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JANUARY 19,  2018

SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – AT 11:52 P.M. ET:   

PRESIDENT MOVES UP IN POLLS –  The RealClearPolitics average of polls now has presidential approval at about 40%.  That's hardly the catastrophe that the anti-Trump press has been screaming about.  And some respected polls have Mr. Trump higher.  Rasmussen is at 45.  CNN, incredibly, is at 43.  Economist/YouGuv is at 42, as is Harvard/Harris.  The trend recently has been upward, probably thanks to the tax reform legislation that Mr. Trump signed.  If he can keep up the momentum, and if the economy continues to make progress, I can easily see the president hitting 50%.  President Obama spent most of his presidency in the mid-40s.

TRUMP REPORTEDLY PASSES ON PRE-SUPER-BOWL INTERVIEW – FROM CNS:   Citing an unnamed source, Variety magazine is claiming “exclusive” news that President Donald Trump will break the tradition of presidents giving pre-game Super Bowl interviews on the game-broadcasting networks.  The “person familiar” with the news told Variety, exclusively, that Trump declined NBC’s request for an interview, even though he gave a pre-game interview last year.  I see no reason for the president to grant the interview.  This "tradition" has no real meaning, and simply boosts the network hosting it. 

HHS STRIKES A BLOW FOR RELIGIOUS LIBERTY – FROM BREITBART:   For eight years, the Barack Obama administration’s Health and Human Services (HHS) tried to force nuns and others of faith to act against their moral convictions by complying with mandates put forth in the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, including contraceptives, abortion, and assisted suicide.  But on Thursday, the agency announced a new division in its Office of Civil Rights (OCR), established to protect Americans from discrimination based on their religious beliefs.  Roger Severino, director of HHS’s OCR, announced the new conscience and religious freedom division and spoke about how the development was set in motion by an executive order issued by President Donald Trump.   A very good move.  Freedom of conscience has been under assault in recent years, almost entirely from the left.  This is an important step to restore the balance.

January 19,  2018     Permalink

A SERIOUS WARNING – AT 12:33 P.M. ET:  While the White House press corps frets over the president's weight, and his mental health, serious people are thinking about serious things.  From Fox:

The U.S. military's advantage over Russia and China is "eroding," according to an unclassified summary of the Pentagon's new National Defense Strategy unveiled Friday by Defense Secretary Jim Mattis in Washington. The document also says that ISIS no longer remains a top threat.

“Great power competition, not terrorism, is now the primary focus of U.S. national security,” Mattis said. “We face growing threats from revisionist powers as different as China and Russia, nations that seek to create a world consistent with their authoritarian models.”

Mattis named the rogue regimes in North Korea and Iran as top threats as well. But the strategy does not ignore the ability of terrorist groups to persist and evolve. ISIS has largely been defeated in Iraq and Syria, but Mattis warned the group will keep trying to reestablish itself and make a comeback like Hezbollah and Al Qaeda.

He warned that America's ability to respond to threats has diminished.

"Our competitive edge has eroded in every domain of warfare - air, land, sea, space, and cyberspace - and is continually eroding,” Mattis warned, adding at one point: “America has no pre-ordained right to victory on the battlefield."

COMMENT:  Fortunately, Secretary Mattis is devising a new national-security strategy that will counter thre threats we face.  Problem is, most of the press isn't interested, or is far to the left, and the Democratic Party is hostile to national defense.

The legacy of Obama is haunting us.  It is a defeatist legacy.  Mattis is a brilliant secretary of defense who understands what needs to be done.  But will he have Congress with him?

January 19, 2018       Permalink

YES, WE ACTUALLY HAVE LAWS – AT 11:40 A.M. ET:   There is a serious confrontation coming between the Trump administration and some states and cities over sanctuary for illegal immigrants.  This could get very tough, and involve physical showdowns.  From Fox: 

Acting ICE Director Tom Homan hit back Thursday at California's Democratic senators, who criticized his agency over reports of planned immigration sweeps in the sanctuary state. 

Local law enforcement officials have reportedly stated they will not assist ICE in raids aimed at apprehending 1,500 illegal immigrants in northern California. 

California Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Kamala Harris wrote a letter to the agency, asking for a briefing on the raids. 

They argued the action would be "an abhorrent abuse of power" and a diversion of resources to "score political points" and "punish" the state for its policies toward illegal immigrants. 

Homan forcefully denied the accusation on "The Ingraham Angle," questioning why Congress would want any federal agency not to enforce the laws. 

