders, both veritable enemies of Big Business, are among the top candidates shows how much the politics of capitalism has changed.
5. ⚖️ Two worlds
These were the contrasting headlines on MSNBC and Fox News as yesterday’s impeachment hearing broke at 11:03 a.m. after explosive morning testimony:
Screenshots via MSNBC and Fox News
CNN’s “lower third” chryon at the same moment: “SONDLAND TIES TRUMP, PENCE, POMPEO TO UKRAINE PRESSURE CAMPAIGN.”
6. Living history
Here’s the N.Y. Times’ front page for the ages:
7. You saw this first in Axios PM
President Trump used these notes as he spoke to reporters on the White House South Lawn during the hearing, and held them so photographers could see:
Photos: Erin Scott/Reuters; Mark Wilson/Getty Images
📬 Missing Axios PM, my afternoon dispatch?Sign up here.
8. Catholic reckoning: Review board failures
Pope Francis leads his weekly audience in St. Peter’s Square on Oct. 30. Photo: Alessandra Benedetti/Corbis via Getty Images
An AP investigation of Catholic mandatory review boards across the country found that they have broadly failed to uphold commitments to investigate sexual abuse allegations fairly and kindly.
- Why they matter: The boards were meant to help dioceses root out abusive priests.
- Instead, review boards operating in secrecy have routinely undermined abuse claims, shielded accused priests and helped the church avoid payouts.
The investigation found dozens of cases in which review boards rejected complaints from survivors, only to have them later validated by secular authorities.
9. One-third of us don’t believe the news
10. 1 🎵 thing
Nipsey Hussle garnered three posthumous Grammy nominations, leading a strong showing for L.A. hip-hop. (L.A. Times)
📬 Thanks for reading! Please tell a friend about AM/PM.
POLITICO PLAYBOOK
POLITICO Playbook: ‘Buckle up’: Last day of the impeachment show … for now
By JAKE SHERMAN and ANNA PALMER
11/21/2019 06:01 AM EST
Presented by Amazon
DRIVING THE DAY
FROM A HOUSE INTELLIGENCE DEMOCRAT: “Buckle up. [Wednesday] will be the blast. [Thursday] the fallout.”
TODAY BRINGS the last publicly scheduled House Intelligence Committee impeachment hearing. DAVID HOLMES and FIONA HILL will testify beginning at 9 a.m.
DEMOCRATS have high hopes for Holmes and Hill for different reasons. HOLMES, of course, is a bit of an accidental witness. He overheard the GORDON SONDLAND/DONALD TRUMP high-volume phone call while at lunch in Kyiv — a phone call during which the ambassador and president talked about investigations and A$AP Rocky.
OF COURSE, HILL is expected to be a bombshell for Democrats. She reported to JOHN BOLTON and was close with him, so she could be a stalking horse for some of his ideas, theories and views on this matter. She was intimately involved in Russia and Ukraine policy, so expect her to be able to answer questions about the inner workings of the TRUMP White House.
— AP’S LYNN BERRY: “Fiona Hill, adviser with sharp eye for detail, is next up”: “Hill, who speaks rapid-fire and in the distinctive accent of the coal country of northern England where she grew up, is expected to testify Thursday about what she witnessed inside the White House as two men — European Union Ambassador Gordon Sondland and Trump’s personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani — carried out foreign policy for an unconventional president.”
— KYLE CHENEY and ANDREW DESIDERIO: “She could also prove to be a colorful witness. During her closed-door testimony last month, she fought back when some Republicans sought to turn the conversation to allegations of Ukrainian interference in the 2016 election. Hill rejected the assertion and said evidence that some low-level bureaucrats got involved was being weaponized to distract from Russia’s massive interference operation, approved by Vladimir Putin and carried out by Russian intelligence services.” POLITICO
REPUBLICANS tell us they believe today will be “colorful,” but they believe — or rather hope — that it won’t move the debate at all.
TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT’S BECOME OF ALL THE GOP DEFENSES OF TRUMP:
— FIRST, Republicans said there wasn’t a quid pro quo. Now, SONDLAND said of course there was a quid pro quo, and the evidence seems plain that there was, indeed, a quid pro quo.
— SECOND, Republicans said that TRUMP didn’t ask for an investigation of the BIDENS, but rather cared about corruption. RUDY GIULIANI initially said that he had asked for an investigation of Biden. Then, various witnesses said they believed that TRUMP’S interest in Burisma was code for Biden. And on Wednesday, LAURA COOPER said the Pentagon had certified that Ukraine had made enough progress on corruption to qualify for aid.
— AND LASTLY, Republicans have been saying for months that it could not be a quid pro quo since Ukraine didn’t know its aid was being frozen. In fact, COOPER said her staff had contact on July 25 with Ukrainian officials, who seemed to know they were awaiting aid that had been stopped.
THINK OF THIS: THESE HEARINGS HAVE PRACTICALLY gone off perfectly for Democrats. FIRST: Bill Taylor surprisingly unveiled in the middle of his hearing that someone heard a call between TRUMP and SONDLAND, during which the president mentioned investigations. That person — HOLMES — testified privately and is now testifying publicly. TRUMP attacked MARIE YOVANOVITCH in the middle of her hearing, underscoring one of the Democrats’ central points — that the president was hostile toward a well-regarded U.S. ambassador for seemingly no reason. SONDLAND unloaded on TRUMP’S Cabinet — and, indeed, the president. Then, hours later, COOPER — a relatively junior official neither side had particularly high hopes for — brandished new emails showing that Ukraine probably did know about the hold on aid, further helping Democrats.
NYT A1 BANNER HEADLINE: “‘WE FOLLOWED THE PRESIDENT’S ORDERS’” … “Democrats Detect Watergate Echo”
WAPO: “Sondland’s bombshell testimony leaves Trump’s Republican allies scrambling,” by Seung Min Kim, Josh Dawsey and Kayla Epstein: “As he traveled on Air Force One to Texas, Trump called members of the House to argue that the testimony was good for him, according to an aide familiar with the conversations who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the private talks. Trump also professed to reporters that he had little familiarity with Sondland, a major donor to his inauguration who testified that he had spoken with the president about 20 times.” WaPo
WSJ’S ED BOARD with a different take: “The House impeachment hearings roll on, but the most important news is how little new we are learning about President Trump and Ukraine. The witnesses from the diplomatic and national-security bureaucracy are filling in some details—many of which are unflattering about how policy is made in this Administration—but none change the fundamental narrative or suggest crimes or other impeachable offenses.”
OUR BIG QUESTIONS: After today, the House is gone until Dec. 3. Does that affect the freight train-like momentum they have built up in Intel? And can the House Judiciary Committee maintain it? And does it even matter? Do the Democrats believe the facts are so compelling that they can sustain a lag?
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NEW … TRUMP’S CHARM OFFENSIVE … BURGESS EVERETT: “President Donald Trump is aggressively courting Senate Republicans as impeachment bears down, and on Thursday, he’ll come face-to-face with two of the most unpredictable jurors in any Senate trial: Mitt Romney and Susan Collins.
“By day’s end, the president will have hosted more than 40 Republican senators at the White House since the fall began, mostly for weekly lunches that address a series of issues but also usually include a side of impeachment. Another group will head to the White House on Thursday, leaving just a handful of Republican senators untended by the president. …
“‘It’s the president’s meeting. Whatever he wants to talk about he can talk about,’ Romney said. ‘I wasn’t expecting an invitation, but I’m happy to hear what the president wants to talk about.’ A separate group of Republican senators, including Mike Lee of Utah, will meet with White House counsel Pat Cipollone on Thursday, according to a source familiar with the matter. …
“The flurry of activity highlights the increasingly urgent task at hand for Trump: Making sure that the GOP caucus understands his side of the Ukraine saga, not just through his tweets, but from him personally. If the 47 Democratic Caucus members stay united and vote to remove Trump from office, the president needs the support of as many of the 53 Senate Republicans as possible, both to avoid his removal from office and to keep the party from splintering ahead of his 2020 re-election bid.” POLITICO
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NYT’S DAVID SANGER and EDWARD WONG: “Pompeo Emerges as a Major Trump Enabler in Ukraine Affair”: “Mr. Sondland’s testimony has undercut any notion that Mr. Pompeo, the administration’s most powerful national security official, was not a participant in Mr. Trump’s efforts to pressure Ukraine. It also firmly places him at the center of one of the nation’s biggest foreign policy controversies in nearly two decades, since the debate over the intelligence that led to the war in Iraq. …
“Mr. Pompeo has told associates that he believes the impeachment testimonies are partly aimed at forcing him to play a Washington game that would end with him turning on the president to save his own career. And he refuses to participate, Mr. Pompeo has said.” NYT
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— ELENA SCHNEIDER, CHRIS CADELAGO and LAURA BARRÓN-LÓPEZ in Atlanta: “Why Buttigieg got a pass in the debate”: “Pete Buttigieg came into Wednesday night’s debate bracing for an onslaught that never came. Yes, Amy Klobuchar and Tulsi Gabbard questioned his experience. Cory Booker dinged the young mayor’s resume, pointing out that he’s the ‘other Rhodes scholar mayor on the stage’ and warning voters against picking a Democratic nominee with an ‘inauthentic’ connection to African American voters — a bloc that has largely ignored Buttigieg’s upstart where Buttigieg has failed to gain traction.
“But Kamala Harris declined a served-on-a-platter chance to hit Buttigieg again over a recent campaign misstep involving a stock photo of black people, instead pivoting to her own case for the Democratic nomination.
“And Joe Biden, Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, who remain packed together at the top of recent Iowa and New Hampshire polls alongside Buttigieg, didn’t take him on at all — a testament to the still-unsettled nature of the 2020 primary campaign and concerns about alienating potential voters with negative attacks less than three months before voting starts in Iowa.” POLITICO … Video of key moments
— ONE OF THE BEST LINES OF THE NIGHT, via AMY KLOBUCHAR: “Women are held to a higher standard. Otherwise we could play a game called ‘name your favorite women president,’ which we can’t do because it has all been men. … And if you think a woman can’t beat Donald Trump, Nancy Pelosi does it every single day.”
— JOHN HARRIS COLUMN: “Democrats Heed Obama’s Warning”: “Finally, a year after candidates began announcing, five months after they began televised debates, actual caucus and primary voting is not too far away. This looming reality pervaded both the mood and substance of the latest Democratic presidential showdown, in Atlanta on Wednesday night.
“As voting gets closer, the candidates are getting closer to voters. Closer, that is, to power as it really exists in the contemporary Democratic Party—a coalition in which African-Americans and women and working-class voters matter very much, and liberal commentators and social media warriors may not matter as much as it sometimes seems in the daily rumpus.
“This debate was not a competition, as the first debate outings last summer were, over who could sound most unhesitantly progressive, or most flamboyantly impatient with conventional politics or the incremental liberalism of Barack Obama. Instead it was a competition over who could sound most credibly in touch with the political, policy, and even psychic needs of a country they see as ready to move beyond the traumas of the Trump era.” POLITICO
— “Democratic Debate Moderator Panel Of All Women Is Celebrated By Viewers,” by HuffPost’s Josephine Harvey
TRUMP’S THURSDAY — The president and first lady Melania Trump will present the National Medal of Arts and the National Humanities Medal at 3:30 p.m. in the East Room.
PLAYBOOK READS
NYT ED BOARD TO DEMS: SLOW DOWN! … “Americans shouldn’t be distracted by Republican smoke bombs, but they should also not be satisfied with a truncated inquiry into a question as consequential as whether the president of the United States should be removed from office. …
“It is essential for the House to conduct a thorough inquiry, including hearing testimony from critical players who have yet to appear. Right now, the House Intelligence Committee has not scheduled testimony from any witnesses after Thursday. That is a mistake. No matter is more urgent, but it should not be rushed — for the protection of the nation’s security, and for the integrity of the presidency, and for the future of the Republic.” NYT
THE CREW … “Lev Parnas Helped Rep. Devin Nunes’ Investigations,” by The Daily Beast’s Betsy Swan: “Lev Parnas, an indicted associate of Rudy Giuliani, helped arrange meetings and calls in Europe for Rep. Devin Nunes in 2018, Parnas’ lawyer Ed MacMahon told The Daily Beast. Nunes aide Derek Harvey participated in the meetings, the lawyer said, which were arranged to help Nunes’ investigative work. MacMahon didn’t specify what those investigations entailed.” Daily Beast
TRADE WARS — “Trump Blames Beijing for Lagging Trade Talks,” by WSJ’s Catherine Lucey and Tripp Mickle: “President Trump criticized China’s efforts to reach a trade agreement during a visit to a Texas plant where Apple Inc. is assembling its new desktop computer.
“Mr. Trump toured the Austin facility with Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook on Wednesday as the White House sought to promote job creation and economic growth against the backdrop of a continuing trade war with Beijing. Few signs of progress have emerged since a plan for a limited “phase one” deal was announced nearly six weeks ago.
“Asked if he would secure a pact by the end of the year, Mr. Trump said, ‘China would much rather make a trade deal than I would’ and added, ‘I haven’t wanted to do it yet. Because I don’t think they’re stepping up to the level that I want.’” WSJ … China responds
— EXPLAINER: “Why Tim Cook made friends with Donald Trump,” by The Verge’s Russell Brandom:“Trump’s trade war could have been disastrous for Apple, which is more reliant on Chinese manufacturing than any other US tech company. So far, the company has escaped mostly unscathed, and Cook’s strange, transactional relationship with Trump may be a big part of why.” The Verge
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OUR NORTHERN NEIGHBORS — “Trudeau taps star diplomat Freeland to tackle ‘Wexit’ divisions,” by Andy Blatchford in Ottawa: “Justin Trudeau is tapping his star global diplomat, Chrystia Freeland, to help bridge a divide with what increasingly feels like a foreign country to his Liberal Party: Canada’s restive Western provinces.
“The Canadian prime minister’s decision to move Freeland, a familiar face in U.S. and European political and media circles, from her prestigious foreign minister post to the domestic portfolio of intergovernmental affairs came as he rolled out his new Cabinet Wednesday. And it’s a stark illustration of the political challenge facing Trudeau as he prepares to start his second term having lost his majority government in last month’s elections.” POLITICO
VALLEY TALK — “Trump hosted Zuckerberg for undisclosed dinner at the White House in October,” by NBC’s Dylan Byers and Ben Collins: “President Donald Trump hosted a previously undisclosed dinner with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook board member Peter Thiel at the White House in October, the company told NBC News on Wednesday. The meeting took place during Zuckerberg’s most recent visit to Washington, where he testified before Congress about Facebook’s new cryptocurrency Libra.” NBC
— NYT: “Google to Limit Targeting of Political Ads,” by Daisuke Wakabayashi in San Francisco and Shane Goldmacher: “Google will restrict how precisely political advertisers can target an audience on its online services, the company announced on Wednesday in a move that shook up the digital plans for campaigns during the 2020 presidential election.
“Political advertisers will be able to aim their messages at people based on their age, gender or location. Google will also allow ads to be targeted to people based on the content of websites they visit. However, the ads can no longer be directed to specific audiences based on their public voter records or political affiliations categorized as ‘left-leaning,’ ‘right-leaning,’ or ‘independent,’ the company said in a blog post.
“The policy will apply to ads shown to users of Google’s search engine and YouTube, as well as display advertisements sold by the company that appear on other websites.” NYT … The announcement
— Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale (@parscale): “Political elites & Big Tech want to rig elections – Dem primary & 2020 included. They’re targeting Trump because he’s the big dog, but they’re also after Dems like Sanders & Warren. Won’t stop until they control all digital political speech.”
MEDIAWATCH … MICHAEL CALDERONE: “Laurene Powell Jobs solidifies control of The Atlantic as Bradley relinquishes duties”: “The move signals a changing of the guard in Washington media circles as Powell Jobs, the California-based widow of Apple founder Steve Jobs, asserts herself in the world of D.C. journalism, and Bradley, one of the city’s best-known hosts and connectors of power, steps away from day-to-day control of the magazine he has shaped for decades.” POLITICO
PLAYBOOKERS
Send tips to Eli Okun and Garrett Ross at politicoplaybook@politico.com.
SPOTTED: Rudy Giuliani, Glenn Simpson, Don Baer and Chuck Todd all sitting directly behind each other in four consecutive rows (1F, 2F, 3F, 4F) — and traveling separately — on the 7 p.m. American Airlines shuttle from LaGuardia to DCA on Wednesday night. … Giuliani was spotted at the Trump International Hotel later in the night. Pic … Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.) at Tosca on Wednesday night. … Steve Case at the new Brasserie Liberté on Wednesday night.
SPOTTED at a National Democratic Training Committee fundraiser at the Salt Line on Wednesday night: DCCC Chair Cheri Bustos (D-Ill.), Reps. Brad Schneider (D-Ill.), Lauren Underwood (D-Ill.) and Joe Kennedy III (D-Mass.), Kelly Dietrich, Jessica Cruz, David Turner, Sarah Horvitz, Sarah LeDonne, Leopoldo Martínez, Kristin White, Reggie Hubbard, Jennifer Frost, Jessica Ellis, Andrew Feldman, Laura Birnbaum and Sarah Mogul.
BIRTHDAY OF THE DAY: Catherine Edmonson, COS for Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas). Two fun facts about her: “I am honored to serve as the youngest chief of staff on Capitol Hill and learn from seasoned professionals every day. Also, I used to be a competitive figure skater … but I won’t be going to the Olympics anytime soon.” Playbook Q&A
BIRTHDAYS: Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) is 75 … Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) is 68 … Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.) is 55 … Rep. Anthony Brown (D-Md.) is 58 … Bret Stephens is 46 … Tina Brown, founder and CEO of Tina Brown Live Media/Women in the World … ABC political director Rick Klein is 43 … Valerie Berlin of BerlinRosen … Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League, is 49 … Bloomberg’s Max Abelson is 35 … Christopher “Gindy” Gindlesperger, SVP of public affairs and comms at the National Confectioners Association … Inside Defense’s Mallory Shelbourne … POLITICO Europe’s Kalina Oroschakoff … Matt Kehres … Georgia Action Fund’s John Burke … Colby Moore … Anthony Randazzo, executive director of Equable Institute … Jon Adams … Joanna Liberman Turner … OMB’s James Braid (h/t Melissa Brown) … Allison Varricchio of the State Department …
… NYU’s Mitchell Moss … Matthew Agvent, deputy war room director at America Rising, is 26 (h/t Christian Martinez) … Elizabeth Farrar, legislative director for Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) (h/t Walt Ecton) … POLITICO’s Judah Taylor, Maria Carrasco and Samantha Maldonado … former Rep. Tom Rooney (R-Fla.) is 49 … Capri Cafaro, executive in residence at AU’s School of Public Affairs … Gurwin Singh Ahuja … Edelman’s Alexis Weiss … T.J. Tatum, VP at Sard Verbinnen … Gabriel Panek … Chelsea Hawker … Jasmine Mora … Lauren Cowin … Lloyd Miller … Dave Boomer is 63 … Carl S. Ey is 53 … Jack Vaughn … Michael Donohue … Peter Dodge … Sarah Courtney … Shawna Shepherd of “The Daily Show with Trevor Noah” … Matt Martinelli is 37 … David Culver … Evan Allen … Kyle Nevins … Betsy Dudley … John Stocks … Brian Spahn … Diane Liepa (h/ts Teresa Vilmain)
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THE RESURGENT
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The Resurgent’s Morning Briefing for November 21,2019
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Good morning, Here is all the news conservatives need to know to start their day. At 4pm ET, you can catch me on radio to bring you up to speed on developments throughout the day. You can listen live here. Impeachment Update: Americans Still Don’t Care I did an informal poll. There is nothing scientific about it, nothing binding, perhaps nothing even meaningful. But then again, perhaps there is. Perhaps it reveals something that those caught up in every Trump tweet, every Schiff statement, every media report, are totally missing: outside of their bubble, no one really knows or cares about […] The post Impeachment Update: Americans Still Don’t Care appeared first on The Resurgent. Read in browser » MSNBC Had a Good Debate I have to hand it to MSNBC. I think they admirably conducted the Democrats’ Atlanta debate. For conservatives, this was not a debate for us. This was a debate for Democrats to talk to Democrats. The issues were framed for that. The MSNBC moderators kept things moving and did a fair job shutting down cross […] The post MSNBC Had a Good Debate appeared first on The Resurgent. Read in browser » Pelosi and Ocasio-Cortez Go to War Over Impeachment So apparently messaging still doesn’t seem to be the Democratic Party’s strong suit. In fact, the left seems committed to ensuring that the biggest enemy they face in convincing the public that they are honest and trustworthy is themselves. While it’s true that, like any political party, there are a wide variety of interests and […] The post Pelosi and Ocasio-Cortez Go to War Over Impeachment appeared first on The Resurgent. Read in browser » LIVE: The Erick Erickson Show – Chick-Fil-A, Tonight’s Debate, and More Impeachment The Erick Erickson Show is live! Here’s the plan for today. Hour 1 Chick-Fil-A and the Culture War Give them the benefit of the doubt Problems Salvation Army and Homelessness GLAAD Response Julia Roberts as Harriett Tubman Reuters story retracted on detained children Why wasn’t this a story in 2015? Never was about the kids […] The post LIVE: The Erick Erickson Show – Chick-Fil-A, Tonight’s Debate, and More Impeachment appeared first on The Resurgent. Read in browser » Recent Items: Give Chick-Fil-A the Benefit of the Doubt, But … Rep Nunes Rips Democrats Over Impeachment: “No Closer To Impeachment Than Where They Were 3 Years Ago” Jim Jordan For The Win: “Facts Are On The President’s Side, The Process Is Certainly Not” House Democrats Investigate Whether Trump Lied To Mueller Is the DNC Afraid Of Tough Questions? Remember, you can listen to the Erick Erickson Show anytime and anywhere via WSB Radio, iTunes, Stitcher, and Soundcloud. As always, you can find pretty much anything and everything I’m writing about throughout the day via The Resurgent. Thanks for reading and tuning in. Erick Erickson THE RESURGENT Facebook Twitter Instagram Copyright © 2019 The Resurgent Media Group, LLC, All rights reserved. unsubscribe from this list update subscription preferences |
LARRY J. SABATO’S CRYSTAL BALL
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IN THIS ISSUE: – 2020 House: Assessing the Open Seats So Far – The Governors: Party Control now at Near Parity – Shades of Alabama in Louisiana’s Gubernatorial Runoff 2020 HOUSE: ASSESSING THE OPEN SEATS SO FAR Openings won’t match the volume of 2018, but Democrats may once again benefit more than Republicans By Kyle Kondik Managing Editor, Sabato’s Crystal Ball |
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Dear Readers: The Crystal Ball will be away next week. Our next issue will be released on Thursday, Dec. 5. We wish all of you a Happy Thanksgiving. — The Editors KEY POINTS FROM THIS ARTICLE — Of 28 open House seats, Republicans are defending 20 while Democrats are defending only eight. — Of eight the Crystal Ball rates as competitive, Republicans are defending all but one. — Open seats, along with pending redistricting in North Carolina, give Democrats a small buffer as they defend their majority. The open seats so far The 2018 House election cycle was defined by an unusually large number of open seats. The 2020 cycle almost certainly won’t feature as many, but there are still more than two dozen so far. And just like in 2018, the open seats that cover competitive turf provide more opportunities for Democrats than Republicans. The start of the holiday season is a good time to take stock of these open seats, because the number of retirements often increases as members consider their own futures with their families and as filing deadlines loom. Impeachment adds an additional wrinkle to the retirement calculus: Depending on the timing, it could cut into holiday family time, and — whatever one thinks of it — we doubt the process is making the House a more pleasant place to work. Whoever decides to not seek reelection to the House will add to the retirements we’ve already seen this year. So far, 28 House seats are going to be open in next year’s elections, meaning that there will not be an incumbent on either the primary or general election ballot. Additionally, there are four vacancies in the House right now. We’re not counting these as true open seats, because presumably new incumbents in these seats will be seeking full terms in their own right after winning forthcoming special elections. The postwar average, according to data compiled by Vital Statistics on Congress, is for 397 House members to seek reelection each cycle. That means that, on average, there are 38 open seats per cycle. There are 28 so far, but there’s still plenty of time for this cycle’s tally to match or perhaps even exceed the postwar average. The open seats have a decidedly Republican lean: Of the 28 open seats, more than two-thirds (20) are currently held by Republicans, while just eight are held by Democrats. Most of these open seats will be easy holds for the incumbent party: 20 of the 28 are rated as Safe Republican or Safe Democratic. However, eight of the open seats are competitive to at least some degree in our ratings, and all but one of those are currently held by Republicans. This gives Democrats more of an opportunity to net seats from the list of open seats, at least so far. While the incumbency advantage historically observed for House members may be eroding, open seats still tend to be harder for the incumbent’s party to defend than if the incumbent him or herself was running. In 2018, 12 of the Democrats’ 43 pickups came in seats where the incumbent didn’t run again. So while the bulk of the Democratic pickups came by beating incumbents — they beat 30 last year, and also flipped an additional seat (SC-1) where the GOP incumbent, Mark Sanford, ran for reelection but lost his primary — Democrats won 12 of 39 GOP-held open seats. In other words, Democrats converted about 30% of their possible open-seat opportunities. Meanwhile, Democrats won about 15% of the GOP-held seats where incumbents ran again. So the Democrats’ batting average was significantly higher among the open seats than among the ones defended by Republican incumbents. Meanwhile, Republicans did not defeat a single Democratic incumbent in 2018 — but they did flip three Democratic open seats. This is a long way of saying that open seats are still often more vulnerable for the incumbent party than ones held by incumbents. Let’s take a look at these districts so far by splitting them into three groups. The first group, shown in Table 1, includes the eight open seats that we rate as at least somewhat competitive. The second features the 20 open seats where, realistically, the only competition will be in the primary. The third group features the four vacant seats, where there will be special elections later this cycle. Table 1: Open House seats rated as competitive |
Sources: U.S. House of Representatives Press Gallery; Daily Kos Elections; Cook Political Report.
