Don't Cry for Me, Syria

PJ Media

"At the announcement of his meaningless executive orders on gun control Wednesday, the president appeared to get emotional, tears welling in his eyes at the thought of innocent children being wounded and killed. It seemed out of character for the supposedly “No Drama Obama,” and some questioned his sincerity, provoking the usual outrage from the left."

John FugelsangVerified account‏@JohnFugelsang

People who say Obama fake-cried are essentially accusing him of being as indifferent to mass killings as they are. #StopGunViolence

"Note the false premise in that tweet, and (as usual) inability of leftists to grant any sort of good faith to their political opponents. As it happens, it is, in fact, possible to both be horrified at mass killings, and still disagree about the proposed solutions to them."

. . . 

"For instance, I don’t recall reports of him shedding any tears when, after he declared a “red line” over Syria’s use of chemical and biological weapons, Bashir Assad gassed children to death with chlorine, but perhaps I missed it.

"Did he get all weepy when children were being literally crucified by ISIS for not properly fasting during Ramadan? If so, it went unreported.

"In fact, a Google search of “Obama tears” reveals no other reported instances of presidential lachrymosity. It’s all about Sandy Hook." . . .

"Obama talks tough or at least talks about the concept of being tough. But not with terrorists or ISIS. Just the other day President Obama mocked the idea of bellicose speech when it comes to those bad guys. No, only one set of bad guys elicits strong emotions from Obama: his critics. And among them, most especially Republican ones. Because the only real enemy he’s aware of are enemies of his precious legacy."

Lloyd Marcus asks, At What Point Do Obama Loyalists Begin Asking 'Why'?  Just an excerpt from this lengthy, thought-provoking article:  . . . "Folks, I could go on for days listing Obama's unprecedented assaults and undermining of America and Americans. Still, it would not make a difference to black racists and many Obama walking dead zombies. Nothing will cause them to question Obama's actions." . . .

David French at NRO  . . . "Oh, and like many football players and coaches, Dabo Swinney is a devout and outspoken Christian. In 2014 — before he’d established himself as one of college football’s elite coaches — his faith landed him in the crosshairs of one of America’s most malicious anti-religious organizations, the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF)." . . .

. . .
"Specifically, the FFRF claimed that Swinney had invited a man named James Trapp to become a team chaplain and gave him access to the team for Bible studies. They also claimed that Swinney scheduled team devotionals and “organized transportation for coaches and players to ‘Church Days.’” "
. . .
"But Swinney held firm, and his university backed him. Swinney’s statement was a model of polite conviction. First, he outlined the three simple rules that every player must follow: “(1) Players must go to class, (2) they must give a good effort, and (3) they must be good citizens.” Next, he noted that he’s recruited players “of many faiths.” Then, he made the crucial point:" . . .
. . .
"Football has enormous cultural power, and it’s thus no surprise that some on the left are trying to drive God off the gridiron. Two years ago, they took aim at a young coach on the rise. He stood strong, and today he’s playing for a national championship and college football’s first 15–0 season." . . .   Full article

Clinton Considered Secret Plan to Spark Palestinian Protests

Washington Free Beacon

"Former secretary of state Hillary Clinton considered a secret plan created by her then-advisers to foment unrest among Palestinian citizens and spark protests in order to push the Israeli government back to the negotiating table, according to emails released as part of the investigation into the Democratic presidential frontrunner’s private email server.

"In a Dec, 18, 2011, email, former U.S. ambassador to Israel Thomas Pickering suggested that Clinton consider a plan to restart then-stalled peace negotiations by kickstarting Palestinian demonstrations against Israel.

"Pickering described the effort as a potential “game changer in the region,” recommending that the United States undertake a clandestine campaign to generate unrest. Clinton requested that his email be printed." . . .

The Busybody Left

Thomas Sowell

"The political left has been trying to run other people's lives for centuries. So we should not be surprised to see the Obama administration now trying to force neighborhoods across America to have the mix of people the government wants them to have.

"There are not enough poor people living in middle class neighborhoods to suit the political left. Not enough blacks in white neighborhoods. Not enough Hispanics here, not enough Asians there.

"Nowhere in the Constitution does it grant the federal government the power to dictate such things. But places that do not mix and match people the way Washington wants them to can lose all sorts of federal money they currently receive under numerous programs.

"Handing out vast amounts of the taxpayers' money is the way the federal government has expanded its power far beyond the powers granted by the Constitution -- thereby limiting the freedom of individuals, localities and states. Washington is essentially buying up our freedom with our own money, taken in taxes." . . .