"I didn't think Congress was in the business of enacting laws they didn't want law enforcement to enforce. ... We enforce the laws that Congress enacted," he said, adding that the state's sanctuary law is "forcing" him to devote more enforcement resources to California. 

"No one asks the FBI or DEA or ATF or local police departments not to enforce the law."

Homan said the agency is going after illegal aliens who have been arrested previously, not "choir boys."

COMMENT:  You know, some of these "local authorities" in sanctuary states and cities remind me of the old Southern segregationist governors.  They even use some of the same language.  Ah, those state's rights.  How convenient to have them again.

Director Homan is absolutely right.  The laws of the United States must be enforced.  Gee, what an unusual concept.

January 19, 2018       Permalink

THE OTHER WOMEN'S MARCH – AT 10:38 A.M. ET:  There's another women's march on Washington, but you won't hear about it in much of the media.  These, after all, are not legitimate women.  From The Hill: 

You probably won’t hear much about the National March for Life in the nation’s capital today.

Despite the fact that over half a million people are projected to gather on the National Mall and march their way to the Supreme Court, you may not even see footage.

On the other hand, the chances that you will see wall-to-wall coverage of another march taking place the following day is extremely high. If last year is any indicator, Saturday’s march will get expansive coverage, countless hashtags, and more celebrity opinions than an episode of TMZ. I am referring, of course, to the Women’s March.

If the March for Life isn’t outright overlooked, it will be painted as a gathering of extremists who, as Justin Trudeau put it this week, aren’t “in line with” society. Whatever the case might be, one narrative will emerge loud and clear this weekend: there is only one march that empowers women — and it’s not the March for Life.

And...

The March for Life will include many women who once believed that abortion means empowerment, but now know that isn’t true. They will be marching, not only for themselves, but to keep other women from believing that same lie. They will be marching to share their own stories and show other women they have a “choice” of another kind, one that brings dignity and respect — choosing life.

COMMENT:  No matter where you stand on abortion, please read the whole piece.   I've noticed that in "progressive" Europe, of all places, the debates on abortion have been quite serious, and thoughtful restrictions have been enacted.  But here, those who are pro-life are often ridiculed and hated.

Abortion has actually been declining in America, and the new generation coming up behind the millennials appears, from polling, to have a more open approach to pro-life arguments.  The debate is ongoing, and far from "settled."

January 19,  2018     Permalink

JANUARY 18,  2018

SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – AT 11:51 P.M. ET: 

THE NATIONAL CRISIS – FROM PJ MEDIA:   Shoppers at Whole Foods Markets across the U.S. have been astonished to discover empty shelves at their local stores in recent months, with one customer describing the stores as "the Soviet Safeway." Barclay analysts found stores in disarray with "entirely empty" shelves and deteriorating produce, Business Insider reported.  "Analysts said they encountered 'high' out-of-stock issues last week in every department of one Midwest store across both private-label items and branded items," according to the report. One East Coast store had "extraordinary" inventory problems, according to the analyst.  "The store had no bananas and the supply of eggs and Tropicana products was very low," the analyst reported. "Entire displays, refrigerated cases, and end caps were completely empty. The prepared foods hot bar was entirely empty."  Recently acquired by Amazon.  Maybe if you ordered the bananas online you'd have better luck.

IS ANYONE SURPRISED? – FROM THE GUARDIAN:   The United Nations has allowed sexual harassment and assault to flourish in its offices around the world, with accusers ignored and perpetrators free to act with impunity, the Guardian has been told.  Dozens of current and former UN employees described a culture of silence across the organisation and a flawed grievance system that is stacked against victims.   Of the employees interviewed, 15 said they had experienced or reported sexual harassment or assault within the past five years. The alleged offences ranged from verbal harassment to rape.  Seven of the women had formally reported what happened, a route that campaigners say is rarely pursued by victims for fear of losing their job, or in the belief that no action will be taken.  “If you report it, your career is pretty much over, especially if you’re a consultant,” said one consultant, who alleged she was harassed by her supervisor while working for the World Food Programme. “It’s like an unsaid thing.”  Is anyone surprised by this?  The UN is one of the most corrupt organizations in the world.  Why not add sexual harassment?  I wonder if "feminist" groups will show the slightest interest.  Mustn't be too critical of "multicultural" organizations.

