Fire Hydrant of Freedom

We have noted as much in the climate thread but this goes further.

Get the radical agenda away from our kids, out of the schools.

https://modernity.news/2024/04/23/scientific-american-claims-it-is-misinformation-that-there-are-just-two-sexes

Right out of Orwell, it is misinformation to disagree with the new insanity, to the point that the President of the United States doesn't know how many genders there are anymore.

I'll help.  There are two genders and the science says they are identified by xx and xy chromosome patterns.  One tends to have a penis and the other tends to have a vagina. When the science on that changes, let us know.

Within those groups it's okay if women wear their hair short and if men wear their hair long. Girls can play with trucks and boys can play with dolls if they what, but that doesn't change the science.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/18/nyregion/trump-trial-jury-hush-money.html

https://www.newsweek.com/did-donald-trump-just-get-lucky-his-nyc-criminal-trial-juror-pool-1892347

Mayorkas broke various laws and perjured himself in front of Congress.

Agree and I should clarify I wasn't taking Gallagher's side.  I side with Levin. 

But...  no elected Democrats agreed.  He wasn't going to be removed.  If he was removed, it wouldn't change the policy.  I favored the impeachment because it would force a trial - but it didn't.  I thought they would need 60 votes to shut it down. Nope.  It wasn't even dismissed; it was declared "unconstitutional".   Umm the constitution says conduct a trial.  Strange that Manchin and Sinema fell in line. Lame ducks. Exposed their true colors.

The Senate didn't handle it right but there is no oversight of the US Senate.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/impeaching-mayorkas-was-a-mistake-this-precedent-will-be-used-against-gop-d0bf4956

Why I Voted Against the Alejandro Mayorkas Impeachment
Ousting a cabinet secretary for ‘maladministration’ would have opened Pandora’s box. The real problem is Biden.
By Mike Gallagher
Feb. 6, 2024 10:08 pm ET

President Biden has created a disaster at our southern border. In his first 100 days in office, Mr. Biden halted border-wall construction, ended President Trump’s successful Remain in Mexico policy, and implemented a catch-and-release regime. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas is faithfully implementing the president’s ruinous policies, which are contributing to immense human suffering, placing a massive financial burden on states and cities, and threatening our national security. His performance has been a disgrace.

But I disagree with my Republican colleagues who voted on Tuesday to impeach Mr. Mayorkas. Impeachment not only would fail to resolve Mr. Biden’s border crisis but would also set a dangerous new precedent that would be used against future Republican administrations.

The first article of impeachment lays out in grueling detail Mr. Mayorkas’s manifest incompetence. But incompetence doesn’t rise to the level of high crimes or misdemeanors. Proponents of impeachment concede the framers rejected the idea that policy disputes or “maladministration” constitute grounds for impeachment. They argue instead that Mr. Mayorkas’s underenforcement goes beyond maladministration, even though it doesn’t reach the level of a criminal offense.

Their primary evidence is a 2021 memo signed by Mr. Mayorkas ordering immigration officials to consider more than illegal aliens’ criminal history when determining which ones should be detained and removed. They cite district and circuit court decisions that the order contained in this memo was against the law, even though the Supreme Court reversed those rulings in U.S. v. Texas (2023). They cite Justice Samuel Alito’s dissent in that case to claim Mr. Mayorkas broke the law.
(Oops the rest is subscription required.) 
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Here the WSJ called him a rising star and China watchdog.  I would argue he was one of the good guys.  Strong China hawk.  I saw him elsewhere called a RINO - by a commenter in his district.  He voted 93% with his party, and on votes like this, it was out of what he viewed as principles, agree or disagree with them.  He was ranked roughly in the middle of the GOP on the liberal-conservative spectrum.

A Marine, active duty 7 years, twice deployed to Anbar Province, served on General David Petraeus's CENTCOM Assessment Team, both as a commander of intelligence teams in Al-Qa'im near the Syrian border.  Degrees Princeton (B.A.) and Georgetown (PhD).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Gallagher_(American_politician)

"TRUMP AND HIS PECKER" headline

"Judge Orders The Don to Sit Like a Dog..." another

"Will Mountain of Evidence Be Enough to Convict?"  another

Wikipedia says he still runs the website but it doesn't look like it could be the same person to me.

Niall Ferguson (Bloomberg.com)

My sole contribution to the statute book of historiography — what I call Ferguson’s Law — states that any great power that spends more on debt service (interest payments on the national debt) than on defense will not stay great for very long. True of Hapsburg Spain, true of ancient régime France, true of the Ottoman Empire, true of the British Empire, this law is about to be put to the test by the US beginning this very year, when (according to the CBO) net interest outlays will be 3.1% of GDP, defense spending 3.0%. Extrapolating defense spending on the assumption that it remains consistently 48% of total discretionary spending (the average of 2014-23), the gap between debt service and defense is going to widen rapidly in the coming years. By 2041, the CBO projections suggest, interest payments (4.6% of GDP) will be double the defense budget (2.3%). Between 1962 and 1989, by way of comparison, interest payments averaged 1.8% of GDP; defense 6.4%. (Sources: niallferguson.com, bloomberg.com)

https://pjmedia.com/matt-margolis/2024/04/22/former-adviser-to-barack-obama-arrested-for-child-sex-crimes-n4928395

The arrest was in February and word is now leaking out on conservative sites only.