The seat that stands out here is TX-23, which runs from the outskirts of El Paso to the San Antonio area and has been competitive throughout the decade. Rep. Will Hurd (R) is retiring after three terms; this is just one of three districts held by Republicans that Hillary Clinton carried in the 2016 election, and it’s also the only seat in the country where we make the incumbent party an underdog. There are many candidates on both sides, but veteran Gina Ortiz Jones (D), who came within half a point of beating Hurd last year, is running again and is sitting on a $1.4 million warchest. Meanwhile, the leading GOP candidate appears to be veteran Tony Gonzales (R), who Hurd recently endorsed. He only has a little over $100,000 in the bank. Money isn’t everything, but Ortiz Jones’ big financial edge, residual name ID from her near-miss last time, and the likelihood (although not certainty) that the Democratic presidential nominee will once again carry the district combine to make the Democrats the favorite in this district.
The one Democratic-held open seat, IA-2, gives the GOP a Toss-up target in a Trump-won district. Democrats have rallied around Rita Hart, a former state senator who was the party’s lieutenant gubernatorial nominee last year, while Republicans have state Sen. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R) and former Rep. Bobby Schilling (R), who represented IL-17 from 2011-2013. Miller-Meeks unsuccessfully challenged retiring Rep. Dave Loebsack (D, IA-2) in 2008, 2010, and 2014, coming within striking distance of him in those latter two elections, while Schilling’s old Illinois district is separated from IA-2 by the Mississippi River.
Otherwise, these open seats largely will test the GOP’s ability to defend suburban turf in places like Long Island, Dallas-Ft. Worth, Houston, and Atlanta.
All told, the Republicans would be very fortunate to avoid a net loss among the seats listed here. But there’s always the possibility that future retirements could endanger Democratic seats and change the overall calculus. For instance, Rep. Collin Peterson (D, MN-7) holds a seat Trump won by 31 points and often flirts with retirement. If he retired, his district would move from a Toss-up to an easy Republican pickup.
Table 2: Open seats rated as Safe
Notes: * N/A means that the district did not feature two-party competition in 2018; Cook faced a fellow Republican in the general election, while Kennedy and Lowey did not face Republican opponents.
Sources: U.S. House of Representatives Press Gallery; Daily Kos Elections; Cook Political Report.
Table 2 shows the open seats rated as safe. This group includes a mix of long-serving members on both sides — although there are clearly more Republicans heading for the exits than Democrats — as well as some more recently-elected members who are seeking greener pastures: Reps. Bradley Byrne (R, AL-1), Joe Kennedy (D, MA-4), Roger Marshall (R, KS-1), and Ben Ray Luján (D, NM-3) are seeking Senate seats, and Rep. Paul Cook (R, CA-8) is running for a county supervisor position, which may actually be a greener pasture depending on one’s perspective (there have been a handful of other sitting U.S. House members from California who have attempted to make such a switch in recent years). Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D, HI-2) is pursuing, rather quixotically, the Democratic presidential nomination.
Some of these seats could hypothetically be competitive in really bad political environments for the incumbent party. For instance, retiring Rep. Peter Visclosky’s (D, IN-1) post-industrial northwest Indiana district fell from voting for Barack Obama by 24 points in 2012 to Hillary Clinton by 13 in 2016, although it should remain Democratic in 2020. If Indiana Republicans wanted to aggressively gerrymander the state after 2020 to add to their 7-2 statewide U.S. House delegation edge, though, this district might be an attractive target to break up.
Note that there are several open Republican seats in Texas, listed both in Tables 1 and 2. For newly-elected members from these seats, redistricting could scramble things next cycle as the Republicans who probably will retain line-drawing power redesign the current districts and add a few new ones to account both for the state’s exploding population growth and for the growing Democratic strength in the state.
Table 3: Current House vacancies
| Sources: U.S. House of Representatives Press Gallery; Daily Kos Elections; Cook Political Report; Greg Giroux. Finally, Table 3 shows the vacant seats that will hold special elections later this cycle. Of these forthcoming special elections, only CA-25, from which Katie Hill (D) recently resigned, seems truly competitive. Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) just set the all-party primary for March 3, concurrent with the state’s presidential primary. A big, Democratic-leaning first-round turnout could allow state Assemblywoman Christy Smith (D) to win the vote majority required to win the special election outright, but she may not have the Democratic field entirely to herself: Cenk Uygur, a progressive commentator, also is apparently running, but he is taking flak for past controversial comments. Former Rep. Steve Knight (R) is running to reclaim the seat he lost to Hill by nearly nine points last year, among other Republicans. Conclusion Overall, 2020 is not going to see the number of open seats we saw in 2018. Last cycle, only 375 of the 435 House seats featured an incumbent running for reelection, meaning that there were 60 open seats. That was the second-highest number of open seats in the post-World War II era, eclipsed only by 1992. That was a national redistricting year, and redistricting often leads to more open seats than normal years. Last cycle, only Pennsylvania drew new lines, as the state’s Democratic-controlled Supreme Court threw out a Republican gerrymander and replaced it with a more balanced but arguably Democratic-leaning map. Democrats converted a 13-5 GOP delegation into one that was split 9-9, with three of those four Democratic flips coming in open seats and the fourth coming when Rep. Conor Lamb (D) beat Rep. Keith Rothfus (R) in a redrawn Pittsburgh-area seat (Lamb had won a special election under the old district lines before winning the incumbent vs. incumbent bout). A similar situation is playing out in North Carolina, where a state court just threw out a Republican gerrymander. The state currently features a 10-3 Republican-dominated U.S. House delegation. North Carolina’s GOP-controlled state legislature passed a replacement map that likely would result in an 8-5 GOP delegation, netting Democrats two seats. It’s unclear whether this map will ultimately be adopted: It may be that the Democrats can get an even better map. Rep. George Holding (R, NC-2), whose district likely would become unwinnable for him under a new map, is already telegraphing his retirement. Rep. Mark Walker (R, NC-6) might also find himself in a Democratic district, although he may challenge a sitting GOP colleague elsewhere. In any event, the North Carolina remap may very well contribute to the open seat total, too. We will issue new ratings in North Carolina once the new map is finalized. One final note: In 2018, Americans elected a 235-200 Democratic House majority. So that means Republicans need to win 18 more seats than they won in 2018 to win a House majority in 2020. However, since the 2018 election, a few developments have effectively risen the bar for needed GOP gains. As noted above, Democrats seem likely to net at least a couple of seats because of the North Carolina remap. Also, Republicans are at least a small underdog in one of their current open seats — TX-23 — and Rep. Justin Amash (I, MI-3) left the party. So instead of Republicans having to win at least 18 currently-Democratic seats to win the House, the real number may be more like 21, and that doesn’t even include whatever effort they will need to exert in Amash’s seat. Republicans do have a path to win the House, which largely goes through flipping a significant number of the 31 Trump-won districts held by Democrats. Such a result cannot be ruled out in an age where ticket-splitting is on the decline. But so far this cycle, Democrats stand to benefit more from retirements than Republicans. Also, significant one-off events, like Amash’s defection and the North Carolina redistricting, are making life harder for the Republicans. That’s why the Democrats continue to be favorites to hold the House of Representatives majority. |
| THE GOVERNORS: PARTY CONTROL NOW NEAR PARITY GOP holds slim edge, but more Americans live under Democratic governors; crossover governors obscure stronger partisan alignment below the top ballot line |
| By Kyle Kondik Managing Editor, Sabato’s Crystal Ball |
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KEY POINTS FROM THIS ARTICLE — Following the 2019 elections, Republicans retain a narrow 26-24 edge in governorships. — But that’s a big shift from mid-2017, when Democrats held just 15. — Gubernatorial races are likelier to defy federal partisanship than House and Senate races. The gubernatorial scorecard The Louisiana gubernatorial runoff closed the book on 2019’s statewide races. Democrats held Louisiana and narrowly won Kentucky, while Republicans held Mississippi. Map 1 shows the current party control of the governorships. They are split roughly evenly, with Republicans holding 26 and Democrats holding 24. A majority of Americans, a little less than 55%, will live under Democratic governors once Gov.-elect Andy Beshear (D-KY) takes office next month. Map 1: Party control of governorships following 2019 elections Since mid-2017, when Gov. Jim Justice’s (R-WV) party switch left Democrats with just 15 governorships, the party has gained nine total, while in that timeframe the only GOP gain came in Alaska, where a Republican took over from an independent last year. This trend is in keeping with what happens when a party controls the White House: They often lose ground in down-ballot offices. Still, party control of the governorships defies federal partisanship (as expressed by the 2016 presidential results) more so than does Congress. About a quarter of all the governorships — 12 of 50 — are held by a member of the party that differs from the party that won it for president. There are eight Democratic governors of Donald Trump-won states, and four Republican governors of Hillary Clinton-won states. Four of the eight crossover Democrats govern states that are very Republican at the presidential level (Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, and Montana), while the other four govern presidential battlegrounds (Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin). One of the four Republicans in a Clinton state holds a swing state (New Hampshire), while the other three are in dark blue states (Massachusetts, Maryland, and Vermont). Meanwhile, just 11% of senators (11 total, nine Trump-state Democrats and two Clinton-state Republicans) and 8% of House members (34 total, 31 Trump-district Democrats and three Clinton-district Republicans) represent crossover territory. Party control of state legislatures, unlike the governorships, aligns almost perfectly along presidential lines. After Democrats captured both chambers of Clinton-state Virginia’s state legislature earlier this month, there are only two state legislative chambers out of 99 total — the Alaska state House and the Minnesota state Senate — that are not controlled by the same party that won them for president in 2016. There are asterisks with both: Alaska has a Republican majority, but it has an independent speaker — who is a former Democrat — thanks to a GOP split, and Minnesota’s Senate might have flipped to the Democrats if it had been contested in 2018 (Nebraska’s single legislative chamber is technically nonpartisan, but Republicans effectively hold the majority there). This partisanship below the top of the ballot was reinforced in Kentucky and Louisiana. Despite losing the gubernatorial races, the GOP won every other statewide race in Kentucky (the state legislature was not on the ballot this year) and, in Louisiana, Republicans expanded their state legislative majorities, winning a supermajority in the Senate and narrowly missing out on one in the House. That failure to win a House supermajority could have an impact on redistricting next year, as Gov. John Bel Edwards (D-LA) could try to push for a second Democratic U.S. House district in the state. Republicans currently hold a 5-1 majority in the state’s U.S. House delegation, but the state could accommodate a second Democratic district. Republicans could’ve overridden an Edwards district map veto had they won a supermajority, although it’s hard to know how a redistricting fight will evolve following the 2020 census, and party-line votes on that issue cannot be assumed with certainty. There are only a relative handful of gubernatorial races next year. The big prize is North Carolina, where Gov. Roy Cooper (D-NC) is a modest favorite to win a second term in the only large state that will feature competitive races for president, Senate, and governor next year. The GOP’s best target is the open seat in Montana, and that’s also the governorship likeliest to flip. Map 2: 2020 Crystal Ball gubernatorial ratings |
| SHADES OF ALABAMA IN LOUISIANA’S GUBERNATORIAL RUNOFF |
| By J. Miles Coleman Associate Editor, Sabato’s Crystal Ball |
|
KEY POINTS FROM THIS ARTICLE — In his narrow reelection win on Saturday, Gov. John Bel Edwards (D-LA) replicated some of the voting patterns displayed in Sen. Doug Jones’ (D-AL) special election victory two years ago. — Both Edwards and Jones won statewide races despite each carrying only a single congressional district apiece. How John Bel Edwards won a second term For political junkies, the main event of last weekend’s Bayou State festivities was the closely fought gubernatorial runoff, where Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) held on against wealthy businessman Eddie Rispone (R). The president invested substantial political capital in this race, notably holding three campaign rallies in the state since October. Coming on the heels of a rebuff in Kentucky’s gubernatorial contest earlier this month, where he rallied for the now-ousted Gov. Matt Bevin (R), the pair of races, taken together, show the limitations of the president’s endorsement. Still, while these gubernatorial contests are certainly setbacks for the president in the short-term, the Crystal Ball keeps both Kentucky and Louisiana safely in the red column for him in 2020. The contours of Edwards’ triumph line up strikingly well with Sen. Doug Jones’ (D) upset win in the 2017 Alabama special election over former state Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore (R), an extraordinarily weak candidate. To Edwards’ delight, his beloved Louisiana State University Tigers beat the University of Alabama Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa, AL a couple of weeks ago in college football’s game of the year, but the Louisiana governor’s playbook looked a lot like the Alabama senator’s. Both Jones and Edwards were able to energize the black electorate in their states to a level that is uncommonly intense in the post-Obama political landscape. Breaking down both their races by congressional district, a prominent feature stands out: they won statewide despite each carrying just a single congressional district apiece. Map 1: Louisiana governor 2019 and Alabama Senate 2017 by congressional district In Louisiana, Edwards carried the Second Congressional District, running from New Orleans to Baton Rouge, with an overwhelming 85%. Jones put up a similarly strong 80% in Alabama’s Seventh Congressional District, which includes parts of Birmingham and Montgomery. Both LA-2 and AL-7 are majority-minority and were the sole districts in their states to support Hillary Clinton in 2016. The turnout data also shows a similarity between the races: in both states, the Sixth Congressional Districts cast the most votes (Table 1). Table 1: Louisiana 2019 and Alabama 2017 vote totals by congressional district |
| Aside from their shared moniker, the districts are demographically comparable — LA-6 is centered on suburban Baton Rouge while much of AL-6 comes from suburban Birmingham. White, wealthy suburbanites are the demographic that Democrats have made the deepest inroads with in the Trump era, so it’s logical that these districts would see relatively high voter engagement. LA-6 was Edwards’ best Republican-held district: He came within three points of carrying it, and, while Jones took just 45% in AL-6, it was a major upgrade from the punishing 26% that Clinton received there. Conversely, looking at each state’s Fourth Congressional Districts, voter turnout suggested that both Moore and Rispone inspired cool reactions in GOP base regions. AL-4, which covers a wide rural swath of the state’s north, supported Moore by a hefty 38%, but cast the fewest votes of any district. Facing a presidential electorate, it’s unlikely Jones will benefit from this turnout dynamic, which factors into the Crystal Ball’s Leans Republican rating for the Alabama Senate race coming up next year. Days prior to the Louisiana runoff, the president held a rally in the Shreveport area, which sits in LA-4. Not only did LA-4 cast the fewest votes in the state, but the precinct where Trump held his rally actually flipped to Edwards. Given the nature of his opposition and the hardening of 2016’s electoral fault lines, Edwards was not in a position to replicate the 56% he received in 2015 against then-Sen. David Vitter (R), a weak GOP nominee. At the precinct level, the state nearly uniformly swung red in between the elections, but the movement lined up well with what observers of national politics have come to expect (Map 2). Map 2: Change between Louisiana gubernatorial runoffs, 2015 to 2019 In the southwestern corner of the state, Cameron Parish moved hardest against Edwards; after taking 49% in 2015, he was down to 25% on Saturday. Such acute shifts to the right were common throughout Acadiana — a heavily blue-collar region where cultural issues and the national Democrats’ perceived hostility to the oil industry likely contributed to the shift. Edwards’ gains from 2015 came primarily in the New Orleans metro; Jefferson Parish was especially salient. One of the most striking features of the governor’s coalition was east Jefferson Parish, which includes the large suburban community of Metairie. Among the first areas in the state to vote consistently GOP, it’s produced national figures such as Rep. Steve Scalise (R, LA-1) and Vitter, Edwards’ 2015 opponent. On Saturday, Edwards essentially tied Rispone in east Jefferson, losing it by just 73 votes. It’s easy to gloss over Orleans Parish, as it’s so safely Democratic, but its vote also was informative. Outside of a few swampy precincts in the eastern part of the parish, Edwards carried every precinct there, gaining several from 2015. In New Orleans’ wealthy Uptown neighborhood, the precinct that houses Tulane and Loyola universities saw a 118% turnout increase from 2015’s totals on Election Day — Edwards’ percentage share consummately rose from 65% to 91%. Though ostensibly just one precinct, the collegiate voters in Uptown show that, in the pursuit of his second term, Edwards was able to mobilize his necessary constituencies. Out Now: The Blue Wave, the UVA Center for Politics’ book on the 2018 election Our new book on the 2018 midterm elections, The Blue Wave: The 2018 Midterms and What They Mean for the 2020 Elections, is now available from Rowman and Littlefield. Edited by University of Virginia Center for Politics Director Larry J. Sabato and Crystal Ball managing editor Kyle Kondik, The Blue Wave features top journalists, academics, and analysts who explore the 2018 midterm from all angles and look ahead to the monumental presidential election coming in 2020. Use code RLFANDF30 for 30% off at Rowman and Littlefield’s website. The Blue Wave features the following contributors and chapters: — Larry J. Sabato: The Blue Wave: Trump at Midterm — Alan I. Abramowitz: The Trump Effect: The 2018 Midterm Election as a Referendum on a Polarizing President — Rhodes Cook: The Primaries: Democrats Shine in the Shadow of Trump — David Byler: Humpty Dumpty’s Fall: How Trump’s Winning Presidential Coalition Broke Down in 2018 — Kyle Kondik: The House: Where the Blue Wave Hit the Hardest — James Hohmann: The Senate: The Republicans’ Bright Spot — Madelaine Pisani: The Governors: Democratic Wave Falls Short of a Wipeout — Michael Toner and Karen Trainer: The Money Wars: Emerging Campaign Finance Trends and Their Impact on 2018 and Beyond — Emily C. Singer: Women Rule: The Surge of Women in Congress — Theodore R. Johnson: Hindsight in 2020: Black Voting Behavior and the Next Presidential Election — Matt Barreto, Gary Segura, and Albert Morales: The Brown Tide and the Blue Wave in 2018 — Diana Owen: Presidential Media and the Midterm Elections — Joshua T. Putnam: Foresight is 2020: New Features of the Democratic Delegate Selection Rules — Sean Trende: Was 2018 a Wave Election? Read the fine print Learn more about the Crystal Ball and find out how to contact us here. Sign up to receive Crystal Ball e-mails like this one delivered straight to your inbox. Use caution with Sabato’s Crystal Ball, and remember: “He who lives by the Crystal Ball ends up eating ground glass!” |
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THE FLIP SIDE
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Thursday, November 21, 2019 Democratic Debate On Wednesday evening, the Democrats held their fifth presidential primary debate. NBC News From the Left The left doesn’t see any clear winners, but applauds the substantive policy discussions that took place. “During the debate, each of these candidates answered questions playing to their strengths; Warren landed a punch with an exchange on her wealth tax, Biden talked about foreign policy and the lack of civility in America, Sanders touched on his signature issue of Medicare-for-all, and Buttigieg took time to pitch himself a moderate alternative to the left wing of the Democratic Party… The night gave all four frontrunners some wins, and a few losses. Still, not much happened to dramatically reshape the state of the race.” Ella Nilsen, Vox “During the Democratic debate in Atlanta on Wednesday night, the moderators asked Buttigieg specifically what he would do differently from former President Barack Obama, who also used rhetoric about unity but faced eight years of entrenched Republican opposition. Buttigieg didn’t really have an answer.” Amanda Terkel, Huffington Post Nonetheless, “This was the debate that sent a signal that Democrats differ far more with Trump and the Republicans than they do with each other. The question that came to mind after some of the harsh and more narrowly focused brawls earlier in the year was: How could this party possibly unite? The question that dominated on Wednesday was: Do these contenders really disagree all that much? Of course, they do disagree, as Warren and Sanders especially wanted to make clear by way of contrast with their more moderate adversaries. But it was a salutary break from an all-Trump, all-the-time Washington to hear discourses on how to build houses, how to make college affordable and how to help families care for their kids.” E.J. Dionne Jr., Washington Post “A few minutes on one night might not be the dream scenario for affordable housing advocates, but there’s some value just in asking. Studies have shown that simply being discussed at a presidential debate is a form of validation that elevates the significance of an issue in the eyes of voters. Hopefully viewers won’t have to wait so long to hear more.” Tim Murphy, Mother Jones “In a marked contrast from several past debates, gender equity took center stage at Wednesday’s Democratic debate, which featured wide-ranging discussion about paid family leave, abortion rights, and the higher standards that women candidates must meet… Yang’s comment highlighted a startling reality: Among developed countries, the US is the only one that does not have a paid leave program, a policy that’s been shown to increase women’s workforce participation, reduce family’s reliance on public assistance, and improve children’s health outcomes.” Li Zhou, Vox Many note that “Biden’s opposition to [marijuana] legalization… puts him at odds with the great majority of Democrats, 75-plus percent of whom back legalization. Biden’s opposition even puts him at odds with the median Republican, with polls showing that even a majority of Republicans support legalization. Politically, then, legalization should be low-hanging fruit… Yet Biden is not quite there… “It’s an especially bad look for Biden. He has a long record of pushing for punitive criminal justice and drug policies — not just supporting but actually writing many of the laws in the 1980s and ’90s that helped shape America’s modern war on drugs. For Biden to hang on to marijuana prohibition, then, just reinforces one of the major concerns that criminal justice reformers like Booker have about him.” German Lopez, Vox Others argue that “Biden was almost the only one on the stage who talked like a normal person. There was a point near the end of the debate when he was talking about getting men involved in stopping domestic violence and he said that we need to keep ‘punching’ at it. My heart sank immediately… I knew that the twitterati and the analysts would tut tut. Ol’ Joe is just out of touch! He doesn’t know you can’t use words like that. Meanwhile, every non-political junkie watching the debate thought there was nothing wrong with this. Biden was just using ordinary language, not worrying too much if it was fully approved by the woke brigade.” Kevin Drum, Mother Jones From the Right The right sees Buttigieg and Biden as the winners of the debate, and criticizes the answers on housing and foreign policy. “Tonight’s debate — perhaps overshadowed by the impeachment hearings — was an oddly flat showcase for the candidates, where almost every candidate seemed content to tread water and play it safe… “Right now, Pete Buttigieg is leading in Iowa, Elizabeth Warren is leading in New Hampshire, and Joe Biden is leading in Nevada, in South Carolina, and nationally. Time is on the side of those leading candidates. Everybody else should have been making an argument against one of them, but attacks on any of them were few and far between. Judging from the anodyne tone and relatively few direct confrontations between candidates, everyone must be pretty happy with where they are right now. Congratulations, Biden, Warren and Buttigieg. You walked onto that stage in good shape, and you’re walking off in good shape.” Jim Geraghty, National Review “Mayor Pete was the big winner of the debate, even on defense. Nobody managed to ding him… Throughout the campaign so far, every time a candidate has started gaining on Joe Biden, they’ve [faced] a barrage of attacks meant to stop their momentum. The question of the night was whether lovable Mayor Pete could survive a knife fight with seasoned political warriors. He did… “The socialists, Warren and Sanders, were an afterthought. Harris was impassioned but ineffective. Look for this to be a continuing theme. They lost this debate badly because their messages don’t appeal beyond Park Slope and the Bay Area… This debate pointed to a Biden-vs.-Buttigieg primary. The more extreme candidates are falling back. The Democrats who want to be the adults in the room are winning. And that is good news for the Democratic Party.” David Marcus, New York Post “Elizabeth Warren is exactly right that the nation has a housing deficiency. Too bad she absurdly asserted it’s because the government wasn’t doing enough. From the suburbs of San Francisco and Los Angeles to the heart of Manhattan, Democratic city and state regulations have hindered housing development to disastrous proportions. Zoning initiatives on the West Coast for single-family homes have exacerbated commute times and homelessness, and rent control pushes have failed to ameliorate rising housing costs in the East… “There’s no question that redlining laws within our grandparent’s lifetimes discriminated against people of color in abhorrent ways… But the housing crises faced by recent immigrants from the southern border and fleeing suburbanites in blue metropolitan areas across the country haven’t come from the laws of decades past. They’re products of economic hogwash enforced to this very day, illustrated by a 29% increase in regulatory costs from 2011 to 2016 and reflected in a halting rate of housing development. The problem runs so deep that the Council of Economic Advisors found [relaxing] California zoning laws would collapse rent prices by more than half in the Bay and nearly as much in Los Angeles.” Tiana Lowe, Washington Examiner Finally, “There are good arguments against President Trump’s foreign policy. North Korea, for example, retains its nuclear weapons program and is moving towards a resumption of long-range missile tests. China continues to consolidate its control over the Pacific Rim. Iran is readying a nuclear breakout. Vladimir Putin is heartened by the partisan impeachment battles over Ukraine. These are issues that the 2020 Democratic presidential hopefuls should jump on to offer serious alternatives. But they didn’t… “Instead, Democrats on Wednesday offered a mix of platitudes and weakness. Take the responses to a question from Andrea Mitchell as to whether they would ostracize Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman over his murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Joe Biden said little, Amy Kloubachar paused and said, ‘We need a new foreign policy,’ and Cory Booker said, ‘The values of freedom and democracy are what we are going to lead with.’ Wow, thanks, Cory — that profound line will really scare our enemies… None of this is a recipe for American leadership or security.” Tom Rogan, Washington Examiner On the bright side… Therapy llamas are coming to a Portland hotel for the holidays, because Portland. Washington Post Our volunteer team spends hours each night scanning the news, fact-checking, and debating one another, so your 5 minutes each morning can be well spent. If you’ve found value in our work, we welcome you to help sustain our efforts and expand our reach. Any support you can provide is greatly appreciated! Share Tweet Forward Sign Up Here Copyright © 2019 The Flip Side, All rights reserved. You can unsubscribe from this list here. |
