Who can deny Trump has a “women problem” . . . and it is his mouth?

This could be Part 3 of Why We Can’t Have Nice Primaries – Trump

First the actual clip of Casey DeSantis that generated all manner of  over the top accusations from Trump, his general modus when he isn’t decrying people who point out preposterous comments he makes. Trump et al accused Casey DeSantis of encouraging illegal voting (see broadsides set forth later) based on this clip:

What fevered mind, what incredible calumny spewing outfit creates the broadsides  that followed the comments from Casey DeSantis calling for people from across the nation to PARTICIPATE  in the Iowa Caucus, WHICH THEY CAN DO never saying VOTE in the caucuses which only Iowans can do.   But Trump and his people were looking for a gotcha in the most unmanly way.  The liberal Politifact, no friend of DeSantis, has an analysis and some receipts on the hypocrisy of the Trump-team accusation.

Politifact: Out-of-state residents can ‘participate’ in the Iowa caucuses, but they can’t vote in them

The stuff you see below is perhaps below even Victory Enterprises stuff.  How desperate does the Trump campaign have to be for whatever percent they are shooting for in Iowa to try and make something out of the supportive wife of a candidate encouraging people to help out on her husbands campaign?  It does not matter one twit where helpers come from to do door knocking, to make phone calls, stuff envelopes, help park cars, drive people to the caucuses, set up tables  . . . whatever.   Saying “participate” is calling for illegal voting is not merely an uncharitable interpretation it is a cheep unmanly lying one.  Really creepy.  Notice Trump does not actually quote Casey DeSantis, he characterizes what was said.

More on Trump women problem posted below the broadsides he issued.

Two variations, essentially the same, have come our way in recent days.  These are direct from the Trump campaign – no excuses. Front and back shown.

Trump has not just gone after Republican Casey DeSantis.  His woman problem is bigger than diminutive Casey. The problem with Trump on that score is the result of Trump’s aura his verbal treatment of women not his policies.

Remember Trump’s PUBLIC statements toward REPUBLICAN women who dare to challenge him — often cyberbullying comments . . . Carly Fiorina, Megyn Kelly, Bird Brain Nikki Haley, not to mention numerous woman of whatever political persuasion referring to them as “that dog” and as regards rape accusation however false -“she’s not my type”.

And do women forget Trumps comments about  “elevator screamers” . . . “grab ’em by the . . .  does anyone think that aura, that demeanor is good for winning in the general, a political plus, necessary, appropriate? It certainly reduces the possibilities.

Women are more than half the vote and perhaps the biggest reason Trump has to win through the electoral college (which he used to condemn by the way) rather than also the popular vote. Fortunately every Republican candidate’s good grace is that Joe Biden and or Kamala Harris are so much in bad repute that the Republican nominee ought to be able to win.  All the more reason to pick the best chief executive and not the most prolific twit – er (Trump).

Even when they are deserving of rebuke (usually) Trump too often defaults to commenting on the woman’s looks rather than anything insightful. That creates a women problem. And that is what gets the play because he is too self-centered to change and do better for us.

Scared people may well turn out in droves at the Iowa Caucuses They want their country back. But if their pick is Trump it will bring more chaos, not less, not the normalcy they crave nor the effectiveness in the executive that DeSantis would bring, less distracted, even more authentically intense, less tainted by revenge or oblivious as Trump is.

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This is why we can’t have nice primaries, Part 2

  • Rather than debate, Trump set the course for coarse by making  attacks, however childish, on other Republicans
  • Trump is every bit the RINO he accuses others of being.  How else can you define someone who refuses to pledge support to the nominee of the party whose nomination he covets, whose leadership he installed?
  • Trump threw the first disparaging punches at anyone who had the gumption and actual quals to run and especially if he (or she) looked to be a contender and not a VP applicant  
  • Even if time lines are flummoxed by the ongoing din, it is simply inarguable as to what Trump’s approach is to other candidates especially given that he refuses to debate and campaigns by tossing epithets
  • How bad is it?  The distortions that have spewed attacking Ron DeSantis are almost Victory Enterprises level stuff although the current attacks on DeSantis have the integrity to project their crap weeks ahead of the caucuses, unlike Victory Enterprises which preferred an even more shameless unmanly 11th hour approach leading up to a primary. You can review their stuff by clicking on the links.

If you are a Republican in Iowa, and especially if you have voted in the caucuses before, you likely will have received from each of the main contenders for the Republican presidential nomination dozens of  broadsides (large postcard advertisements) typically 11 inch by 6 inch or larger, two-sided mailers that are either attack pieces, laudatory, or some combination. We have received at least 125 since summer in addition to direct-mail envelopes, countless texts and perhaps 30 e-mails a day ( a lot go to spam) not to mention the extensive radio and TV or streaming ads in our purview.

As for phone calls, not sure of all the purposes of the calls because we do not answer calls from numbers we do not know, but 6 to 10 a day is a guess related to the nomination process that probably are either push polling, preference collectors, or candidate fund raisers. Not answering will be the same response to the anticipated daily plethora of  calls I anticipate in the fall hectoring me to vote by mail, even though it is less secure, and I have never skipped an election.  The vote by mail if you know what’s good for you calls are  actually threatening — once answered — suggesting the calls will stop only if I vote by mail (they won’t) and they will be glad to bring me everything I need to get the bounty ball rolling.

In this commentary we are defending Ron Desantis who we support for the Republican nominati0n and challenging in particular Trump and Nikki Haley for the broadsides and other ads, being run against him. The worst of the attack components make statements that are as inflammatory as can be with sketchy, out of context quotes, calumnious summations using references that are a study in obfuscation with hope-you- won’t-check-the-tiny-type-face “documentation” (see our annotations to the samples embedded herein).

