We are the drain the swamp people

Elvia Diaz does not have your back

There are just some folks you wouldn’t want to share a foxhole with; And ‘Elvia Diaz’, even if she were a “10”, is one of them !

Kristine Marsh, writing for Newsbusters, correctly pegs Ms. Diaz’s histrionics about guns.

USA Today Op-Ed on Church Shooting: ‘Terrifying’ That Parishioners Were Armed!

“…Diaz was aghast that these other armed parishioners were also ready to save lives:But we know nothing about the at least six other parishioners who also appeared to draw their handguns at West Freeway Church of Christ in White Settlement, Texas. And that’s terrifying.”
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Here is a clip of the church shooting incident in Texas last week. It includes some explanation by a noted security specialist.  More of his video-taped analysis is available here.  Note that YouTube may restrict viewership so we have embed part of it in our own system —  another advantage to traditional blogs as opposed to social media.  Note to Ms Diaz — the video shows that competence and courage were not in short supply. (allow a few seconds for video to load)

More from Kristine Marsh column at Newsbusters

The media won’t concede that guns don’t kill people, people kill people. Even when armed churchgoers stop a gunman and prevent a mass shooting this past Sunday, some callous journalists used this event as a way to argue for more gun control.

In a op-ed picked up by USA Today January 1, editorial columnist for The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, Elvia Diaz turned the parishioners who heroically drew their weapons on the shooter into villains.

Diaz only would concede that the man who killed the shooter was a “hero” because he met her standards of someone who should own a gun. She immediately lamented how this story had been utilized by the right:

Jack Wilson is a hero alright. It took him only six seconds to kill a gunman at a Texas church, saving countless lives. Unfortunately, that kind of split-second heroism has been turned into a PR tool by gun advocates.

The reality of Wilson’s heroism is a lot more complex. He wasn’t just an ordinary parishioner, as gun advocates may want you to believe. The church’s volunteer security team member is a firearms instructor, gun range owner and former reserve deputy with a local sheriff’s department, according to a New York Times detailed account.

In other words, he’s exactly the kind of man you want around with a firearm.

V’PAC:

Diaz has no way of knowing if the other parishioners were not adequately trained. Regardless, they do not get to have a sheriffs deputy at their side whenever they leave home.  They have a right to protect themselves and others. One thing is evident in the video above, they were brave, drew their weapons and ran to the gunfire.  Others used their bodies to shield others.

Ms Diaz presumably lives in Arizona, a state not hostile to gun rights.  She might want to stay home as there are hundreds of thousands in her state exercising the right to carry. Rational people would feel safer in such circumstances, knowing that a good person with a gun is the quickest way to stop a bad person with a gun.

Related reading at Western Journal.

dlh with R Mall

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But succinct comes after this apologia (scroll down for images)

We appreciate the pithiness of memes and the like.  We use them to add ‘pith” ridicule, humor, embellishments to what our commentaries are meant to provide –  other angles to news or issues of the day, important emphasis, referrals, highlights and annotations, etc.

Ours is a format that social media does not readily provide — lengthier expositions, more extensive format capabilities, categorization, searchability, the ability to add extensive graphics, fuller page views, research links at a glance. Our website provides more security and privacy as no data is sold and there is no cumbersome “opt-out”, no functional penalties for doing so, no direct or indirect support of liberal causes and only traditional editing, not politically correct censorship.

Include us in your “favorites” as part of your menu bar when you open your browser and you have just as simple access, arguably simpler as you do not have to be a member or sign in. There are no advertising pop-ups, no tracking.  The format’s reach depends on your recommendations but with e-mail notice sign-up, not unlike “social media”, you can be apprised of the latest offerings.

More succinctly, we think our website format is superior even if our rendering needs work. By the way, improvement there can come through reader submissions.

Below are some great memes and the like from our friends pursuing social media.

First up, some video fun via TN:

Via HP:

Via VM:

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• All those admiring, beseeching, troubled faithful . . . it’s tough being Pope
• Clearly this guy has a short temper but in viewing the video several times of the Pope slapping a beseeching woman’s hands we see no indication she twisted or scratched his hand nor that the Pope was favoring the hand prior to her position in line.

Via CNN:

Pope Francis apologized Wednesday for his widely-viewed slap of a woman who had grabbed his hand as he greeted Catholic faithful on New Year’s Eve.

