Israel Knesset declares Jerusalem the capital of Israel.
It took nearly 70 years for this to be recognized by the United States. President Donald Trump (R-USA) made if official on December 6, 2017.
23 January, 2021
Freedom of Speech vs. the First Amendment
I am very careful on this blog to make a distinction between the two. Many people try to conflate them, and say that companies like Twitter are free to shut you down, because they’re a private company, and not the government. And the First Amendment only talks about the government.
Yes, that’s technically true, and it’s why I make the distinction. But there’s still a flaw in that reasoning.
Let me give you an example.
Let’s say you’re holding some sort of big political rally, or a protest. You are doing well, the crowd there is completely with you. You’re broadcasting on your YouTube channel and people all over the world are watching.
You are exercising your freedom of speech.
Now, let’s say I’m the head of the local branch of the power company. I don’t like what you’re saying. In fact, I think it’s “hate speech”. I cut your power mid-speech. No one at the rally can hear you anymore. You’re no longer broadcasting on YouTube. Your fans around the world are cut off.
I have just attacked your freedom of speech. I’m a private company, right? You have other ways of getting your message out. What? You didn’t bring backup generators? This is essentially the argument that people make about Twitter.
And it’s essentially true, for what it’s worth. I think this example makes it clear that the argument is ridiculous, though.
And here’s where it gets worse. What if the government looks into it, trying to determine if I have acted unjustly to you? And what if the government decides then that your speech was in fact “hate speech” and sides with me. You’re not going to like that much, are you?
And now at this point, the government has gotten involved and ruled against freedom of speech.
And that, my friend, is an attack on the First Amendment.
This is Truly Frightening
In what can only be seen as private sector political persecution, a Florida bank has become the latest financial institution to dissolve its relationship with former-President Donald Trump over incendiary narratives floated by his detractors.
If they can do it to Donald Trump, they can do it to you.
Who Didn’t See This Coming?
Oh, that’s right. 80 million of you didn’t.
I used to say this about Obama, but P.T. Barnum would have loved President Joe Biden (D-USA).
Steven Hayward Gets It on the Keystone XL Pipeline
Over at Power Line Blog, Steven Hayward delivers an ominous message:
[T]he Keystone pipeline was entirely a private sector project that had obtained its legal permits. I’ll skip over for now whether Keystone may have legal remedies to be brought against Biden’s decision. The point is: I can’t think of another example of a president crushing thousands of private sector jobs at a stroke in the absence of a genuine legal reason. Biden offered no legal reason, such as defects of the permit or violations of the permit conditions. He just doesn’t like it.
If you don’t think that’s a problem, then you really don’t understand America.
This is what you voted for. #IToldYouSo.
22 January, 2021
January 22, 2021
Hammerin’ Hank passes.
The picture above is of Hank Aaron hitting his 715th home run and passing Babe Ruth as the (at the time) all-time home run leader.
Great man. Great player. The world is a lesser place without him.
Mitch McConnell is Playing a Dangerous Game
I think he feels it’s the only thing he can do, though. You can only play with the cards you’re dealt.
When earlier reports surfaced that Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) supported impeachment, I was skeptical. None of the reports include any actual quotes from McConnell or his press team.
Read that carefully. It’s important.
There were no quotes whatsoever. No confirmations or denials.
This sounded like a deliberate leak as a trial balloon. Find out what the response is from within his party and his constituents. Notice, this is much smarter than what Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY-AL) did. She voiced her opinion loudly and voted to impeach. And is now paying the price.
But, you say, what about reports that he’s working with Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) on how the trial will be run in the Senate and that he intends to “listen to the legal arguments when they are presented to the Senate”.
Again, you have to understand McConnell. You don’t get to the position he holds and hold it for so long without some intelligence. He is “misunderestimated” even more often than GWB was.
McConnell is trying desperately to work out a power sharing agreement in the Senate with Schumer and desperately wants to hold on to the “filibuster” as it is currently defined.
This means that he has to give Schumer something, both publicly and privately.
Despite the Constitutional ambiguities (to say the least), there will be a trial in the Senate.