In attack mode, the worst are mendacious, two-faced, traducing, misleading examples of the copywriters shameful yellow art.  In these last few weeks the attack-themed ones have gotten more numerous.

Often the most egregious actors in all this are the allied PACs and those supposedly independent of any candidate but set up to disparage one or another candidate. This allows the  official campaign to seem to take the high road.  The candidate is thus able to deny responsibility even if without a straight face. It is all so transparent however.

But if that is how it is going to be, so be it. Trump certainly cannot claim innocence or non-participation or victimhood.  He gives no quarter and can expect none.

The most aggressive of late seems to be from Nikki Haley (and friends)  directed at Ron DeSantis.  Haley who has claimed to be, based on one outlier poll, not only the leading contender to Trump but more likely to beat Biden than anyone including Trump.

Early on Haley did not take on Trump directly, her campaign benefactors were content that efforts be focused on putting DeSantis out of the game as he was more the danger to the deep state then Trump who is far more vulnerable to being distracted. It is now clear that the anti–Trump element has chosen her.

Haley is currently going after DeSantis for, wait for it, mimicking Trump (the implication should be to Trumpistas that being like Trump is a bad thing. Never mind that DeSantis was bonafide MAGA (TEA Party and Congressional Liberty Caucus Chair) when Trump was still singing Hillary’s praises. If there is any mimicking going on it is Trump glomming on to some of DeSantis’ longer held and more articulate positions.

In other current ad flights Haley or her friends rightly attack Biden as too old and that he is not going to make it through another term, so “say hello to President Kamala Harris”, unless of course she (Haley) is the nominee. The ads also say  ~~ time for a new generation ~~ which we agree with as members of the boomer cohort.

But the not so subtle other side of the attack line on Biden is that Trump is too old, oh, and that ALL 75 year olds running for office should have a competency test. It is only slightly oblique as to Trump but sauce for the goose sauce for the gander.

Haley is properly up front that Biden is too old, but in doing so implies politicians of Biden’s age need to make way for a new generation. If Trump wins against Biden (a likelihood of any plausible Republican nominee) Trump (only three years younger)  would be older than Biden when Biden was installed four years ago.  Haley also refers to Congress as something like an exclusive nursing home (a good line).

Clearly Haley is not running for VP but she is serving at a minimum to do a number on DeSantis and obliquely Trump in the respective ads. The extent of the money spent by her PAC and allied PACs to do negatives on DeSantis must be gargantuan and now Americans for Prosperity Action has come out of the closet and endorsed Haley directly. That would be the same group who Trumpistas insisted was supporting DeSantis. They are spending a ton of money to stop DeSantis and Trump.

The Trumpista attack line on DeSantis used to be that he is  a swamp toady.  Never mind that the swamp prefers Trump because they figure he can be tied up easier and DeSantis would not have the distractions they have initiated and the fact that DeSantis has promised to begin slitting their throats on day one.  They know his performance record means he means it.

Haleys support – neocons and various billionaires including Koch’s illegal immigration friendly / Americans for Prosperity (an interesting combination) are united by anybody but Trump or DeSantis.  Nikki Haley would not be allowed to attack DeSantis so frequently if the swamp looked on DeSantis as one of them.  Rather, they would enjoin Haley to concentrate on Trump instead of “their boy” DeSantis. And yet the Trump attack line on DeSantis continues.

Irony abounds in Haley and Trump attacks on DeSantis — the ad receipts 

If Trumpistas would open their eyes they would see that:  1) Haley’s attacks on DeSantis point to him as the superior alternative to Trump that she must defeat, 2) Haley accuses DeSantis of mimicking Trump which is to say anti-Trump people should look to her, 3)  we see that the billionaire corporate interests are lining up with her – belying the Trumpistas’ accusations against DeSantis and 4) if the latter (corporate support) was seriously a concern for Trumpistas they ought to find it a bit unsettling when Trump sucks up to Big Ethanol, Big Wind, Big Pharma as he most certainly does, he brags that he has   given them special sustenance.

Another irony, Trump is essentially a corporate board (open to as much criticism as Nancy Pelosi as to family business access to information and influence) but DeSantis does not sit on any corporate board, his family is young and his earned reputation is to take on special corporate interests and privilege and their irresponsible denigration of culture (Disney).  Need we detail DeSantis’ articulation against DEI compared to Trump and his efforts against ESG? See here and here.

The energy rap:

Both Haley and/ or her friends and Trump and /or his friends have attacked DeSantis accusing him of being two-faced on energy development – specifically fracking and offshore drilling. See broadsides.

Haleyites have even run an ad purporting that DeSantis opposes ALL fracking Readers must have  seen it —  the egregiously lying “yeah, yep, yep” spot of DeSantis responding to a woman’s question in a bustling room about fracking in THE FLORIDA EVERGLADES — something that the people of Florida oppose.

The lies and distortion and hypocrisy of their attacks on DeSantis on that can be understood by honest people who investigate a bit or ask a couple key questions.  Even Trumpistas when they find a sense of balance.  Ask Trump and Haley what their positions are on fracking and off-shore drilling in truly environmentally sensitive areas or even just aesthetic areas.

Ask Nikki Haley and Donald Trump if they are OK with fracking in the Everglades National Park.  Ask both (especially Haley) about fracking in the Cypress Swamps of South Carolina or anywhere in the Santee region.  How about some drilling platforms nearby off of Hilton Head or Myrtle Beach? And as for Trump, how about a nice juicy one off of Mar-a-Lago? It is just jaw-dropping incredible what they, and or their operatives are allowed to say in furtherance of their quest. Does even Trump not cringe when such attacks go out . . . when his own administration opposed more offshore drilling off of Florida?  No, because he is insufferable in his campaign style. And by the way the offshore ban is for new drilling closer than 3 miles off the Atlantic coast and 9 miles off  the Gulf Coast but still allows it within territorial waters (12 miles).