The image of Francis slapping his way free from the clutches of the admirer was an instant hit on social media.

A personal apology followed.

“We lose patience many times,” Francis confessed.

Maybe it’s just a rumor, but, reportedly the “world’s most humble person” also said, reiterated his version of Jesus’s admonition to his apostles (Luke 18:15-17:

“And they brought unto him also infants, that he would touch them: but when his disciples saw it, they rebuked them.

But Jesus called them unto him, and said, “Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God”. )

“Don’t be ‘suffering’ the little children (or grabby women) unto me!”

Luke 18:15-17

15 And they brought unto him also infants, that he would touch them: but when his disciples saw it, they rebuked them.
16 But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.

Even Francis’ fanboy liberal press sees some irony in his slap-scolding a faithful woman and then going off to make a speech condemning violence against women.

We note that when it is not the optics he wants, this pope is quick to issue clarifications or apologies. Which also says something about his declining to explain so many “off the cuff” remarks that so often engender “confusion” — perhaps that is just the effect he wants? 

Of course there are those times when the fanboy Pope himself seemed grabby:

Grasping murderous thug

dlh with R Mall

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Trump responds to terrorism by Iran, Obama enabled it

This excerpt is from a commentary by John Hinderaker at PowerLine

THE ANTI-BENGHAZI

“As…noted a little while ago, pro-Iran militia forces known as Kataeb Hezbollah have besieged the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad. They are being referred to in news accounts a “protesters,” but in fact they are a trained and organized military force. The attackers breached the outer wall of the embassy compound and then milled around, set fires, etc.

“Apparently many liberals are trying to portray this attack as Trump’s Benghazi; “Benghazi” is now the most trending word on Twitter, with 231,000 tweets. There is, of course, no analogy: President Trump has not ignored calls for help, and instead has sent Marines to reinforce the embassy’s guards and Iraqi troops. So far, there have been no American casualties.”

We say:

Naturally, Tucker Carlson and his buddy, Army retired Col. Douglas MacGregor (haven’t heard yet from Tulsi Gabbord, Tucker’s other buddy), are already chipping in with their usual “no endless wars” prattle, when in fact it appears they would never retaliate against our avowed enemies regardless of the provocation, even an unprovoked attack on U.S. persons or embassy facilities.

The PowerLine blog reflects our sentiments a bit more accurately.

Iran is America’s committed enemy, seeks our country’s total destruction, and worldwide domination. They’ve been testing President Trump’s resolve and are definitely saddened over the fact that Obama is no longer in position to advance their cause. We believe Trump is doing the right thing, not emulating the Obama “red line farce”

Iranian Militia Leader Leading Iraq U.S. Embassy Raid Listed as Obama White House Guest

And there is this reminder from a 2016 Breitbart report:

“On Tuesday, the Obama administration finally admitted something its critics had long suspected: The entire $1.7 billion tribute paid to Iran was tendered in cash — not just the initial $400 million infamously shipped to the Iranians in a cargo plane — at the same moment four American hostages were released.”

Iran must pay a “heavy price”!

We wonder what thoughts Veritaspac readers might have on this subject.        dlh

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Who Do You Nominate?

An interesting and fun column by Dennis Lund (see below). He lists what must be on the preliminary list of very irritating people inflicted on many of us, especially conservatives, in 2019:

A twofer

– Jussie Smollett

– Greta Thunberg

– Ocasio-Cortez

– Nancy Pelosi

– Adam Schiff

– Jerrold Nadler

Mr. Lund wound up being unable to pick his MOST  “irritating”. However, I believe while his list was formidable and fairly comprehensive, I believe it incomplete, probably by dozens of deserving ‘irritators’, but certainly, in my view, Ilhan Omar is deserving of the list.

There is one other which I would have had on the list…in fact would probably have been my choice as “most irritating”. His name on the list, however, would surely cause controversy and no doubt, vehement disagreement.

That would be, in my view only, Pope Francis!

To me, His Holiness is at the top of my list for a ‘host’ of reasons:

– Yes, he is spiritual leader of 1.2 billion Catholics worldwide, and is presumed to be “The Vicar Of Christ on Earth”…and thus, deserves deference.

– However, even the Catholic Church acknowledges there have been ‘bad’ popes in its 2000 year plus history.

– And perhaps Francis is not, by any means, the ‘worst’…and “bad” is probably not the most appropriate term.

