Charles Krauthammer: Once Again, the Guardrails Hold

The Trump presidency is a stress test, and America is passing.

National Review  "A future trivia question and historical footnote, the spectacular ten-day flameout of Anthony Scaramucci qualifies as the most entertaining episode yet of the ongoing reality show that is the Trump presidency. (Working title: “The Pompadours of 1600 Pennsylvania.”) But even as the cocksure sycophant’s gobsmacking spectacle stole the show, something of real importance took place a bit lower on the radar.

"At five separate junctures, the sinews of our democracy held against the careening recklessness of this presidency. Consequently, Donald Trump’s worst week proved a particularly fine hour for American democracy:

"1) The military says no to Trump on the transgender ban.

"Well, not directly — that’s insubordination — but with rather elegant circumspection. The president tweeted out a total ban on transgender people serving in the military. It came practically out of nowhere. The military brass, not consulted, was not amused. Defense Secretary James Mattis, in the middle of a six-month review of the issue, was reportedly appalled.

"What was done? Nothing. The chairman of the Joint Chiefs simply declared that a tweet is not an order. Until he receives a formal command and develops new guidelines, the tweet will be ignored.

"In other words, the military told the commander in chief to go jump in a lake. Generally speaking, this is not a healthy state of affairs in a nation of civilian control. It does carry a whiff of insubordination. But under a president so uniquely impulsive and chronically irrational, a certain vigilance, even prickliness, on the part of the military is to be welcomed.

"The brass framed their inaction as a matter of procedure. But the refusal carried with it a reminder of institutional prerogatives. In this case, the military offered resistance to mere whimsy. Next time, it could be resistance to unlawfulness." . . .
. . . 

Whatever your substantive position on the various issues involved above, we should all be grateful that from the generals to the Scouts, from the senators to the cops, the institutions of both political and civil society are holding up well.

CNN's Zakaria Admits Trump Won Because People Were Tired of Cultural Elites

PJ Media  "CNN's Fareed Zakaria has admitted something that most of the mainstream media were too afraid to say out loud -- that they may have caused Trump to win the presidency. Listen to him say, "The election of Donald Trump is really a kind of class rebellion against people like us-- you know, educated professionals who live in cities, who have cosmopolitan views about a lot of things. And I think there's a whole part of America that is sick and tired of being told what to do by this over-educated professional elite (that Hillary in many ways perfectly represented). And that's way they're sticking with him." What an outrageous statement for a CNN contributor!" Video at the link.

That is indeed a surprise, especially after you see how well documented Zakaria's near-hatred of Donald Trump is.

You just might be a Progressive Democrat if...

"If you want to get me fired or boycott my business for writing this piece, you're probably a Progressive Democrat.  But you're too late.  I'm already retired."

American Thinker  "Jeff Foxworthy made it big with his "you just might be a redneck" routine.  Foxworthy's success inspired me to flatter him, sincerely, with a "you just might be a Progressive Democrat" imitation.  The take-off goes as follows:

"If you think you are the most tolerant person in the room but label all opposing views "hate speech," you just might be a Progressive Democrat.

"If you believe that being gay is hardwired and unchangeable but insist that male and female are merely social constructs and that folks can change their "gender identities" from one day to the next, there's a good chance you are a Progressive Democrat.

"If you lose sleep over a possible two-degree increase in global temperature over the next fifty years and believe that 97% of all climate scientists think the Earth is getting dramatically warmer due to greenhouse gases...and that buying a heavily subsidized Tesla will make things appreciably better, there's a good chance you're a no-windmills-in-my-backyard Progressive Democrat." . . .

"If you are passionate about protecting snail darters, spotted owls, and gray wolves but believe there's a constitutional right to dismember a nine-month-old human baby in his mother's womb, you are quite likely a Progressive Democrat.

"If you cite Pope Francis's comments about global warming and the environment, believing they come from one of the most morally insightful persons on the planet, but pay no attention to papal pronouncements concerning abortion and the family, there's a good chance you are a Nancy Pelosi, cafeteria-Catholic Progressive Democrat." . . .

. . . If you don't acknowledge the violent history of Islam but instinctively associate Christianity with the Crusades, the Inquisition, and Salem's witch trials, there's more than a good chance you are a secular Progressive Democrat for whom "the enemy of my enemy is my friend." . . . 

My pick of them all:

"If you were alarmed by the never confirmed accusation that a single person in a large Tea Party crowd hurled the "n-word" at a black congressman but are unperturbed when leftists actually riot, destroy property, endanger lives, and shut down political speech on campuses – or when an organized group of Black Lives Matter protesters chant, "Pigs in a blanket, fry 'em like bacon," it is quite likely you are a Progressive Democrat."