Costly beliefs: State squeezes last penny from bakers who defied lesbian-wedding cake order

Todd Starnes

"Melissa Klein was checking her bank accounts just a few weeks before Christmas when her face turned ashen. The money was gone – every single penny.

"Oregon’s Bureau of Labor and Industries had confiscated all the cash in Mrs. Klein’s checking account and savings account as well as a special account set aside for their church tithe. 

"Yes, friends – the state of Oregon stole money meant for our Lord.

"Mrs. Klein and her husband, Aaron, are devout evangelical Christians who own a mom-and-pop bakery – Sweet Cakes By Melissa.

"In July, they were ordered to pay more than $135,000 in damages to a lesbian couple after they refused to bake their wedding cake. The Kleins objected because of their religious beliefs.

"The judgment was awarded to the lesbians for “emotional suffering.' ” . . .

The other face of Jihad: It is an ugly face and it is turned towards Europe's women.

Phyllis Chesler

Chesler

. . . "Some media, including feminist media, refused to name the perpetrators as being of Arab or North African descent or as “Muslims.”  They do not wish to be demonized as “racists” or “Islamophobes” but there is also a legitimate feminist reason.

"European men rape European women every single day.  Gang-rape often characterize rapes perpetrated by young men in the West. But make no mistake:  the pattern of sexual harassment and rape in the Muslim world in general  is vastly different. Muslims in Sudan and Nigeria have perpetrated similar horrific attacks upon Christian, animist, and Muslim women. Similar atrocities took place in the former Yugoslavia, perpetrated by both Serb and Croat Christians and Muslims. Nevertheless, in an Islamist era, such Muslim-perpetrated attacks have assumed monstrous proportions.

"Recall the roving gangs in Egypt in Tahrir Square in 2011, the mass groping and the assault of blonde American journalist Lara Logan. Realize that hundreds, perhaps thousands, of Egyptian Muslim and Christian women were also groped and sexually assaulted, whether or not they were wearing headscarves or face masks." . . .

Some of the commentary out there on Hillary

FBI's Clinton probe expands to public corruption track

. . . "Inside the FBI, pressure is growing to pursue the case. 

"One intelligence source told Fox News that FBI agents would be “screaming” if a prosecution is not pursued because “many previous public corruption cases have been made and successfully prosecuted with much less evidence than what is emerging in this investigation.” 

"The FBI is particularly on edge in the wake of how the case of former CIA Director David Petraeus was handled. " . . . 

Clinton supporters would vote for Hillary no matter what   "A former federal prosecutor recently made headlines with his prediction that Hillary Clinton will be indicted soon for trafficking in classified information on a private e-mail server while working as secretary of State. But should a criminal indictment put Clinton’s bid for the Democratic presidential nomination on hold? Just over half of Democrats say no." . . .

In recent poll, all leading Republicans beat or tie Hillary . . ."As usual in national polls, Trump is doing worse against Hillary than the other two, but I believe this is the first time he’s ever led Hillary, so that’s a change for the better for Trump."

Storm Clouds Form: Bob Woodward Compares Hillary Scandal to Watergate  . . . "Among the security breaches: Clinton forwarded the name of a confidential CIA source to staff at State through her insecure server. Michael Isikoff, a noted investigative reporter, told MSNBC’s Morning Joe last August that the naming of a CIA source was “evidence of a crime by somebody' ” . . .

Classified Clinton E-mails Skyrocket in Latest Document Dump

CIA Confirms Clinton’s ‘Top Secret’ E-mails Were Classified from Day One

Hillary: Look, My Latest Classified Email Problem is Just Another Fake Controversy  . . . "Network anchor John Dickerson doesn't quite allow her 'much ado about nothing all over again' spin to go unchallenged, pointedly noting that an active FBI investigation into various elements of her email scheme remains underway. " . . .

Hillary: By ordering “identifying headings” removed, I meant “don’t transmit classified info,” or something

The Clinton Standard: Third World Corruption   . . . "What is going on in Washington? Has it accepted the “Clinton standard” for sale of high public office?" Gennifer Flowers had this to say about Hillary.

40-something Hillary Clinton should worry Democrats
"The latest FOX poll is bad news for Mrs Clinton:  

She loses to Senator Rubio (50-41%),
Senator Cruz is up 7 (50-43%),
she ties Bush (44-44%),
Trump leads (47-44%),
and Christie leads (47-44%).    