THE WASHINGTON POST MORNING HEADLINES
| Sign up for this newsletter Read online The morning’s most important stories, curated by Post editors. (Melina Mara/The Post) At critical moment, Democrats tackle range of issues With the field growing both larger and more fluid, the 10 presidential candidates opened new lines of conversation and held pointed if brief disputes, some of them focused on black voters, a key constituency. By Matt Viser, Annie Linskey and Toluse Olorunnipa ● Read more » Democrats focus on beating Trump, rather than beating up on each other The debate participants turned their attention on the unabated fear of President Trump’s reelection, amid recent polling showing him with an edge in key Midwestern battleground states. By Michael Scherer ● Read more » Winners and losers of the debate Mayor Pete Buttigieg managed the pressure that comes with being a newly minted polling frontrunner, there was pushback against Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s wealth tax, and former vice president Joe Biden had yet another shaky performance. The Fix | Analysis ● By Aaron Blake ● Read more » 10 claims that caught our attention Bernie Sanders exaggerated the U.S. homelessness crisis. Andrew Yang’s surprising statistic on paid family leave was spot on. Fact Checker | Analysis ● By Glenn Kessler, Salvador Rizzo and Meg Kelly ● Read more » Sondland implicates Trump in quid pro quo, says Pence, Pompeo knew Ambassador Gordon Sondland said senior administration officials were aware of the pressure on Ukraine for investigations that could damage President Trump’s political foes. A Defense Department official also gave new details that linked a hold on aid to a key July 25 phone call. IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY ● By Rachael Bade, Aaron Davis and Matt Zapotosky ● Read more » ADVERTISEMENT Sondland’s bombshell testimony leaves Trump’s GOP allies scrambling The bombshell testimony alleging that the president attempted to leverage an invite for the Ukrainian president in exchange for an investigation into his political opponents forced the White House to quickly recalibrate its defense of the president’s actions. By Seung Min Kim, Josh Dawsey and Kayla Epstein ● Read more » Sondland’s dramatic testimony shakes the impeachment debate and undercuts the president In clear and unequivocal language, the E.U. ambassador implicated President Trump and other senior officials in the effort to pressure Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The Take | Analysis ● By Dan Balz ● Read more » Opinions A debate that covered the issues? This time, we don’t have to imagine. By E.J. Dionne ● Read more » Bernie Sanders bombs the ‘lock him up’ test By Stephen Stromberg ● Read more » ADVERTISEMENT Harris, Buttigieg and Klobuchar shine in the fifth debate By Jennifer Rubin ● Read more » Republicans should have no problem summoning Trump’s top aides By Editorial Board ● Read more » Republicans won’t impeach Trump. But they should punish him. By Henry Olsen ● Read more » In Gordon Sondland, Trump has met his match By Dana Milbank ● Read more » More News Trump says China isn’t ‘stepping up,’ and trade talks show signs of languishing Negotiators remain stuck on several core issues, including the extent of Chinese commitments to buy American farm products and U.S. willingness to reverse its tariff plans. By David Lynch ● Read more » Trump health official spent millions on consultants who aimed to boost her visibility Seema Verma, President Trump’s top appointee overseeing health insurance for the elderly and poor, hired the high-paid consultants at a cost to taxpayers of more than $3 million. By Amy Goldstein ● Read more » White House pick to lead NOAA withdraws nomination, citing health concerns Barry Myers’s nomination had languished in the Senate since it was first announced in November 2017, due in part to conflict-of-interest concerns regarding his family’s continued ownership stake in AccuWeather. By Andrew Freedman and Jason Samenow ● Read more » A comedian wrote about his baby’s death on Twitter. Then thousands poured out their own grief. Michael Cruz Kayne wrote, “If you are grieving, you are not alone.” More than 140,000 people reacted to his post, sharing their gutting stories of loss and grief and offering support for one another. By Allison Klein ● Read more » ‘Short-lived outburst’ of shooting stars forecast for Thursday night If the Alpha Monocerotid meteor shower reaches its potential, a burst of 100 or so meteors could streak across the sky in about 15 minutes, anytime between 11:30 p.m. ET Thursday and 12:10 a.m. Friday. Capital Weather Gang ● By Matthew Cappucci ● Read more » We think you’ll like this newsletter Check out By The Way for tips and guides that will help you travel better and make you feel like a local wherever you go. Delivered every Thursday. Sign up » |
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BRIGHT
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Thursday, November 21, 2019 |
House Carries On With More Witness Testimonies Wednesday was another day of marathon sessions in the House Intelligence Committee. The U.S. Ambassador to the EU Gordon Sondland testified for most of the day, followed by two other officials from the Defense Department and State Department. The mainstream media’s takeaway was that Sondland is now the star witness they were looking for, who undercut Trump’s defense and testified that he thought there was a quid pro quo. When pressed further by Republicans, Sondland said he was not told by other White House officials there was quid pro quo but that it was his own presumption. Sondland also testified that Vice President Mike Pence, Energy Secretary Rick Perry, and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo were aware of efforts to “pressure” Ukraine to investigate the Bidens. Within a few hours of his testimony, all three White House officials released statements equivocally denying those claims. Sondland also told lawmakers he had a candid conversation with Trump in which the president said, “I want nothing. I want no quid pro quo.” Here’s whose up to testify in today’s hearings: State Dept. Official David Holmes and White House Russia expert Fiona Hill (Read more at NY Post). Fifth Democratic Debate Held In Atlanta Yes, there was another Dem debate last night. No, you didn’t miss anything. The moderators did their best to facilitate perhaps the most boring and fruitless debate yet. They wasted precious minutes entertaining questions about impeachment, whether campaign rallies should have “lock him up chants,” and how evil Republicans are—all topics every candidate on stage already agrees on! Additionally, MSNBC gave considerably more air time to their darling candidate, Warren, than to non-establishment candidates like Bernie, Yang, or Gabbard, but still failed to press Warren on how she is going to pay for her Medicare For All plan. Overall, Cory Booker made a splash for his sleepy campaign by not sounding completely crazy, Amy Klobuchar had a good presence but was distractingly shaky (really, physically shaking), and Kamala Harris had no real substance and sounded like she couldn’t string two sentences together. A few other highlights: -Cory Booker and Elizabeth Warren debating the best way to raise taxes (The Federalist) -Tulsi Gabbard and Pete Buttigieg exchange over military experience and foreign policy (MSNBC) -Warren all but openly saying there is no room for pro-life Democrats in her party (Twitter) -Joe Biden gaffes of the night: We need to “punch” at domestic violence (Twitter), and forgetting that Kamala Harris was on stage (The Federalist) -Cory Booker attacking Joe Biden for claiming weed is a gateway drug (The Week) Poll: Young People Enjoy ‘Friendsgiving’ More Than Thanksgiving A poll of 2,000 Americans – aged 18–38 – found 68 percent say they prefer celebrating “Friendsgiving” over other traditional versions of the autumnal celebration (NY Post). While it’s sad to hear that millennials do not enjoy Thanksgiving with their immediate and extended family, the real tragedy of this poll is that one in fourof “Friendsgiving” guests surveyed said they bring guacamole or hummus as their potluck dish. If you’re going to get drunk at “Friendsgiving” this weekend, at least show some effort. Use it as an opportunity to test drive new dishes before the real deal next week. Here are a few new ones on my list to try this year: -Fall festive Shredded Brussels Sprout Salad with walnuts, cranberries, blue cheese. -This Chocolate Pecan Slab Pie works well for a crowd. -If you really are useless in the kitchen, throw together a fancy cheese plate. Thursday Links Grammy Nominees are announced: Lizzo, Lil Nas X, and Billie Eilish snag nominations in multiple categories. (Billboard) No, the new “Charlie’s Angels” didn’t flop because men moviegoers are sexist. (The Federalist) DNA confirms Hunter Biden (49) is the father of an Arkansas baby. He initially denied ever having sexual relations with the child’s mother (26). (Arkansas Online) Interview with pro-life activist and undercover journalist David Daleiden, whose federal trial against Planned Parenthood ended on Friday. (The Ann and Phelim Scoop) An interview with everyone who claims they invented the everything bagel. (Taste) BRIGHT is brought to you by The Federalist. |
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NOQ REPORT
- Debate gaffe by Joe Biden should terrify the Democratic Establishment
- President of Chico State Republicans assaulted for holding ‘All Lives Matter’ sign
- This is the real bombshell from the Sondland testimony the media wants buried
- Tom Steyer. That’s the punchline. The jokes write themselves.
- Watching the Democratic debate tells us why impeachment is so important to the left
- What color is the sky in your world?
- In a sane world, Sondland’s testimony would put the impeachment debacle to rest
- Benny Gantz returns mandate after failure to form Israeli government
| Debate gaffe by Joe Biden should terrify the Democratic Establishment Posted: 21 Nov 2019 05:01 AM PST Democrats see the writing on the wall, at least the ones who are paying attention. Fortunately for Republicans, there are plenty of Democrats who aren’t paying attention which is why former Vice President Joe Biden is still a frontrunner for the nomination. I wouldn’t go so far as to say he’s the favorite at this […] The post Debate gaffe by Joe Biden should terrify the Democratic Establishment appeared first on Conservative Christian News. |
| President of Chico State Republicans assaulted for holding ‘All Lives Matter’ sign Posted: 21 Nov 2019 03:57 AM PST Here is the tolerant, accepting left in action on another college campus. As Chico State University in California prepares for a #WalkAway event with Brandon Straka and Blaire White this evening, protests have already been going on this week. But when Chico State Republicans positioned a pre-event table to sign up attendees, the protests turned mildly […] The post President of Chico State Republicans assaulted for holding ‘All Lives Matter’ sign appeared first on Conservative Christian News. |
| This is the real bombshell from the Sondland testimony the media wants buried Posted: 20 Nov 2019 10:34 PM PST Presumptions. Innuendos. Lies. That’s all the Democrats have on their side as they continue rolling out Deep State witness after Deep State witness. But even U.S. Ambassador to the EU Gordon Sondland wouldn’t go so far as to lie for the Democrats in yesterday’s hearing. He gave his opinions to softball questions from the Democrats […] The post This is the real bombshell from the Sondland testimony the media wants buried appeared first on Conservative Christian News. |
| Tom Steyer. That’s the punchline. The jokes write themselves. Posted: 20 Nov 2019 10:01 PM PST When I went to YouTube to search for Tom Steyer’s debate performance, it was noteworthy that he wasn’t listed at the top of the recommendations in search until I got to the first “e” in his last name. YouTuber Tom Stockdale was the first option until the “e.” When I finally found a video of […] The post Tom Steyer. That’s the punchline. The jokes write themselves. appeared first on Conservative Christian News. |
| Watching the Democratic debate tells us why impeachment is so important to the left Posted: 20 Nov 2019 08:13 PM PST Two hours into the Democratic debate and I’m done. Sure, I’ll keep it on in the background, but there’s a deterioration we’re witnessing among the candidates and arguably within the entire Democratic Party that shouldn’t be happening, at least from a logical perspective. This is the fifth debate. These guys should be getting better at […] The post Watching the Democratic debate tells us why impeachment is so important to the left appeared first on Conservative Christian News. |
| What color is the sky in your world? Posted: 20 Nov 2019 03:00 PM PST A Darkening Sky Sometimes you start looking into something and what you find can catch you by surprise. The Democrat’s meltdown over a call, that does not seem to contain what they alleged initially, made me curious. So I fired up my internet connection. When after six or so weeks of reading, watching and searching, […] The post What color is the sky in your world? appeared first on Conservative Christian News. |
| In a sane world, Sondland’s testimony would put the impeachment debacle to rest Posted: 20 Nov 2019 12:05 PM PST He’s just one guy, but U.S. Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland’s testimony today before the House Intelligence Committee should be enough to sink the impeachment inquiry. It contradicts other testimony from witnesses, which may seem like a wash, but there’s a big difference between what he said today and what others have said before […] The post In a sane world, Sondland’s testimony would put the impeachment debacle to rest appeared first on Conservative Christian News. |
| Benny Gantz returns mandate after failure to form Israeli government Posted: 20 Nov 2019 11:47 AM PST The deadlock in Israel has caused a second leader to fail to form a government, plummeting Israel into unprecedented territory as Blue and White leader Benny Gantz has returned the mandate to President Rivlin. Now, MKs have 21 days to form a 61-member majority government under someone – anyone – or the Jewish state will […] The post Benny Gantz returns mandate after failure to form Israeli government appeared first on Conservative Christian News. |
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11/21/2019 Share: Carl Cannon’s Morning Note Presented by Fisher Investments: Debate Détente; Income Data; Charles in Charge Good morning, it’s Thursday, Nov. 21, 2019. Another Democratic candidate debate is in the books, as well as another day of testimony in the House Democrats’ efforts to impeach President Trump. The Democrats running the House Intelligence Committee inquiry seemed like jurors in “The Pickwick Papers,” Charles Dickens first novel — members who, because of the early starting time Wednesday, arrived at the Capitol Hill hearing room with their stomachs growling: “A good, contented, well-breakfasted juryman is a capital thing to get hold of,” one of Dickens’ characters proclaims. “Discontented or hungry jurymen, my dear Sir, always find for the plaintiff.” The (paraphrased) response from Republicans comes from “David Copperfield,” a later Dickens book. “It’s a mad world,” they protested. “Mad as Bedlam, boy!” These great novels are on my mind this morning because on this date in 1867, while staying at the Parker House hotel in Boston, the famed British author wrote a letter to his daughter Mamie. In it, he told of his impending performance of “A Christmas Carol” and regaled her with tales of how Boston had grown since his first visit in 1842. Much had changed during that time, in America and within Charles Dickens himself. “The city has increased enormously in twenty-five years,” he informed his daughter. “It has grown more mercantile.” He noted these differences approvingly, as well he should. “The cost of living is enormous, but happily we can afford it,” the author wrote, adding that he was scheduled to dine that day with various New England luminaries including Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and Ralph Waldo Emerson. “Longfellow was here yesterday,” he noted. “Perfectly white in hair and beard, but a remarkably handsome and notable-looking man.” If it sounds as though the demanding and opinionated writer was being charitable in his second sojourn to America, this was true. The first visit hadn’t gone well, and Dickens had returned two-and-a-half decades later not just to make money, perform, and bask in his fame — but also to atone for his previous behavior. I’ll explain how he went about this in a moment. First, I’d point you to RealClearPolitics’ front page, which presents our poll averages, videos, breaking news stories, and aggregated opinion columns spanning the political spectrum. We also offer original material from our own reporters and contributors, including the following: * * * Democratic Debate Détente in Atlanta. Phil Wegmann has this recap of last night’s mild skirmishes. Census Data Counter Warren, Sanders on Income Inequality. Andy Puzder compares the source for the two candidates’ claims with a source that the Census Bureau says is more accurate — and that shows the income gap has decreased. Republicans Must Have a Climate Plan — and They Need It Now. Heather Reams advises party leaders to change the narrative that they are climate deniers and present a cohesive plan to address global climate change. Replacing Minuteman: An Imperative Delayed. In RealClearDefense, Carl Rehberg bemoans the seven-year process still unfolding as the Air Force labors the replace the missile system rapidly approaching the end of its sustainable life. The Lethal Flaws in Drug-Pricing Proposals. In RealClearHealth, Brian McNicoll argues that efforts to set U.S. prices based on European single-payer rates would lead to drug rationing and lives cut short. * * * In his 1842 visit to America, Charles Dickens had initially been charmed, but ultimately was overwhelmed by the adulation shown him. Once his mood turned, he also found himself disgusted by the coarse manners of his American hosts and appalled by the behavior of U.S. politicians and journalists. I suppose a visitor to these shores could feel that way today, but the rub is that Americans adored Dickens, who upon returning home repaid the rubes with a spiteful travelogue titled “American Notes.” Needless to say, this takedown was not well received on this side of the Atlantic, and when he returned in 1867, the author had some fences to mend. “American Notes” not only offered an unflattering portrait of the United States, it left a particularly bad taste in the mouths of Americans who had feted Charles Dickens in their own homes. Quite understandably, he was for a time as dead to them as Jacob Marley (who, you’ll recall from “A Christmas Carol,” was “as dead as a doornail”). But performances of that morality tale began Dickens’ rehabilitation on these shores, as had the publication of “A Tale of Two Cities” and “Great Expectations.” In the meantime, Americans had fought a shockingly gruesome Civil War and moved on. Moreover, by 1867 “A Christmas Carol” — coupled with America’s impressive mercantile spirit — had transformed how the 25th of December was celebrated in this country. Word that the author would read “A Christmas Carol” at Boston’s famed Tremont Theater rippled through the city. “Dickens has arrived for his readings,” wrote Henry James. “It is impossible to get tickets.” There was no Ticketmaster back then, let alone StubHub, so those willing to wait hours in line to purchase the $2 tickets or who were lucky enough to have well-connected friends were rewarded with a stunning performance. The author read his entire story aloud, adopting different voices for the narrator and famous characters: Ebenezer Scrooge, Marley, Bob Cratchit and, of course, Tiny Tim. A-listers in attendance for the premiere included the triple-named luminaries of New England arts and letters — not just Emerson and Longfellow, but Oliver Wendell Holmes, James Russell Lowell, and Charles Eliot Norton. One Boston newspaper review of the premiere noted puckishly that all the “poets, philosophers, sages and historians of this city and vicinity were mingled like plums in a Christmas pudding.” The review also noted that Dickens’ one-man show was “unlike anything we have ever seen in this country.” That premiere, and the 75 performances that followed it, healed the rift between the beloved British author and his American public. At a New York banquet held in his honor on April 18, 1868, Dickens made further amends to his American cousins by promising to write a rectifying appendix to future editions of “American Notes,” his uncharitable account of that first trip to the United States. Like Scrooge at the end of “A Christmas Carol,” he “was better than his word.” “He did it all, and infinitely more.” Carl M. Cannon Washington Bureau chief, RealClearPolitics @CarlCannon (Twitter) ccannon@realclearpolitics.com For years, many pundits and politicians have claimed Internet behemoths are too powerful and monopolistic. Then, in June, the House announced they would launch a probe into several tech giants. Despite many possible outcomes, we don’t view these possibilities as a reason to avoid Tech now. Click here to read more of this message, brought to you by Fisher Investments. |
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NBC
From NBC’s Chuck Todd, Mark Murray and Ben Kamisar
FIRST READ: Democrats are winning on substance in the impeachment inquiry. Can they win the political argument?
House Democrats got almost everything they wanted out of Ambassador Gordon Sondland’s testimony on Wednesday.
Sondland admitted there was a quid pro quo linking a White House visit by Ukraine’s president to investigations that would help Trump, and he said other administration figures (like Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Energy Secretary Rick Perry) were all in the loop.
Yesterday’s encore act, the Defense Department’s Laura Cooper, testified about July 25 emails suggesting Ukrainian officials knew about a hold on their security aid – so on the same day that Trump spoke with Ukraine’s Zelenskiy.
And today, former White House official Fiona Hill is expected to say that the Trump/GOP theories that Ukraine somehow interfered in the 2016 election are wrong, per NBC’s Josh Lederman and Peter Alexander.
“[S]ome of you on this committee appear to believe that Russia and its security services did not conduct a campaign against our country—and that perhaps, somehow, for some reason, Ukraine did,” Hill is expected to say in her prepared remarks.
More from Hill: “This is a fictional narrative that has been perpetrated and propagated by the Russian security services themselves. The unfortunate truth is that Russia was the foreign power that systematically attacked our democratic institutions in 2016.”
Bottom line: Democrats are winning the argument on substance.
J. Scott Applewhite/AP
Through the testimony, the transcripts, the text messages and the president’s public statements, the evidence is pretty clear that President Trump and his emissaries asked Ukraine to investigate the Bidens, and put pressure on Ukraine to do it.
But is that evidence enough, especially if the goal is to oust Trump from office?
If the goal is convince a sizable number of Republicans to remove their party’s president, don’t you need to hear from more witnesses like Perry, former National Security Adviser John Bolton and acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney?
Or is the best course of action to simply start the voting process – and move on?
The unmistakable storyline from these hearings is that every new witness, every new piece of information hasn’t helped the president. At all.
But it also hasn’t moved his party any closer to ousting him.
Impeachment inquiry update: The last scheduled public hearings
Here’s what’s on tap in today’s impeachment inquiry, per NBC’s Geoff Bennett:
Beginning at 9:00 am ET: Fiona Hill and State Department official David Holmes.
Holmes, if you recall, was the person who overheard Sondland speaking with Trump over the phone while in Ukraine.
Last night’s impeachment intermission – and three other takeaways from Wednesday’s debate
Maybe the best way to view last night’s MSNBC/Washington Post debate was that it served as a kind of intermission between yesterday’s impeachment testimony by Gordon Sondland and today’s testimony from Fiona Hill and David Holmes.
There were some great lines, tough attacks, and our colleagues did an amazing job of moderating them all. But the two-plus hours of action got overshadowed by what’s playing out in DC.
Our other takeaways from last night:
Some of the candidates quickly pivoted away from impeachment
Not surprisingly, impeachment was the opening question in the debate. But Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders quickly changed the subject.
Warren said that “no one is above the law,” but then she pivoted to the problem of U.S. ambassadors like Sondland giving millions of dollars to serve in their posts. (But was that the REAL story from Sondland’s testimony yesterday?)
Sanders, meanwhile, called Trump “the most corrupt president in the modern history of America,” but he then added: “[W]e cannot simply be consumed by Donald Trump, because if we are, you know what? We’re going to lose the election.”
Buttigieg comes under fire – but only at the end
It came at the end, but Pete Buttigieg finally came under fire – from Kamala Harris, Amy Klobuchar and Tulsi Gabbard.
And he parried their arguments on race, sex and military policy.
What makes Buttigieg tough to attack – at least in a Democratic debate – are his past military service and his historical candidacy (as a gay American).
The uneven Joe Biden
On the one hand, Biden gave some of his most forceful debate responses to date (on Saudi Arabia, prosecuting Trump, his closing remarks on bringing the country together).
On the other hand, he whiffed when he said he had the endorsement from the “only African-American woman that’s ever been elected to the United States Senate” – before correcting himself to acknowledge Harris is an African-American woman elected to the Senate.
John Bazemore/AP
DATA DOWNLOAD: And the number of the day is … 13 minutes and 26 seconds
Thirteen minutes and 26 seconds.
That’s how long Elizabeth Warren spoke at last night’s MSNBC/Washington Post debate, more than any other candidate, according to the Washington Post’s tally.
Pete Buttigieg and Joe Biden were close behind, with 12:46 and 12:38, respectively.
Bernie Sanders spoke for 11:45; Cory Booker and Kamala Harris each for 11:31; Amy Klobuchar for 10:43; Tulsi Gabbard for 9:14; Tom Steyer for 8:21; and Andrew Yang for 6:53.
2020 VISION: The day after the debate
Joe Raedle/Getty Images
On the campaign trail today: Many of the candidates remain in Georgia after last night’s debate…. Tom Steyer, Cory Booker, Pete Buttigieg, Andrew Yang and Amy Klobuchar speak at a National Action Network breakfast in Atlanta… Bernie Sanders holds a rally at Morehouse College… Elizabeth Warren delivers a speech on the labor movement in Atlanta… Joe Biden holds a town hall in South Carolina… And Tulsi Gabbard stumps in New Hampshire.
Dispatches from NBC’s campaign embeds: After the fifth Democratic debate wrapped up in Atlanta, several candidates headed to the spin room and spoke with our NBC News team on the ground. Kamala Harris had a pull-aside with NBC’s Deepa Shivaram, who asked Harris why she chose to not go after Pete Buttigieg’s record on race and black voters when given the chance.
Like on stage, Harris evaded the question and told Shivaram, “For a Democrat to win this election, you need to have two things at play, one the ability to go toe to toe against Donald Trump, I know I have that ability. I’ve taken on everyone from Jeff Sessions, to Bill Barr, to Brett Kavanaugh. Second, you’re going to need a Democratic nominee who has the ability to rebuild the Obama coalition and that means having the ability to talk with different communities with the experience of having worked with those communities to bring everyone together.”
Meanwhile, voters in New Hampshire told NBC’s Amanda Golden and Julia Jester that, overall, several candidates had successful nights. Per Jester and Golden report, some voters were “Quite surprised by the lack of confrontation from everyone with Pete Buttigieg given his recent surge in the polls.” And for one voter, “There are still too many candidates” on the stage and in the field.
TWEET OF THE DAY: That’s all for Deval?
ICYMI: News clips you shouldn’t miss
Ambassador Gordon Sondland explicitly said that there was a “quid pro quo” between a potential White House visit by Ukraine’s president and the country announcing investigations.
Yet the White House and its GOP allies are calling Sondland’s testimony exonerating for the president because Sondland said he never heard directly from Trump about any quid pro quo.
Late Wednesday afternoon, one top Department of Defense official told the House panel that Ukraine inquired about its expected U.S. security aid on July 25, the same day of the call between President Trump and Ukraine’s president.
Pete Buttigieg emerged from the Wednesday night debate unscathed, despite his recent rise at the polls.