– I believe, though, that the former Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina is not what he wishes to be perceived as by his flock and by all of contemporary mankind…a “humble” man, maybe the ‘most’ humble man.

Pope Francis became a “rock star” for many Catholics and non-Catholics alike, around the world…partly by dint of shrewd self-promotion, a ‘biting wit’, always coming from the left and thus sure to become a progressive favorite of the Associated Press, the liberal media in general, and left-wing politicians in the US and throughout the west, and an obvious embrace of leftist ideology.

Francis does not seek to hide a profound dislike for either the United States or its current elected president, or its capitalist system. He seldom hesitates to blame the US for the evils which have befallen some countries in Latin America.

A product of Latin America’s decades old embrace of “liberation theology”, a political/religious ideology steeped in Marxism, Il Papa is a great promoter of wealth redistribution and the use of the “climate change mythology” to facilitate its implementation.

The Pontiff is one of the most vociferous popes in modern history with opinions on everything, whether in his area of expertise or not. He is known for his ‘sarcastic wit’, directed exclusively at ideological opponents or whomever he might seem to see as something of a rival.

The Pope seems intent on pressing his own priorities at the expense of his Church’s fundamental tenets. He has done putdowns of large segments of the Catholic faithful whom he accuses of “obsessing over” such out of fashion ‘anti-abortion’ and opposition to gay marriage sentiments. Borders and the concept of national sovereignty also find no place of importance in Francis’s  ‘to do’ list.

He would be known for an otherwise admirable concern for the poor and oppressed throughout the world but his ‘solutions’ seem always to come down on the side of radical leftwing theory…solutions that throughout history have proven to be far worse than the problems.

For these and other characteristics he has exhibited since his 5th ballot election in March, 2013 as the 266th pontiff in the Roman Catholic Church’s 2000 year history, Pope Francis is our choice for “The Most Irritating Person of 2019”!

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The Most Irritating person of 2019 is.…  (bold our emphasis)

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Remember when the Pope bowed to China on selection of Bishops? — How’s that working’ out for you, Il Papa?

We think we’d rather have Donald Trump negotiating for us than Pope Francis

But then again maybe China is simply being more definitive rather than the Popes approach of  clouding issues through re-interpretation — working toward contradiction of accepted tenets.

Re-writing the Bible a bit blatant of Xi so the Pope will be forced to voice his strenuous objection and express how he is shocked, nay, SHOCKED!

Darn it — Il Papa will do the interpreting his way — on his time-table! Too much too soon is counterrevolutionary

Rewriting the Bible admits it is anti-communist — best not to have a communist nation do so — better it just be reinterpreted for the minions in discrete increments, by His Holiness.

Sometimes the revolution must be soft –  as pointed out below — and with an oblique angle – undermine and discredit tradition first, denigrate “taboos” and the people that hold to them.

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China Orders Pro-Communist Bible-revision   Admits Bible Is Anti-Communist Church forced to change name to “Follow the Party, Obey the Party, and Be Grateful to the Party”

– After failed attempts to force Christian churches and faithful to abide by its standards, the Chinese Communist Party leaders have determined to re-write the Bible to better reflect their own agenda

– The order to re-write the Bible to be less “radical” comes shortly after an order in late September to local officials in Ji’an, a southeastern province of Jiangxi, to demand the congregation of a Catholic church named “The True and Original Source of the Universe,” to replace a painting of the Virgin Mary with a portrait of Xi Jinping, and to paint over the sign on the front of the church and replace the Church’s original name with “Follow the Party, Obey the Party, and Be Grateful to the Party.”

– “Local priests reported to “Tang Zhe” that the move to force Catholic churches into the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association is disastrous…”     Read More Here

Pope Francis To Bow To China With Concession On Bishops   Wall Street Journal, 2/1/18  (pay wall)

– Pope Francis has decided to accept the legitimacy of seven Catholic bishops appointed by the Chinese government, a concession that the Holy See hopes will lead Beijing to recognize his authority as head of the Catholic Church in China…

– “Winston Churchill said, ‘How can we deal with a totalitarian regime? How can we trust a totalitarian regime?’ They are simply not trustworthy…”

———————— The stories below:

China Orders Pro-Communist Bible-revision; Admits Bible is Anti-Communist?

https://nationalfile.com/china-orders-pro-communist-bible-revision-admits-bible-is-anti-communist/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=china-orders-pro-communist-bible-revision-admits-bible-is-anti-communist

dlh

The Pope will do the rewriting

We believe the content of the first two articles below portend the Pope doing what the Bible’s words and two millennia of interpretation will not allow.  The articles are somewhat internecine but very understandable. Francis is a revolutionary Pope and not in a good way.