"Dr. Carson is the only candidate she defeats, according to this poll.

"It takes more than one poll to persuade me one way or another.  However, there is a trend in the polls that should scare Democrats: Hillary is 40-something time after time." . . .

A few days ago, I joked with a Democrat friend that it may be time for Hillary Clinton to be indicted.  His response was interesting.  He said that it'd be a quick way to get rid of Hillary Clinton and open the door to fresh faces.

 Is Hillary Boring Democrats in Iowa?

There's no other way to say it: Hillary Clinton is very boring. The Democratic presidential frontrunner's campaign stops are, too. The members of her traveling press corps look like they'd rather be anywhere else. So do some of the attendees, who shift in their seats starting around minute 10. Even the campaign staffers pace the back of the room or tap inattentively on their iPhones as Clinton drones on about finding a cure for Alzheimer's and universal pre-kindergarten.

Report: Obama Wants to Become UN Secretary General, Netanyahu Doing Everything He Can to Stop Him

Townhall

"It seems President Obama has no intention of stepping out of the White House and fading from the limelight. No, he’s got his sights set on the world stage—this time as secretary general of the United Nations, according to Kuwaiti newspaper Al-Jarida.

"But not all world leaders are keen to see this come to fruition, including first and foremost, Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu.

The Washington Times reports:

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly is planning payback for President Obama’s dismissing Mr. Netanyahu’s objections to the Iran nuclear deal last year. Mr. Netanyahu is said to be rallying moderate Arabs to thwart Mr. Obama’s bid to become the Secretary-General of the United Nations after he leaves the White House next year.

Mr. Obama has already discussed the issue with Republican, Democratic and Jewish officials in the United States, according to Kuwaiti newspaper Al-Jarida.

Mr. Netanyahu recently is said to have gotten wind of Obama’s plans which he calls the Obama Project. “Wasn’t eight years of having Obama in office enough?” Mr. Netanyahu is quoted in the Kuwaiti daily as telling associates. “Eight years during which he ignored Israel? And now he wants to be in a position that is liable to cause us hardships in the international arena.”

"Further gripes Israel has with President Obama include the U.S. “moving closer to the Muslim Brotherhood, toppling the regime of Hosni Mubarak, and attempts to ally itself with political Islam,” the paper quotes a Netanyahu aide as saying."

"U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's term expires in early 2017, making Obama’s bid for the position a possibility. Last year after his speech at West Point, some pointed out that he sounded an awful lot like he was campaigning for the role."

For decades, Obama was mentored by the anti-Israel Jeremiah Wright, who taught that "Jesus Was a Palestinian, Jews “Don’t Have No Forgiveness” for Hitler"  and "that calls Israel an "apartheid" regime."

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Health Insurance

HopeNChangeCartoons

. . . "On Saturday, I received a phone call from daughter Jarlsberg (in her 20's), who was upset because she'd gone to the pharmacy to pick up her epilepsy medications (important, right?) and had her spanking new insurance card rejected at the cash register because the policy had been "terminated." Rather than immediately go into seizures, she paid cash for the prescriptions at the uninsured price - over $300 which she doesn't have to spare.

"So I tried to help clear up the obvious mistake, first by logging on to the website of her insurer: Blue Cross Blue Shield. No luck - nothing but rejections and system errors. So I called them and spoke to a "web support" specialist who assured me that the problem wasn't on my end. "It's always like that. We keep telling them to fix it, but..."

. . . 

"Never before has the government had such a convenient, all-encompassing tool to screw up individual lives by whim, ineptitude, or malicious intent. . . .  But even that pales in comparison to the anguish, suffering and death which Obamacare is already causing and will continue to cause long after his actual administration is just a painful memory."    By Stilton Jarlsberg

Obama goes it alone in his last State of the Union

CNN "The White House says President Barack Obama's State of the Union address Tuesday night will be non-traditional.

"What that means: Obama will be talking about himself, not asking Congress for a long list of items he knows he'll never get.

"Obama will deliver his final State of the Union address a week after bypassing Congress by using his executive authority to expand gun rules. He could use the speech to highlight other issues on his agenda that he'll address without the help of Congress, like Guantanamo Bay, echoing previous executive actions on everything from immigration, carbon dioxide emissions and re-starting diplomatic relationship with Cuba.

"In an interview with CNN's Jake Tapper on "State of the Union," White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough signaled that Obama will pit the American people, watching on television, against Congress, his in-person audience, and its members' donors." . . .  Hat tip to Jody Hines