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JUNE 21,  2014

SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – AT 6:01 P.M. ET: 

MAKE YOUR TRAVEL PLANS FOR NEXT YEAR NOW – From AP:  "LONDON (AP) -- Self-styled Druids, new-agers and thousands of revelers have watched the sun rise above the ancient stone circle at Stonehenge to mark the summer solstice - the longest day of the year in the northern hemisphere.  English Heritage, which manages the monument, says some 36,000 sun-watchers gathered on the Salisbury Plain about 80 miles (130 kilometers) southwest of London on Saturday. Police say the event was peaceful with only 25 arrests, mainly for drug offenses.  Couples kissed, dancers circled with hoops and revelers took part in a mass yoga practice as part of the free-form celebrations."  I guess 25 arrests is considered "peaceful" in those parts.

LOVE IT – From Fox:  "An alleged third-grade bully is being sued in a lawsuit that claims he subjected a schoolmate to almost weekly verbal and physical attacks.  Deveri and Matthew Del Core said their son, Joaquin, was the victim of the bullying at Robert Frost Elementary in Mount Prospect outside Chicago. The lawsuit seeks $50,000 in damages from the alleged bully, his parents, the school district and Robert Frost's principal.  'There was everything from choking my son and threatening to kill him, said he was going to go home and get a knife and come back and kill him,' Deveri Del Core told 5NBCChicago after she and her husband filed the lawsuit in Cook County Circuit Court. 'My son would wake up at night screaming and crying, terrified, and did not want to go to school.'  Del Core told the station that hours after filing the complaint, she was fired from her job in her son’s school cafeteria.  The lawsuit accuses the alleged bully’s parents of failing to discipline their child to stop the behavior."  I have no independent knowledge of the facts, but a lawsuit may be the best way to go if they are accurate.  I have seen, up close, cases where children have been placed at risks by parents and schools who refuse to take action, or even acknowledge a problem.

A JERK IS A JERK – Would you believe that this clown is the former governor of Montana and is considered by some on the left to be a serious candidate for president?  From The Politico:  "Former Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer apologized on Facebook for comments he made about House Majority Leader Eric Cantor and Senate Intelligence Chairwoman Dianne Feinstein in an interview with National Journal published late Wednesday.  'I recently made a number of stupid and insensitive remarks to a reporter from the National Journal. I am deeply sorry and sincerely apologize for my carelessness and disregard,' the Democrat posted to his Facebook page Thursday afternoon.  In the interview, Schweitzer said Southern men — including Cantor —'are a little effeminate.  They just have effeminate mannerisms,' Schweitzer said...The former governor also graphically criticized Feinstein for her ties to the Central Intelligence Agency, before slamming the agency.  'She was the woman who was standing under the streetlight with her dress pulled all the way up over her knees, and now she says, "I’m a nun," when it comes to this spying!' Schweitzer said in the profile."   Can you imagine the response had this been said by a Republican?  The sky would truly fall.

June 21, 2014       Permalink

THE SLEEPER ISSUE – AT 12:18 P.M. ET:   I get the sense, in reviewing what I see on the internet, that education may emerge as a much larger issue this year, and in 2016, than we've imagined.  These, I think, are the reasons:  1) the outrageous cost of college and the growing belief that, for many young people, it really isn't worth it; 2) the feeling that we pay vast sums for public schools and get very little for it; 3) an increasing recognition that some very bad stuff is being taught to our kids, and by teachers who are poorly prepared; 4) the taking of power over the education of our children by the federal government, through the new "common core" program.

It's this last point that is creating a firestorm on the right.  Traditionally, public education has been a state function, with state standards.  But the encroachment of the federal government, and its own politically correct ideas, is chilling.  From Fox: 

Common Core has emerged as the newest Republican litmus test for gauging candidates’ conservative bona fides, and experts say the controversial national education standard will help shape elections from school boards to the White House for the foreseeable future.

Whether prompted by pressure from grassroots groups and well-funded political action committees, or simply by a realization of what is involved in the sweeping K-12 reform, Common Core has become a hot button issue within the GOP. Several Republican governors, including some rumored to be considering 2016 White House runs, have turned against the plan and critics have coined a loaded term for it that lays bare the political divide: “ObamaCore.”