Instead, it was President Trump who drew much of the candidates’ ire.
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11/21/2019
Excerpts:
President Donald Trump’s Schedule for Thursday, November 21, 2019
By R. Mitchell –
President Donald Trump will receive his daily briefing then the
president and first lady will present the National Medal of the Arts to
actor Jon Voight, Singer Alison Krauss, the musicians of the U.S.
military and Sharon Rockefeller. they will also present the National
Humanities Medal to author James Patterson, …
President Donald Trump’s Schedule for Thursday, November 21, 2019 is original content from Conservative
Daily News – Where Americans go for news, current events and commentary
they can trust – Conservative News Website for U.S. News, Political
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Read on » Team Trump Congratulates Hunter Biden As DNA Tests Confirm His Love Child ‘With Scientific Certainty’ By Mary Margaret Olohan – DNA test results confirmed Wednesday that Hunter Biden, son of former Vice President Joe Biden, is the father of a former basketball player Lunden Alexis Roberts’s baby. Hunter Biden is the father of Lunden Alexis Roberts’ baby, a motion filed Wednesday in Independence County on behalf of Roberts shows according … Team Trump Congratulates Hunter Biden As DNA Tests Confirm His Love Child ‘With Scientific Certainty’ is original content from Conservative Daily News – Where Americans go for news, current events and commentary they can trust – Conservative News Website for U.S. News, Political Cartoons and more. Read on » Sondland Testifies That No One Said Trump Was Tying Ukraine Aid To Investigation Into Bidens By Shelby Talcott – United States Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland testified Wednesday that not a single person told him President Donald Trump was tying Ukrainian aid to an investigation into the Bidens. Sondland testified Wednesday as part of the ongoing impeachment inquiry into Trump regarding his July 25 phone call with … Sondland Testifies That No One Said Trump Was Tying Ukraine Aid To Investigation Into Bidens is original content from Conservative Daily News – Where Americans go for news, current events and commentary they can trust – Conservative News Website for U.S. News, Political Cartoons and more. Read on » Report: FBI Wants To Speak With Trump Whistleblower By Chuck Ross – The FBI reached out last month to the CIA analyst who filed a whistleblower complaint against President Trump, according to reports. Yahoo! News reports that an FBI agent from the Washington, D.C. field office contacted the whistleblower’s lawyers, seeking an interview. An interview has not been scheduled, and it is … Report: FBI Wants To Speak With Trump Whistleblower is original content from Conservative Daily News – Where Americans go for news, current events and commentary they can trust – Conservative News Website for U.S. News, Political Cartoons and more. Read on » Frosty The Snow Job- Vindman – Grrr Graphics – Ben Garrison Cartoon By Ben Garrison – Adam Schiff tries to build a case for impeachment, but like a snowman, it will “melt” under the hot sun of truth The Clown Show rolls on as Adam Schiff brings in his bad actors on stage to distract the public. Schiff is failing; not many are watching his disinformation … Frosty The Snow Job- Vindman – Grrr Graphics – Ben Garrison Cartoon is original content from Conservative Daily News – Where Americans go for news, current events and commentary they can trust – Conservative News Website for U.S. News, Political Cartoons and more. Read on » ‘Looks Like An Inside Job’: Former National Security Official Says Impeachment Is Manufactured By Unhappy Bureaucrats By Shelby Talcott – Former national security adviser Michael Anton suggested Wednesday that the entire impeachment into President Donald Trump is beginning to look “like an inside job” manufactured by lawmakers unhappy with the president. Anton spoke to WMAL’s “Mornings on the Mall” co-hosts Vince Coglianese and Mary Walter Wednesday about Tuesday’s impeachment hearings. … ‘Looks Like An Inside Job’: Former National Security Official Says Impeachment Is Manufactured By Unhappy Bureaucrats is original content from Conservative Daily News – Where Americans go for news, current events and commentary they can trust – Conservative News Website for U.S. News, Political Cartoons and more. Read on » Ghosts of the USDA By Michael R Shannon – I’m wondering when the WoePost will stop haunting readers with stories of the US Dept. of Agriculture’s brutal forced migration from Washington to the primitive hellscape of Kansas City. This week it’s low moans from former researcher Andrew Crane–Droesch who tries to convince us moving his department was a loss … Ghosts of the USDA is original content from Conservative Daily News – Where Americans go for news, current events and commentary they can trust – Conservative News Website for U.S. News, Political Cartoons and more. Read on » Blackout – A.F. Branco Cartoon By A.F. Branco – Though most Republicans feel Schiff is lying he still will not level the playing field and reveal the whistleblower for testimony. Political cartoon by A.F. Branco ©2019. See more Branco toons HERE Blackout – A.F. Branco Cartoon is original content from Conservative Daily News – Where Americans go for news, current events and commentary they can trust – Conservative News Website for U.S. News, Political Cartoons and more. Read on » Watch Live: Adam Schiff’s Impeachment Circus – Day 4 – 11/20/2019 By R. Mitchell – As the country is drug into yet another day of hearings, testimony in the first three days of the Democrat’s pure political attack on the Republic re-affirmed several facts: The transcript of the call released by the White House is complete and correctNone of those involved told President Zelensky that … Watch Live: Adam Schiff’s Impeachment Circus – Day 4 – 11/20/2019 is original content from Conservative Daily News – Where Americans go for news, current events and commentary they can trust – Conservative News Website for U.S. News, Political Cartoons and more. Read on » Iran’s Military Strength Relies Partly on Nonstate Actors By C. Todd Lopez – Iran relies in part on terrorist organizations, proxy groups, and militant partners to protect its interests and to further its agenda of expanding influence in the Middle East, a defense official said. Christian Saunders, a senior Defense Intelligence Agency analyst for Iran, spoke to Pentagon reporters today ahead of the … Iran’s Military Strength Relies Partly on Nonstate Actors is original content from Conservative Daily News – Where Americans go for news, current events and commentary they can trust – Conservative News Website for U.S. News, Political Cartoons and more. Read on » See all breaking news, conservative commentary, political cartoons and more posted to CDN at our Home Page. Follow on Twitter Friend on Facebook Add on Google Plus Copyright © 2019 Conservative Daily News, All rights reserved. Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list |
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ADVERTISEMENT HIGHLIGHTS ‘Hope I made you proud out there’: Biden sends out post-debate email hours before event starts ‘Lies and smears and innuendos’: Gabbard responds to Harris attacks Democrats fail to hold NBC to account for sexual abuse, despite promising to do so Democrats mock Biden on drugs and race Democratic presidential candidates took aim at 2020 rival Joe Biden over legalization of marijuana and long-festering issues of race in American society during Wednesday’s primary debate in Atlanta. Hunter Biden-linked company received $130M in special federal loans while Joe Biden was VP An investment firm linked to Hunter Biden received over $130 million in federal bailout loans while his father Joe Biden was vice president and routed profits through a subsidiary in the Cayman Islands, according to federal banking and corporate records reviewed by the Washington Examiner. Newly disciplined Trump sticks to script as White House hammers ‘no quid pro quo’ line It was the most disciplined and focused episode so far of “chopper time,” as President Trump’s informal South Lawn news conferences have come to be known. GOP accuses Democrats of shifting goalposts on Trump USMCA deal Republicans are accusing Democrats of changing their demands related to President Trump’s United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement on trade as the deal gets closer to passage. ADVERTISEMENT Bernie Sanders confronted about chants of ‘lock him up’ directed at Trump during rallies Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders was asked if he condones chants of “lock him up” directed at President Trump during his campaign rallies. Amy Klobuchar dings ‘bumper sticker’ plans of 2020 Democratic rivals Amy Klobuchar took a dig at Elizabeth Warren’s penchant for generous policy plans during the fifth Democratic primary debate, promising not to pitch unrealistic proposals to voters. ‘Shaking like a wet chihuahua’: Klobuchar trembling worries 2020 debate viewers Sen. Amy Klobuchar shook noticeably during the beginning of Wednesday night’s presidential debate. Lindsey Graham seeks transcripts of Biden calls with Ukraine leader Sen. Lindsey Graham wants access to phone transcripts between Vice President Joe Biden and Ukraine’s leader in the month before a top prosecutor, who was alleged to have investigated the owner of the natural gas company that employed Biden’s son, was fired. Biden: ‘I come out of the black community’ Joe Biden touted his support from the black community during the Democratic presidential primary debate. Debate uproar as Biden stumbles, saying ‘only African American woman’ elected to Senate supports him Joe Biden caused an uproar at Wednesday night’s Democratic presidential debate when he falsely claimed that the only black female senator supported him. Tulsi Gabbard blasts Hillary Clinton weeks after calling her ‘personification’ of Democratic Party ‘rot’ Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard built on disparaging remarks about former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during Wednesday night’s presidential debate. Joe Biden is strong in the 2020 debates, but he’s scared, and that’s a problem There’s a bet to be placed that most people would want to hear more from former Vice President Joe Biden in the 2020 Democratic presidential debates than any other candidate. I would take it, but the problem is that Biden is scared. THE ROUNDUP This Thanksgiving, consider Chinese A comedian wrote about his baby’s death on Twitter; thousands poured out their own grief Rep. Carolyn Maloney wins election to chair House Oversight Committee ADVERTISEMENT |
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THE WASHINGTON POST MORNING MIX
| Sign up for this newsletter Read online Stories from all over. ‘Like the 1800s again in 2019’: AMC fires 3 employees accused of racially profiling black women during ‘Harriet’ A manager abruptly turned on all the lights in the theater and stopped the film in order to confront members of an African American women’s empowerment group, who were repeatedly questioned about whether they had tickets. By Antonia Farzan ● Read more » A Craigslist post advertised a black teen as a ‘Slave for sale.’ His classmate has been charged with a hate crime. Authorities in Naperville, Ill., allege that a high school freshman was responsible for the post, which has been condemned as “despicable and extremely offensive.” By Allyson Chiu ● Read more » A prosecutor was accidentally shot to death in court, authorities say. The gun was a piece of evidence. Colleagues were flabbergasted as to why police did not check to make sure the gun wasn’t loaded. By Meagan Flynn ● Read more » ADVERTISEMENT A Coast Guardsman is charged with killing his ‘best friend.’ But Snapchats prove he tried to save him, his attorney says. Three young Coast Guard seamen went out for a drink on a frigid January morning, but one never came home. Now, a 21-year-old guardsman faces a possible murder charge in the case. By Katie Shepherd ● Read more » After helping migrants in the Arizona desert, an activist was charged with a felony. Now, he’s been acquitted. Prosecutors had accused Scott Warren of illegally harboring two Central Americans at a camp in southern Arizona. By Teo Armus ● Read more » ADVERTISEMENT Judge halts scheduled federal executions, says Barr’s lethal injection protocol appears at odds with the law The judge found that the death row inmates are likely to prevail in their lawsuits and should not be executed before they’ve had their day in court. By Meagan Flynn ● Read more » ‘I got my rights to do anything I want to do’: Officer immediately fired after viral video shows him stopping black shoppers for ‘acting suspicious’ Aaron Blackwell said Lawrence Township deputy constable Daryl Jones watched him and his cousin spend more than $1,000 at a Nordstrom Rack in Indianapolis but still followed the men out to their car and demanded to see identification. By Allyson Chiu ● Read more » Catch up on last night’s Democratic debate. Analysis Winners and losers Fact Checker: 10 claims that caught our attention Chart: Which candidates spoke the most NBC News: Which candidates were on the attack Coming soon See who’s qualified for the December debate Key moments ‘Black voters are pissed off’: Watch the fiery exchange between Booker and Biden Sanders calls out Biden for supporting Iraq war Opinions from Post columnists Rubin: Harris, Buttigieg and Klobuchar shine in the fifth debate Stromberg: Bernie Sanders bombs the ‘lock him up’ test Sign up for politics email alerts We think you’ll like this newsletter Check out Plant Powered by Voraciously for our 12-week guide to cooking more plant-forward meals. Recipes, techniques and tips on Tuesdays. Sign up » |
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Obama to Greta: ‘You and Me, We’re a Team’
Nov 21, 2019 01:00 am If she thinks Obama is on her team, she’s one of the most gullible and uninformed 16-year-olds in the world. Read More… How to Launder Foreign Aid Nov 21, 2019 01:00 am Roberts Field, Liberia provides a clear illustration of how foreign aid can drive national corruption. Read More… A New Paradigm to Beat the Gun-Grabbers Nov 21, 2019 01:00 am If the facts are on somebody’s side, he does not need to deal in half-truths and deceptive language. The fact that the enemies of the Second Amendment need to do exactly that should tell America’s voters everything they need to know. Read More… Correcting Voters’ Mistakes Nov 21, 2019 01:00 am Democrats need to reject their entire crop of candidates running for their presidential nomination — they need a new candidate. Read More… Free Markets: The Purest form of Democracy Nov 21, 2019 01:00 am Every time you select and buy a product, you are voting for that product. You become a citizen of an association formed around that product. Read More… Why Our Politicians Do Not ‘Look like America’ Nov 21, 2019 01:00 am It should be quite obvious, if people like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and the rest of the Squad actually bothered to think about two geographical and chronological variables. Read More… Recent Blog Posts Lieutenant Colonel Vindman as Ukrainian Asset? Nov 21, 2019 01:00 am Too many dual-loyalty cases seen around in the U.S. now. Home is where the heart is. Read more… Debate: Warren and Klobuchar miss the elephant in the room about Louisiana Nov 21, 2019 01:00 am He won, and won big, even against a Trump endorsement for his opponent. Read more… Global warming, mental illness, and Greta Thunberg Nov 21, 2019 01:00 am Did global warming maim Greta Thunberg? Read more… MSNBC Dem debate moderators pushed impeachment and hard left policies Nov 21, 2019 01:00 am The Democrats might want to rethink their choice of presidential debate sponsors. Read more… Poll: Trump surges against nearly all Democrats in Wisconsin Nov 21, 2019 01:00 am Something has changed for Wisconsin’s voters…. Read more… What Millennials don’t get about ‘what’s in a name’ Nov 21, 2019 01:00 am The story is told of a Jewish woman who doesn’t like her name. Read more… Dems’ self-destructive defense of Biden family corruption Nov 21, 2019 01:00 am The Democrat prestidigitation is being seen for what it truly is: blatant, very high level corruption during the Obama administration that Dems are trying to ignore, and even worse, condone, while cynically trying to unseat a president for a far less egregious offense. Read more… As long as Joe Biden is running for president, he can commit any crime he wants? Nov 21, 2019 01:00 am That’s where the Democrats’ impeachment logic seems to lead. Read more… Guacamole: green gold? Nov 21, 2019 01:00 am The cartels move in. Read more… Aussie bushfires nurtured in national parks Nov 21, 2019 01:00 am Forget distractions like “Man-made Global Warming.” There is nothing unusual about droughts or hot winds or bushfires. Today’s problem is “Man-made Super-fires.” Read more… The new surveillance state Nov 21, 2019 01:00 am Are we transitioning into a Surveillance State? Read more… Elizabeth Warren demonizing wealth creation in new ad Nov 21, 2019 01:00 am Presidential contender Senator Elizabeth Warren’s campaign has released a new ad this week that doubles down on her wealth tax proposal while also attacking the prominent businessmen who have gone public to say that her plan would result in an economic disaster. Read more… Who would benefit from a Biden investigation? Nov 21, 2019 01:00 am Indeed, there are many who would benefit from the Biden investigation by Ukrainians. Read more… Why it’s okay for Trump to want Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden Nov 21, 2019 01:00 am Get on with the investigation of the Bidens, or Trump will never drain the swamp. Read more… Louis Gohmert Vindicated: Yes, indeed, Strzok’s tomcatting around left national security in the hands of a pretty angry wife Nov 20, 2019 01:00 am Imagine the grand and privileged FBI deputy director of counterintelligence … with a private dick on his tail… It almost happened. Read more… View this email in your browser American Thinker is a daily internet publication devoted to the thoughtful exploration of issues of importance to Americans. |
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THE FEDERALIST
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Your daily update of new content from The Federalist Be lovers of freedom and anxious for the fray November 21, 2019 New York Requires Religious Schools, Churches, Hospitals To Hire Pro-Abortion, Pro-LGBT Employees By Holly Scheer Places of worship must be able to make their own determinations on who to hire and why. New laws in New York are wrong and must be overturned. Full article The Most Important News Story Right Now Isn’t Impeachment, It’s The Crisis In Mexico By John Daniel Davidson Cartels in Mexico aren’t just fighting over drugs, they’re fighting over industries, and it might well trigger a new and much bigger migrant crisis on the U.S. border. Full article As Trans Locker Rooms Spread, Republicans Need To Get Woke On Education Indoctrination Already By Joy Pullmann Two male transgender teens who legally pressured a Chicago school district to let them use the girls’ bathrooms and locker rooms won a school board vote last week allowing full access. Full article Gordon Sondland’s ‘Bombshell’ Impeachment Testimony Was A Dud By Tristan Justice It was the testimony that was supposed to bring an end to the Trump administration as we knew it, but EU Ambassador Gordon Sondland came up short. Full article 10 Top Highlights From The Fifth Democratic Debate By Chrissy Clark The fift round of Democratic debates showcased ten candidates and, finally, the fights and one-liners America has been waiting for. Full article The British Need To Learn From Americans How To Conduct A Rigorous Debate By Sumantra Maitra The format of the debate and a hyper-schoolmarmish moderator allowed neither Boris Johnson nor Jeremy Corbyn to put in a word of value. The result was a clown show full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. Full article ‘Harriet’ Is True To History And True To Her Christian Faith By Jose Juarez ‘Harriet’ is finely done and despite the usual amount of creative liberties in historic films, many aspects of the movie offer an accurate and balanced view of both Tubman and our country’s history. Full article Chick-fil-A Should Take A Lesson From The Salvation Army And Stop Bowing To The LGBT Left By Chad Felix Greene In the left’s crusade against the Christian faith, it harms the people it purports to defend. This means good people must ensure no one in need is left behind, and for the record, The Salvation Army is very good people. Full article The Supreme Court Needs To Stop Governments From Banning Religious Foster Care By Lori Windham At the beginning of National Adoption Month, HHS has taken the first step to let religious foster organizations once again promote more homes for kids. But more needs to be done. Full article November Debate Outs Democrats’ Double-Speak On Health Care By Christopher Jacobs Forcing everyone into socialized medicine, and dissembling to voters while doing so: That’s the agenda the American people saw on display in Atlanta Wednesday evening. Full article The Funniest, Smartest, Most Sarcastic Tweets From The Fifth Democratic Debate By Kyle Sammin Don’t worry if you begged off of watching the latest Democratic slogan-fest, we’ve got the best tweets of the night to tell the story quicker and more entertainingly. Full article Democratic Party Accelerates Its Purge Of Pro-Lifers By Nathanael Blake Pro-life Democrats like John Bel Edwards can win in red states, but the national party would rather lose than elect pro-life Democrats to top state government positions. Full article Elizabeth Warren Does Not Believe In A Democrat’s Right To Choose By Paulina Enck Warren argued there is no place for a pro-life Democrat, cementing that the only choice the pro-choice movement supports is to fall in line with their agenda. Full article Joe Biden Forgets About Kamala Harris On Stage By Tristan Justice Joe Biden claimed to be endorsed by the only black woman ever elected to the Senate, but California Sen. Kamala Harris was standing on stage. Full article Elizabeth Warren Vows To Use Taxpayer Dollars To Tear Down Border Wall By Tristan Justice Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren pledged to tear down parts of the border wall constructed along the U.S.-Mexican border if elected. Full article Cory Booker And Elizabeth Warren Debate The Best Way To Penalize Wealth By Paulina Enck Sen. Cory Booker pushed back on Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s wealth tax proposal on the Democratic debate stage Wednesday night, but presented his own ideas for increasing taxes. Full article Kamala Harris’ Attack on Tulsi Gabbard Fell As Flat As Her Campaign By Chrissy Clark During the fifth round of Democratic debates, moderators pitted Rep. Tulsi Gabbard and Sen. Kamala Harris against each other over issues of foreign policy. Full article Pence, Perry, Pompeo All Reject Sondland’s Claims During Impeachment Testimony By Tristan Justice Pence, Perry, and Pompeo each rejected EU Ambassador Gordon Sondland’s claims they were told of Trump’s alleged efforts to engage Ukraine in a quid pro quo. Full article Hawley: How Our Collapse Of Community Relationships Threatens Liberty By The Federalist Staff ‘The most telling economic divide in the country is between Americans with a high school degree and those who have four-year college degrees or more.’ Full article Hunter Biden Is The Father Of An Arkansas Baby, Court Filings Reveal By Erielle Davidson A DNA test reveals Hunter Biden is the father of a child who was born in Arkansas in 2018 to a woman who he previously denied having sexual relations with. Full article AS SOON AS IMPEACHMENT STARTED, PEOPLE HATED IT Poll: Support for impeachment inquiry ticks down. http://vlt.tc/3tfl “The survey, which has tracked support and opposition for the inquiry each week, found that support for the investigation inched down 2 points — to 48 percent from 50 percent — while opposition to the inquiry ticked up 3 points — to 45 percent from 42 percent. Read more of The Transom by signing up for a free trial today. follow on Twitter | friend on Facebook | forward to a friend Copyright © 2019 The Federalist, All rights reserved. unsubscribe from this list | update subscription preferences |
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CHICAGO TRIBUNE
| View In BrowserNovember 21, 2019chicagotribune.comDaywatch1How
a powerful ComEd lobbyist lined up contracts for a disgraced former
aide to Speaker Michael Madigan and why federal authorities are
interestedTHURSDAY, NOV 21For months, federal authorities have been looking into payments made to a former political operative for Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan as part of a sweeping investigation into ComEd’s lobbying practices.Now,
newly obtained emails show that Michael McClain, a close confidant of
Madigan, orchestrated the contracts that saw money flow from current and
former ComEd lobbyists to Kevin Quinn, who had been ousted by Madigan
after being accused of sexually harassing a female campaign worker.Peoples Gas executive seated as replacement for ex-state Rep. Luis Arroyo, setting up potential showdown with Illinois House2Illinois to take emergency action to halt isolated timeouts in schoolsTHURSDAY, NOV 21The Illinois State Board of Education announced that it will take emergency action to end isolated seclusion of children in schools, saying the practice has been “misused and overused to a shocking extent.”The response comes a day after the Chicago Tribune and ProPublica Illinois published an investigation,
based on thousands of school records, that revealed children were put
in isolation every school day for reasons that often violate the law.The Quiet Rooms: Across Illinois, schools lock children away for minor infractions: ‘I’m sorry I ripped the paper. … Please just let me out.’ 3Students
take refuge at auto dealership after teen shot and suspect killed
inside Northwest Side music store: ‘You just saw the terror in their
eyes’THURSDAY, NOV 21As
officers rushed through the front door of the UpBeat Music and Arts
shop after “shots were fired,” a music teacher walked several students
out the back door to seek refuge.The students had just witnessed a police shooting that
killed an armed bank robbery suspect and seriously wounded a
15-year-old boy who was working as an intern at the shop and standing
close to the suspect, according to Chicago police. Just minutes earlier,
the suspect had shot a Chicago police officer in the head not far away.“I’ve got chills,” she said. “You just saw the terror in their eyes. It was really sad.”Chicago police officer shot in head, teen wounded and man killed in Old Irving Park music store near the Kennedy Expressway.4Naperville Central freshman, 14, charged with hate crime in ‘Slave for sale’ Craigslist postingTHURSDAY, NOV 21A
Naperville Central High School freshman appeared in DuPage County
juvenile court on charges that he posted a photo of an African American
student with the caption “Slave for sale” on Craigslist.The 14-year-old, who is white, is charged with two counts of committing a hate crime and one count of disorderly conduct. The boy’s mother told the judge that she had confiscated her son’s phone.‘I’ll buy you for a dollar.’ Teen depicted in ‘Slave for sale’ Craigslist ad was taunted for days, his mother says. 5He traveled from Germany to do volunteer work in the U.S. — and was shot after less than 48 hours in ChicagoTHURSDAY, NOV 21Immanuel
Asare flew from Germany to the United States two months ago to help
rebuild homes that were damaged by hurricanes in New Orleans. But then
the 20-year-old took a side trip to Chicago, where in less than 48
hours a bullet ripped through his arm.“Lots
of people question, ‘Why me? Why did I get shot?’” Asare said from his
room at Stroger Hospital. “I don’t feel like that. It was part of my
journey.”6Jussie Smollett files counterclaim against Chicago saying prosecution was maliciousTHURSDAY, NOV 21Former “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett says his $10,000 payment after the close of a criminal case should prevent Chicago from seeking reimbursement for a police investigation of his claim that he was a victim of a racist and homophobic attack.Smollett’s
attorneys filed a response to Chicago’s lawsuit in federal court that
seeks reimbursement for money spent investigating what Smollett said was
a Jan. 29 attack. They also filed a counterclaim against the city, saying Smollett was the victim of a malicious prosecution that caused humiliation and extreme distress. 7‘Frozen 2’ review: Into the mist, and into some pants, with Elsa and Anna and new power balladsTHURSDAY, NOV 21The good-enough success of “Frozen 2,” deserves medium thanks and your allotted Disney money, writes Tribune film critic Michael Phillips.