As pro-fossil energy as we are, we would demure on fracking or drilling in those areas as well given that alternate grand oil basins are not in nearly as economically or environmentally sensitive areas. But maybe we should not be surprised at Trump using the attack line since he arguably champions risking water-tables in other ways and places, like here in Iowa.  He does after all champion  using half the corn crop, more than half this state’s farm acreage for ethanol to be burned in cars, via favorable treatments including marketing mandates, all while grocery and meat prices are high.

But maybe there is hope for sensible environmental reasoning with DeSantis while still being aggressive with fossil fuel production as needed.  True, and to his credit, DeSantis has opposed renewal  of the Renewable Fuel Standard (the ethanol mandate) but with Reynolds on board with his campaign his position seems to be changed.

The Social Security rap  

Trump castigates DeSantis for wanting to reform Social Security, a hornbook conservative proposal for decades. Trump’s economy, as good as it comparatively was, still plagued the country with deficits aggravated by the mega appropriations bills he signed more than once:  “Trump’s” economy did not do much to alter the ooming “lock box” Social Security trust fund deficit date.  And of course never mind Trump’s championing of the Romney-Ryan team when  they favored changes, like DeSantis, that would not affect current recipients but would help sustain their benefits in the out years. And ask Trump if any changes are to be tolerated or is that somehow a broken promise as regards a twenty-year old starting out in the economy that he or she might never see unless SS is restructured (unless the  largely Democrat zeitgeist of assisted suicide takes hold aggravated by “pandemics” —  see Oregon,  Washington, Hawaii, Maine . . .).

It is such a phony attack by Trump.  There is a schedule for  increasing “full retirement benefit” ages yet all of those affected started paying in when the retirement age was fixed at 65. Was that somehow a broken promise? Does Trump want to go back to 65 and what recompense is there to be for those government takings of what was  “promised” all those people?  Honest people want to know.  

What is particularly insufferable is that Trump previously backed policies on Social Security for which he’s now attacking DeSantis, calling the program a ‘Ponzi scheme’.

Of course Trump prefers the income tax system

Trump apparently does not want anyone mucking with the grandness, the majesty, the essence of the income tax as the government’s primary way of funding the Federal government?

According to Trump’s distortions —  did you know DeSantis wants to somehow increase your taxes and win your vote!!?   . . . impose a 23% sales tax as if that was on top of the manipulable income tax Trump merely wants to ‘improve”.

Trump came up with that distortion because DeSantis  supported the Fair Tax. We support the concept as well. It is a replacement tax system based on consumption — a replacement of the income tax based system with all its distortions.

The fair tax is a system far more transparent that does indeed require everybody to realize they have a piece of the action of government. Sure everyone pays taxes up front with their purchases under the system (variations might have this or that exemption for all) . . .  and why shouldn’t they? The essence of the concept is to END the income tax.  Our government survived without the income tax before politicians found the income tax allowed for all manner of obscure manipulations to benefit their donors, and otherwise sustain their sinecures. 

Honest people admit that under the Fair Tax System those in poverty get a welfare check on the back-side, it is just not ridiculously called earned -income tax credit or possessed of built in obliviousness to the cost of government. Furthermore the system avoids punishing earnings for the purpose of savings or investment as the income tax does.

The 23% charge against DeSantis is another ugly distortion from Trump — his hallmark campaign MO.

The soft on illegal immigration broadside and the obfuscations in the small print “documentation” (they really don’t want you to check their claims)

According to Haley’s allied organization Stand for America, Inc (SFA) which did much of the specific anti-DeSantis broadsides and other media attacking DeSantis to benefit Haley’s campaign: They say:  Ron DeSantis’ immigration policy is AMNESTY TO ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS; NO FUNDING FOR THE BORDER WALL, NO INCREASED FUNDING FOR THE BORDER PATROL.

Of course they are bold face lies. There is not another term more appropriate.

Haleys friends at SFA cannot show any such policy position because DeSantis’  actual stated and posted policies expose their calumny.  His record on the matter as governor of Florida giving executive orders more so reflects “policy” because of the higher degree of autonomy a governor enjoys. DeSantis has proved his mettle famously busing illegals to Blue states and sanctuary cities demonstrating and sharing the crisis border states experience. Further, he sent law enforcement personnel and Florida NG units to Texas to help secure the border He has called for Special Forces intervention  against the drug cartels and human traffickers. He is against amnesty for illegal entry.

While falsely characterizing his votes the SFA broadside’s lies refer to the time period DeSantis was a congressman. Votes there may be compromises, or laden with multiple issues (damned if you do, damned if you don’t) or must pass omnibus elements that an individual congressman has exhausted any ability to impact but may vote for as the lesser of evils or the impossibility of timely alternatives to the situation.

Even at that,  looking at the good company DeSantis was in with his votes gives readers another clue that the emblazoned accusations are also shibboleths against renowned conservative champions of protecting the border and our immigration laws.  In tiny print the SFA hit piece offers the “documentation”  “HR 6136”,  “HR 1625  2018”, and “HB 3354 , 2017” we needed a magnifying glass to verify the numbers as they are set in a font about 1/3 the size you are reading this commentary.