Rigid Catholics who won’t change are imbalanced, says Pope Francis in Christmas address 

Pope Francis: Catholics shouldn’t be afraid to change everything about the Church 

In reading the above articles we were reminded of this comment of the Pope:

Pope Francis: It’s better to be ‘atheist’ than attend daily mass as hypocrite

Now his outburst seems to use “atheist” as an epithet – but we believe this same pope has also implied that atheists can be good people (we think they are incredibly ignorant and or self-centered and potentially more dangerous in positions of power, but that’s just us).  The tinge the Pope applies seems to be reserved for non-Marxists but in a cartoonish way.  No daily communicants we are aware of live or act the hypocritical way the Pope relates other than the occasional Democrat office holder and some priests, etc.  But then they are hypocrites about other church tenets.

Such hypocrites are allowed to present themselves for Holy Communion for all the world to see them as loyal Catholics (this writer does not present himself for Communion and does not attend Catholic church regularly). Giving notorious people Communion according to the Pope and many Bishops and Cardinals  is justified as useful in bringing such (us) sinners closer to Christ and His church — that’s the theory. Excommunication is somehow to be self-enforcing ( it can be with non-hypocrites), but that leaves the likes of Pelosis, Kennedys, Bidens, Durbins to continue obstinately, corruptingly, adding insult to injury.

The theory is a lame response to the scandal, confusion, false teaching, bad example that allowing such imparts due to the “practitioners” notorious apostasy on fundamental matters. Indeed is that not what excommunication is fundamentally meant to prevent?  Lack of formal use of excommunication as regards notorious individuals on matters the church has identified as crimes against humanity encourages the belligerent apostates and discourages others belief in the sincerity of the teachers and teaching.

The theory mentioned above, endorsed by the Pope and many Bishops and priests is  ironic in light of the Pope’s stated disgust with hypocrite capitalists even being in church. Now Holy Communion is normally presented inside a church as part of the Mass.  So the cartoonish capitalist people the Pope imagines attending mass are hypocrites and to be shamed as such but the real scandal mongers who support legal abortion on demand are just simple people in search of  Christ’s blessing for their everyday lives. Better an abortion promoter in church receiving communion than a capitalist even in the building is the implication from this Pope.     R Mall

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It is that time of year. Below we convey to you some retrospectives, predictions and pleadings from various commentators.

RETROSPECTIVES

These achievements in 2019 were made possible by consistent work of conservative operatives and organizations, President Trump’s administration, and judicial appointments — Heritage Foundation highlights these (while also highlighting their own  involvement)

In 2019 … (Via Heritage Foundation e-mail The Agenda 12/30/19)

Immigration Loopholes Were Closed. The Trump administration replaced “catch and release” with “catch and return,” sending asylum seekers back to Mexico to await their court date. It started denying asylum claims of those who pass through another country but don’t seek asylum there. And it superseded the Flores settlement, which led to the separation of parents and children at the border. Heritage argued for all of them.

The Courts Shifted Further Right. Heritage educated Americans on constitutional originalism and on the qualifications of specific judicial nominees. Heritage’s online judicial tracker shows that more than 156 of Trump’s federal judicial appointees have been confirmed.

New Abortion Restrictions Saved Lives. The administration stripped tens of millions of taxpayer dollars from Planned Parenthood via the Title X program and worked with Heritage experts to craft new restrictions on federal funding for research that uses fetal tissue from elective abortions.

A Pro-Brexit Prime Minister Stepped In. In the United Kingdom in July, Boris Johnson replaced Theresa May as prime minister and announced his intent to push hard for Brexit. Heritage is a friend of Johnson and the first U.S. think tank to call for Brexit and for a U.S.-U.K. free trade agreement.

U.S. Withdrew from the U.N. Arms Trade Treaty. This Obama-era treaty was meant to control arms exports, but would, over time, threaten Americans’ Second Amendment rights. Heritage was the only think tank to recommend “unsigning” it.

Free Speech Protected on Campus. Heritage helped create model legislation that five states (Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, North Carolina, and Wisconsin) used to protect free speech on campus.