“The center of gravity on the right has clearly shifted in recent months,” said Frederick Hess, of the American Enterprise Institute. “The Common Core is now like comprehensive immigration reform: there are respected leaders who endorse it, but they’re clearly crosswise with mainstream conservative sentiment.”

The issue's prominence is expected to rise as Common Core is widely implemented next fall, and as fellow Republicans at the local, state and federal levels battle it out in primaries. Experts predict it will become a potent issue in November's midterm elections, and eventually, in 2016.

Earlier this week, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, a onetime backer of Common Core, issued an executive order designed to block its implementation in the Bayou State. Although Louisiana was one of 45 states that initially adopted the plan, Jindal has since turned against it, as criticism mounted around the nation. The move by the high-profile Jindal was seen by many as a tipping point in the mainly conservative battle against Common Core.

COMMENT:  "Raising educational standards" always sounds great, until you look at the details.  Very often, "standards" is a codeword for political indoctrination, especially in history classes.  Also, "federal" standards, almost by definition, operate on a "one size fits all" model. 

The state system almost guarantees a certain amount of innovation.  In addition, it allows Americans choice in education.  Many people move to states or communities because of a quality educational system.  Let the feds take over, and we'll see a field of gray in education.

June 21, 2014       Permalink

YOU GOTTA LOVE THE GUY – AT 11:38 A.M. ET:   As I'm sure you've noticed, the liberal media goes from one potential GOP presidential candidate to another, trying to destroy each one before he or she becomes dangerous.  Sarah Palin got the treatment.  So did Chris Christie.  Now it's Scott Walker's turn.

But Scott Walker fights back.  When the left tried to recall him as governor of Wisconsin, he not only beat his tormentors in the recall election, he actually wound up with more votes than he originally had received when elected.  Now the left is trying to dredge up old, completely discredited charges against Walker, who is seen as a serious possibility for the White house.  He has been a spectacular governor.

Again, Walker fights back.  He understands what too many Republicans don't, that you've got to strike back vigorously, not be used as a gentlemanly punching bag.  This is his statement, from his own website, in regard to the latest smear: 

Abraham Lincoln once said, “Truth is generally the best vindication against slander.”

The truth on the widely covered “John Doe” is that two judges, one state and one federal, reviewed the accusations of partisans within a Democrat District Attorney’s Office and determined their theories have no merit or basis in law.

Each of these judges explicitly issued judicial orders that these partisan prosecutors must end their investigation immediately.

These are the truths that need to be stated over and over again to fight the slander directed at me and our campaign by my political opponents.

Still, many in the media proceed as though the opinion of the partisan prosecutors is new information and ignore the truths I have stated above. It is not. It is old news that has already been discounted by two judges. No charges. No case.

In reaction to the information that was released to the public and seized on by the media, the federal judge just this week sharply criticized the prosecutors. He said that they are now seeking "refuge in the Court of Public Opinion, having lost in this Court on the law."

Watching the media frenzy it is clear that this is what happens when someone takes on the big government special interests. They push back. No wonder so many politicians are afraid to make tough decisions.

I will not back down. We will continue to fight using the truth to keep the hard working taxpayers of Wisconsin in charge of their state and local governments. We will continue to fight to make life better for the good people of Wisconsin.

COMMENT:  Great statement and completely accurate.  It sounds like something Walker wrote himself, not something written by a "consultant."  This man should be looked at very carefully for the 2016 ticket.  He has a record.  He fights.  He wins.  In the immortal words of Ira Gershwin, "Who could ask for anything more?"

June 21, 2014       Permalink

TIME FOR REFLECTION – AT 10:52 A.M. ET:  Sometimes an event occurs that makes people reflect on mistakes they may have made.  Consider this, from CBS: 

BOSTON (CBS) – A Marine from New Hampshire has been killed in Afghanistan.

Lance Cpl. Brandon Garabrant, 19, was one of three U.S. service members killed by a roadside bomb Friday morning.