On HR 6136 DeSantis was joined by the likes of  Marsha Blackburn (then a congresswoman), the particularly well known amnesty loving Iowan Steve King, Tom Massie, Louis Gohmert and others. On HR 1625 Desantis was joined by those same people and we should also mention border state personage Andy Biggs (now chair of the House Freedom Caucus).  On the Senate side for that bill DeSantis was joined by Mike Lee, Rand Paul, John Kennedy, Ted Cruz, Tom Cotton and other conservatives. HB 3354 was another  multi-department appropriations measure a “partisan whipped bill” which means it was sponsored by the Speaker, then Paul Ryan. Nuff said. DeSantis opposed it. The bill died in chamber.

When  Florida Governor DeSantis debated California Governor Newsom a few weeks ago the soft on immigration  attack line against DeSantis was incredibly used by Newsom to try to weaken DeSantis before the nation. Of course DeSantis’ record preceded him but Newsom tried to paint DeSantis as a supporter and enabler of illegal immigration, not that Newsom is not one in reality.  He did so in order to undermine DeSantis against Trump. The liberal Politifact rated Newsom’s attack on DeSantis:

Gavin Newsom’s  mostly False claim about Ron DeSantis’ support of amnesty for immigrants

It is a clear read that we commend to you for the record.


The above commentary showcases just some of the Haley and Trump distortions, hypocrisies, calumnies used against DeSantis.  In a later post this week we will comment on  Trump’s  “undeserving” riff, and his RINO riff  towards DeSantis.  The preposterous attack by Trump on DeSantis’ wife Casey, what ought to disqualify Trump (not false charges of insurrection or the various law-fare attacks made against him), Trump’s dumbfounding comments regarding the Civil War, “women” and our greatest complaint about Trumps performance in office and after leaving his operation Warp Speed.

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CAUCUS INFORMATION SCOTT COUNTY IA

Thanks to SF for providing the following information, edited/annotated for navigating this website.

This is a streamlined version of caucus procedure, the caucus locations are not yet posted on the Scott County Republican site but a finalized version supplied us is set forth below.  Check with that site in case of any updates.

Due to the small print in the locations chart, readers should be able to double click on the chart and proceed to expand it or drag it off to your desktop and engage it there with “preview” or other manipulation application.

CAUCUS DAY, TIME, BASIC PROCESS

MONDAY JANUARY 15, 2024 7:00 PM

Note: Find your caucus location for your precinct in chart below  The location is NOT likely to be where you usually vote).  You must know your precinct (finder below)

You can register to vote OR change your registration to Republican on Caucus night
Get there early 6-6:30

7:00 Caucus called to order by the temporary Chairman
Election of Permanent Chairman and Secretary

Lincoln Bag for donation, these dollars stay with the Scott county Republicans to help defray costs of caucus

Presidential Poll
Reps from each campaign allowed to speak (3-5 minutes)
Paper ballots collected, counted and announced

Election of Precinct Committeemen
2 per precinct to serve a two year term

Election of County Delegates for the County Convention on February 17

Platform Resolutions submitted to be considered for the County Convention

Adjourment

Find your PRECINCT:
online at scottcoiowa.gov/auditor/precinct-finder
OR CALL at 563.326.8631

 

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This is why we cannot have nice primaries, part 1

Trump embraced name calling and distortions of the policy positions of political rivals for the Republican nomination early upon his official entry on the political scene. He dominated the 2016 primary with taunts, distortion and innuendo in 2016. He saw the strength of the TEA Party movement in the party. He read the rooms sentiment of distrust and impatience and preceded to aggravate aspects, heedless of any distortions heaped on the records of solid conservatives.

The dominant liberal media helped Trump in the 2016 primary, giving him extraordinary attention because they wanted chaos in the Republican Party and the candidate they thought the most vulnerable to win or at least serve as an enthusiastic participant in damaging the others. Of course they used Trump only to find or invent all manner of scandal after the nomination.

It did not quite work as far as the electoral college as the American people were faced with Hillary Clinton as the alternative, a candidate hard to like by women or men, and sufficient right-thinking people found the America First theme Trump adopted (but did not invent)  was compelling. Trump pretty much stayed with that program. The dominant liberal media’s trying to portray it as Nazi 2.0 mostly spoke to the liberal choir. Enough people in the right states were concerned about the culture, the effect upon that of open borders and knowing all candidates are sinners to some degree were nonplussed.

Trump apparently thinks nothing succeeds like success, even though the cheating might have been overcome had Trump stifled himself with the tweets that were more sophomoric than presidential. His aura lost or failed to inspire votes in spite of a pretty good record. Trump “Inc”  has decided for the primary to lead again with taunts, distortion and innuendo with no rational selectivity against fellow Republicans or fellow RINOs (is there any rival he has not called or inferred is a RINO).

We say fellow RINOs to include Trump because Trump must be one given he refuses to abide by the rules of the RNC regarding the requirement of a pledge to support the eventual nominee. The term as he bandies it cannot be about issues as few have positions that are not arguably consistent with GOP platforms or at least schools of conservative thought and which have no more exceptions and apostasies than Trump.

Trump should not be immune from the whirlwind his blowhardiness aggravates. Goose meet gander. So here we are.

Trump is also self-serving and hypocritical  on the matter of not pledging to support the nominee (perhaps Trumpistas would prefer the term exceptional) since he pretty much established the current party apparat and the rule was designed to protect Trump. We now guess the unwritten codicil is “except for Trump”.   We find Trump’s refusal irresponsible and disqualifying.

Chris Christie will never be the nominee but if Trump thinks he is a threat then why is he running in the Republican primary so supposedly filled with virulent anti-Trump people that he will pledge to support the nominee? How could he be so worried? Does he think the Republican Party apparat he endorsed is anti-Trump, corrupt and will cheat like Democrats do? Even if a Trump pledge had all the snide sincerity of Chris Christie’s pledge as regards Trump, at least he would fulfill the simple basic party unifying requirement. If Trump is so dominant wouldn’t that be a throwaway statement like so many he has made. . . . lock her up . . . I’ll build the wall and make Mexico pay for it . . . I’ll end Obamacare . . .