The story pulls Elsa the Snow Queen and her less magical but
nonetheless charismatic younger sister, Anna, into a murky web of
Shakespearean political intrigue, with a large dose of Scandinavian
pagan mythology.8Rare meteor outburst could light up the skies Thursday night: ‘Seeing that many is really special’THURSDAY, NOV 21It might be a good idea to bundle up Thursday night, step outside under the November sky and look up at the stars.For
the first time in more than two decades, the alpha Monocerotid meteor
shower could morph into a meteor outburst, meaning that for a short
period of time late Thursday you might be able to see several meteors a minute.“Chicago’s Night Sky,” the first Adler Planetarium update of its permanent exhibitions in almost five years, almost sounds like it’s trying to be ironic: When you go out in the city at night, you look up and you strain to see even the brightest stars.advertisement Unsubscribe | Newsletters | Privacy Policy | Terms of ServiceCopyright © 2019 | Chicago Tribune | 160 N. Stetson Ave., Third Floor, Chicago, IL 60601ABOUT THIS EMAIL You received this email because you are following the Daywatch newsletter. |
NATIONAL REVIEW
| November 21 2019 |
| VISIT NATIONALREVIEW.COM |
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If You Didn’t Watch the Debate Last Night, You Were the Winner
Jim Geraghty
Making the click-through worthwhile: Last night’s Democratic
debate was so boring and tepid it probably won’t change anything;
reform-minded Republicans drift towards having a little too much faith
in the federal government; an odd comment from one of the current
creative voices behind Star Wars; and a vivid demonstration of how the
media has hyperventilated through much of Trump’s presidency.
You Probably Missed a Really Inconsequential Debate
This isn’t just the complaint of a right-of-center guy watching a
bunch of left-of-center — some way left-of-center — candidates talk for
two hours and twenty minutes. My policy and philosophical disagreements
with the candidates are my smallest gripe; I don’t go into these
debates expecting to agree with anyone. Nope, the problem is that last
night’s debate was boring, with all the energy of a mandatory
human-resources-managed seminar on new paperwork requirements held on a
Friday afternoon, when everybody’s already mentally checked out and
thinking about the weekend. You would never know that last night was, on
paper, do-or-die for a bunch of these candidates. If a power outage had
canceled last night’s …
Read More
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Top Stories
Is Caitlin Flanagan Right about the Abortion Debate?
Mona Charen
The argument she makes — movingly told as it is — is not quite convincing.
Frozen II Is a Fjord Fiasco
Kyle Smith
Disney typically contents itself with selling a sort
of mushy be-nice liberalism, but Frozen II may presage a turn to
storylines that celebrate extremism.
Kissinger Warns U.S. and China in ‘Foothills of a Cold War’
Zachary Evans
Kissinger flew to Beijing in 1971 to begin trade talks with China when he served as Richard Nixon’s secretary of state.
ADVERTISEMENT
Misplaced Patriotism Is Damaging to Our Constitutional Order
Victor Davis Hanson
In these upside-down times, patriotism is being
redefined as removing a president before a constitutionally mandated
election.
Nixon’s Lessons for the Would-Be Impeachers
Conrad Black
One thing that will quite possibly be achieved by the
nonsensical impeachment investigation being conducted in the House of
Representatives is the end of the extreme criminalization of policy
differences.
Chick-fil-A’s Shameful Capitulation
John Hirschauer
Whom does Chick-fil-A expect to win over by capitulating to the sort of
groups that hate the company and its patrons and raised hell every time a
new franchise was slated to open in a nearby metro area?
A Triumphant New Evita
Kyle Smith
A spectacular star turn dominates a feminist take on the musical about Eva Peron
DNC Drops Lackluster Fundraising Numbers During Dem Debate
Zachary Evans
The
DNC has $8.7 million in cash on hand, but it is $7 million in debt,
according to its October Federal Election Commission filing.
ADVERTISEMENT
What NR Is Reading
Ghost: My Thirty Years as an FBI Undercover Agent
Michael R. McGowan & Ralph Pezzullo
“An excellent look into the murky world of Undercover. McGowan proves to be one of the top UCAs in the FBI. A must read.” — Joseph Pistone, aka Donnie Brasco LEARN MORE Photo Essays Top Shots Defending America ADVERTISEMENT Follow Us & Share 19 West 44th Street, Suite 1701, New York, NY, 10036, USA Your Preferences | Unsubscribe | Privacy View this e-mail in your browser. |
THE WASHINGTON POST MORNING MIX
| Sign up for this newsletter Read online Stories from all over. ‘Like the 1800s again in 2019’: AMC fires 3 employees accused of racially profiling black women during ‘Harriet’ A manager abruptly turned on all the lights in the theater and stopped the film in order to confront members of an African American women’s empowerment group, who were repeatedly questioned about whether they had tickets. By Antonia Farzan ● Read more » A Craigslist post advertised a black teen as a ‘Slave for sale.’ His classmate has been charged with a hate crime. Authorities in Naperville, Ill., allege that a high school freshman was responsible for the post, which has been condemned as “despicable and extremely offensive.” By Allyson Chiu ● Read more » A prosecutor was accidentally shot to death in court, authorities say. The gun was a piece of evidence. Colleagues were flabbergasted as to why police did not check to make sure the gun wasn’t loaded. By Meagan Flynn ● Read more » ADVERTISEMENT A Coast Guardsman is charged with killing his ‘best friend.’ But Snapchats prove he tried to save him, his attorney says. Three young Coast Guard seamen went out for a drink on a frigid January morning, but one never came home. Now, a 21-year-old guardsman faces a possible murder charge in the case. By Katie Shepherd ● Read more » After helping migrants in the Arizona desert, an activist was charged with a felony. Now, he’s been acquitted. Prosecutors had accused Scott Warren of illegally harboring two Central Americans at a camp in southern Arizona. By Teo Armus ● Read more » ADVERTISEMENT Judge halts scheduled federal executions, says Barr’s lethal injection protocol appears at odds with the law The judge found that the death row inmates are likely to prevail in their lawsuits and should not be executed before they’ve had their day in court. By Meagan Flynn ● Read more » ‘I got my rights to do anything I want to do’: Officer immediately fired after viral video shows him stopping black shoppers for ‘acting suspicious’ Aaron Blackwell said Lawrence Township deputy constable Daryl Jones watched him and his cousin spend more than $1,000 at a Nordstrom Rack in Indianapolis but still followed the men out to their car and demanded to see identification. By Allyson Chiu ● Read more » Catch up on last night’s Democratic debate. Analysis Winners and losers Fact Checker: 10 claims that caught our attention Chart: Which candidates spoke the most NBC News: Which candidates were on the attack Coming soon See who’s qualified for the December debate Key moments ‘Black voters are pissed off’: Watch the fiery exchange between Booker and Biden Sanders calls out Biden for supporting Iraq war Opinions from Post columnists Rubin: Harris, Buttigieg and Klobuchar shine in the fifth debate Stromberg: Bernie Sanders bombs the ‘lock him up’ test Sign up for politics email alerts We think you’ll like this newsletter Check out Plant Powered by Voraciously for our 12-week guide to cooking more plant-forward meals. Recipes, techniques and tips on Tuesdays. Sign up » |
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THE WASHINGTON TIMES
| Thursday, November 21, 2019 |
| Biden says he’s most feared foe: ‘Trump doesn’t want me to be the nominee’ Former Vice President Joseph R. Biden proclaimed himself the nominee Republicans fear the most Wednesday night as the candidates in … more |
| Top News Read More > |
| Opinion Read More > |
| Politics Read More > |
| House Republicans demand whistleblower, Hunter Biden subpoenas Impeachment witness suggests Ukraine knew of security hold in July Senate fails to hold stopgap spending vote as deadline nears |
| Special Reports for Times Readers Special Report – Infrastructure 2019 Special Report – Energy 2019 Special Report – Free Iran Rally 2019 |
| Security Read More > |
| Biegun sees no ‘meaningful or verifiable’ pullback on North Korea nuclear weapons program ISIS remains threat despite losses, Iraqi Kurds warn DIA on Iran nuclear program |
| Sports Read More > |
| Beal, Bertans help Wizards pull away against Spurs SNYDER: Letting Nicholson play yet another lapse in Washington’s judgment Redskins’ struggles with discipline resurface |
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ARRA NEWS SERVICE
| Rick Bulow <rickbulow1974@gmail.com> |
| ARRA News Service (in this message: 16 new items) |
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ARRA News Service (in this message: 16 new items)
Waiting For Pelosi – She Is All Happy Talk!
Day Four Still A Bore, The Deep State On Display, Debate Night
Setting the Record Straight on the Value of US Military Aid to Ukraine
Planned Parenthood’s Changing Structure
Impeachment of Trump Gives Aid and Comfort to China
Cancel Culture Hypocrites on Left and Right
Climate Myths
Swing to Socialism
Blackout . . .
Deep State Consensus
Muslim AK-47s and Bombings Turn Sweden Into War Zone
7 Big Moments From Day 3 of the Public Impeachment Hearings
The Michael Bloomberg Factor
Barr’s Powerful Weapon Against Impeachment: The Founding Fathers
Scientists: Dishonest or Afraid?
Young People Ignorant of History
Waiting For Pelosi – She Is All Happy Talk!
Posted: 20 Nov 2019 07:33 PM PST
For
Most Of The Year, Speaker Pelosi Has Insisted The House Is Close To
Passing The USMCA Trade Agreement ‘But, Month After Month, This Happy
Talk Has Seemingly Led To No Tangible Progress’ SENATE MAJORITY LEADER MITCH McCONNELL (R-KY): “For months, Speaker Pelosi and House Democrats have been claiming they notionally support this agreement and want to get to ‘yes.’ But, month after month, this happy talk has seemingly led to no tangible progress, just more heel-dragging. Hardworking Kentuckians — people like our farmers and our cattlemen — keep writing to me, asking Congress to pass the USMCA. But Speaker Pelosi won’t make time for it. House Democrats have enough time to continue their three-year-old obsession with impeaching the president, but they cannot find the time to pass a landmark trade deal that would create 176,000 new American jobs. Just saying their priorities out loud indicates how backwards they are.” (Sen. McConnell, Remarks, 11/12/2019) THE WASHINGTON POST EDITORIAL BOARD: “The impeachment of Mr. Trump along what are so far highly partisan lines threatened to deepen the dysfunctionality, despite promises from Ms. Pelosi and other Democratic leaders that the House could ‘walk and chew gum at the same time.’” (Editorial, “Pelosi Hints That A USMCA Deal Might Be Near. It’s A Wise Move For Democrats.,” The Washington Post, 11/17/2019)For More Than 9 Months, Speaker Pelosi Has Said She’s ‘Optimistic,’ That The House ‘Is On A Path To Yes’ And ‘[W]e Want To Pass This Bill,’ But There Is Still ‘No Outcome In Sight’ SEN. McCONNELL: “Month after month, every time she’s been asked about this subject, the Speaker of the House has offered the same empty rhetoric. She’s always close to allowing a vote. Her conference is always almost there. But we’ve been almost there for months and months with no outcome in sight. Lots of talk; zero results.” (Sen. McConnell, Remarks, 11/20/2019) FEBRUARY 7th: HOUSE SPEAKER NANCY PELOSI (D-CA): “The concerns that we have about, and hopefully they’re resolvable, because I’m optimistic always with the – what are we calling it now, U.S., Mexico, Canada … I believe that the committees of jurisdiction, that being the Ways and Means Committee, largely, will be having sessions with Members so that Members can see what is in the legislation, what we’d like to see in the legislation and how we can be supportive. I have always thought that this was probably one of the easier trade agreements to come to agreement on, but, so far, we’re not there yet.” (Speaker Pelosi, Press Conference, 2/07/2019) APRIL 4th: SPEAKER PELOSI: “I’m hopeful that we could get a trade agreement, but it has to be one that is real and that works.” (Speaker Pelosi, Press Conference, 4/04/2019) MAY 15th: “House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Democratic leaders are increasingly optimistic they can get to a yes on the new North American trade pact … Pelosi and House Democratic leaders reiterated that they want to support the new U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, but first need the administration to address a host of issues …” (“Democrats More Optimistic On Future Of Trump’s New NAFTA,” Politico, 5/15/2019) MAY 30th: SPEAKER PELOSI: “We all agree that we must replace NAFTA … We have been on a path to yes, but it must be a path that leads to an agreement that delivers positive results for American workers and farmers.” (Speaker Pelosi, Press Release, 5/30/2019) JUNE 11th: “House Democrats are expressing optimism as they begin what could be the final stage of negotiations to approve the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement … ‘We want to be on a path to yes,’ Pelosi said at a Peterson Foundation event Tuesday, stressing the need for strong enforcement.” (“Democrats Signal Hope for Passing New North America Trade Accord,” Bloomberg News, 6/11/2019) JUNE 20th: SPEAKER PELOSI: “We’re hopeful on the U.S.‑Mexico‑Canada Trade Agreement. We’re working in a positive way. We’re optimistic. I’m hopeful. We want to be on a path to yes.” (Speaker Pelosi, Press Conference, 6/20/2019) JUNE 27th: SPEAKER PELOSI: “[H]ere’s the thing – on the subject of U.S., Mexico, Canada … as much as possible, we are trying to keep the discussion on track and on schedule…. I had the Ambassador Lighthizer yesterday with the Caucus to again narrow in on where our concerns are…. [W]e want to pass this bill…. And I’m hoping that we can do it. As I say to the President, to the Administration, you have leverage. We want to change NAFTA…. I’m hopeful that we’ll be able to do something.” (Speaker Pelosi, Press Conference, 6/27/2019) SEPTEMBER 26th: SPEAKER PELOSI: “Let me just say, in case anybody’s interested, we’re moving ahead on the U.S.‑Mexico‑Canada Agreement. We’re again hoping to be on a path, a continuing path to yes.” (Speaker Pelosi, Press Conference, 9/26/2019) OCTOBER 3rd: “The war over impeachment has hastened House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s determination to approve a trade deal with Mexico and Canada …” (“The Trade Deal That Might Survive Impeachment,” Axios, 10/03/2019) OCTOBER 17th: SPEAKER PELOSI: “We’re still at work on the U.S.‑Mexico‑Canada Trade Agreement and making progress every day on our path to yes, but we’re not there yet…. I can honestly say that I think every day we’re becoming closer…. But we feel very good about being on a path to yes. We’re not there yet …” (Speaker Pelosi, Press Conference, 10/17/2019) NOVEMBER 1st: “House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said President Donald Trump’s new Nafta agreement is the ‘easiest trade deal that we’ve ever done.’ ‘We’re on a path to yes, and I think every day brings us closer to agreement,’ Pelosi told a roundtable with Bloomberg reporters and editors on Friday…. Pelosi said Democratic negotiators and the Trump administration are close to making final fixes to the accord …” (“Pelosi Calls USMCA ‘Easiest Trade Deal,’ Could Get Vote in 2020,” Bloomberg News, 11/01/2019) NOVEMBER 14th: SPEAKER PELOSI: “[W]e are moving positively in terms of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement…. I do believe that if we can get this to the place it needs to be, which is imminent, that this can be a template for future trade agreements, a good template.” (Speaker Pelosi, Press Conference, 11/14/2019) ‘Some Democrats … Are Getting Anxious As Negotiations Drag Into Yet Another Month’ “A group of battleground House Democrats on Thursday staged a dramatic show of support for President Donald Trump’s NAFTA update at a special caucus meeting on the issue, upping pressure on Speaker Nancy Pelosi in the final stretch of negotiations. The moderate Democrats privately worked to rally support for the trade deal ahead of the caucus-wide discussion, encouraging each other to show up and voice support for the deal, according to multiple people familiar with the conversations.” (“Battleground Democrats Make USMCA Push Amid Impeachment Furor,” Politico, 11/14/2019) “More than a dozen of the most vulnerable Democrats — mainly freshmen — used the meeting to stress the pact’s importance in their districts, [Rep. Henry] Cuellar [D-TX] said…. ‘I have to hand it to them. They were very forceful,’ Cuellar said, adding that he urged a lot of USMCA supporters to speak up in the meeting. ‘I think it’s going to give us … momentum.’” (“Battleground Democrats Make USMCA Push Amid Impeachment Furor,” Politico, 11/14/2019)“The push during the caucus meeting marks the latest sign of moderate House members growing agitated over the lack of movement to get the deal passed.” (“Battleground Democrats Make USMCA Push Amid Impeachment Furor,” Politico, 11/14/2019) “Some Democrats … are getting anxious as negotiations drag into yet another month, with little floor time remaining before the end of the year.” (“Freshman Democrats Skeptical About USMCA Deal By Year’s End,” Politico, 11/19/2019)“Several lawmakers ‘spoke up in concern’ about their desire to see a vote on the agreement sooner rather than later, freshman Rep. Anthony Brindisi (D-N.Y.) said as he exited the meeting, adding that he also voiced concerns about timing.” (“Freshman Democrats Skeptical About USMCA Deal By Year’s End,” Politico, 11/19/2019)REP. JIMMY GOMEZ (D-CA): “[AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka] still says we’re at the five yard line…. So it feels like we’ve been at the five yard line for a while.” (“Freshman Democrats Skeptical About USMCA Deal By Year’s End,” Politico, 11/19/2019)BIPARTISAN HOUSE PROBLEM SOLVERS CAUCUS: “For the good of the American people, and a strong economy, the Problem Solvers Caucus believes both sides of the aisle should find a way to unite together behind passage of USMCA…. Given the impact on our economy, we request a timely vote on USMCA.” (Rep. Reed, Press Release, 11/14/2019) The Washington Post Editorial Board Calls On Speaker Pelosi And Democrats To ‘See The USMCA Through To House Passage’ Because It’s In The Country’s Interest THE WASHINGTON POST EDITORIAL BOARD: “On Thursday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) … gave her strongest signal yet that the House Democratic leadership is close to a deal with the White House that would enable the passage of Mr. Trump’s update to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)…. This is a tribute also to the several dozen moderate members of her caucus, many first-termers elected from swing districts, who recognize that it is in their interest — as well as the country’s — to preserve stability in the hemispheric economy.” (Editorial, “Pelosi Hints That A USMCA Deal Might Be Near. It’s A Wise Move For Democrats.,” The Washington Post, 11/17/2019) “The realistic alternative, though, is a rupture with Mexico and Canada, which is why … we hope [House Democrats] will see the USMCA through to House passage, send it to the GOP Senate for likely approval — and then move on to other business …” (Editorial, “Pelosi Hints That A USMCA Deal Might Be Near. It’s A Wise Move For Democrats.,” The Washington Post, 11/17/2019)Tags: INSERT TAGS To share or post to your site, click on “Post Link”. Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service and “Like” Facebook Page – Thanks! Day Four Still A Bore, The Deep State On Display, Debate Night Posted: 20 Nov 2019 06:39 PM PST Gary Bauerby Gary Bauer, Contributing Author: Day Four, Still A Bore Today it was Gordon Sondland’s turn in the impeachment sham spotlight. Sondland, the U.S. ambassador to the European Union, suggested there was a “potential quid pro quo” between the Trump Administration and Ukraine. But his remarks also undercut the Democrats’ primary line of attack. Sondland said the quid pro quo related to a White House meeting. As for as any demands linked to U.S. military aid (lethal aid that Obama would never give), Sondland said Trump never expressed such a demand and that he merely guessed at it. Democrats have repeatedly insisted that President Trump wanted Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden in order to help his 2020 prospects. But Sondland was clear in his testimony that the request for investigations related to Ukraine’s efforts in the 2016 election to help Hillary Clinton and the natural gas company Bursima, which paid Hunter Biden at least $50,000 a month. Sondland also said that when he pressed the president about what he wanted from Ukraine’s leaders, President Trump replied, “I want nothing. I want nothing. I want no quid-pro-quo. Tell Zelensky to do the right thing.” (The president triumphantly read that statement in the Rose Garden on his way to Texas this afternoon.) That doesn’t sound like bribery or extortion to me. Speaking of bribery and extortion, watch this video of Rep. Elise Stefanik questioning Ambassador Kurt Volker and former National Security Council official Tim Morrison. Both men denied that there was ever any hint of bribery or extortion. In addition, Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, Vice President Mike Pence’s National Security Adviser, who also sat in on the July 25th call between President Trump and Ukrainian President Zelensky, said he heard “nothing wrong or improper” on the call. This is essentially boiling down to a disagreement over individual perceptions, opinions and guesses — hardly the stuff of “high crimes and misdemeanors.” A big part of the impeachment sham is “the Resistance” attempting to take down the president before the 2020 election. They are so desperate to defeat him now because they don’t think any of their candidates can win the election. And they don’t want to give you, the American people, the chance to reelect the president. You don’t have to take my word for it. Speaker Nancy Pelosi is trying to rally her caucus around the idea that Trump must be impeached now because it is “dangerous” to let the voters decide. Meanwhile, Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee announced today that they intend to subpoena Hunter Biden, the mysterious whistleblower and Alexandra Chalupa, a Democrat operative who was in Ukraine in 2016 digging up dirt on Donald Trump. The Deep State On Display As I suggested earlier, what’s on display in these hearings is not “high crimes and misdemeanors,” the offenses our Founding Fathers believed might justify impeachment, but the Deep State’s sense of entitlement. Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch appeared to be in an existential crisis because the president no longer wanted her to serve as ambassador to Ukraine. Her feelings were hurt because she was fired. But just to repeat, all ambassadors serve at the pleasure of the president. And Barack Obama fired all of George W. Bush ambassadors before he was even inaugurated! Can you imagine the media’s reaction if Republican senators had called up Bush’s ambassadors to testify about how upset they were, how their feelings were hurt? They would have been laughed out of the room, and rightly so. Yesterday we heard from Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, who said it was his job to coordinate U.S. policy toward Ukraine. Vindman never met the president, and his superiors expressed concerns about his judgment and temperament. During his testimony yesterday, it seemed Vindman was upset that Trump wasn’t reading his memos. Nevertheless, Vindman did concede that the president ultimately sets policy and was within his rights to request Ukraine’s help with any investigations. Again, what we’re witnessing in the House Intelligence Committee is the Deep State throwing a temper tantrum, upset that the bureaucratic establishment isn’t calling the shots anymore. Beijing’s Espionage Several weeks ago, I told you about reports that the Trump Administration was taking steps to stop China’s efforts to recruit scientists in the United States for its espionage efforts. A Senate report released this week reveals just how extensive Beijing’s efforts were. The Chinese “Thousand Talents” program began in 2008. It recruited at least 2,600 scientists in the United States, most of them Chinese nationals, at government labs or federal funded university research facilities. While these scientists were being paid by the U.S. government to conduct research on a wide range of issues, they were also being paid by the Chinese Communist Party to make sure their research found its way back to China. Incredibly, the FBI did not begin aggressively confronting the Chinese espionage until 2018! Presumably, James Comey, Andrew McCabe and Peter Strzok were just too busy sniffing out Russians in the Trump campaign to notice all the Chinese spies crawling around our college campuses and government labs. But I do remember being surprised when Comey’s successor, FBI Director Christopher Wray, told the Senate Intelligence Committee at the beginning of this year: “[T]he Chinese counterintelligence threat is more deep, more diverse, more vexing, more challenging, more comprehensive and more concerning than any counterintelligence threat I can think of.” While the left and the media are focused on Russia and Ukraine, the Chinese are robbing us blind. Debate Night Ten candidates will take the stage tonight for the fifth Democrat presidential debate hosted by MSNBC and the Washington Post. The debate begins at 9:00 PM ET. The participating candidates are: Former Vice President Joe BidenSenator Cory BookerMayor Pete ButtigiegRep. Tulsi GabbardSen. Kamala HarrisSen. Amy KlobucharSen. Bernie SandersBillionaire activist Tom SteyerSen. Elizabeth WarrenBusinessman Andrew YangTwo candidates who participated in the October debate will not be on the stage tonight: former Rep. Beto O’Rourke, who dropped out, and former HUD Secretary Julian Castro, who failed to qualify for tonight’s show. Also not appearing tonight are the two newest candidates, former Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick and former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg. ——————— Gary Bauer (@GaryLBauer) is a conservative family values advocate and serves as president of American Values and chairman of the Campaign for Working Families Tags: Gary Bauer, Campaign for Working Families, Day Four Still A Bore, The Deep State On Display, Debate Night To share or post to your site, click on “Post Link”. Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service and “Like” Facebook Page – Thanks! Setting the Record Straight on the Value of US Military Aid to Ukraine Posted: 20 Nov 2019 06:18 PM PST Ukrainian serviceman fires at Russia-backed separatists during night combat on the front line near Novolugansk in the Donetsk region. by Nolan Peterson: KYIV, Ukraine—U.S. military aid is a luxury, not a necessity, for Ukrainian combat operations to counter Russian aggression. From what I’ve seen, the country is perfectly capable of fighting its own war—with or without the American military aid. However, recent news reports and social media commentaries highlight the fact that Ukraine’s armed forces suffered at least 13 combat deaths during the 55 days in which the Trump administration withheld nearly $400 million in military aid from mid-July to mid-September. These Ukrainian soldiers were killed in August 2019, while President Trump was withholding congressionally voted military aid to pressure Ukraine to exonerate Russia and defame his political opponents https://t.co/DF5K1XSF33 pic.twitter.com/n7lJ6Ewg8j— David Frum (@davidfrum) October 4, 2019The implication is that Ukraine is treading water in its war effort, suspended over the abyss of defeat at Russia’s hands only by the lift of uninterrupted U.S. military aid. The instant that assistance is cut off, this line of thinking goes, Ukraine’s ability to defend itself founders. Well, that conclusion doesn’t jibe with what I’ve observed while covering the war, often from the front lines, since the summer of 2014. President Donald Trump’s temporary suspension of U.S. military aid to Ukraine this summer is at the heart of a House impeachment inquiry. According to Democrats, Trump allegedly tried to leverage that defense assistance as a way to coerce Ukraine into investigating the role of Joe Biden’s son in a Ukrainian energy company. Republicans disagree, and say Trump held up the military aid over concerns about corruption in Ukraine. U.S. military aid is clearly valuable for Ukraine’s armed forces. Yet that assistance is not life support for the country’s ongoing combat operations against Russian invasion forces in the eastern warzone. Correlating the holdup in U.S. military aid with the rate of Ukrainian front-line casualties is a bogus conclusion, reflecting an ignorance of Ukraine’s military capabilities as well as a distorted understanding of the true nature of the war in the Donbas. “Did Trump’s delay in providing military assistance to Ukraine have an effect on the war? I think that this delay did not have any influence on the situation in the eastern war zone,” Ukrainian army sniper Alexander Pochynok told The Daily Signal. “As for the soldiers who were killed—blame the enemy,” Pochynok said. Today, after five and a half years of constant combat, Ukrainian soldiers remain engaged in a trench war in the country’s eastern Donbas region against a combined force of Russian regulars, pro-Russian separatists, and foreign mercenaries. It’s a crazy war (as if any war isn’t) in which neither side is attempting to affect a breakthrough or significantly shift the front lines’ geography. Rather, both sides are hunkered down in trenches and forts, engaged in a daily artillery slugfest for the sake of not backing down first. To meet its daily armament expenditure requirements, Ukraine still draws heavily on Soviet-era stockpiles, not American aid. And the vaunted U.S. Javelin anti-tank missiles delivered to Ukraine under Trump’s watch haven’t been used in combat. The missiles are stored in warehouses distant from the front lines. “Deliveries of [American] lethal weapons, in my opinion, will primarily have psychological significance for both the Ukrainian army and the terrorists. This demonstrates the seriousness of U.S. support for Ukraine as a strategic partner,” Ukrainian army Lt. Andrei Mikheychenko told The Daily Signal, using “terrorists” to describe his combined Russian-separatist adversaries. “However, the weapons themselves will not have a decisive impact on the course of combat operations,” Mikheychenko added. “Ukraine itself produces various types of weapons from small, to anti-tank missiles, armored vehicles, and tanks. The stocks of Soviet weapons in warehouses are also significant … these stocks will last for a long time.” With Ukraine’s armed forces on track to become a counterbalance in Eastern Europe against a more aggressive Russia, the U.S. would do well to stay in Kyiv’s good graces. And it doesn’t take much to do so. The $391 million in U.S. military aid that Trump temporarily withheld during the summer is a pittance compared with the $4.8 billion in aid the White House budgeted in 2020 for the Afghan National Defense Force. By that measure, U.S. military aid to Ukraine is a real bargain. Ultimately, the real value of military aid is that it proves to Ukrainians that America is a friend worth having. And in this new era of strategic competition, America needs more friends like Ukraine—a country with a demonstrated willingness to fight for American values and a battle-hardened army at its disposal. An Education in Modern War In a September article in Politico headlined “How U.S. military aid became a lifeline for Ukraine,” the opening sentence reads: “The military aid scandal that spawned the impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump has a very different significance for Ukraine, where years of U.S. assistance have just begun to turn a ragtag army into a better-armed and professional force to counter Russian aggression.” I disagree. It was, in fact, the courage of Ukrainian soldiers, not U.S. military aid, which saved the country from disaster when Russia invaded in 2014. It’s certainly true that Ukraine’s military has metamorphosed from a so-called ragtag force into a much more lethal, professional one since 2014. But it’s a stretch, in my estimation, to credit U.S. military aid for that transformation. In fact, from what I’ve observed, the U.S. military has a lot to learn from Ukraine’s armed forces about how to fight a modern war. Since 2014, Ukrainian troops have had their baptism by fire under Russian artillery barrages, rocket attacks, and hybrid warfare tactics. This will be their sixth straight winter spent on the eastern front, enduring the Arctic cold of the Eurasian steppe, which broke the armies of Nazi Germany and Napoleon Bonaparte. In short, Ukrainian troops know what it’s like to fight a contemporary, conventional adversary. And that’s not a familiar experience for U.S. or NATO troops who have been preoccupied with counterinsurgency campaigns for a generation. An unclassified report by the U.S. Army’s Asymmetric Warfare Group says: U.S Forces should now begin contemplating how our formations should best prepare themselves for the threats that the Ukrainian Armed Forces (UAF) face and identify gaps within our own doctrine. … America has not encountered this type of conflict for nearly a generation and needs to transform to fight and win in complex maneuver warfare.Self-Sufficient According to a draft budget, Ukraine’s total defense spending in 2020 is set to top $9.9 billion. That number represents 21% of the national budget and about 5.4% of Ukraine’s gross domestic product. Of that amount, about $4.1 billion is slated for Ukraine’s armed forces, with $680 million allocated for weapons and hardware, according to a report by the Kyiv Post. Ukraine’s national military-industrial conglomerate, Ukroboronprom, produces most of the military hardware the country needs—and has enough left over for export. Ukraine was the world’s 12th-largest major arms exporter from 2014 to 2018 (a period spanning the war in the Donbas), according to a March report from the Stockholm International Peace Institute. That places Ukraine ahead of NATO countries such as Turkey and Canada when it comes to selling weapons abroad. Ukraine was not among the top 40 arms importers in the world from 2014 to 2018, according to the Stockholm International Peace Institute’s report. That fact alone belies the assertion that Ukraine is beholden to American military aid—or arms imports from any other nation, for that matter—to sustain its war effort. Still, Ukraine has a long way to go in modernizing its armed forces, many experts and officials say, especially in producing high-tech tactical battlefield technologies such as counterbattery radars and night-vision systems. Ukraine also lags in its ability to field certain big-ticket items such as warplanes and anti-aircraft defenses. “We need to import weapons that are not manufactured in Ukraine,” said Viktor Plakhuta, an adviser to the Ukrainian parliament’s Committee on National Security and Defense. “First and foremost are air defense and fighters,” Plakhuta told The Daily Signal. “Therefore, we need to think how to establish cooperation with the U.S. in this direction.” In that modernization effort, U.S. aid plays a key role—particularly with better air defenses and the rebuilding of Ukraine’s air force, which Russian surface-to-air missiles devastated in the early days of the war. That kind of American assistance goes far beyond Ukraine’s immediate war needs in the Donbas. It helps Ukraine prepare to repel a full-blown Russian invasion, as well as to adopt NATO interoperability standards. “Russian aggression made it possible to allocate resources for the modernization |
[of Ukraine’s armed forces]
,” said Alexander Khara, deputy chairman of the Black Sea Institute of Strategic Studies, a defense research institute.