“The entire State of New Hampshire is devastated by the tragic loss of Lance Corporal Brandon Garabrant, who was bravely serving his nation in Afghanistan,” Governor Maggie Hassan said in a statement. “Our service men and women courageously sacrifice every day to protect their fellow citizens and defend the enduring value of freedom that is our very core, and in doing so, Lance Corporal Garabrant made the ultimate sacrifice.”

Garabrant graduated from ConVal Regional High School in Peterborough last year. He had requested to wear his uniform during graduation, but the school did not allow it.

The school has released a statement reacting to Garabrant’s death.

“On behalf of the entire ConVal community I extend my deepest sympathy to Brandon’s family and friends,” Principal Brian Pickering said. “We are all shocked and deeply saddened by his passing and we are incredibly grateful for his service to our country.”

Garabrant was also a volunteer firefighter in Temple, New Hampshire.

COMMENT:  I would hope that the "educators" who refused to allow Lance Cpl. Garabrant to wear his uniform at graduation would now reflect on their decision.  The school may have had a dress code for graduation, but I assure you that the code, in most schools, is stretched to the limit by representatives of approved "groups," wearing group or ethnic symbols or sashes.

A military uniform is almost always appropriate, and is a symbol of service and pride.  If you ever go, for example, to a dress review at West Point, you will see exchange cadets or midshipmen marching in the uniforms of their institutions, even though it breaks the uniform color of their formation. 

It would be appropriate for Lance Cpl's high school to hold a memorial service in his honor, referring to him by his Marine rank, and not as "Brandon."  He was not a child nor a student when killed.  It would be further appropriate for the principal to announce a new policy regarding military uniforms at graduation.  It would be applauded.

June 21,  2014     Permalink

JUNE 20,  2014

SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – AT 11:12 P.M. ET: 

JUSTICE? – The "Central Park Jogger" case was one of the most publicized crimes in America in the last 50 years.  A young woman jogging in Central Park was raped and beaten senseless.  Five black men were convicted of the crime, but were later "exonerated" when DNA matched someone else.  From The New York Times:  "The five men whose convictions in the brutal 1989 beating and rape of a female jogger in Central Park were later overturned have agreed to a settlement of about $40 million from New York City to resolve a bitterly fought civil rights lawsuit over their arrests and imprisonment in the sensational crime."  Many connected with the case feel a sense of uneasiness, still believing that these five men were involved in the attack in some way.  The Mike Bloomberg administration fought a settlement tooth-and-nail, but the new, "progressive" regime of Bill DeBlasio settled quickly and easily.  We may never know the full truth.

OBAMA DOWN AGAIN – From Gallup:  "WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Americans' approval of President Barack Obama's handling of immigration has dropped to 31%, one of the lowest readings since 2010, when Gallup began polling on his handling of the issue. Meanwhile, two in three Americans (65%) disapprove of his handling of immigration."  Chuck Todd of NBC says that Obama is "over."  I'm not sure, but I can't see how he can rebuild his popularity.  What could rebuilding be based on?

OH MY, MY, SHE'S CAUGHT ONCE MORE – Earlier today I ran a post reporting on Hillary Clinton's ridiculous interview with The New York Times Book Review, in which Ms. Inevitability announced the names of her favorite authors.  I then received, from a sharp reader who wishes to remain anonymous, this reply:

Note the listing in Hillary's responses

Alex Berenson
Linda Fairstein
Sue Grafton
Donna Leon
Katherine Hall Page
Louise Penny
Daniel Silva
Alexander McCall Smith
Charles Todd
Jacqueline Winspear

Into:

Berenson
Fairstein
Grafton
Leon
Page
Penny
Silva
Smith
Todd
Winspear

Alphabetical order... on her lists.

No one thinks let alone speaks that way.

Have a good laugh.  She's done it again.  I wonder which staff aide actually provided Ms. Hillary's reading list, and what alphabetical list he or she chose from.

June 20, 2014       Permalink

A DANGER TO AMERICA – AT 10:51 A.M. ET:  Another troubling report about Islamists leaving the U.S. to fight abroad.  They'll be here again someday, equipped with new skills.  From Fox:   

As many as 15 Somali-American men have left their homes in Minnesota in recent months to travel to the Middle East and join up with ISIS, the jihadist army at war with Syria and Iraq, according to Minnesota Public Radio.