I don’t believe that McConnell will vote to convict. He’s too smart for that. He will end up saying that while he disagrees with what Trump did and said, that it doesn’t rise to the level that impeachment requires and that he can’t vote to convict on that.
The only way McConnell votes to convict is if it is already a foregone conclusion that Trump will be convicted. Which won’t be the case.
This is high risk for McConnell. He is going to tick off some of the members of the Republican caucus in the Senate, and he’s going to tick off many of his constituents. But the only thing that might make those happy would be to stand firm and fight it tooth and nail. In which case, he knows he can say goodbye to power sharing and goodbye to the filibuster, and the Democrats will just ram through whatever they want in the Senate.
Fauci debunks CNN reporting, says Biden's vaccine rollout not 'starting from scratch'
This was a deliberate lie spread by the Biden team in a desperate attempt to make Trump look bad, and they got caught. I’m sure it worked though. They spread the lie, and the rebuttal of it will be spread far less widely.
Fauci debunks CNN reporting, says Biden's vaccine rollout not 'starting from scratch' | Fox News
"We certainly are not starting from scratch because there is activity going on in the distribution," Fauci responded before elaborating on the Biden administration's own plan.
Indeed. How about some cold hard facts?
2) In the past week, @business says 912,497 vaccine doses were administered per day — or 91% of Biden’s goal of 1M Americans per day.
— Dan Diamond (@ddiamond) January 21, 2021
Either the situation on the ground is better than team Biden acknowledges, or Biden’s target is less ambitious than it seems. pic.twitter.com/z7TDdHC4i1
Starting from scratch, my a**.
21 January, 2021
January 21, 1921
One hundred years ago today.
Hercule Poirot arrives on the scene in Dame Agatha Christie’s first book, The Mysterious Affair at Styles. Poirot would later return to Styles in his last case, Curtain.
Well, this Won’t Help the Economy Either
Biden nixes Keystone XL permit, halts Arctic refuge leasing | TheHill
During President Trump’s (R-USA) administration, the U.S. became a net exporter of fossil fuels. Biden wants to make us more dependent on others again and increase the cost of energy. Note that nothing he is doing is reducing energy demand, just availability.
When you decrease supply, and don’t do anything about demand, prices go up. That will be just great.
And as I’ve already pointed out, shutting down Keystone XL accomplishes no good whatsoever and has the wonderful side effect of p*ssing off our neighbors to the North.
One day in office, and already I can’t wait for this administration to end.
1,460 more days until January 20, 2025.
This is what you voted for. #IToldYouSo.
UPDATE: Right on cue: ‘Incredibly Troubling,’ ‘Deeply Disturbed’: Canadian Lawmakers React To Biden Energy Policy | The Daily Wire
“While we welcome the President’s commitment to fight climate change, we are disappointed but acknowledge the President’s decision to fulfill his election campaign promise on Keystone XL,” Trudeau said in a statement, according to the New York Post.
“Canada is the single-largest supplier of energy to the United States, contributing to U.S. energy security and economic competitiveness, and supporting thousands of jobs on both sides of the border,” he continued. “Workers in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and across Canada will always have our support.”
No matter. The idiot has spoken and he has used his crayon to put this into effect.
More on Yellen’s Attacks on the U.S. Economy
The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office found that a $15 federal minimum wage increase could kill as many as 3.7 million jobs.
4 million jobs lost here, and she wants to raise the corporate tax rate, which will kill even more.
Once again, I ask. Why does Biden’s Treasury appointee want to destroy the American economy?
This is what you voted for. #IToldYouSo
An Ominous Sign
Iran's President Rouhani Celebrates Departure of 'Stupid Terrorist' Trump (breitbart.com)
Just a thought. When the leader of the world’s leading sponsor of terrorism celebrates your change in leadership, you’re probably doing it wrong.
20 January, 2021
Twitter’s Assault on Free Speech Claims Some More Victims
Yes, I am going to keep documenting these.
On Tuesday, conservative activist Michelle Malkin took to Telegram to announce Twitter had locked her account without following typical protocol, which would require an explanation of the suspension and opportunity to delete posts violating Twitter policy.
The political commentator asserted her profile’s 24-hour suspension was politically motivated and pointed to her account’s final tweet. In her last post, she warned Americans about censorship on mass media platforms. She noted these restrictions go against the spirit of the Constitution.