School Choice Marched On. Six states now have Education Savings Account programs, and we are closer than ever to achieving a federal military ESA program – an idea pioneered at Heritage.

Congress Said “No” to the Green New Deal. Heritage did more than any other think tank to expose the unfeasibility and socialist aims of the failed Green New Deal.

The Administration Withdrew from the INF Treaty. Heritage was the only think tank in Washington urging the U.S. to leave the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, which the Russians had violated.

Military Rebuilding Continued. The Senate’s 2020 National Defense Authorization Act adopted many of Heritage’s recommendations for defense budgeting, modernization, and more. Meanwhile, the Marine Corps Commandant and Army Chief of Staff shared two of Heritage’s Rebuilding America’s Military Project reports on the future of the Army and the Marine Corps.

Bipartisan Agreement Reached on the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement. This trade deal strengthens protections for intellectual property rights and opens up new markets, while continuing the tariff-free treatment of many goods and services. Heritage experts played a major role in fine-tuning early drafts of the deal.

The Federalist contributor Brad Slager set forth a Hollywood retrospective that includes provision for plenty of schadenfreude for what emanates from that sector of our culture.  The one item we thought most notable was his number one:

The 12 Biggest Hollywood Losers In 2019  
1. Netflix

While operationally everything is sound with the revolutionary streaming giant, this year was full of foreboding news. Subscribership plateaued for the first time in company history, and significant competition has reared up.

In November both Disney and Apple debuted competitive streaming services, and more are on the horizon, with NBC/Universal starting one in the spring and WarnerBrothers-HBO also joining the fray. Not only is this a threat competitively, but also to content.

Disney has pulled much of its own library from Netflix, and that of 20th Century Fox. Netflix is losing the “Friends” catalogue in a matter of days, and it paid a massive $100 million to retain the rights to “The Office,” its most popular show, for just one more year.

The biggest challenge is that of the top ten most popular items for streaming on its platform, eight have the rights with other competitors. Up ahead is a crowded marketplace and a diminished vault of programming.

We are glad to see competition work its wonders. We are gratified because we don’t wish success for a company that produces Gay Jesus programming and other atrocious assaults on believers. That, and that Netflix pays Barack Obama to produce content is something we don’t need to subsidize with a subscription.

PREDICTIONS

This group of ten, most of which we would be pleased to live with, indeed cherish. They are from Kurt Schlichter writing at TownHall with this introduction in his classic style:

Here’s What Is What’s Going To Happen In 2020

If you thought you can’t top the stupidity we experienced in 2019, brace yourself for 2020 because it’s going to be a pronoun-fueled weather cult pinko freakshow. But it won’t be all amusing antics – the left hates us and its ugly mask is coming off, revealing the even uglier fascist visage lurking beneath. If you listen to them, and if you aren’t an insufferable goo goo wimp who refuses to hear them, you will know that they intend to silence you, even imprison you, and deprive you of the ability to participate in your own governance. So, if you want to live as a free man or woman – if they have their way, they’ll destroy you for recognizing that unalterable binary – best be ready. 
Be motivated to engage in the cultural melee.  Vote. 

10. Trump Will Be Impeached…Yawn: (by this he means that the House Speaker Pelosi will send the articles to the Senate and conservatives need not be concerned about the outcome in the Senate(
9. The Economy Will Stay Strong, Disappointing Democrats:
8. Virginia Will Declare War on Its Citizens:
7. Replacing Justice Ginsburg:
6. Trans Fascism Backlash:
5. Pardon This:
4. Durham’s Indictments:
3. Foreign Policy Success:
2. Democrats Will Lose the House:
1. Trump Will Get Reelected:

PLEADINGS
Republicans should adopt a reform agenda for 2020  (our comments follow these)

By Richard McCarty writing at Americans for Limited government

Republicans have long struggled in urban areas; and, more recently, the GOP has lost ground in suburban areas. To win back swing voters, Republicans should adopt a reform agenda that shows that they understand the challenges faced by average citizens everyday. In particular, Republicans should offer solutions to address the student debt crisis, housing unaffordability, and the fundamental unfairness in criminal law.