“Yet, with all the great things in the Ukrainian defense industry, we still have gaps,” Khara told The Daily Signal in an earlier interview. “We don’t produce jets and helicopters, or anti-ship missiles, though we still are able to build big ships. Given the nature of security threats, the defense demands are huge—from air defense to the navy.”
For the war in the Donbas, U.S. military aid has a more focused, tactical utility, giving Ukraine’s armed forces the modern military technology necessary to increase their survivability against Russian forces and their separatist proxies.
U.S. help also allows the Ukrainians to fight with limited means without relying on Soviet area-warfare tactics, thereby reducing the risk of collateral damage. And not to be forgotten, a U.S. training exercise that began in 2015 under the Obama administration expedited the professionalization of Ukraine’s armed forces.
U.S. support also has a symbolic value that Ukrainian soldiers sometimes exploit to rattle their enemies. I’ve observed Ukrainian soldiers speaking in English on the open radio airwaves in the war zone, pretending to be U.S. Navy SEALs or Marines. The gag usually elicits a flurry of incensed responses from their enemies.
While those benefits are significant, they’re not indispensable to Ukrainian combat operations in the Donbas. It’s also important to note that the benefits of U.S. military aid have accumulated steadily over the years through the delivery of high-tech systems such as counterbattery radars and night-vision goggles, and with the slow evolution of Ukraine’s military culture.
The 55-day holdup in U.S. aid over the summer didn’t turn off the lights on Ukraine’s war effort, nor did it instantly negate the progressively accumulated benefits of American assistance over the past five and a half years.
In the long run, however, the brief interruption in delivering U.S. military aid sent a troubling signal to Ukrainians about the long-term durability of U.S. support. That’s a message that Moscow surely picked up on, and it cuts to the heart of how U.S. military aid truly helps Ukraine.
American military assistance, while not necessary for Ukraine to meet its immediate war needs in the Donbas, certainly sends a deterrent message to Moscow. It also sends a reassuring message to Ukraine’s soldiers and civilians that they haven’t been forgotten by America.
I see U.S. military aid in a different light than most of the other commentaries you’re likely to read on that matter.
America needs to prove to Ukrainians that they made the right choice by turning away from Russia and toward the West, and that the blood and treasure Ukrainians have spent in pursuit of achieving their freedom wasn’t spent in vain.
Ukraine is on course to become a regional counterbalance to a more militarily aggressive Russia. And, looking forward, the U.S. likely will be increasingly dependent on Ukraine to hold back the Russian threat and keep the peace in Europe.
At a Ukrainian fort near the front-line town of Marinka in 2016, I asked a 30-year-old Ukrainian soldier named Andriy about the value of U.S. military aid to support his country’s war effort against a Russian invasion force.
“American help is OK. But we need to learn how to do this on our own,” said Andriy, a native of the city of Kharkiv who was then serving in the Ukrainian army’s 92nd Mechanized Brigade.
“We shouldn’t rely on other countries for help. We need to fight this war on our own,” he said, adding: “More than ammunition, we need to know we’re not alone.”
A Grassroots War Effort
After
Ukraine’s 2014 “Revolution of Dignity” ousted the pro-Russian president,
Viktor Yanukovych, Russia retaliated by invading and seizing Crimea the
following March.
Then in April, Russian intelligence agents and special operations forces orchestrated a separatist uprising in Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region, creating two breakaway republics—the Donetsk People’s Republic and the Luhansk People’s Republic.
In the early months of the war, depleted by decades of corruption in the post-Soviet era, Ukraine’s military initially was able to field only about 6,000 combat-ready soldiers. Consequently, Russia’s hybrid offensive leapfrogged across the Donbas, taking town after town.
With Ukraine’s regular army on its heels, everyday Ukrainians filled the ranks of irregular, civilian combat units and went to war. Many of these volunteers had no prior military experience.
They learned how to be soldiers while on the front lines, under fire, with no formal training—and with little help from America during the Obama administration, apart from blankets and food rations. They were supported by legions of volunteers who raised money for basic kit and food through social media campaigns, and then drove those supplies out to the front line, often at great risk.
This motley coalition of Ukraine’s regular army and so-called volunteer battalions (the “Bad News Bears” of war, as I’ve called them) stopped the combined Russian-separatist advance. It was a grassroots war effort—an example of a society that didn’t need to be coaxed into a war by propaganda.
Ukrainians simply fought to defend their homeland when they had to.
The only experience in my lifetime analogous with what I witnessed in 2014 in Ukraine was the mood at the U.S. Air Force Academy when I was a cadet there in the days following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.
I remember how we were all ready to go to war, in an instant, if we had to. That’s what Ukraine was like in 2014.
“There was no army in 2014,” Ukrainian army war veteran Denys Antipov explained to me. “In my opinion, the volunteer battalions were the only reason we kept our independence. Why else would the Russian tanks have stopped in 2014?”
By July 2014, just three months into the conflict, Ukraine’s cobbled-together armed forces—that “ragtag army”—had retaken 23 out of the 36 districts previously under combined Russian-separatist control. It looked, briefly, like Ukraine might be able to take back all the territory it had lost.
But then, in August 2014, Russia invaded with thousands of its own troops, along with massive amounts of weaponry and military hardware.
According to the report by the U.S. Army’s Asymmetric Warfare Group:
The Ukrainian military and volunteer militia fought back rather successfully. They pushed the separatists back to the very border with Russia. Then everything changed. Russian regular troops with heavy equipment attacked across their border and fought a series of encirclement battles resulting in hundreds of Ukrainian troops killed and the Ukrainian Anti-Terror Operation teetering on the brink of defeat.From an operational perspective, Russia’s original hybrid warfare plan in the Donbas was a failure. In a 2017 study, the Rand Corp. concluded that Russia’s hybrid war in eastern Ukraine failed to achieve its objectives “without resorting to conventional war and outright invasion.”
The authors went on to note: “Ukraine is a case study in the failure of hybrid warfare to deliver the desired political ends for Russia.”
A September 2014 cease-fire stopped the war from escalating to catastrophic levels. And when that first cease-fire collapsed, a second cease-fire in February 2015 known as Minsk II effectively froze the conflict along its current front line.
But the war didn’t end.
So far, the conflict in the Donbas has killed more than 13,000 —half of whom died after the Minsk II cease-fire went into effect. In October alone, another nine Ukrainian soldiers died in combat, continuing the rate of about one death every three days that has persisted for years.
And with 1.7 million Ukrainians who still can’t go home due to the conflict, Europe’s only ongoing land war is also the Continent’s biggest humanitarian crisis.
Blood and Treasure
Ukraine’s
strategic military doctrine now identifies Russia as the country’s top
security threat. As a result, Kyiv has rebuilt its military with the
specific objective of defending against a full-blown Russian invasion
and adopting NATO standards—far surpassing the immediate needs of the
war in the Donbas in the process.
Today, Ukraine’s combined military ranks comprise about 250,000 active-duty troops and roughly 80,000 reservists. On the Continent, only Russia’s military is bigger.
“The funding of the army over five years has increased significantly, and this gives reason to believe that in 10 years the Ukrainian army can enter the top five armies in Europe, and even the world,” said Sergiy Tsyhipa, a former Red Army soldier who volunteered for Ukraine’s armed forces in 2015 to fight the Russian invasion.
Case in point: The reconstitution of Ukraine’s navy is specifically aimed to deter Russian aggression in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. In that endeavor, U.S. military aid is proving helpful.
Last week, Ukraine took possession of two retrofitted, previously decommissioned U.S. Coast Guard Island-class cutters. With more of the American vessels on the way, Ukraine’s long-term ability to project naval power to deter Russia has improved, says Andrii Ryzhenko, the Ukrainian navy’s deputy chief of staff for Euro-Atlantic integration.
“With the [U.S. Island-class cutters] we may patrol over all the Black Sea,” Ryzhenko told The Daily Signal.
As for Ukraine’s immediate defense needs, Ryzhenko singled out the beneficial impact of U.S. sanctions on Russia, which Trump has strengthened.
“This U.S. help weakens the Russians and pushes
them to negotiate, thereby breaking their neo-imperial plans for the
restoration of the USSR,” Ryzhenko said.
————————
Nolan Peterson, (@nolanwpeterson) a former special operations pilot and a combat veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan, is The Daily Signal’s foreign correspondent based in Ukraine. More articles by Nolan Peterson.
Tags:Setting the Record Straight, on the Value, of US Military Aid, to UkraineTo share or post to your site, click on “Post Link”. Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service and “Like” Facebook Page – Thanks!
Planned Parenthood’s Changing Structure
Posted: 20 Nov 2019 05:56 PM PST
by Jim Sedlak: Over the years, we have often described the structure of Planned Parenthood as a franchise. It has a corporate office that does not actually run any medical centers anywhere in the country.
All its medical centers are run by franchisees (called affiliates). Each affiliate is a separately incorporated entity that operates in a specified territory and opens and closes medical centers based on whether or not a center is making money. In exchange for the franchise territory, the affiliate must follow corporate rules on how to provide services and must pay annual dues to the corporate office.
When Planned Parenthood first began organizing, it was important for it to have lots of local affiliates. Part of the thought process was that, in order to get public support, there had to be a local entity that donors could see as their own. Planned Parenthood had 97 affiliates in 1960, and, after Roe v. Wade, that number grew to 191 affiliates operating 700 facilities in 1978—an average of 3-4 centers per affiliate. Finding this unwieldy, Planned Parenthood began closing or consolidating affiliates and was down to 96 affiliates operating 817 centers in 2009—an average of 8-9 centers per affiliate.
Today, Planned
Parenthood has significantly changed its outlook on affiliates. It has
abandoned its “local” affiliate policy and is consolidating to get
bigger profits and committing more abortions. Some examples of what is
happening:
- n TEXAS, Planned Parenthood, in 2012, created Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas to run most of its centers in the state. That one affiliate operates all centers from Tyler, in the east, to El Paso in the west—over 700 miles away—and from Austin to the northern border. Only two small affiliates, in San Antonio and Houston, are outside the PPGT empire.
- In HAWAII, Planned Parenthood, in 2014, merged with Planned Parenthood of the Greater Northwest (Alaska, Idaho, and western Washington), creating an affiliate with over 3,000 miles between its Honolulu and Fairbanks centers.
- In NEBRASKA, in 2018, Planned Parenthood joined a new regional affiliate—Planned Parenthood North Central States (a five-state regional organization serving Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota).
- In INDIANA, in 2019, Planned Parenthood of Indiana and Kentucky is merging with Planned Parenthood of the Greater Northwest and Hawaiian Islands. The resultant affiliate will have over 4,000 miles between its centers in Honolulu and Lexington.
- In NEW YORK, by the end of 2019, Planned Parenthood will merge five separate affiliates into Planned Parenthood of Greater New York. This new affiliate will cover most of the territory from New York City to Ithaca and Saratoga, to Nassau County and the Hudson Valley.
With all of this consolidation, in 2020, Planned Parenthood will have less than 50 affiliates and huge distances to cover. It will create a logistics and management nightmare for the organization. The Northwest, Hawaii, Indiana, and Kentucky affiliate will, for example, have a total of 44 centers spread over thousands of miles. Corporate management will only have one workday every two months to spend on each of the centers.
More importantly for Planned Parenthood is the fact that local donors, even big donors, are likely to change their giving patterns. Many of these donors want to know that their donations are being used locally and not shipped off to other areas and other states. These donors would, most of the time, prefer to give to a local arts program or support local humanitarian work than give to a large hundred-million dollar enterprise with very little local ties.
As a grassroots organization helping local people fight local Planned Parenthood facilities, STOPP sees these new developments as a positive step in allowing us to help close more and more local Planned Parenthood facilities.
Since Planned Parenthood began making these changes in 2012, we have seen a net of 160 Planned Parenthood centers close their doors and get out of town. Right now, Planned Parenthood is riding a wave of opposition to President Trump and money is pouring into its coffers from the very rich and the very famous. It had a 244 million dollar profit last year, but still closed a dozen centers.
As we gear up for this expanding
battle, we began our own wave—the Marian Blue Wave. It will ultimately
spell the end for Planned Parenthood, and abortion, in this country and
around the world.
—————-
Jim Sedlak is executive director of American Life League,
founder of STOPP International, and host of a weekly talk show on the
Radio Maria Network. He has been successfully fighting Planned
Parenthood since 1985.
Tags:Jim Sedlak, executive director, American Life League, Planned Parenthood, Changing StructureTo share or post to your site, click on “Post Link”. Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service and “Like” Facebook Page – Thanks!
Impeachment of Trump Gives Aid and Comfort to China
Posted: 20 Nov 2019 05:36 PM PST
by Rick Manning: The Democrat impeachment scam of President Donald Trump is giving aid and comfort to the communist regime in China which is violently attacking Hong Kongers who seek to continue living their lives free of Beijing’s oppression.
Right now, Chinese government sanctioned police and troops are making the former British holding a bloodier Tiananmen Square, under the blanket of silence created by our nation’s impeachment focus.
Additionally, recent reports that China continues widespread theft of U.S. intellectual property through our university and national science lab system, while at the same time purporting to negotiate in good faith over recognizing and respecting U.S. intellectual property demonstrates the folly of taking Chinese President Xi Zinping at his word in any deal. The awful truth is that right now the Chinese take the U.S. for chumps, who will turn a blind eye to any offense so long as they promise to buy a few extra bushels of soybeans and corn. And they are hoping that the Democrat impeachment fraud will force President Trump into a position where he feels that he needs a deal at any cost.
Fortunately, President Trump can walk and chew gum at the same time, and while it may be painful for those in the U.S. agricultural sector to hear, the President should shut down all trade talks with China until, at the very least, they honor the freedom of the people of Hong Kong.
History has confirmed to China’s government that they can have the fruits of freedom through an economic partnership with the U.S. while enslaving its own people, because Americans are more concerned with LeBron James’ latest Nike shoes than the child and forced laborers who produce them.
America has repeatedly been told about millions of Uyghur Muslims being placed in concentration camps for “re-education.” While these are horrifying, the daily stock market tally credited to “Chinese trade progress” is somehow more important than millions of people enslaved.
What many don’t realize is that the United States Department of Labor’s Bureau of International Labor Affairs 2018 List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor lists China as one of the worse labor abusers in the world. China uses some combination of forced or child labor to produce textiles, artificial flowers, Christmas decorations, coal, footwear, garments, nails, bricks, cotton, electronics, fireworks and toys. Think about that as you shop for your children or grandchildren’s Christmas presents, the very gift you give them may very well have been made by someone your child’s age subjected to sweatshop conditions. Yet, multi-national corporations and their shills continue to whine about President Trump’s imposition of tariffs against Chinese goods which force the relocation of corporate supply chains away from these slavers.
Even worse, the Chinese use political dissidents as live organ donors makes Planned Parenthood’s baby body parts business look almost humane. And Christian churches and believers are regularly jailed for simply possessing the Bible as the atheist state seeks to assert absolute control over the minds and bodies of those who have the misfortune to live under their rule. Yet, somehow, we worry more about whether the latest iPhone has a cool camera rather than the bloody fingers who are forced to produce it.
The people of Hong Kong cry out resisting this oppression begging the people of the United States to join them in their quest for freedom. President Trump should answer this call by ending all trade discussions with the rogue Chinese government, focusing instead upon strengthening trade ties with other free countries around the world. Additionally, there should be a concerted effort by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund to relieve countries like Kenya of the debt they have incurred due to China’s Belt and Road initiative which has resulted in China’s potential takeover of Kenya’s strategically vital Mombasa Port.
Let’s be clear. The Chinese government is not a benign economic partner in the world, but instead is a country that has a strategic plan to defeat the United States. The Chinese government are not benevolent dictators, as they engage in abuses against those who seek freedom of religion or opportunity. The Chinese have not changed for the better due to their engagement with the U.S. through commerce, but instead have economically coerced companies, like the NBA, ESPN and Disney, who are in their markets to become advocates and apologists for grotesque Chinese policy.
As we enter into this Christmas season, Americans should show support for Hong Kong and the Chinese people by looking at the label, and if it says “made in China” putting it back on the shelves. When you go to the check-out stand, tell the person ringing you up that you really liked a couple of skirts, shoes and electronic items but could not buy them because of the made in China label.
When millions of Americans do
this, retailers will get the message and supply chains will change. And
as China finds that destroying freedom, enslaving children and
religious minorities, and using political or religious dissidents as
living organ donors are unacceptable in a civilized world, perhaps they
will change. Then and only then, the U.S. government should work on a
trade deal, because a deal with the devil is always a deal with the
devil, even if it saves you a few coins up front.
———————
Rick Manning is the President of Americans for Limited Government.
Tags:Rick Manning, Americans for Limited Government, impeachment of Trump, gives, aid and comfort, to ChinaTo share or post to your site, click on “Post Link”. Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service and “Like” Facebook Page – Thanks!
Cancel Culture Hypocrites on Left and Right
Posted: 20 Nov 2019 05:19 PM PST
by Michelle Malkin: Cancel culture is metastasizing. No one is safe anymore, including yours truly.
On Tuesday afternoon, I was informed that Bentley University in Waltham, Massachusetts, had pulled the plug on my book discussion of “Open Borders Inc.” with the Center for Immigration Studies’ Director of Policy Studies Jessica Vaughan. The event had been scheduled for this Friday and co-hosts from Bostonians Against Sanctuary Cities were expecting a crowd of about 300 people.
University officials gave pale excuses for the last-minute cancellation, citing local organizers’ request for an audio box to accommodate media outlets. Anti-sanctuary activist Lou Murray condemned the decision as “malarkey,” vowing that “the show must and will go on.” The Bentley University administrators who squelched our open discussion of who’s subsidizing and profiting on the mass migration agenda, Murray said, “are the new politically correct Puritans. I thought ‘Banned in Boston’ died long ago.” Liberal opponents of book burning change their tune when the book topics don’t fit their narratives.
This isn’t the first time that immigration enforcement advocates have been targeted in the Bay State. In 2017, Vaughan’s talk on sanctuary policies at the Veterans of Foreign Wars building in Franklin, Massachusetts, was canceled after a vehement protest by left-wing illegal immigration supporters recycled the Southern Poverty Law Center’s smear that CIS is a “hate group.” Vaughan is scheduled to speak next week at a community center in Sharon, Massachusetts. Protesters are already organizing online to disrupt the event.
Marginalizing all champions of secure borders and sovereignty as “haters” is SPLC’s bread and butter. Even after its hate-manufacturing character assassins have been discredited as poverty palace scam artists by liberal journalists, the group succeeds in executing attacks on political opponents through willing and able media surrogates. The New York Times, Washington Post, Newsweek, CNN, PBS and MSNBC have all regurgitated SPLC’s release of leaked emails between senior White House adviser Stephen Miller and a former editor for the conservative Breitbart website. Miller, who is Jewish, has been attacked repeatedly as a “white nationalist” for recommending immigration restrictionist books and websites that the powers that be don’t want anyone to read. Miller’s frank discussions of “demographic Armageddon” wrought by mass, uncontrolled migration have been deemed beyond the pale. Unhinged Sen. Mazie Hirono called on Miller to resign.