GOING THE WAY OF THE NFL – FROM THE WRAP:  The National Alliance of Theater Owners (NATO) announced on Wednesday that the national ticket average for 2017 rose 3.7 percent year-over-year to $8.93, up from $8.65 last year.  At that average, the estimated number of movie tickets sold last year is 1.23 billion. While that is only a rough estimate that does not account for the higher ticket prices for premium formats and theaters in more expensive cities like New York and Los Angeles, NATO’s estimate is the lowest since 1993, when “Jurassic Park” was the top grossing film of the year and an estimated 1.24 billion tickets were sold.  Put out an inferior product and raise prices.  What a great formula for success.  No hoorays for Hollywood.

January 18, 2018       Permalink

CONTINUED COLLAPSE OF THE NFL – AT 12:48 P.M. ET:  This can no longer be considered a temporary thing.  Professional football, which has probably been the true national pastime for decades, is in trouble.  From outkickthecoverage.com: 

This past weekend the NFL had three very competitive games among its four divisional round playoff contests.

Unfortunately for the league, ratings continued to plummet.

In fact, ratings are plummeting so much that virtually no major media outlets are even talking about ratings at all. It’s almost like the league and its television partners have put out the code red not to acknowledge the collapse in viewership so far in 2018.

Adding all these numbers up 120.8 million viewers watched the NFL divisional round playoffs in 2018 vs. 144.1 million who watched in 2017, a decline of 23.3 million total viewers.

That’s an overall viewership decline of over 16%, even steeper than last week’s 13% playoff decline. (Even if you leave out the Packers-Cowboys numbers completely the NFL playoff ratings would have still been down 10.3%).

These playoff numbers weren’t just bad compared to last year either, they hit a ten year low.

COMMENT:  Are we seeing the death of a major sport?  No one can predict, But the combination of increasing public awareness of serious injuries, and the absurd, anti-American "taking a knee" by outrageously overpaid players, has cast a pall over football.

Not much is being done to improve matters.  The feelings of the fans are simply ignored.

January 18, 2018       Permalink

AMERICA IS BECOMING GREAT AGAIN – AT 11:52 A.M. ET:  The new jobs report is spectacular.  Of course, we all know that Obama did it.  Why, in fact he hired all these people himself.  Pass it on.  From Bloomberg: 

U.S. filings for unemployment benefits plummeted to the lowest level in almost 45 years in a sign the job market will tighten further in 2018, Labor Department figures showed Thursday.

• Jobless claims decreased by 41k to 220k (est. 249k); lowest level since Feb. 1973, biggest drop since Dec. 2008

• Continuing claims rose by 76k to 1.952m in week ended Jan. 6 (data reported with one-week lag)

• Four-week average of initial claims, a less-volatile measure than the weekly figure, fell to 244,500 from the prior week’s 250,750

The drop in claims shows that companies are increasingly holding on to their employees amid a shortage of skilled labor. Businesses are struggling to find workers to fill positions, particularly in manufacturing and construction, as cited in some anecdotes for the Federal Reserve’s Beige Book released Wednesday.

The figures suggest the unemployment rate of 4.1 percent, already the lowest since 2000, could be poised to decline further. The latest week for claims includes the 12th of the month, which is the reference period for the Labor Department’s monthly employment surveys.

COMMENT:   What's more, manufacturing is returning to the United States.  What will the Democrats say in response to this incredible progress?  Whatever they say, the major news organizations will back them up.  And that is part of the Republican challenge for this fall.

January 18, 2018       Permalink

NO MOVEMENT, AND THAT'S GOOD – AT 10:52 A.M. ET:  We keep watching every day for movement in the president's poll numbers.  Surely his bad language, and the effects of "that" book will doom him, say the pundits, or dumbnits, whichever you prefer.   The man will soon be at ten percent.  All his supporters will be real-estate agents. 

Uh, just a sec.  Ain't happenin'.  Once again we turn to Rasmussen, which runs the only daily poll these days: 

The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Thursday shows that 45% of Likely U.S. Voters approve of President Trump’s job performance. Fifty-four percent (54%) disapprove.
The latest figures include 28% who Strongly Approve of the way the president is performing and 44% who Strongly Disapprove. This gives him a Presidential Approval Index rating of -16.

COMMENT:  Virtually unchanged for a week.  The president is solid.  Of course, he can do something to mess it up, and he has done that before. But the recent onslaught against him has not dented his numbers, at least not in the Rasmussen poll.

The tax cut will show up in paychecks starting early in February.  I'm curious to know how that affects the numbers.  You may be sure that the Dems plan a February offensive to take voters' minds off their increase in take-home pay.

January 18,  2018     Permalink