Student Debt Crisis

Republicans need to propose a meaningful solution to the student debt crisis. To begin with, they need recognize that there is a student debt crisis and that much of the debt was incurred by young, naïve students. Consequently, lives — marriages, children, homebuying, etc. — are being put on hold as young adults struggle with college debt. Two of the best policies to deal with this problem would be to reprivatize college loans and bring back bankruptcy for college debt. If a college alum cannot find a decent job a decade after leaving college, then they should be able to discharge that debt just as a consumer can discharge ill-considered credit card debt or the owner of a failed business can discharge business debt. Furthermore, the college that admitted the student should be required to pay back half of the bad debt.

Housing Unaffordability

Republicans should work to solve the problem of housing unaffordability. According to one 2018 estimate, the US needs 7.2 million more affordable homes on the rental market. One of the factors contributing to housing unaffordability is illegal immigration so Republicans should continue to fight to ensure that our laws be enforced. Some estimates put the number of illegal immigrants around 10.5-12 million. Many illegal immigrants live in places where housing affordability is particularly bad, including Boston, New York, DC, Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego.

Republicans should also work locally — emphasis on local — to remove as many hurdles to home construction as reasonably possible. These barriers are numerous, including slow and costly permits, lengthy environmental reviews, and unnecessary energy efficiency standards. Rather than requiring the construction of unaffordable homes that suit the tastes of bureaucrats, policies should generally allow the market to decide what homes are built, where they are built, and how they are built. The faster homes are built, the sooner market forces are likely to bring down prices and allow young adults to rent or buy homes of their own.

The Credit Reporting Industry

Republicans should support reform of the credit reporting industry. The huge credit bureaus — Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion —have a lot of power, and yet they continually fail at some of the most basic tasks, including making sure that information about consumers with similar names or Social Security numbers winds up in the correct file. Although the credit bureaus have repeatedly promised to improve their processes to reduce these mistakes, they have utterly failed — if they have even tried. Even worse, credit bureaus currently enjoy broad immunity from lawsuits even when they harm consumers. Credit bureaus do not deserve this immunity and should lose it. Also, more competition should be encouraged in the credit reporting industry; perhaps a new competitor would do a better job.

Mens Rea Reform

Republicans should advocate for mens rea (which means “guilty mind”) reform which would help protect the innocent from being imprisoned for doing things that they did not realize were illegal. Although some laws require that an offender be aware that their actions are wrong in order to be found guilty, many laws do not when in certain circumstances it would be appropriate. There are literally thousands of federal laws and hundreds of thousands of federal regulations with criminal penalties and countless more state laws and regulations. It is impossible for anyone — whether a veteran legislator, career bureaucrat, or experienced lawyer —to possibly know all of the crimes that they might be committing.

If doing the right thing is insufficient reason for legislators to support mens rea reform in certain circumstances, they should remember that there are partisan prosecutors who would not hesitate to use the law to bankrupt and ruin their political opponents.

By pursuing a reform agenda, Republicans can locally help right wrongs while likely winning back some swing voters. For some unknown reason, Democrats choose to focus on catering to special interest groups leaving the general public to fend for itself. Republicans should take full advantage of this opening and demonstrate that they are the party of the people, by the people, and for the people. If Republicans need an additional reason to support reform, they should remember that they probably will not like the “solutions” that Democrats offer to deal with these problems.

Richard McCarty is the Director of Research at Americans for Limited Government.

We support elements of all of these as subject matter Republicans can properly address touting conservative principles. There are other important matters for the agenda as well. For example the mens rhea reform can come in part from elimination and simplification of  regulatory statutes and taking a look at limiting the judiciary. Too often a judge can make you guilty of something unsupported by statute by expanding the statutes meaning.

The mens rhea reform concept also speaks to what our illustrious Senior Editor has pointed out about totalitarian regimes: They always have a violation in their back pocket that ordinary citizens can be charged with, not even knowing it existed, or if they did, was so encompassing.  The state doesn’t pull it out unless they want to pull in an anti-state malcontent. Another matter that should be addressed along with mens rhea reform is the concept of hate crime as an aggravating circumstance regarding other offenses or, as it is used in some cases, a crime on its own.

V’PAC

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An Excellent Conservative Columnist Fired for Failing to Reflect the “Values” of a Liberal Newspaper

Since he was fired from the Aspen Times by email at Christmas time, conservative columnist Glenn Beaton is continuing to write his column at his own website (https://theaspenbeat.com).

We recommend Beaton to readers because he is not only a conservative, a Trump supporter, but also a clever and insightful political observer and writer.