But math doesn’t lie. The unrelenting numbers of amnestied illegal immigrants, guest workers, foreign students and green card holders on a path to citizenship — who vote overwhelmingly, stubbornly and immutably Democratic — do indeed spell doom. This week, both The New York Times and Los Angeles Times reported on the obvious electoral impact of open borders on Virginia and California and the rest of the country, which will be majority-minority by 2045.
No one called on the journalists reporting the facts to be fired or smeared them as “conspiracy theorists.” When I delivered the same message on Fox News two months upon my book launch, however, globalist billionaire George Soros’s lying henchmen at Media Matters compared me to the Tree of Life synagogue shooter and hurled “anti-Semite” epithets at me. More recently, when I defended conservative nationalist students who confronted establishment GOP representatives at campus events held by Turning Point USA and the Young America’s Foundation with serious questions about the detrimental consequences of mass migration, the Keepers of the Gate called on me to be de-platformed and cast out of the conservative “mainstream.”
After delivering two speeches at Lock Haven University and UCLA on the important battle between grassroots “America first” activists and big business, open borders Republicans, YAF issued a statement this weekend, asserting: “There is no room in mainstream conservatism or at YAF for holocaust deniers, white nationalists, street brawlers, or racists.”
Yes, my friends, they were talking about me.
Both the open borders left and right don’t want to address immigration-induced demographics. They just want to demagogue, while joining together in D.C. to push expanded guest-worker pipelines (S.B. 386), agribusiness amnesties (H.R. 4916), and massive “Dreamer” work permits (H.R. 6). Employing the very witch hunt tactics of the left that so many conservative pundits purport to abhor, YAF and others (including Jonah Goldberg, David French, various snot-nosed libertarians from the Washington Examiner and elsewhere) demand that I disavow the young nationalist disruptors who have captured social media attention over the past three weeks. Don’t rely on slanted summaries of what they’ve said and done. Go to the original sources, as I have done in communicating with many of these earnest students who think for themselves.
Because I named their chief strategist and organizer, 21-year-old YouTube show host Nick Fuentes, I was accused of promoting “Holocaust denialism” and “white nationalism” based on brief clips of Fuentes accumulated by anonymous sources culled from 500 of his hours-long shows. I have done no such thing. The rabid reaction pearl-clutching Beltway elites are having to a kid in his basement exposes how desperate they are to protect the “America last” racket.
Several of the establishment conservatives now smearing America-firsters have themselves espoused identitarian ideas and ethnic nationalism of one flavor or another. But because they are controlled opposition, they are safe.
The only thing I disavow is the hypocritical disavowal mob on both sides of the aisle. I cancel you.
——————
Michelle Malkin is mother, wife, blogger, conservative syndicated columnist, and author. Her article was shared by Rassmussen Reports.
Tags:Michelle Malkin, cancel culture hypocrites, left and rightTo share or post to your site, click on “Post Link”. Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service and “Like” Facebook Page – Thanks!
Posted: 20 Nov 2019 04:16 PM PST
by John Stossel: “How dare you? You have stolen my dreams and my childhood!” insisted teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg at the United Nations. “We are in the beginning of a mass extinction!”
Many people say that we’re destroying the Earth.
It all sounds so scary.
But I’ve been a consumer reporter for years, and I’ve covered so many scares: plague, famine, overpopulation, SARS, West Nile virus, bird flu, radiation from cellphones, flesh-eating bacteria, killer bees, etc. The list of terrible things that were going to get us is very long.
Yet we live longer than ever.
Now I’m told global warming is different.
The Earth’s average temperature is rising. It’s risen 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit since 1880. The U.N. predicts it will rise another 2 to 5 degrees this century. If that happens, that will create problems.
But does that justify what’s being said?
“We have 12 years to act!” says Joe Biden.
“The world is going to end in 12 years if we don’t address climate change!” adds Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
Twelve years? That’s the new slogan.
The Heartland Institute invited some climate alarmists to explain the “12 years” and other frightening statements they keep making.
The alarmists didn’t even show up. They never do. They make speeches and preach to gullible reporters, but they won’t debate anyone who is skeptical.
Over the years, I repeatedly invited Al Gore to come on my TV shows. His staff always said he was “too busy.”
At a Heartland Institute event I moderated, climatologist Pat Michaels put the 12-year claim in perspective by saying, “It’s warmed up around 1 degree Celsius since 1900, and life expectancy doubled in the industrialized democracies! Yet that temperature ticks up another half a degree and the entire system crashes? That’s the most absurd belief!”
Astrophysicist Willie Soon added, “It’s all about hand-waving, emotion, sending out kids in protest. It has nothing to do with the science.”
Is that true? I wish the alarmists would show up and debate.
Alarmists say, “Miami will soon be underwater!”
Few serious people deny that the Earth has warmed and that sea levels are rising. But Michaels points out that even if the warming increases, humans can adjust.
For example, much of Holland is below sea level. “They said,” Michaels recounts, “we’re going to adapt to the fact that we’re a low-lying country; we’re going to build these dikes. Are you telling me that people in Miami are so dumb that they’re just going to sit there and drown?”
Climatology professor David Legates added a point the climate alarmists never make: “The water has been rising for approximately 20,000 years and probably will continue.”
But aren’t sudden climate changes happening now? Aren’t hurricanes suddenly far more violent?
“No they aren’t!” responded Michaels. “You can take a look at all the hurricanes around the planet. We can see them since 1970, because we’ve got global satellite coverage. We can measure their power… There is no significant increase whatsoever — no relationship between hurricane activity and the surface temperature of the planet!”
He’s right. That’s what government data shows.
Nevertheless, activists and politicians demand the United States move toward zero carbon emissions. That would “put you back in the Stone Age,” says Michaels.
Another myth is that carbon dioxide, the prime creator of greenhouse gases, threatens the food supply.
But carbon dioxide helps plants grow. “There are places on Earth where it is greening up like crazy,” says Michaels.
But if the crisis isn’t real, why do governments race to respond to it with regulations and big spending projects? Why is the U.N.’s Panel on Climate (IPCC) so alarmed?
Well, IPCC does stand for Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
Legates says, “Governments want to keep control… Carbon dioxide becomes that molecule by which (they) can take control of your lives.”
Government is the real crisis.
——————
John Stossel is author of “No They Can’t! Why Government Fails — But Individuals Succeed.” Article shared by Rassmussen Reports.
Tags:John Stossel, Climate Myths, commentary, Rassmussen ReportsTo share or post to your site, click on “Post Link”. Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service and “Like” Facebook Page – Thanks!
Posted: 20 Nov 2019 04:06 PM PST
by Kerby Anderson, Contributing Author: Why do nearly a majority (43%) of young people have a positive view of socialism? That is a question many pundits and social commentators have been pondering.
The swing to socialism isn’t due to the presence of favorable examples of it in the world. Cuba, Nicaragua, North Korea, and Venezuela are impoverished, authoritarian countries. Even the soft-socialism in many European countries isn’t that attractive to anyone who takes the time to look at their economic record.
Victor Davis Hanson identifies a number of catalysts for the new socialism. One of those is massive immigration. Many of these immigrants fled from poor areas in Latin America, Asia, or Africa. They arrive unaware of the economic alternatives to state socialism and even expect government to provide social services for them.
“Another culprit for the new socialist craze is the strange leftward drift of the very wealthy in Silicon Valley, in corporate America and on Wall Street.” They may feel guilty about their unprecedented wealth and thus champion socialist redistribution.
Perhaps the greatest reason for the swing to socialism is the university. The teaching, of course, is almost always focused on the evils of capitalism and the benefits of socialism. But Victor Davis Hanson also points to student loan debt. More than 45 million now have racked up a collective student debt of nearly $1.6 trillion. This often forces young adults to postpone marriage, child-rearing, and home purchases. If this is what capitalism looks like to them, it’s no wonder they flirt with socialism.
The answer is
alternative education. We must provide good reasons for why a free
market is better than massive government control of the economy. We need
to remind the younger generation of the sad history of socialism and
communism. Otherwise we will see a swing to socialism in the next few
elections.
—————-
Kerby Anderson (@kerbyanderson) is a radio talk show host heard on numerous stations via the Point of View Network (@PointofViewRTS) and is endorsed by Dr. Bill Smith, Editor, ARRA News Service.
Tags:Kerby Anderson, Viewpoints, Point of View, Swing to Socialism, Victor Davis Hanson, history shows, socialism not the cureTo share or post to your site, click on “Post Link”. Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service and “Like” Facebook Page – Thanks!
Posted: 20 Nov 2019 03:19 PM PST.
. . Though most Republicans feel Schiff is lying he still will not
level the playing field and reveal the whistleblower for testimony.
Tags:Editorial Cartoon, AF Branco, Blackout, most Republicans. feel Schiff is lying, he still will not, level the playing field, reveal the whistleblower, for testimonyTo share or post to your site, click on “Post Link”. Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service and “Like” Facebook Page – Thanks!
Posted: 20 Nov 2019 03:11 PM PST
by Paul Jacob, Contributing Author: Donald Trump was not elected with a mandate to “drain the ‘interagency consensus.’”
You can’t “drain” a “consensus.” More importantly, “the Swamp” that Trump promised to “drain,” is not the same thing as that “interagency consensus.” That latter, new phrase better serves as something coextensive with — or subset of — something distinct, “the Deep State.”
But the Swamp and Deep State are related.
Though the term, interagency consensus, was floated earlier, this new bit of jargon hit public consciousness as a result of the impeachment proceedings, the testimony of Alexander Vindman in particular.
Mr. Vindman — excuse me, Lt. Colonel Vindman — is an Army officer assigned to the National Security Council who became alarmed at “outside influences” in the Trump Administration that were upsetting the “interagency consensus” on the subject of his homeland. The new “narrative,” he testified, “was harmful to U.S. government policy. While my interagency colleagues and I were becoming increasingly optimistic on Ukraine’s prospects, this alternative narrative undermined U.S. government efforts to expand cooperation with Ukraine.”
The problem with this is obvious. It is not the job of junior diplomats and spies to work against the policies of a constitutionally-elected and -authorized U.S. president.
Sophisticates in Washington and in the press corps sometimes pooh-pooh the term “Deep State.” Vindman’s testimony justifies the term. Yet, he sure seems earnest in thinking that government hirelings should develop policy that must be defended from tampering, including by we who wade in the shallow end of government, stuck with our piddling votes.
This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.
——————
Paul Jacob (@Common_Sense_PJ ) is author of Common Sense
which provides daily commentary about the issues impacting America and
about the citizens who are doing something about them. He is also
President of the Liberty Initiative Fund (LIFe) as well as Citizens in
Charge Foundation. Jacob is a contributing author on the ARRA News Service.
Tags:Paul Jacob, Common Sense, Deep State ConsensusTo share or post to your site, click on “Post Link”. Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service and “Like” Facebook Page – Thanks!
Muslim AK-47s and Bombings Turn Sweden Into War Zone
Posted: 20 Nov 2019 02:58 PM PST. . . “Those who depict our prophet, we’ll blow them up.”
by Daniel Greenfield: This isn’t terrorism. It’s a war. And it’s going on every day in Sweden.
Sweden is reeling from a wave of shootings and bombings with 268 shootings just this year so far. And that’s in a country of 10 million people which has crime numbers on par with some American cities.
“Sweden may have the answer to America’s gun problem,” Vox declared in 2016. Or maybe not.
These shootings aren’t being carried out with handguns, but with AK-47s. The weapon so often used as a boogeyman by gun control advocates, but rarely featured in everyday gun violence, is a staple of Sweden’s gang war scene. Along with hand grenades and other explosives rarely seen in America.
A call by the police last year asking gang members to turn in their grenades worked as well as expected.
There have been 187 bomb attacks this year. In just 1 week in August, there were three major bombings. Much of the violence is concentrated in Malmo which experienced 58 bombings in 2017.
Malmo has a sizable immigrant and Muslim population. And it’s a center of gang violence.
Swedish authorities and its media rarely discuss or name the perpetrators, but the latest shooting left Jaffar Ibrahim, a 15-year-old boy, dead. Jaffar was shot in a Malmo pizzeria and had been part of a family of Syrian refugees who migrated to Sweden in 2016. Services for him were held in a mosque.
The shooting attack was preceded by a car bombing which was used as a diversion.
The media cited as a precedent the shooting death of Ahmed Obaid, a 16-year-old, a few years ago. This isn’t unusual as 9 out of 10 shooters are foreign immigrants or the children of foreign immigrants.
But Muslim gang violence in Sweden isn’t just its problem anymore.
Bombings took off in Copenhagen with explosions outside a police station and a tax office over the summer. The targets were political and the bombs weren’t fireworks or hand grenades, but commercial explosives used for demolitions. The suspects turned out to be criminals who had entered from Sweden.
The violence was probably related to gang wars involving the Brothas, Loyal to Familia and other splinter gangs. Despite the gang names, the actual gang members have names like Osman and Omar.
While Muslim gangs operating out of Malmo appear to be pushing into Copenhagen, likely fronts and splinter groups of the Hells Angels, Muslim gangs out of Copenhagen, like the Black Cobras, are pushing into Malmo. To the Muslim gangs, Sweden and Denmark are just territories to seize and control.
That’s the same attitude that has brought Muslim gang members into ISIS.
Omar El-Hussein, a “Palestinian” Jordanian migrant criminal, who attempted to murder Mohammed cartoonist Lars Vilks before attacking a bar mitzvah at the Great Synagogue, had come through the ranks of the Brothas, building up a long criminal record, before finally joining ISIS.
Omar El-Hussein, a “Palestinian” Jordanian migrant criminal, who attempted to murder Mohammed cartoonist Lars Vilks before attacking a bar mitzvah at the Great Synagogue, had come through the ranks of the Brothas, building up a long criminal record, before finally joining ISIS.
After the attack, a journalist interviewed fellow Brothas gang members, Ahmed and Abdur Ramadan. “Those who depict our prophet, we’ll blow them up,” they declared.
The reference to bombings isn’t accidental.
Muslim gang leaders have reportedly taken the lead in joining ISIS. And their interest in explosives isn’t purely about gang violence. The bombing attacks on a police station and tax office weren’t gang rivalries. Despite the denials by the authorities, they have all the classic hallmarks of terrorism.
Denmark has reacted to the terror traffic from Sweden by imposing border controls on bridge crossings.
And while that might help slow the rate at which weapons flow into the country and bodies pile up, the real problem isn’t coming in from Sweden, but from Morocco, Turkey, Pakistan, Jordan, and Somalia.
Europe’s open infrastructure, its rejection of national and regional borders, has worsened the problem. From the mass flow of migrants from Muslim countries to the ease with which Muslim gang members move between European countries, the lack of border security has made the conquest of Europe easy.
The growing linkages between Muslim gangs across national borders is a warning of worse to come.
The main components of Islamic militias, like the ones that tore apart Syria and Libya, were gangs. Islamist forces like these are often made up of gangs with grandiose names. The Copenhagen gangs are still associated with international gangs and use their names, but eventually they will go Islamic.
And then it won’t be the Hells Angels anymore. It’ll be the Islamic State of something or other.
That’s a reality that Swedish authorities are deliberately ignoring.
A government site insists that immigrants are no more likely to be criminals than anyone else. “In a study from 2013, researchers at Stockholm University showed that the main difference in terms of criminal activity between immigrants and others in the population in Sweden was due to differences in the socioeconomic conditions in which they grew up,” it argues.
As if Swedes, including the researchers of Stockholm University, are only refraining from picking up AK-47s and throwing hand grenades because of their socioeconomic conditions. The moment they lose their lucrative research grants, they too will be setting off bombs and fighting over the drug trade.
But nonsense like this sounds reassuring because it suggests that the solution to Islamic violence is social welfare. That’s a comforting message for socialists for whom social welfare is the answer to everything.
Social welfare has been tried. Muslim immigrants are so deep in the social welfare system that they often never leave it. The gang members and ISIS terrorists are the welfare system’s children.
While the same old lies keep being told, the bombs keep going off and the bullets keep flying.
Whether or not the Swedish authorities can successfully keep feeding their population the same lies about the magic of integration, Denmark and Norway don’t want Sweden’s problems coming home.
But while Sweden’s insistence that it is a “humanitarian superpower” because of the volume of migrants it has taken in has obviously worsened the problem, no European country is immune from the threat.
The gangs in Sweden and Denmark disregard national borders and governments. They’ve bombed police cars and police stations because they believe that they are the law. They don’t care which government is in power or what its policies might be. They are the only authorities in their particular no-go zones.
And while it’s fashionable to deny that no-go zones exist, the bombings amply testify otherwise.
While the debate goes on about the thin line between terrorism and gang violence, the authorities are deploying the familiar toolkit of counterterrorism measures, including eavesdropping, to fight the war.
And when bombs go off and AK-47 fire is heard in broad daylight, does it matter what kind of war it is?
Bernie Sanders would like us to be more like Sweden. That means a frightened citizenry, bullets and bombs going off in the streets, while our taxes go to fund social welfare programs for our killers.
America can’t be more like Sweden. Not even Sweden is going to be able to be like Sweden anymore.
—————–
Daniel Greenfield (@Sultanknish)
is Shillman Journalism Fellow at the David Horowitz Freedom Center and
an investigative journalist and writer focusing on radical Left and
Islamic terrorism.
Tags:Daniel Greenfield, FrontPage Mag, Muslim AK-47s, Bombings, Turn Sweden, Into War ZoneTo share or post to your site, click on “Post Link”. Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service and “Like” Facebook Page – Thanks!
7 Big Moments From Day 3 of the Public Impeachment Hearings
Posted: 20 Nov 2019 02:19 PM PST
by Fred Lucas: Two experts on Ukraine who listened in on President Donald Trump’s phone call with the former Soviet republic’s new leader testified Tuesday on the third day of House Democrats’ public impeachment hearings.
The impeachment inquiry sprang from allegations that Trump pressured Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during that call to investigate the Ukrainian business dealings of former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden’s son in exchange for nearly $400 million in American military aid.
The witnesses’ testimony touched on the conduct of Biden and his son, Hunter Biden, regarding Ukrainian energy company Burisma, which employed the younger Biden; Democrats’ accusation that Trump committed bribery; and Ukraine’s offer to one of the witnesses to serve in a high-ranking government position.
The witnesses Tuesday morning before the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence were Army Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, director of European affairs at the National Security Council, and Jennifer Williams, Vice President Mike Pence’s special adviser on Europe and Russia. Both Vindman and Williams listened in on the Trump-Zelenskyy call.
Testifying in the afternoon were Kurt Volker, former special envoy to Ukraine, and Timothy Morrison, the National Security Council’s former senior director for Europe and Russia.
Here are seven big moments from the day.
1. ‘Improper,’ ‘Unusual’ but Not ‘Bribery’
House
Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., made waves last week by asserting that
Trump was guilty of bribery. While two witnesses criticized what Trump
said on the call to Zelenskyy, neither used the word bribery.
Nor
have any other witnesses so far, Rep. John Ratcliffe, R-Texas, noted as
he placed 3,500 pages of testimony on the desk in front of him:Six
weeks of witness interviews in this impeachment inquiry, hundreds of
hours of testimony, thousands of questions asked, thousands of answers
given. The number of times that witnesses have used the term ‘bribery’
or ‘bribed’ to describe President Trump in the last six weeks of this
inquiry is zero. …
In fact, in these 3,500 pages of sworn
deposition testimony in just these 10 transcripts released thus far, the
word ‘bribery’ appears in these 3,500 pages exactly one time. And,
ironically, it appears not in description of President Trump’s alleged
conduct. It appears in relation to Vice President Biden’s alleged
conduct.Vindman testified that he didn’t approve of Trump
discussing the Bidens with Zelenskyy in the July 25 call because of what
he called a “power disparity,” meaning Ukraine’s heavy reliance on the
United States to defend itself against Russia.
“I was concerned by the call. What I heard was inappropriate,” Vindman testified. “It is improper for the president of the United States to demand that a foreign government investigate a U.S. citizen and a political opponent.”
Democrats’ counsel, Daniel Goldman, later asked Vindman: “After this call, did you ever hear from any Ukrainians either in the United States or Ukraine about any pressure that they felt to do these investigations that President Trump demanded?”
Vindman responded, “Not that I can recall.”
Williams said she asked that a summary of the call be included in a briefing book that the vice president’s staff prepared for Pence.
“I found the July 25 phone call unusual because in contrast to other presidential calls I had observed, it involved discussion of what appeared to be a domestic political matter,” Williams said, adding:After the July 25 call, I provided an update in the vice president’s daily briefing book indicating President Trump had a call that day with President Zelenskyy. A hard copy of the memorandum transcribing the call was also included in the book. I do not know whether the vice president reviewed my update or the transcript. I did not discuss the July 25 call with the vice president or any of my colleagues in the office of the vice president or the NSC.Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, D-Calif., asked why the word “Burisma,” the name of the Ukrainian energy firm that paid Hunter Biden as a board member, appeared in Vindman’s notes but not in the White House transcript of the call released in September.
Vindman told Schiff that it was “not a significant omission” from the official transcript.
Williams and Vindman both described the White House transcript as “substantively correct.”
Ratcliffe asked both witnesses about Pelosi’s bribery allegation against Trump.
“I’ve word-searched each of your transcripts and the word ‘bribery’ or ‘bribed’ doesn’t appear anywhere in that,” Ratcliffe said. “Ms. Williams, you’ve never used the word ‘bribery’ or ‘bribed’ to explain President Trump’s conduct, correct?”
Williams answered, “No sir.”
Ratcliffe: “Col. Vindman, you haven’t either?”
Vindman: “That is correct.”
2. Not Aware of Hunter Biden
Vindman
testified that he thought it was improper for Trump to ask Ukraine to
investigate the Bidens. But he said during an exchange with Rep. Devin
Nunes, R-Calif, the panel’s senior Republican, that he wasn’t aware of
details regarding Hunter Biden’s work for Burisma or actions by the
former vice president related to Ukraine.
“Did you know that financial records show a Ukrainian natural gas company, Burisma, routed more than $3 million to American accounts tied to Hunter Biden?” Nunes asked.
Vindman replied: “I’m not aware of this fact. … I guess I didn’t independently look into it. I’m just not aware of what kind of payments Mr. Biden may have received.”
Nunes: “Did you know Burisma’s American legal representatives met with American officials just days after Vice President Biden forced the firing of the country’s chief prosecutor?”
Vindman: “I’m not aware of these meetings.”
Nunes: “Did you know that Burisma lawyers pressured the State Department in February 2016 after the raid [of the home of Burisma chief Mykola Zlochevsky] and a month before the firing of [prosecutor Viktor] Shokin, that they invoked Hunter Biden’s name as a reason to intervene?”
Vindman: “I’m not aware of any of these facts.”
Nunes: “Did you know that Joe Biden called Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko at least three times in February 2016 after the president and owner of Burisma’s home was raided on Feb. 2 by the state prosecutor’s office?”
This was a reference to the raid at Zlochevsky’s residence.
Vindman replied only: “I’m aware of the fact that Vice President Biden was very engaged on Ukraine.”
During questioning by Republican counsel Steve Castor about whether Hunter Biden was qualified to serve on the Burisma board, Vindman testified: “As far as I can tell, he didn’t seem to be. I don’t know his qualifications.”
Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., later asked whether Hunter Biden’s role on the board of Burisma when his father was vice president dealing with Ukraine policy presented the appearance of a conflict of interest.
Vindman responded: “Certainly the potential, yes.”
Williams responded: “Yes.”
Schiff so far has rejected requests from Republican members to subpoena Hunter Biden.
Volker testified that he didn’t personally view investigating Burisma as tantamount to investigating Joe Biden.
Rudy Giuliani, one of Trump’s personal lawyers, saw it differently, he said.
“Mayor Giuliani raised and I rejected the conspiracy theory that Vice President Biden would have been influenced in his duties as vice president by money paid to his son,” Volker said.
“As I have previously testified, I have known Vice President Biden for 24 years. He is an honorable man and I hold him in the highest regard. At no time was I aware of, or knowingly took part in, an effort to encourage Ukraine to investigate Vice President Biden.”
3. President and Talking Points
Goldman,
the Democratic counsel, suggested when questioning Vindman that Trump
committed a major breach by not following talking points for the call
drafted by Vindman, an official assigned to the National Security
Council.
Vindman essentially responded that the president, an elected official, sets policy.
“As you listened to the call, did you observe whether President Trump was following the talking points based on the official U.S. policy?” Goldman asked.
Vindman responded: “Counsel, the president could choose to use the talking points or not. He’s the president. But they were not consistent with what I provided.”
4. ‘Comical’ Offer of Defense Minister Job
The
Ukrainian-born Vindman, whose family fled the Soviet Union when he was a
boy, revealed to the committee that he declined three offers to serve
as Ukraine’s defense minister.
The Army lieutenant colonel said Alex Danylyuk, a former aide to Zelenskyy, Ukraine’s president, made the job offer to him. He called the job offers “comical.”
The topic came up when Castor, the committee’s Republican counsel, asked about it.
“Do you know any reason why he asked you to do that?” Castor inquired.
Vindman said: “I don’t know, but every single time I dismissed it. Upon returning, I notified my chain of command and the appropriate counterintelligence folks about this offer.”
Castor noted that for a country at war with Russia, this was a huge government position, and wondered why Ukraine leaders made two follow-up offers to Vindman.