Trump has brandished his bellicose and braggadocious manner  as his political persona (if that is what Queens produces then give me the refinement of an old-west mining town) and his supporters defend it.  For 2024 it is our observation that DeSantis and some of the others did not throw the first punches against Trump and kept the cheek turned for quite awhile, I think in retrospect to their detriment.

Trump could not be coaxed to be selective in the quality or timing of his rebukes.  We do not think his persona really works all that well with most people, (it didn’t produce a popular victory in 2016) nor is it necessary beyond appeal to professional wrestling fans. We were robbed in various ways in 2020 but then the Dems focused on key electoral battleground states.

Trump’s presentation hurts him with a majority of women (and many men) in the general who, as superficial as they are in their reasoning, do vote.  In 2016 Trump had the good fortune of being up against a woman who other women disliked even more or enough to at least enable Trump’s electoral vote win (while losing the popular vote).

Because of  Trump being Trump (Reagan had no such problem for reelection) in 2020 they became even more-so open to the Dems gropey neck-sniffer alternative portrayed as just good-old uncle Joe.  Of course Hunter’s laptop and all the revelations it contained were hidden from them. More would have come around but other than for Trump being Trump the laptop should not have been necessary based on his record. It must be his aura.

He did for the most part what the public health nazis wanted during the great panic which his operation warp speed was key to, promoting an experimental drug on mass scale. What could possibly go wrong.

So for a great many, too many for other than an egotist not to see and adjust one’s demeanor, a lot of the 2020 vote was not about policy as much as persona, one which they would not dismiss as a schtick. With a decent record, how do you lose to a goof ball guy hiding in a basement even with a bunch of cheating.

Women may shift (they will still likely be majority Dem) for 2024 because of revelations about Biden but we do not think Trump helps the shift, rather he minimizes it. Trump’s smash-mouth approach is too much and poorly directed, and his whining when it is returned, after leading with it, causes him to lose any high ground with too many people who hold their vote dear, even against interests.  The law fare abuse heaped on him is his saving grace in some ways but as it exposes the Dems including for their hypocrisy making them perhaps untenable given revelations about Biden corruption not to mention Biden performance.  It gives them their best chance to distract Republicans and tie up Trump when better executives can win. Trump was not a a very good executive.

For a campaign that in virtually every communication tells us how great Trump is doing, how poll after poll says he is blowing away the competition, Trump and his aligned entities  are spending a lot of time and money in Iowa. They probably think they have to in order keep up expectations, rather than spending it on his legal situation.  Of course he is successfully raising millions and millions to cover that (a high percentage of donations going to that) so we needn’t fret that he is being impoverished with legal bills, unlike Giuliani, his great defender.*

In our next post we will set forth examples of the climate Trump aggressively engendered the whirlwind he is part of.


*The civil claim and awards against Giuliani for defamation were of course preposterous,  in our judgement so out of line with any semblance of equity or any relation to actual harm done had we served on the jury. For crying out loud a city sanitation worker could be killed while on duty by a negligent person and his heirs likely would not receive such an award in equity or punitive damages.

We think Giuliani and the jury ought to have maintained his free speech rights as an absolute in the context of the politics, expression of opinion and his role as an activist lawyer, political activist and the impossible onus to never make mistakes in that realm. We fervently hope the actual decision can be overturned on appeal or the award reduced to something more reasonable for any actual harm like a few hundred bucks for a lifetime VPN for the claiments pearl clutching and they pay their own attorney fees due to the politicized law-fare process. Giuliani was damaged more than enough with his legal expenses.

As an aside, and many might cogently disagree,  we also think civil servants should have no more  immunities or special protections than elected politicians such that the concept of civil servant is flawed as they inextricably operate in a political environment where politicized statements are inherent. In other words it comes with the territory.

We can only wish for a jury with a similar mindset when it comes to harm caused BY a civil servant like Fauchi should he be successfully sued for any harm done in his former capacity.

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Regarding Trump being the only or best Republican choice for president

This editor does not think Trump is the best Republican choice for president or even the best populist choice if they want to see change that is sustainable. Here are some reasons:

Some missing trophies

Trump talks a good game to the fans, did some things we hired him to do as President, let others slide or was overwhelmed by  them.

Now his biggest fans will always maintain that it is always someone else’s fault. We are only modest fans, because we see Trump as not that great at reading or bringing along the opposition necessary for most policies to see fruition.  We are not talking about him compromising, rather his ability to make the Democrats do so.

In four years Trump did not finish the wall (he was willing to use all manner of other EOs) yet if he could not make the case that it was a national emergency even in 2019 to proceed with all deliberate speed then he is a pretty weak communicator, one who cannot reach beyond the choir.

Hillary is still walking around and she is as dirty as Biden. No investigation. That after how  many rallies with people chanting LOCK HER UP.  Trump played that to the hilt, who can deny it?

Obamacare is still in place, Trump’s improvement on the situation minor.

Trump’s opposition to seriously needed social security reforms are irresponsible and portend more deficit than even Biden could accomplish in four years.

Trump elicited little politically in his readiness to sign deficit burdening spending bills.

He is not as beloved as he seems to think — there is the 2022 election fiasco.

He is actually a RINO. He basically appoints the RNC Chair but will have nothing to do with its processes. He will not pledge to support the nominee of the party yet he wants its nomination so badly and somehow expects its complete loyalty when he will not give it in return. He won’t debate, and so cannot expect Biden to debate (again) giving up that juxtaposition for its full worth.