And, the fact that after 7 years as the most popular columnist at the liberal Aspen Times, he was fired because “his “values” conflict with those of the newspaper…”

Wow! What could commend Mr. Beaton to the affection of conservatives everywhere more than such an “endorsement”! You GO, Glenn Beaton!  (Incidentally, another favorite website of ours, The PowerLine, see below, also strongly recommends Beaton’s column).  dlh

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Unsurprising, Kimberly Strassel has an excellent column in Friday’s Wall Street Journal.

The points she makes are ‘right on’ and more than we will try to present here.

The main point, however, is that Nancy Pelosi is conducting a ‘rolling impeachment’…which is to say, if it never ends, it’s OK with the wicked witch of San Francisco Bay’.

To us, it underscores why we find most career politicians a disgusting, unprincipled, uncivil breed of lowlifes who have little more than total contempt for their own voters. There are exceptions to be sure, but as examples, Nancy and Chuckie Schumer are paramount. And let’s not forget people like “Mittens” Romney, Lisa ‘Murky’ Murkowski’, and former senator, “Mr. Unlikeable”, Jeff Flake.

The latter three find it easy to agree with the unctuous Pelosi and Schumer that Mc Connell is “jeopardizing the likelihood of a “fair” proceeding in the ‘anticipated’ Senate impeachment trial.

Hold that ‘LOL’!!

That might seem ‘laughable’ but anyone who even suggests it is anything but absurd should be employable only by CNN or MSNBC, or most of today’s ‘news’papers.

Honestly now, how can a ‘normal, sentient’ human being even have a conversation with, or even want to be around, someone as incredibly phony and dishonest (she “prays” for President Trump, and is a ‘devout Catholic who embraces late term abortion’) as, say Nancy Pelosi…or , say, Chuckie Schumer.)

Pelosi’s Rolling Impeachment  (bold our emphasis)                                Republicans dismiss her tactic. But why would they assume she wants a trial?

Republicans dismiss Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s refusal to transmit the impeachment articles to the Senate as a weak stunt. They do so at the peril of both the Constitution and President Trump. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell may be a master tactician, but Mrs. Pelosi is no slouch.

It’s now been more than a week since the House impeached Mr. Trump, and Mrs. Pelosi has yet to name impeachment managers or formally send over the paperwork. Democrats claim they are delaying in the name of “fairness,” withholding the articles until Mr. McConnell agrees to new witnesses and evidence in a Senate trial. Republicans are ridiculing the tactic, pointing out that Mrs. Pelosi has no authority to dictate the form of a Senate trial and no leverage over Mr. McConnell.

Both points are true but irrelevant. Republicans err in thinking Mrs. Pelosi’s goal is to craft a Senate trial to her liking—and even in presuming Mrs. Pelosi wants a trial at all.

How would it benefit Democrats for the Senate to conduct an efficient and solemn proceeding? The House inquiry was a farce, riddled with procedural gamesmanship and shifting definitions of “high crimes.” A serious Senate trial would only further highlight the weakness of the House case. It would also require Democratic presidential contenders including Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren and Amy Klobuchar to abandon the stump and return to Washington for most of January, on the eve of the crucial Iowa caucuses—or else shirk their senatorial duty.

Mrs. Pelosi has understood from the start that the inevitable outcome was acquittal. There won’t be 20 Republican votes to remove Mr. Trump from office. So why hasten the president’s vindication? If the goal of this exercise all along was to damage Mr. Trump’s prospects for re-election, why wouldn’t Democrats want to hold an unconsummated impeachment over his head for as long as politically possible?

Think of it as “rolling” impeachment. Every day the Senate doesn’t hold a trial, Mrs. Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer are free to argue that the process is rigged. They are already claiming that the Senate’s Republican “jurors” have abandoned impartiality, are actively working with Mr. Trump to cover up his crimes, and are afraid to hold a trial.

This bears no relation to reality and is the height of cheek given the House circus. But it’s fodder for the press corps and it may resonate with some voters. More important, it puts daily pressure on Senate Republican moderates to break with Mr. McConnell. Only this week, Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski—solid as a bowl of jelly—said she was “disturbed” by Mr. McConnell’s discussions with the White House over the impeachment process.

As long as the Senate doesn’t hold a trial, Democrats have time to find yet more “evidence” that Mr. Trump is guilty of abusing his power. Witness Mr. Schumer on Monday, highlighting new emails that purport to show military aid was suspended not long after Mr. Trump’s now famous July call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The emails add nothing of substance to the broader case, but they prompted the media to produce another round of dark headlines about Mr. Trump.