There’s some irony there.
According to Twitter, if you’re calling attention to heaps of voter fraud evidence that threatens a Democrat politician’s political power then you’re cancelled. If you call for the hanging of a Republican vice president, however, you are a trending topic.
Well, I could do with fewer voter fraud fantasies, myself. But I don’t think they should be censored.
Liz Cheney in Trouble
Effort To Oust Liz Cheney (R-WY) As GOP Chair Gains Steam | The Daily Wire
At least 115 House conservatives have backed an effort for a resolution calling on Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) to step down from her leadership post in the wake of her vote to impeach President Donald Trump.
That is enough to force a vote, and enough to force her out of her leadership position as well.
She was censured by her own state’s party as well:
Earlier this week, The Daily Wire noted that the Republican Party Central Committee in Carbon County, Wyoming, censured Cheney over the impeachment vote.
“Our representative did not represent our voice,” said Carbon County GOP Chairman Joey Correnti IV, according to The Washington Times.
The resolution says Cheney defied the will of most Wyoming Republican voters when she voted in favor of the Democrats’ rushed impeachment article, denying Trump due process.
Cheney really miscalculated on this one, by throwing her hat in with the Democrats. It was this type of behavior from the right that led to Trump in the first place. And now she’s going to pay.
It Should Face Opposition From All Sane People
Biden faces opposition to killing Keystone XL from labor and Democrats (washingtonexaminer.com)
Remember, part of this is already done. A lot of money and time has been spent on this, both here and in Canada. Cancelling it will severely harm our relations with Canada.
And I can’t emphasize this too strongly: there’s no good reason to do it!
None whatsoever. No one has successfully argued in favor of killing it. All arguments have been emotional and entirely fact free.
I thought Democrats said we should “believe the science”. The science says this is a good thing. The economics says this is a good thing. It’s a good thing for US-Canada relations. The downside of doing this is exactly zero. The upside of killing it is exactly zero.
Biden’s an idiot.
January 20, 2021–The Beginning of the End?
When President Barack Obama (D-USA) was inaugurated, I wished him luck.
I also said this:
I am thrilled that my daughters (now 2 and 5) will grow up in a world where a black man has been elected President. While that is a reason for celebration, a better reason for celebration would be that it’s non-news, and that no one cares whether the President is black or white or green with purple polka-dots. I don’t see that event coming anytime soon, much to my dismay.
Hopefully this does represent a milestone in race relations and a sign that one’s race is unimportant in America. I have my doubts, but will continue to have cautious optimism on that front.
And, since I realize that I never got around to it back in November, congratulations, President Barack Obama (D-USA). Your hard fought campaign and victory has earned my respect and admiration. Keeping them is up to you.
So, while I had my doubts about an Obama Presidency, I tried to find causes for optimism. I did not wish him to fail. I want all Presidents to succeed, if success is defined as improving life in our country.
I had serious doubts about him, most of which turned out to be justified. But on this day, 12 years ago, I tried to convey a message of hope, and to have hope myself.
I have no such delusions regarding the next four years. Joe Biden is going to be a failure as a President and the country is going to suffer for it, possibly irreparably.
The Relentless Attack on Conservative Thought Continues
Chapman University President Daniele Struppa promptly denounced Eastman for engaging in constitutionally protected free speech. Struppa accused Eastman in a Jan. 8 statement of playing “a role in the tragic events in Washington, D.C., that jeopardized our democracy. … Eastman’s actions are in direct opposition to the values and beliefs of our institution. He has now put Chapman in the position of being publicly disparaged for the actions of a single faculty member, and for what many call my failure to punish and fire him,” Struppa wrote.
The Left is coming for you. Even if you’re a “good American”, eventually you’ll slip. And they’ll get you.
This Alone Should Disqualify Her from Holding Office
Treasury nominee Yellen: U.S. can afford higher corporate tax if it coordinates globally (cnbc.com)
This is code for “if we can get other countries to also raise their taxes so there will be no safe havens, we can destroy ways of hiding corporate money from us”.