Besides dissing the party that provides the primaries he covets, he must think his little bon mots will devastate his challengers and yet he and his uber-supporters go into high dudgeon when one or more of his competitors for the nomination criticize his  governmental administrative abilities, his tendency to distraction and his failures.

Many claim Trump has the experience and heart necessary to win but the one that we favor has more executive experience, legislative experience, veteran experience (Trump could not be bothered as it would have delayed his real-estate career and date nights) and who has thus served the country longer — indeed MAGA years before Trump when he was still singing Hillary’s praises and supporting Romney-Ryan.

Trump’s blowhardiness is so ingrained that he refuses to realize if you realistically can’t do something don’t say you will do so as that just becomes the political BS like so many others issue. Such extravagant promises are the theater of professional wrestling not responsible politics.

Trump’s current demeanor is such that, should he win, everything he does to clean things up will be handicapped by his aura of vendetta.

Further, I am tired of his bluster and drama and stupid name calling which is such that it has produced a woman problem, not on issues but his personna.

Trump was not a great administrator, was easily distracted and is as likely now just to surround himself with a different set of flatterers.

My greatest complaint, the aforementioned being comparative picadillos, is Trump’s  total lack of contriteness over his part in inflicting on this country, indeed the world, the warped process and results of mRNA non-vaccine which only thoroughly immunized while super-funding Big Pharma. The mRNA concoction is a novel genetic manipulation unlike any true vaccine, largely untested in a dependable way, pushed en mass Trump was OK with using the population as a whole as lab mice — and what could possibly go wrong.

NOW with a plethora of peer reviewed reports of its iatragenic effects many long-term it is actually the most deadly vaccine ever. And yet candidate Trump still wants credit for its development and promotion and never mind that his two weeks of shutdown to include closing schools was a precursor for generational disaster ( perhaps no more extravagant a statement than those Trump makes about his claimed success).

Now all this said I believe Trump could win but it is mostly because of the horrible Democrat candidate(s), Biden’s performance, policy, and the radical nature of  his supporters and his general ickiness. But I want the smoothest sailing in the general. Trump only engages by throwing epithets not debating. Trump’s refusal to pledge to support the nominee other than himself, the judgement of the people whose nomination he covets,  is disloyal and disqualifying for the Republican Party nomination.

Truth is Trump was never an outsider to the political game. He played it his entire adult life in New York and everywhere he had to navigate local state and national politics and politicians  to build his hotels. Who thinks he was unaware of jealousies, corruption, treachery, “access” (payoffs), lawfare, everything he has run into as President (some of which he practiced for crying out loud)?  

He was not naive or an immature player but he has and continues to have a penchant for requiring flattery and loving celebrity, to his and our detriment.

We are all sinners and every politician has baggage but some gondolas are not the easiest for us schlubs to schlep.

I feel Trump is a riskier choice in the general for those reasons and more and that he is an inferior administrator who will just pick a different group of flatterers for his entourage. Trump with all his distractions will not have as successful a term as an experienced  governor like DeSantis who is less encumbered. Everything Trump does will be considered revenge seeking because he has pretty-much telegraphed as much, creating such an aura about himself.

We may like the idea of revenge and rubbing the Dems face in it but who else cares is relevant if you want to defeat the Democrats.   

I understand the vociferous Trump-only support wanting some sort of in your face catharsis regarding all the wrongs visited on Trump. It is the “we will show you by nominating him again” emotion and the campaign then becomes one of having to defend Trump. 

It is just not all that great a convincing aura for the general election voter.

Let’s say Trump has 60 to 65% support of men (unfortunately not all likely voters) . He will need 40% plus support of women to allow for their greater voting percentage, Dems cheating etc. Trump has more of a visceral women problem not due to issues but to his personna, than DeSantis. I think DeSantis can achieve more of the women vote and hold onto men assuming Trumps men support is more engaged and philosophical than professional wrestling fans. That is the flavor of polls at this stage, it is more chest beating bruha than substantive serious thinking about the general and who will “govern” with the most effectiveness and least drama..

Who cares?  Anybody who wants to win the general — as a lot of people vote straight Democrat, and a lot of people do not like Trump.  I guess they care, however wrong or ill-informed they are,   but they vote.

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Whichever nominee RFK Jr hurts the most, he is no friend of libertarians, conservatives or small government

This article at The Federalist reports on polling in battleground states indicating that RFK Jr hurts Trump’s chances, should he be the nominee,  more than Biden.

Lifelong Climate Radical RFK Jr. Is No Friend Of The Right.

The article also reports on some of RFK’s policy positions that in our judgement set up  government run healthcare,  extreme job-killing environmental policies that hurt people, spending programs to even put Biden to shame  but warm Bernie Sanders’ heart, and a military posture and globalism that would make us vulnerable as a nationstate.

More on this in subsequent post or addenda to this one.

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With respect to Veteran’s Day

Here are two pointed memes thanks to TN, a veteran retired from the military, a third from him to which we append commentary followed by a pic of the only Republican presidential nomination candidate to wear the uniform.  We add still another one of a family member.  

Our thanks to all veterans and a pledge in compliance with the themes embedded in the memes to continue our work to oppose those who would destroy our country with egregious policies.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

First of all a President really does not have to check his watch, all time revolves around them, but when one does it a veterans memorial occasion at a solemn time, well that is atrocious.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ron DeSantis was a Yale and then Harvard Law graduate who could have immediately benefited from a lucrative career. He joined the Navy using his acquired skills in service to the country. Our leading candidate after college was more interested in anything but.