"The average U.S. home value is $353,748 while the average for the best district in every state is 86% higher at $651,662, the study said."
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/personalfinance/2024/04/22/states-home-price-premiums-top-public-schools/73377109007/?tbref=hp

There are so many implications to this, time permitting I'd like to dive deeper on the education side of it.

Expensive neighborhoods are more likely to have intact families, two parents of higher intelligence and achievement, and kids advantaged by both nature and nurture.  The lower end schools and neighborhoods tend to have the opposite.

They say for investment value, buy the lowest priced house in the best neighborhood. I did. A lot of good came out of that, my daughter went to the best public schools, value went up 10-fold (over a long period, ttime flies).  Taxes also went up 10-fold (but the house is still what builders call 'teardown') so now I can't rebuild because taxes would then be up 20-fold.

I wish it was the humble community it once was.

And now the good public schools are getting worse with wokeness etc.

https://kiowacountypress.net/content/governor-polis-signs-cause-eviction-bill-law

Non-consensual contract is an oxymoron.

Here I am, posting analysis from Slate:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/what-the-trump-jurors-think-of-the-former-president/ar-AA1nkQmt

https://slate.com/tag/bragg-trial

Jurors chosen are the ones who best hide their views and most persuasively say they will keep an open mind to the facts and the law.

They all seem to get their news from the New York Times.  Does anyone inside of NY know that is the radical left wing publication that led the phony Russian collusion story for 2 years and never recanted it - among all their other left wing activisms.

Every juror is either from NY or moved to this most urban, most liberal jurisdiction by choice.

There were limits on how many objections the defense team could make.  Every time they block one, one more comes up from the same pool.

My take is that there may be one, two at most who stand strong against a wrongful guilty verdict.  A not guilty verdict is not possible.

https://twitter.com/Agdchan/status/1781435242865123423]https://twitter.com/Agdchan/status/1781435242865123423


Yes.  VERY interesting post, especially with the endorsement of ya that he has his history and perspective essentially right.

So many angles to it.  First to me is, why can't WE do that, and why don't other developing countries follow their model.

The parallels to Russia are interesting. 

80 years old.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUvxRjYqjEQ&t=2s

A legend.  RIP

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJ5V6hdoPpA

The Rep House is incoherent.

If I were Speaker, I would be organizing a coherent effort to play chicken:

Pass HR-2 in exchange for $$$ for Ukraine.  Defend America's borders as price to defend Ukraine's borders!

Nice idea but it doesn't look like one additional law or funding will cause this administration to change its ways.

The Venezuelan who murdered Laken was on parole for reasons outside of the current law. So we pass more laws?

Impeachment had no effect.  We didn't even get a trial.

More like withhold all funding of everything until they do their job but obviously the majority aren't willing to go there.

https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2024/04/josh-hawleys-master-class.php

"most brutal and relentless interrogation of a senior administration official I have ever seen, certainly in the space of eight minutes."

Biden is the nominee because:
a. He is a great President,
b. He is the only one who can beat Trump,
c. Democrats don't admit their mistakes, or
d. The Dem field is really that bad.

Correct answer IMHO is combination of c. and d.

Biden made a resurgence in (2) polls, which makes no sense,
but is trailing or tied in all swing states.
https://www.realclearpolling.com/latest-polls/election

Trump was campaigning in New Jersey this week, promising to expand the map.  (Make Biden come out.)

Trump could be competitive in MN if he solves the suburban voter deficiency.

Larry Hogan (R) (ino) leads by double digits in Maryland.  Manchin's seat is already lost. The next 5 flip opportunities favor Republicans. Potential gain for Republicans 7.  Potential loss for Democrats 7.  Total swing potential 14. The Senate is lost for Democrats, hopefully for a generation or more.

The Republicans House is a mess. Still it's hard to imagine if Trump is so bad that voters support Trump but swiing to Democrats for the House. Maybe in hope of divided power but it's the policies, not the man they favor. The country needs all 3 to get the policies changed, otherwise it is 2-4 more years of stagnation decline on the road to total destruction.

Money is an issue. Democrats know how to raise it.  Republicans only know how to alienate people with solicitation texts and emails every hour.

I will give but it would be nice if it was part of a coordinated effort, and if the money went to messaging swing voters, not just for more solicitation of more money from me.

https://www.cnn.com/2024/04/16/opinions/justice-sonia-sotomayor-retire-reyes/index.html

She's in her 60s (69).  The President who would pick her replacement is in his 80s.  Schumer and Durbin are nearly that. Her mom lived into her 90s.  She lives with Type 1 diabetes. Minchin and Sinema are not reliable votes.

What part of lifetime appointment don't they understand.