The fighters appear to have made the decision to go fight with Islamic State of Iraq and Syria/Levant while the terror group was fighting to overthrow Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, but some may now be in Iraq, where the marauding group is seeking to topple Baghdad.

"A Muslim has to stand up for [what's] right," Abdirahmaan Muhumed told MPR News through a series of Facebook messages dating back to the beginning of the year. "I give up this worldly life for Allah."

ISIS, an Iraq-based, Al Qaeda-linked terror group, poured into Syria as rebels known as the Free Syrian Army fought to overthrow Assad. But ISIS’s ferocious brutality, especially toward Christians, quickly caused a rift with the Syrian rebels. Now, the group appears bent on establishing an Islamic caliphate, or nation under strict Islamic law, spanning the two nations.

Among Minnesota’s thriving Somali community, Muhumed's transformation from ordinary life in Minneapolis to Middle East jihadist is evidence of a strong recruitment and radicalization effort.

“Most of [those who left] don't have the resources to even buy a ticket to go to Chicago. So that means there is some influential individuals who are taking advantage of our youth," Mohamud Noor, executive director of the Confederation of Somali Community in Minnesota, told MPR. "So it's up to us to defend ourselves. This is not only a fight for our youth. It is a fight for our future."

It is against the law for Americans to independently travel overseas to fight in civil wars or armed conflicts against foreign governments. FoxNews.com has written about Americans who went to join the war in Syria in the past, including Eric Harroun, a onetime U.S. Army soldier from Arizona.

After FoxNews.com interviewed Harroun from the battlefield, he traveled back to the U.S., where he was arrested in June 2013. He pleaded guilty to lesser charges and was released, then died of an apparent overdose in April.

COMMENT:  It took only 19 hijackers to pull off the 9/11 attacks.  Even a small number of jihadists, operating on these shores, can do devastating damage.  Minnesota Public Radio is to be commended for going against the politically correct tide and reporting this story.

June 20, 2014       Permalink 

OH, YOU WON'T BELIEVE THIS – AT 9:59 A.M. ET:  There are moments when public figures just reveal themselves.  Hillary Clinton is from that class of people who define themselves by their "intellectual" credentials.  You know, where you went to school, your grades, the number of degrees you have, and whether you can use the key words of the moment.  (During the early years of the Kennedy administration the key word was "viable."  A policy had to be "viable."  The key word in the last few years has been "sustainable.")

So Queen Hillary was interviewed by The New York Times Book Review, and she went overboard.  I get the feeling, by the way, that this was a written interview – where questions are submitted, and answered in writing.  You gotta read it to believe it.  Hillary, or some staff member, clearly out to impress the intellectual classes, claims the potential president has read everything under the sun, carefully balanced of course by the gender of the author.  Just get these few questions and answers.  Just savor them.  Here is the voice of snotty, East Coast liberalism: 

Who are your favorite contemporary writers? Are there any writers whose books you automatically read when they come out?

I will read anything by Laura Hillenbrand, Walter Isaacson, Barbara Kingsolver, John le Carré, John Grisham, Hilary Mantel, Toni Morrison, Anna Quindlen and Alice Walker. And I love series that follow particular characters over time and through their experiences, so I automatically read the latest installments from Alex Berenson, Linda Fairstein, Sue Grafton, Donna Leon, Katherine Hall Page, Louise Penny, Daniel Silva, Alexander McCall Smith, Charles Todd and Jacqueline Winspear.

What are your favorite novels? Your favorite short stories? Poems you hold especially dear?

“The Brothers Karamazov” made a lasting impression on me when I read it as a young woman; I intend to reread it this summer to see what I now think about it. My favorite short stories are by Alice Munro, especially her collections “Carried Away” and “Runaway.” That’s an easy choice for me compared with the many poets I’ve appreciated over time. Included in that list are E. E. Cummings, T. S. Eliot, Seamus Heaney, Pablo Neruda, Mary Oliver and W. B. Yeats.

COMMENT:  Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear.  Is Hillary really as dense as we're beginning to think she is?  As one pundit commented on reading this so-called interview, "When did she have time to be secretary of state?"  Right, what novel was she reading during Benghazi?