 

 

 

My next oldest brother cutting the cake (oldest and youngest Marines present) appropriately at a tavern ceremony local to him, commemorating the birthday of the Marine Corps — Tun Tavern Philadelphia, Nov. 10, 1775   https://www.military.com/history/what-happened-original-tun-tavern-birthplace-of-marine-corps.html

 

 

 

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Besides voting here, say a prayer for Ohio

Issue #1 which is on the ballot in Ohio is a pro-abortion attempt to legalize elective destruction of unborn members of the human family through the entire nine months of  pregnancy.  The proposal  is effectively unbound as it includes elastic language that would allow the abortionist to say that the abortion they perpetrate even after viability outside the womb, a medically elastic concept as well, is for the woman’s health.  What abortionist would not say that they think all pregnancies  are a threat to the mother’s well being, they make quick money leading women to believe babies are trash.

The wording would eliminate informed consent safeguards prior to an abortion and it would do away with parental consent or even notification  prior to an abortion on a minor. It would probably require that state taxpayer funds be used because the state funds other surgeries and pharmaceuticals, a warped “equity”.

You can read more about the ballot issue here.  It is too late other than to pray  that the people of Ohio are moved by God’s word — For You created my innermost parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb. Psalm 139

Related reading: At Stake on Tuesday: Upending the Ohio State Constitution With Issue 1.

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2023 Municipal and School District Elections in Scott County

2023 Municipal and school district elections in Scott County

The worst politicians are elected by good people who do not vote

Party affiliation information is about the only consistent add-on we can transmit this election and that is thanks to some look-ups after a request to the Scott County Republican Party (SCRP).  See our rendering below. However they have not posted anything on their website at this writing. They do invite emails with any questions. We will have more comments on this phenomenon regarding so-called non-partisan elections in a later post.

We offer anecdotes about select races. Any reflections readers might supply about the candidates in the comment section are welcome.

The Quad City Times and KWQC have done a number of articles or interviews on these races. Typically they are largely just transmittals of indistinct or vague talking points. However in some cases you can exercise some code reading to garner some distinctions. We would recommend such research although party affiliation should be a key factor. Readers can go to those sites and search topic such as “Davenport School Board Election’ or the names you are particularly interested in.

In many cases the local races are unopposed. The information we have from Scott Republican HQ did not include those. We hoped to be able to transmit as it may indicate whether that person deserves your affirmation, opposed or not. Again, if readers have any anecdotal information or recommendations it is an open forum in the comment section.

Party affiliation is a fair proxy although we realize it is not definitive only nominal especially as regards some Republicans. Such is true perhaps more so at these “non-partisan” local levels as party primaries tend to weed out or at least identify the wheat and the chaff.

However party affiliation does offer a generally effective presumption of superiority over Democrats — in other words no Democrat deserves our vote but some Republicans definitely need to be primaried. It is also true that local races can attract so-called traditional or nominal Democrats that may have a looser connection to the actual rotten nature of that party under its current control. Nevertheless their poor judgement or obliviousness is an issue.

Candidate contact information can be found at: https://www.scottcountyiowa.gov/auditor/candidates/filed-papers?folder=auditor-papers/20231107_City_School_Election/Davenport

So here is what we have:

Not all community races are listed. Not all ward/ city council seats are up for election due to staggered terms.  Candidates with Republican registrations according to a recent look-up are listed first. As for unknown registrations and to flesh out any of this we recommend readers go to the candidate information listing at the Scott County Recorder website and using that contact information contact the candidate for information regarding their policy views.

Bettendorf CSD – School Board At Large – Vote for no more than 4

Registered Republicans: Paul Castro, Kevin Freking, Patrick Larkin (R), Ryan McGivern

No party affiliation: Rebecca Eastman

Registered Democrats: Erin Bannerman, Joanna Doerder, Mindy Smith-Pace

City of Bettendorf – Mayor

Bob Gallagher (R) – unopposed

City of Bettendorf – Council At Large

Frank Baden – unopposed

City of Bettendorf  – Council Ward 1

Jerry Sechser – unopposed

City of Bettendorf – Council Ward 3. Vote for 1

Republican registration: Andrew Sichling

Democrat registration: Gregory Jager

City of Bettendorf – Council Ward 5 Vote for 1

Nick Palczynski –  unopposed

City of Blue Grass Council – Vote for 3

Republican registration: Timothy J Brandenburg

Unknown registration (call and find out) : Robert W Blok, Schuyler Dean Bowman Jr

City of Blue Grass Mayor Vote for 1

Bradley Schutte – unopposed

City of Buffalo – Mayor – vote for 1

Unknown registration – call and find out) Sally A Rodriguez, Dave Stickrod, Tony Follis

City of Buffalo Council – Vote for 2 

Registered Republicans (2019 look-up) Ted Teel,  Joe Buffington

Unkown registration – (call and find out) Brian Briggs, Trent Adams, Art Bartleson, Dusty Chaplin, Sean Roman

City of Buffalo – Council (to fill a vacancy) vote for 1 

Unknown registration — call and find out: Rachel Teel-Vanderpool, Jesse Leonard

City of Davenport – Mayor – Vote for 1 

Registered Democrats: Mike Matson, Ken Croken

Both claim competence (surprise0 and that they will make the city run smooth or something.  Yet Davenport has a weak mayoral system with the mayor only voting in the case of a tie on the council. Administrative duties are delegated with inordinate power in our judgement vested in the bureaucracy. City street construction is an atrocity of delays inflicted on motorists. The recent scandal involving city inspections remains a huge potential liability cost to the city.  Shutting down the city due to BLM protestors was a capitulation to thugs.

The city council is mostly responsible and a majority is Democrat in registration which indicates a predictable policy affinity and or competence on a variety of matters including correctives.  Supposed budget surpluses are the result of state and county policies, largely Republican,  limiting municipal excesses  while creating a more favorable climate for business and industry.  Illinois flight, (Democrat run), is also a factor. Matson is no effective champion of anything and a lot of problems exist on his watch.   What uber liberal hack Croken would champion is  not a happy thought. Hold your nose, use your best judgement. While not an endorsement of Matson , Croken is likely to be an aggressive liberal based on who supports him, gives to him and who he has supported.