I’ve said it many times. Corporate taxes are completely regressive. They’re just about the most horrible thing possible for the economy and the citizens. They are effectively just an additional expense to the company that gets passes on to:
- Consumers – in terms of higher prices
- Shareholders – in terms of lower dividends
- Employees – in terms of lower wages and benefits
History has shown us that the biggest one of these by far is #3, and the smallest is #2. So, if you are an employee of a corporation or a consumer of the products and services of a corporation, higher corporate taxes directly affect you in a negative way.
The only fair corporate tax rate is Zero. You want the economy to explode like gangbusters, drop the rate significantly. It worked for Trump. You want to kill the economy? Raise the rate significantly.
This is simple math, and well known, even to Keynesians.
So, why would a Treasury Secretary deliberately try to destroy the economy?
Good question.
This is what you voted for. #IToldYouSo.
19 January, 2021
I’d Laugh if it weren’t Just So Very Sad
This is an actual headline at The Hill.
Biden's climate plan will not address gender and racial inequality | TheHill
Ok, even if you believe that gender and racial inequality are problems that need to be addressed, you’d have to be a complete idiot to think that a climate plan would be the vehicle for such a thing.
Biden and the Keystone XL Pipeline
There’s really no reason to do this unless you’re just being a d*ck.
There’s no scientific reason for it. The EPA studies showed that it is not a threat to the environment.
It will help the economy both Canada and the United States, and create thousands of jobs.
It’s not even really going to cost us anything.
The only reason to cancel the project is to cater to the hard left wing of your party.
Brilliant start to your Presidency, Joe.
18 January, 2021
Federal Holiday Trumps Need for Vaccinations
Covid Vaccine Takes A Day Off - Victory Girls Blog
Americans have been treated to messages of fear, doom, and gloom since March. We’ve also seen far too many examples of ‘do as I say, not as I do’ when it comes to the lockdowns. Since November we’ve been treated an endless ‘vaccine will save us all! It is imperative that you get vaccinated!’ string of messages. Los Angeles, one of the strictest lockdown areas in the country, has seen a major surge in cases in the last few weeks. Even as we receive message after message about getting the vaccine as soon as you can!
Then suddenly we find that Covid vaccination sites will be closed today. Yes indeed, since it is Martin Luther King Day, the Covid vaccine needs a holiday.
Call me crazy, but needlessly delaying when a life-saving vaccine is administered to thousands of people does not strike me as the appropriate way to honor Martin Luther King Jr. https://t.co/KkOOQBNCEJ
— Yascha Mounk (@Yascha_Mounk) January 17, 2021
January 18, 1919
Bentley Motors Limited is founded by Walter Owen Bentley.
While touring the DFP automobile factory Walter Owens Bentley noticed an aluminum paperweight and had the idea of using aluminum to produce lighter cylinders. W.O., as he was known, took the idea home to North London and began producing aluminum cylinders for the Sopwith Camel airplane during the Great War. His success in manufacturing led to the founding of Bentley Motors Limited on this day in 1919.
17 January, 2021
January 17, 1950
On January 17, 1950 around 7 p.m., the Brink’s building located at 165 Prince Street in Boston, Massachusetts was robbed. The FBI states the men involved “had just committed the ‘crime of the century,’ the ‘perfect crime’” (FBI). “Filling 14 canvas bags with cash, coins, checks and money orders—for a total weight of more than half a ton—the men were out and in their getaway car in about 30 minutes” (History). This was the largest robbery in U.S. history until 1984. The men were trained and prepared extensively for this heist, “casing” the building “for almost two years” (NY Times).
During the robbery, as described by 5 Brink’s employees inside, “a group of armed, masked men emerged, dragging bags containing $1,218,211.29 in cash and $1,557,183.83 in checks, money orders, and other securities” (FBI). With very little evidence, the investigators had little information to find the criminals. Brink’s soon “offered a $100,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the persons responsible” (FBI). It was stated that, “in the hours immediately following the robbery, the underworld began to feel the heat of the investigation. Well-known Boston hoodlums were picked up and questioned by police” (FBI). Creating a stir within the community, many were on edge. It wasn’t until Joseph James O’Keefe had confessed to the robbery and ended this manhunt when eight men were found guilty on October 5, 1956.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)