I mean, really now.  Who does Hillary think she's kidding?  This is patronizing, amateur politics at its worst.  Oh, she also mentions she reads the Bible. 

Hillary's world is the world of her class.  She's a pseudo-intellectual showoff.  She lacks judgment and common sense.   This interview reveals her as a kind of child out to impress mommy, and a college admissions committee.  It does not reveal her as a president.

Oh, the latest book I'm reading is "A March Through Hell," by Will Stroock.  It's about the China Burma India theater in World War II.  It's great.  Hillary hasn't read it.

June 20,  2014     Permalink

PETRAEUS ADVISES – AT 9:43 A.M. ET:  Former U.S. army general and CIA Director David Petraeus has some advice for President Obama.  I would take him seriously.   Despite the personal embarrassment that ended his government career – an extra-marital affair – he knows this territory.  From London's Daily Mail: 

The United States military should launch 'targeted' strikes against the 'terrorist army' of ISIS in Iraq - if the situation deteriorates so that it threatens the security of the West said David Petraeus.

The retired general - who led commanded the surge eight years ago that rid the war-torn nation of al-Qaeda - said that he does support limited military action to stem the flood of ISIS troops.

Former CIA chief Petraeus made these remarks on Thursday, the same day that President Obama declared he was sending 300 special forces advisers to Iraq in addition to the 275 'combat ready' troops he has deployed to protect the US Embassy in Baghdad.

In an exclusive interview with the UK's Daily Telegraph, Petraeus said that he favored using drones to specifically target the ISIS leader, Abu Bakr el Baghdadi.

'If ISIS is seen as a terrorist organization with the potential to engage in terrorist acts beyond the Middle East, then that could warrant the targeting of high value targets,' said Petraeus.

He referenced the complicated sectarian friction that currently exists in Iraq between Sunni and Shia Muslims.

'We must be careful not to take sides if we offer military support. But the growing threat posed by Isis means that military action will be necessary,' said Petraeus to the Daily Telegraph.

COMMENT:  Pretty direct.  I'm afraid he might be right, although we're also wise to consider whether, under the command of Field Marshal Extraordinaire Barack Obama, we could make things worse.  Knowing Obama, he won't choose the wisest course.  He'll choose the course best for him and his standing in the polls.

June 20,  2014      Permalink

McCARTHY IN – AT 8:58 A.M. ET:  Kevin McCarthy of California has been elected the new House majority leader, replacing Eric Cantor, who was stunningly defeated in a primary election for his House seat.  From Fox: 

WASHINGTON – In a GOP leadership shuffle, Republican lawmakers voted Thursday for California Rep. Kevin McCarthy to succeed Rep. Eric Cantor as House majority leader after Cantor's unexpected primary defeat last week.

McCarthy, a fourth-term lawmaker who had held the No. 3 GOP position, was elected by secret ballot.

"America is struggling," he said after the vote. "We're struggling with a stagnant economy, a failed health care law, and so many are living paycheck to paycheck. They are looking for individuals that put people before politics. I make one promise: I will work every single day to make sure this conference has the courage to lead with the wisdom to listen."

The day's second election, to succeed McCarthy as party whip, was a much tighter three-way competition among Reps. Steve Scalise of Louisiana, Peter Roskam of Illinois and Marlin Stutzman of Indiana. Scalise, 48, scored the victory.

Scalise, who won his seat in a special election in 2008, campaigned as head of the Republican Study Conference, a group of that sometimes serves as a conservative thorn in the side of leadership.

"I'm looking forward to bringing a fresh new voice to our leadership table and joining with this team to help confront the challenges that people all across this country are facing," he said at a press conference following the vote. "We've got solid conservative solutions that are going to solve the problems facing our country."

McCarthy and Scalise will govern for only 12 legislative days between when Cantor officially calls it quits on July 31 and November’s midterm elections.

COMMENT:  McCarthy was actually Cantor's choice to succeed him, so the GOP establishment is still firmly in charge, and it won in a free election. 

Republicans are expected easily to retain control of the House in the November election.  It's the Senate we focus on.  My fear, based on current conditions, is that the GOP will fall short and that Obama, even with narrow Senate control, will run wild during his last two years in office.

June 20,  2014     Permalink