City of Davenport – At-Large- Vote for no more than 2

Republican registration: Kyle Gripp. — We suggest a bullet vote for him only

Democrat registration: Jazmin Newton, La Canna L Dixon

City of Davenport – First Ward

Rick Dunn – unopposed

City of Davenport – Second Ward – Vote for 1

Republican registration – Tim Dunn

Democrat registration – Judith Lee

City of Davenport – Third Ward – Vote for 1

Democrat registration – Paul Vasquez, Marion Meginnes

City of Davenport – Fourth  Ward – Vote for 1

Democrat registration – Jade Burkholder

No party affiliation: Robby Ortiz (hard Dem orientation)

City of Davenport – Fifth  Ward – Vote for 1

Tim Kelly unopposed (call and find out)

City of Davenport – Sixth Ward – Vote for 1

Republican registration (2019) Ben Jobgen – unopposed

City of Davenport – Seventh Ward

Republican registration Scott Ryder

Democrat registration: Mhisho Lynch

City of Davenport – Eighth Ward – Vote for 1

Republican registration: Paul J Reinartz Jr

Unknown registration: James  Woods

Davenport CSD – School Board At Large – Vote for 4 (bullet voting can be advisable)

Republican registration – Kent Paustian, Andrew Kaufman

Democrat registration –  Daniel Gosa, Karen Kline-Jerome, Connie King, Linda Hayes

No party affiliation – Karen Kline-Jerome, has voted in Democrat primaries

Davenport CSD – School Board At Large (to fill a vacancy) – Vote for 1

W Kent Barnds – unopposed

North Scott CSD – School Board At Large – Vote for no more than 4

Republican registration – Joni Dittmer, John Maxwell, Carrie Keppy, Stephanie Eckhardt

No party affiliation – Molly Bergfeld –  has voted in Democrat primaries

Pleasant Valley CSD – various districts –  vote for one in each respective district for your particular ballot

Republican registration – Amy E McCabe, Peter E. Olsen, F Danny Amaya

Democrat registration – Nikhil Wagle

No party registration- Adrienne Wheeler (has voted in republican primary), Jameson Smith, — Molly Brockman (has voted in Democrat primaries)

Regarding the cities or school districts of Bennet, Cal-Wheat, Dixon, Donahue, Durant, Eldridge, LeClaire (see special note) Long Grove, Maysville, McCausland, New Liberty, Panorama Park, Princeton, Riverdale, Walcott, Eastern Iowa Community College District (EICC) we encourage you to visit the Scott County Auditor website –  go to the candidate information listing and using that contact information contact the candidate for information regarding their policy views.

 

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We have a Speaker, God save this Speaker

The Gang of 7 may have saved the Republican party

Mike Johnson of Louisiana has been voted in as Speaker of the House after about three weeks of the House being able to do very little (read that carefully).  As Goetz the leader of the “Gang of 7”  who deposed McCarthy after his broken promises said, (paraphrasing) ~~ the few actual legislative days missed would often taken up naming post offices.

Critics of the 7 said they stepped on a rake. Turns out it was a handy tool grab to get some things cleaned up

The handful of extraordinary RINOs (as compared to the many dozens of louts and rank-and-file Republican weasels including Iowa’s delegation) who complained the loudest about how bad deposing McCarthy made the body look (with absolutely no self awareness) all while they drug out the process of replacement, got their pound of flesh by not approving earlier consensus replacements emanating from the caucus.  But it appears that pound did not come from the “gang of 7” — rather they ripped it from their own sensitive hides as now they have perhaps a more culturally conservative Speaker than we otherwise could anticipate. The Gang of 7 may have saved conservatism in the Republican party.*

Read about Speaker Mike Johnson here: Five Quick Things: Has Mike Johnson Broken the Left Already?    They may well be the GOAT and not in the old usage of the term.

Some days ago, prior to Johnson’s selection, we responded to an article decrying the gang of 7 as having no plan and stepping on a rake.  It seems now the rake is a harvester that has been brought to hand.

House Republicans and a Field of Rakes

We responded at the time, (verb tense changed here):

The degree of anxiety by some over not having a Speaker is overwrought at this stage. One wonders: are they fearful some line might be crossed? What is the line that is in danger of being breached? It must be invisible as they express no concern that McCarthy was capable of and did compromise us to fiscal oblivion, broke promises, manipulated key matters in secret.

There is derision expressed at the 7 because “what is their plan . . . they had no plan”. Well apparently the plan of the critics of the 7 was passivity or support of McCarthy’s business as usual and secret, unexplained and unjustified deals. Their plan was McCarthy’s plan that they were not even in on.

Twenty-five years of continuing (irresponsible) resolutions is enough. Here is a plan — you break your word to someone without justification and the consequences we promised happen.

The result of the 7’s action (perhaps the plan) was to hopefully mature-up the caucus and force the rise of an actual not business as usual leader and to draft him or her. No doubt they had alternatives in mind but Identifying one at the outset would make it look like a coup which would risk comity, while enforcing an agreement among mature people should not and any Republican could offer themselves.

The 7 did not offer one of their own and even offered to resign from the caucus as a group in favor of a genuine conservative (Jordan) so that the pearl clutchers might not get the vapors in their presence, catch their breath and do the right thing for the Party and the country.

We can agree that someone needs to be in charge but as a change agent and McCarthy was not that.


We do not think for one moment that the RINO element and Iowa’s delegation was holding out for someone like Johnson.  They wanted McCarthy back or someone more like him.

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