80% of K-12 teachers think schools have gotten worse in the last 5 years.
  - Pew Research study, 2024

"Mr. Putin wants to subjugate the people of Ukraine and absorb their nation into a new Russian empire. The government of Iran wants to destroy Israel forever—wiping the world’s only Jewish state off the map.

America must never accept either outcome—not only because we stand up for our friends, but because our security is on the line, too."
---------------

1. Not paying attention at the beginning, I wondered who the author was.  Seeing the byline, President Joe Biden, I'm still wondering who wrote this.  Very well argued.

2. Listing our defense needs they conspicuously omitted the more immediate threat that is our southern border.

3. What we should do now depends on all the facts, capabilities and costs.

4. We don't want to be the world's policeman, but we don't want any of these 3 outcomes either, adding Taiwan to that list.

5. Knowing the author, why do we send money and arms to Israel while telling them not to defend themselves. A bit of a contradiction?

6. Ukraine has partly done well in this war against a far larger stronger invasion force, better than expected, but did he say they can win? Is that true?

7. Not mentioned in this article this election year, why did our adversaries all pick this particular timeframe to attack, conspicuously skipping over his predecessor's 4 years.  We have to shell out all this money but refuse to learn anything from it?

We wouldn't want doing the right thing to get in the way of reelecting the scoundrel.

Ya gotta have priorities and defending our best ally isn't one of them right now.

Appeasing terrorism and tyranny is how you keep energy prices down?  Funny I never heard that in econ class.

My view is that peace (and prosperity) come through strength, not cowardice.

Meanwhile, don't travel abroad while the US telegraphs weakness.
https://www.wsj.com/news/evan-gershkovich#:~:text=Evan%20is%20a%20Wall%20Street,journalist%20focused%20on%20the%20region.

Great post. The actions described tell why Oct 7 might not have happened under Trump.  And the Russian Ukraine invasion.  The action against Soleimani means the next Soleimani must wonder if the next attack he orders will be his last.

Moving the embassy was bold.  Abraham Accords are game changing.

Just backing Israel verbally and in the phony UN is a major step up from what we have now.

We visited the beautiful Golden Gate bridge Sunday.  Yesterday it was blocked by "Free Palestine" protesters.  Good grief. Hope they don't block the airport today.

Whatever "Palestine" is, wouldn't throwing Hamas out be the first step?

In Florida, blocking traffic is against the law.

The Chicago convention will show what a mess the Dem party is. Besides the liberal Jews with no political home, are the gays excited about Jihadists taking over their party? 

According to CBRE data, the average monthly payments on a new home soared to $3,322 in the third quarter of 2023. This marks a sharp 90% increase from late 2020, when it stood at just $1,746 before Biden took office. Rising rent and the end of pandemic-era protections are contributing to the homelessness crisis.

https://danbishop.house.gov/media/press-releases/bishop-stands-against-expansion-warrantless-surveillance

This is an issue where my own view has flipped perhaps more so than on any other.  In the early 2000s I believed the agencies needed every possible tool to stop terrorism. Investigating (suicidal attacks) after they happen isn't good enough.  And there was no real reason to believe our trusted agencies would misuse this potentially excessive power.

Now I fear the agencies more than I fear the terrorists.  The government agencies are not using the tools they already have to protect us, cf border wall, law enforcement, courts, prisons, foreign intelligence.

The agencies (deep state) have tragically proven themselves untrustworthy, often an enemy of the people. The list of evidence to support that is very long. IRS targeting, 'Russian collusion", false FISA warrants, lying to Congress, eavesdropping and so on. They have been personally and politically motivated at the highest levels, and conspiratorial, and our security is the victim. "Emergency" powers must end.  Amend the constitution if you want more federal power.

Policies that don't work.

This is deficit fueled inflation.

It's the spending stupid.

Anything that doesn't go after the excess spending is BS, counterproductive.

EVERYTHING Biden does involves more excess spending.
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https://www.grumpy-economist.com/p/inflation-confusion

   " Biden’s advisers have reviewed polling that shows criticism of Republicans for cutting taxes on wealthy Americans and corporations resonates with voters, and they intend to step up such an attack in the coming days and weeks."

"Aha, now we see the central problem. Economic policy is being driven by what polling suggests “resonates with voters.” Not, for example, what basic economics suggests might actually work."

-----
Literally,  they think we are small children and the policy is to hand out candy.

Under current policies, government debt outstanding will grow from 100% to 200% of GDP.
https://www.gao.gov/americas-fiscal-future

Not mentioned in short term, rear view mirror reports of debt to gdp decreasing is that interest rates on the debt tripled.

Federal government spending $2 billion per day - on interest.
https://confoundedinterest.net/2023/08/12/bidenomics-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly-atlanta-fed-gdp-at-4-12-for-q2-bank-credit-growth-goes-negative-confernce-board-leading-indicator-goes-negative-real-gross-domestic-income-growth-0-82

https://nypost.com/2024/04/13/opinion/npr-new-york-times-are-in-immense-turmoil-with-the-world-on-the-verge-of-global-conflict/