And as long as the Senate doesn’t hold a trial, Democrats can add additional “crimes” to their case against the president. House lawyers this week argued in federal court that former White House counsel Don McGahn must be forced to testify to the House. They told the court the House may “recommend new articles of impeachment” if Mr. McGahn’s testimony included evidence that the president obstructed special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation.

How long will this charade go on? As long as Democrats can get away with it. Given their impeachment irregularities to date, it’s not hard to imagine Mrs. Pelosi sitting on her impeachment articles through next fall’s election campaign. That would deny Mr. Trump the ability to say he’d been acquitted, even as it assured a constant stream of negative, ever-evolving impeachment coverage.

The risk to Democrats is that the public loses tolerance for a cynical partisan ploy that makes a mockery of Congress’s constitutional duty. But Ms. Pelosi knows the press will dutifully peddle her “fairness” line, and at least for now she can use the delay to energize her base and further damage the president. If the public tide shifts, she can always change course.

Senate Republicans should schedule a trial immediately. Mr. McConnell has a majority to set the rules, and he has history, the Constitution and fairness on his side. Republicans also have a duty to spare the nation from the damaging precedent Mrs. Pelosi is setting. They can end the farce of endless, rolling, partisan impeachment.

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UNLICENSED DRIVER WHO KILLED WOMAN IN HIT-AND-RUN ARRESTED AND RELEASED WITHOUT BAIL

This is New York Style Criminal justice Coming Soon To All Our Neighborhoods…Progressives, Enjoy!!
Facing a felony charge for fleeing a fatal accident
At arraignment on Christmas Day, the town justice released him without bail!
Here’s the ‘clincher’: “bail reform”
“Stony Point Supervisor Jim Monaghan blames Albany lawmakers.
“Logistically, it made sense to release the defendant at this time based on the new laws that go into effect Jan. 1,” he said.”

IT MADE SENSE?!

A week before the law became effective, “IT MADE SENSE TO RELEASE THE DEFENDANT”??? HUH?

Unanswered in the story is the question, “If it made sense to comply with a law not yet in effect, will all defendants arrested in the past and bailed out be able to get their bail money refunded?

Only makes sense to me.       dlh

(Lucky for the perp it was not a gay-pride flag he ran over)

Via CBSNewYork

There is grief and concern following a Christmas Eve crime.
A woman was struck and killed by an unlicensed driver who left the scene. He was arrested, and immediately released back on the street, under the terms of New York state’s new bail reform law.

Those close to the victim are struggling to understand why, CBS2’s Tony Aiello reported Thursday.

“I feel fortunate to have met her and have had her in my life,” friend Irene Secone said.

Friends and family are distraught following the death of 35-year-old Marie “Rosie” Osai.

The immigrant from Haiti, a mother of three, was run over on Christmas Eve while crossing route 9W in Stony Point.

Facing a felony charge for fleeing a fatal accident is 27-year-old Jorge Flores-Villalba. According to court records, Flores-Villalba told an investigator, “I was driving and I did strike a person. I didn’t call the police. I was afraid because I don’t have a license.”

When the suspect was arraigned Christmas Day, the town justice released him without bail.

“We’re all here devastated. Her family is devastated, and this man on Christmas Day goes home and spends it with his family,” Secone said.

Stony Point Supervisor Jim Monaghan blames Albany lawmakers.

“Logistically, it made sense to release the defendant at this time based on the new laws that go into effect Jan. 1,” Monaghan said.

Monaghan said bail reform would have mandated release of the suspect next week, anyway.

The reform pushed by Albany Democrats eliminates bail for all misdemeanors and most non-violent felonies.

“To walk into a courtroom the next day and walk out with no bail and I’ll see you in another week, it just isn’t right,” Secone said.

“Everybody I’ve spoken to, once they’re aware what took place with this bail, they’re outraged,” Monaghan added.

Bail reform advocates say the law allows judges to impose electronic monitoring, and claim critics are fear mongering.

The unlicensed driver accused of killing Osai is free, on just a promise to return to court on Jan. 9.

Several lawmakers want to change or delay implementation of bail reform and other criminal justice revisions. Albany Democrats have said they will monitor how the reforms work before considering any changes.

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