Vindman stressed that he never entertained the job offer:The whole notion is rather comical, that I was being asked to consider whether I would want to be the minister of defense. I did not leave the door open at all. It is pretty funny for a lieutenant colonel in the United States Army, which really isn’t that senior, to be offered that senior of a position.Rep. Jim Himes, D-Conn., later expressed outrage that Ukraine’s offer of a top position for Vindman had been raised by Republicans’ counsel.
“They have accused you of espionage and dual loyalties. We’ve seen [in] this room this morning the three minutes that were spent asking you about the offer made to make you the minister of defense,” Himes said. “That may have come cloaked in a Brooks Brothers suit and parliamentary language, but that was designed exclusively to give the right-wing media an opening to question your loyalties. I want people to understand what that was all about. It’s the kind of thing you say when you’re defending the indefensible.”
5. Advice to Zelenskyy on Russia, U.S.
At
one point, Schiff asked Vindman what he advised Zelenskyy in an
in-person meeting during his visit to Ukraine in May for the new
president’s inauguration as part of a U.S. delegation.
Vindman said he offered two pieces of advice—one pertaining to Russia, the other pertaining to the United States.
“The first [was] be particularly cautious with regards to Russia and its desire to provoke Ukraine and the second one was to stay out of U.S. domestic policy,” Vindman said.
Schiff: “You mean politics?”
Vindman: “Politics.”
Schiff: “Why did you feel it was necessary to advise President Zelenskyy to stay away from domestic politics?”
Vindman: “Chairman, in the March and April timeframe, it became clear there were public actors, nongovernmental actors that were promoting the idea of investigations and 2016 Ukrainian interference [in the U.S. presidential election]. It was consistent with U.S. policy to advise any country in my portfolio, all the countries in the world, to not participate in U.S. domestic politics. So, I was passing [along] the same advice consistent with U.S. policy.”
6. Volker: Trump Called Ukranians ‘Terrible People’
During
his testimony in the afternoon, Volker explained that he and other U.S.
officials who attended Zelenskyy’s inauguration informed Trump upon
their return that he should support Ukraine’s new leader.
“The problem was that despite the unanimous positive assessment and recommendations of those of us who were part of the U.S. presidential delegation that attended the inauguration of President Zelenskyy, President Trump was receiving a different negative narrative about Ukraine and President Zelenskyy,” Volker testified. “That narrative was fueled by accusations from Ukraine’s then-prosecutor general [Yuriy Lutsenko], and conveyed to the president by former Mayor Rudy Giuliani.”
Giuliani, the former mayor of New York, is one of Trump’s personal lawyers.
Volker said he and other officials urged Trump to invite Zelenskyy to Washington for a White House meeting, testifying:The
president was very skeptical. Given Ukraine’s history of corruption,
that’s understandable. He said that Ukraine was a corrupt country filled
with terrible people. He said ‘they tried to take me down.’
In
the course of that conversation, he referenced conversations with Mayor
Giuliani. … President Trump had a deeply rooted, negative view of
Ukraine rooted in the past. He was receiving other information from
other individuals, including Mayor Giuliani, that was more negative,
causing him to retain this negative view.Volker testified that
he doesn’t believe that Zelenskyy or the Ukraine government was aware
of the Trump administration’s hold on the nearly $400 million in
congressionally approved military aid when Trump talked to Zelenskyy on
the phone July 25:I believe the Ukrainians became aware of the
hold on Aug. 29 and not before. That date is the first time any of them
asked me about the hold. Instead of telling them they needed to do
something to get the relief, I told them the opposite. That they should
not be alarmed, that it was an internal U.S. problem and we were working
to get it fixed. I did not know others were conveying a different
message to them around the same time.
7. Distraction From Real Concerns
Much is at stake in a secure and democratic Ukraine, Morrison said in his testimony.
“I
feared at the time of the call on July 25 how this disclosure [of
Trump’s interest in investigations] would play in Washington’s political
climate. My fears have been realized,” Morrison told the committee,
adding:I understand the gravity of this proceeding, but I beg
you not to lose sight of the military conflict underway in Eastern
Ukraine today, the ongoing, [Russia’s] illegal occupation of Crimea, and
the importance of reform of Ukraine’s politics and economy.
Every
day that the focus of discussion involving Ukraine is centered on these
proceeding instead of those matters is a day when we are not focused on
the interest of Ukraine, the United States, and Western-style
liberalism.Morrison testified that Ukraine is on the “front lines of a strategic competition” against Vladimir Putin’s Russia.
“Russia is a failing power, but it is still a fierce one,” he said. “The United States aids Ukraine and her people so they can fight Russia over there and we don’t have to fight Russia here.
“Support for Ukraine’s territorial integrity has been a bipartisan objective since Russia’s military invasion in 2014. It must continue to be,” Morrison said.
Volker expressed similar views.
“If we can stop and reverse Russian aggression in Ukraine, we can prevent it elsewhere,” he said.
—————————
Fred Lucas (@FredLucasWH) is the White House correspondent for The Daily Signal and co-host of “The Right Side of History“.
Tags: 7 Big Moments, From Day 3, Public Impeachment Hearings To share or post to your site, click on “Post Link”. Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service and “Like” Facebook Page – Thanks!
Posted: 20 Nov 2019 01:38 PM PST
by Frank Miniter: When Michael Bloomberg put his big toe in the race for president of the United States by dispatching his aides to Alabama to file paperwork to get his name on the state’s ballot as a Democrat, he didn’t just make gun owners grimace.
Sure, in 2014 Bloomberg pledged to spend $50 million to absorb the anti-gun group Moms Demand Action into his Mayors Against Illegal Guns, forming the gun-control group Everytown for Gun Safety. More recently, Bloomberg said he’d spend over $50 million on a new gun-control campaign for 2020. His money has actually been behind just about every attempt to diminish Second Amendment rights for the last few decades.
And Bloomberg, who was mayor of New York City for 12 years, has plenty to spend. He is worth over $50 billion, according to Forbes. The millions he has spent to convince people to vote away their hard-earned freedoms have thus far been little more than the interest earned on his fortune.
Over the last 15 or so years, Bloomberg has funded schemes, ploys and vast ad campaigns to do away with our Second Amendment freedoms. He has been nothing less than a super-villain to American freedom. If American gun owners were to cast Bloomberg in a movie, he’d be something like Ian Fleming’s antagonist in the 007 franchise, Dr. No; an aloof, out-of-touch plutocrat with a penchant for domination.
Bloomberg, after all, wants to ban everything from the peoples’ large sodas to their guns, and he wants to do this even while he enjoys flying on his private jet to his Bermuda estate—a place, like his many other properties, one surmises must have sophisticated security systems and armed guards on a scale that would inspire a writer like Fleming.
On his many estates and in his offices, Bloomberg lives behind money, power and literal walls. He earned his fortune on Wall Street, but never did spend any time on main street. From the mayor’s mansion in New York City and from behind the glass in his many office buildings in New York, London and Shanghai, he has fomented the egotistical persona of a lord from some bygone era. He feels entitled to tell others how to live—even if he exempts himself from his own smug decrees.
Still, it isn’t just the many millions of Americans who cherish their Second Amendment rights who are repelled by Bloomberg.
“For too long the people at the top of the Democratic Party have been wealthier, whiter, more male and more conservative than the base of the Democratic Party which looks a lot more like [Rep.] Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez,” Waleed Shahid, communications director for Justice Democrats, told Business Insider when asked about Bloomberg.
Many others on the left have made similar comments about 77-year-old Bloomberg.
Nevertheless, Bloomberg’s many attacks on your freedom are not seen as a downside by political commentators on the left today. If they were, the pundits, journalists and political consultants on the left would realize this is actually a problem for the entire field of Democrats now seeking to be the Democratic nominee for president.
Americans, after all, have a habit of stubbornly voting for their freedom; especially when they are well-informed—and with your help, NRA will play a vital role ensuring this.
That said, if Bloomberg does dive all the way in to the Democrat’s primaries as a candidate, it will be interesting to see how the other candidates will attack him and how he’d respond to these attacks, as Bloomberg has never been a personable, likable man of the people. He has always been what he seems, a distant, self-interested, do-as-I-say-not-as-I-do tycoon.
He won the race for mayor of New York City as a Republican in a unique moment just after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. We are told he was a lifelong Democrat before running for mayor, but opted to run as a Republican—likely because those political winds were then more favorable to him. When it suited him politically, he officially changed back to being a Democrat.
Bloomberg has used his fortune, meanwhile, to fund a lot of anti-gun initiatives and the campaigns of those who back gun bans and more restrictions on our freedom. Now he is planning to fund his own campaign for president.
One
thing is certain; if he ever were elected president, he would do
everything in his power to disempower you. And, win, lose or whether he
opts not to jump in the game, he’ll continue to use his fortune to do
all he can to diminish your freedom.
———————
Frank Miniter is Editor in Chief of America’s 1st Freedom. (Photo by Gage Skidmore courtesy of Flickr under Creative Commons CC BY 2.0, image manipulation by America’s 1st Freedom.)
Tags:Michael Bloomberg Factor, Frank Miniter, America’s 1st FreedomTo share or post to your site, click on “Post Link”. Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service and “Like” Facebook Page – Thanks!
Barr’s Powerful Weapon Against Impeachment: The Founding Fathers
Posted: 20 Nov 2019 01:25 PM PST
by Thomas McArdle, I & I Editorial Board: Invoking the ghost of Richard Nixon, even if not by name, a big part of the Democrats’ impeachment strategy is to portray President Donald Trump as akin to a dictator who would run rampant if Congress wasn’t there to stop him. And that is what the Constitution is all about – a large group of elected representatives exercising a check on a chief executive whose near-monarchical power tends to corrupt.
Nixon using the powers of government to go after his domestic political enemies in the Watergate scandal is the Democrats’ perfect example. (Although House Speaker Nancy Pelosi recently said Trump’s offenses are worse than Nixon’s.)
Last Friday, Attorney General William Barr in effect said, “not so fast!” In a speech in Washington to the Federalist Society, second only to the National Rifle Association as the organization most demonized by Democrats, Barr dug into the very foundation of the legitimacy Pelosi and House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff claim regarding scrutinizing one-on-one conversations between a U.S. president and a foreign head of state.
Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, the senior National Security Council’s Ukraine expert in the White House, testified to Schiff’s panel on Tuesday that “it was inappropriate, it was improper for the president to request – to demand – an investigation into a political opponent, especially [from] a foreign power.”
“Demand” is a big stretch, if you look at the transcript of the call between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Plus, it would be impossible to combat corruption within Ukraine without running into Hunter Biden and his inexplicable hiring by the Ukrainian energy company Burisma. And official U.S. policy has been and is to fight corruption in the country.
Be that as it may, for staffers who work at the pleasure of the president to be empowered to raise – externally – their own opinionated objections to communications protected by executive privilege is a recipe for crippling any presidency. If the massive amount of all such phone calls of, say, the last 10 presidents had been handed over at the time to the opposing party, there would have been an epidemic of frivolous impeachments.
Moreover, how would Pelosi or Schiff like their private discussions in their capacity as congressional leaders made public?
Barr made all this clear in detail. He blasted “the notion that politics in a free republic is all about the legislative and judicial branches protecting liberty by imposing restrictions on the executive.” And he pointed to “a knee-jerk tendency to see the legislative and judicial branches as the good guys protecting society from a rapacious would-be autocrat.”
According to Barr, “this prejudice is wrong-headed and atavistic.” Centuries ago, as Barr pointed out, “you started out with a king who holds all the cards; he holds all the power, including legislative and judicial.” And then “legislative power gradually, over hundreds of years, reigned in the king, and extracted and established its own powers.”
The Framers Limited Excessive Legislative Power
That
had already happened by the time of the framing of the U.S.
Constitution, and the Framers “felt that the British constitution had
achieved only an imperfect form of this model. They saw themselves as
framing a more perfect version of separation of powers and a balanced
constitution.”
This included “a new kind of executive,” Barr recognized. The Framers “created an office that was already the ideal Whig executive. It already had built into it the limitations that Whig doctrine aspired to. It did not have the power to tax and spend; it was constrained by habeas corpus and by due process in enforcing the law against members of the body politic; it was elected for a limited term of office; and it was elected by the nation as whole. That is a remarkable democratic institution – the only figure elected by the nation as a whole.”
As Barr argues, “with the creation of the American presidency, the Whigs’ obsessive focus on the dangers of monarchical rule lost relevance.”
It is the dangers of congressional power overreach that bears watching, he warned.
“Immediately after President Trump won election, opponents inaugurated what they called ‘The Resistance,’ and they rallied around an explicit strategy of using every tool and maneuver available to sabotage the functioning of his administration,” Barr said. “Now, ‘Resistance’ is the language used to describe insurgency against rule imposed by an occupying military power. It obviously connotes that the government is not legitimate.”
Barr points out that “this is a very dangerous – indeed incendiary – notion to import into the politics of a democratic republic. What it means is that, instead of viewing themselves as the ‘loyal opposition,’ as opposing parties have done in the past, they essentially see themselves as engaged in a war to cripple, by any means necessary, a duly elected government.”
A big part of this war “has been to drown the executive branch with ‘oversight’ demands for testimony and documents. I do not deny that Congress has some implied authority to conduct oversight as an incident to its legislative power. But the sheer volume of what we see today – the pursuit of scores of parallel ‘investigations’ through an avalanche of subpoenas – is plainly designed to incapacitate the executive branch, and indeed is touted as such.”
Apropos the Zelensky phone call, Barr notes that “we all understand that confidential communications and a private, internal deliberative process are essential for all of our branches of government to properly function … there is no FOIA [Freedom of Information Act] for Congress or the courts. Yet Congress has happily created a regime that allows the public to seek whatever documents it wants from the executive branch at the same time that individual congressional committees spend their days trying to publicize the executive’s internal decisional process.”
As Barr concludes, “that process cannot function properly if it is public … in waging a scorched earth, no-holds-barred war of ‘Resistance’ against this administration, it is the left that is engaged in the systematic shredding of norms and the undermining of the rule of law.”
Pelosi claimed
to CBS on Sunday that “what the president did was so much worse than
even what Richard Nixon did.” Now Trump’s attorney general has deployed
the Constitution itself as a weapon against such politically motivated
exaggerations.
—————————
Issues & Insights (@InsightsIssues)
is a new site formed by the seasoned I & I Editorial Board
journalists behind the legendary IBD Editorials page. We’re doing this
on a voluntary basis because we believe the nation needs the kind of
cogent, rational, data-driven, fact-based commentary that we can
provide. Article by Thomas McArdle.
Tags:Attorney General, William Barr, Powerful Weapon, Against Impeachment, The Founding Fathers, Thomas McArdle, I & I Editorial Board, Issues & InsightsTo share or post to your site, click on “Post Link”. Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service and “Like” Facebook Page – Thanks!
Scientists: Dishonest or Afraid?
Posted: 20 Nov 2019 01:42 PM PST
by Dr. Walter E. Williams: The absolute worst case of professional incompetence and dishonesty is in the area of climate science. Tony Heller has exposed some of the egregious dishonesty of mainstream environmentalists in a video he’s titled “My Gift To Climate Alarmists.”
Environmentalists and their political allies attribute the recent increase in deadly forest fires to global warming. However, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service, forest fires reached their peak in the 1930s and have declined by 80% since then. Environmentalists hide the earlier data and make their case for the effects of global warming by showing the public and policymakers data from 1980 that shows an increase in forest fires.
Climate scientists claim that rising sea levels are caused by man-made global warming. Historical data from the tide gauge in Lower Manhattan shows that sea levels have been rising from about the time when Abraham Lincoln was president to now. Heller says that sea levels have been rising for about 20,000 years. He points out that anthropologists believe that when the sea level was very low people were able to walk from Siberia to North America.
Hot weather is often claimed to be a result of man-made climate change. Heller presents data showing the number of days in Waverly, Ohio, above 90 degrees. In 1895, there were 73 days above 90 degrees. In 1936, there were 82 days above 90 degrees. Since the 1930s, there has been a downward trend in the number of days above 90 degrees. If climatologists hide data from earlier years and started at 1955, they show an increase in the number of above 90-degree days from eight or nine to 30 or 40. Thus, to deceive us into thinking the climate is getting hotter, environmentalists have selected a starting date that fits their agenda.
You might ask: “Who is Tony Heller? Does he work for big oil?” It turns out that he is a scientist and claims to be a lifelong environmentalist. From what I can tell, he has no vested interests. In that respect, he is different from those who lead the environmental movement, who often either work for or are funded by governments.
Once in a while environmentalists reveal their true agenda. Ottmar Edenhofer, lead author of the IPCC’s fourth summary report released in 2007, speaking in 2010 advised: “One has to free oneself from the illusion that international climate policy is environmental policy. Instead, climate change policy is about how we redistribute de facto the world’s wealth.” U.N. climate chief Christiana Figueres said that the true aim of the U.N.’s 2014 Paris climate conference was “to change the (capitalist) economic development model that has been reigning for at least 150 years, since the Industrial Revolution.”
Christine Stewart, Canada’s former Minister of the Environment said: “No matter if the science is all phony, there are collateral environmental benefits. … Climate change (provides) the greatest chance to bring about justice and equality in the world.” Tim Wirth, former U.S. Undersecretary of State for Global Affairs and the person most responsible for setting up the Kyoto Protocol said: “We’ve got to ride the global warming issue. Even if the theory of global warming is wrong, we will be doing the right thing in terms of economic policy and environmental policy.”
Not all scientists are dishonest and not all news reporters are leftists with an agenda. But one wonders at the deafening silence where there’s clear, unambiguous evidence. For example, if ocean levels have been rising for some 20,000 years, why do scientists allow environmentalists to get away with the claim that it’s a result of man-made global warming?
Why
aren’t there any reporters to highlight leftist statements such as
those by Edenhofer, Stewart and others who want to ride global warming
as a means to defeat capitalism and usher in socialism and communism? I
would prefer to think that the silence of so many scientists represent
their fears as opposed to their going along with the environmental
extremist agenda.
———————————
Dr. Walter Williams (@WE_Williams)
is an American economist, social commentator, and author of over 150
publications. He has a Ph.D. and M.A. in Economics from the UCLA and
B.A. in economics from California State University. He also holds a
Doctor of Humane Letters from Virginia Union University and Grove City
College, Doctor of Laws from Washington and Jefferson College. He has
served on the faculty of George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia,
as John M. Olin Distinguished Professor of Economics, since 1980. Visit
his website: WalterEWilliams.com and view a list of other articles and works.
Tags:Walter Williams, commentary, climate science, scientists, dishonest, or sfraid?To share or post to your site, click on “Post Link”. Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service and “Like” Facebook Page – Thanks!
Young People Ignorant of History
Posted: 20 Nov 2019 11:40 AM PST
by Dr. Walter E. Williams: A recent survey conducted by the Victims of Communism and polled by YouGov, a research and data firm, found that 70% of millennials are likely to vote socialist and that one in three millennials saw communism as “favorable.”
Let examine this tragic vision in light of the Fraser Institute’s recently released annual study “Economic Freedom of the World,” prepared by Professors James Gwartney, Florida State University; Robert A. Lawson and Ryan Murphy of Southern Methodist University; and Joshua Hall, West Virginia University, in cooperation with the Economic Freedom Network.
Hong Kong and Singapore maintained their lead as the world’s most economically free countries — although China’s heavy hand threatens Hong Kong’s top ranking. Rounding out the top 10 are New Zealand, Switzerland, the United States, Ireland, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and Mauritius. By the way, after having fallen to 16th in 2016, the U.S. has staged a comeback to being in the top five economically free countries in the world.
What statistics go into the Fraser Institute’s calculation of economic freedom? The report measures the ability of individuals to make their own economic decisions by analyzing the policies and institutions of 162 countries and territories. These include regulation, freedom to trade internationally, size of government, sound legal system, private property rights and government spending and taxation.
Fraser Institute scholar Fred McMahon says, “Where people are free to pursue their own opportunities and make their own choices, they lead more prosperous, happier and healthier lives.” The evidence for his assessment is: Countries in the top quartile of economic freedom had an average per-capita GDP of $36,770 in 2017 compared with $6,140 for bottom quartile countries. Poverty rates are lower. In the top quartile, 1.8% of the population experienced extreme poverty ($1.90 a day) compared with 27.2% in the lowest quartile. Life expectancy is 79.5 years in the top quartile of economically free countries compared with 64.4 years in the bottom quartile.
The Fraser Institute’s rankings of other major countries include Japan (17th), Germany (20th), Italy (46th), France (50th), Mexico (76th), India (79th), Russia (85th), China (113th) and Brazil (120th). The least free countries are Venezuela, Argentina, Ukraine and nearly every African country with the most notable exception of Mauritius. By the way, Argentina and Venezuela used to be rich until they bought into socialism.
During the Cold War, leftists made a moral equivalency between communist totalitarianism and democracy. W. E. B. Du Bois, writing in the National Guardian (1953) said, “Joseph Stalin was a great man; few other men of the 20th century approach his stature.” Walter Duranty called Stalin “the greatest living statesman … a quiet, unobtrusive man.” George Bernard Shaw expressed admiration for Mussolini, Hitler and Stalin. Economist John Kenneth Galbraith visited Mao’s China and praised Mao Zedong and the Chinese economic system. Gunther Stein of the Christian Science Monitor also admired Mao and declared ecstatically that “the men and women pioneers of Yenan are truly new humans in spirit, thought and action.” Michel Oksenberg, President Jimmy Carter’s China expert, complained that “America (is) doomed to decay until radical, even revolutionary, change fundamentally alters the institutions and values,” and urged us to “borrow ideas and solutions” from China.
Leftists exempted communist leaders from the harsh criticism directed toward Adolf Hitler, even though communist crimes against humanity made Hitler’s slaughter of 11 million noncombatants appear almost amateurish. According to Professor R.J. Rummel’s research in “Death by Government,” from 1917 until its collapse, the Soviet Union murdered or caused the death of 61 million people, mostly its own citizens. From 1949 to 1976, Mao’s Communist regime was responsible for the death of as many as 76 million Chinese citizens.
Today’s leftists, socialists and
progressives would bristle at the suggestion that their agenda differs
little from that of past tyrants. They should keep in mind that the
origins of the unspeakable horrors of Nazism, Stalinism and Maoism did
not begin in the ’20s, ’30s and ’40s. Those horrors were simply the
result of a long evolution of ideas leading to a consolidation of power
in the central government in the quest for “social justice.”
————
Dr. Walter Williams (@WE_Williams)
is an American economist, social commentator, and author of over 150
publications. He has a Ph.D. and M.A. in Economics from the UCLA and
B.A. in economics from California State University. He also holds a
Doctor of Humane Letters from Virginia Union University and Grove City
College, Doctor of Laws from Washington and Jefferson College. He has
served on the faculty of George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia,
as John M. Olin Distinguished Professor of Economics, since 1980. Visit
his website: WalterEWilliams.com and view a list of other articles and works.
Tags:Walter Williams, commentary, Young People, Ignorant of HistoryTo share or post to your site, click on “Post Link”. Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service and “Like” Facebook Page – Thanks!
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ROLL CALL
Morning Headlines
House Republicans overlook oversight in Trump defense
Tactics that House Republicans have used during the ongoing impeachment hearings to defend President Donald Trump’s interests come at a cost to Congress’ constitutional role as a check on the president, some congressional watchers warn. Read More…
Hill leaders get high marks from Hill staffers
Speaker Nancy Pelosi received glowing reviews from Democratic staffers for her job performance, according to the most recent Capitol Insiders Survey. And she’s not alone. Other congressional leaders — Mitch McConnell, Charles E. Schumer and Kevin McCarhty — also enjoy the admiration of their respective parties’ staffs. Read More…
Bloomberg, Biden, Buttigieg and the bunch apologize. Should black voters listen, forgive and vote?
OPINION — If Michael Bloomberg’s recent apology for his past support for “stop and frisk” seems familiar, it’s because he’s not the only Democratic candidate expressing regrets to minority voters. Others are using the same playbook as they recognize the party’s loyal base. Read More…Click here to subscribe to Fintech Beat for the latest market and regulatory developments in finance and financial technology.
Tim Ryan was once a star quarterback, with Congress as his backup
Rep. Tim Ryan “caught the bug” for Congress first as a summer intern in 1994 and then as a staff assistant the following year for a fellow Ohioan, the late and colorful Democratic Rep. James A. Traficant Jr. Read More…
Inside the impeachment hearing room
The nation is watching lawmakers grill witnesses in the House’s impeachment inquiry hearings, but in the room dozens of nearly invisible reporters, videographers and photographers are whispering commentary, sneaking out to get coffee and ducking C-SPAN cameras. Read More…
‘The Report’ has advice for young Capitol Hill staffers
The movie “The Report” is primarily about the CIA’s torture program, but it’s not without a bit of career advice for young congressional aides. Read More…
Uncertain times could bring new lobbying strategies
ANALYSIS — It’s hard to imagine a more bonkers, unpredictable and politically toxic backdrop for K Street operators than the current one. But just wait until 2020 actually arrives. Read More…
Pentagon official says Ukraine asked about military aid in July
Laura Cooper, a Pentagon expert on Ukraine, told the House Intelligence Committee on Wednesday that Ukrainian embassy staff in Washington contacted her office in July with questions about the White House’s hold on military aid promised to their country. Read More…
Plaintive lawmakers lament bygone era at Boehner, Isakson tributes
Both Johnny Isakson and John A. Boehner personify a style of politics currently out of vogue, one that stresses compromises in which both sides are a little unhappy with the outcome. Today’s politics, embodied by President Donald Trump, espouses total warfare. Read More…
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