Contract With Republicans

Ann Coulter  "In 1994, after 40 years in the wilderness, Republicans swept both houses of Congress, running on Newt Gingrich's "Contract With America," in which the GOP promised to hold votes on 10 popular policies in the first 100 days. They won, fulfilled the contract, and went on to control the House for more than a decade. 

"More recently, the country gave the GOP the House in 2010, the Senate in 2014 and the presidency in 2016. But we're not seeing any difference. The GOP has become a ratchet, never reversing Democratic victories, but only confirming them with teeny-tiny alterations. 

"It's time for the voters to issue a "Contract With Republicans." Unless our elected representatives can complete these basic, simple tasks, we're out. There will be no reason to care about the GOP, anymore. 

"Whether these objectives are accomplished by President Trump or a rhesus monkey, the Democrats, the Bull Moose Party or the U.S. Pirate Party -- it will make no difference to us. We just need somebody to fulfill this contract in order to get our vote. 

"Here are our first three contract terms. " .  . .

Coulter's points of discussion are:
1) BUILD THE WALL 
2) SUPREME COURT 
3) STOP WASTING MONEY AND PRECIOUS LIVES ON POINTLESS WARS 

California secession finds unlikely ally in Utah conservative

The Salt Lake Tribune

"Statehouse Republican says secession is a long shot but hopes his bill in support of the move would act as ”a wake up call from the state of Utah.”' 

 

As some Californians push for their state to become its own country, they have an unlikely ally: Utah Rep. Paul Ray.Ray, a conservative Republican from Clearfield — spurred by frustration over California’s liberal politics and the “whining” of some of its residents about wanting to leave the United States — has started drafting a resolution for the 2018 legislative session that would offer support for the most populous state to secede from the union.“This is just kind of a wake-up call from the state of Utah that says, ‘You know what? You guys don’t get it,’” Ray said. “They don’t control other states and, quite honestly, most of us don’t really care for their politics.”Ray said he’s still drafting language for the measure, which would recommend tariffs on California, if it became its own country, for the energy and water it uses that come from Utah, the 31st most populous state.“They‘re smoking too much of their medical marijuana.”
— Rep. Paul Ray“They think that they’re owed a lot and they just think they’ve got the power to dictate, but if they really look at it, they can’t function without federal money going into California and doing business with other states,” he said. “For them to sit there and think they can make their own country and they can do this ... they’re smoking too much of their medical marijuana.”

The "Stephen Miller vs the Press" kerfuffle

Rush Limbaugh opined that these reporters are the products of a poor education system.

Rich Lowry: Stephen Miller TKOs Jim Acosta   "When Donald Trump's policy adviser Stephen Miller stepped to the podium of the White House briefing room on Wednesday to defend a plan for reducing levels of legal immigration, Jim Acosta of CNN was aghast and let everyone know it.
"Put aside that Acosta believed it was his role as a reporter to argue one side of a hot-button political issue (this is how journalism works in 2017). The exchange illustrated how advocates of high levels of immigration are often the ones who— despite their self-image as the rational bulwark against runaway populism—rely on an ignorant emotionalism to make their case.


Stephen Miller Jabs Back at NYT Reporter: About Time We Had Compassion for American Workers

. . . "Miller stated that it is common sense that some companies want to bring in more unskilled labor “because they know that it drives down wages and reduces labor cost.” He said the question to the government is rather, “To whom is our duty?” He answered his own question, “Our duty is to U.S. citizens and U.S. workers to promote rising wages for them.”

“ 'If low-skilled immigration was an unalloyed good for the economy then why have we been growing at 1.5 percent for the last 17 years at a time of unprecedented new low wage arrivals? It’s just, the facts speak for themselves,” said Miller. He then said having ultra-high skilled workers at the back of the line makes no sense in 2017." . . .

Immigration: How Trump Derangement Syndrome Dumbs Down the Press  . . . "I was asking myself that while listening to the stupefying question asked of Trump adviser Stephen Miller by CNN's Jim Acosta at Wednesday's White House press conference.  Miller had been explaining -- with a level of clarity and specificity not often seen at these events -- the immigration proposal being proffered by Sens. Tom Cotton and David Perdue and now being backed by the president.  The press audience appeared impatient with these details, however, waiting to pounce as it almost always does." . . .

Andrea Mitchell: White House aide 'rude' in exchange with CNN reporter

Beat the Press  . . . "MILLER: Maybe we will make a carve-out in the bill that says "The New York Times" can hire all the low-skilled, less paid workers they want from other countries, and see how you feel then about low-wage substitution." . . . 

CNN’s Jim Acosta argues immigration policy at White House briefing, gets schooled   "Stephen Miller teaches “journalist” Acosta about history"

"We all know that CNN’s Jim Acosta enjoys playing the role as an activist instead of a journalist, anything to bring attention to himself. He attempted to do just that on Wednesday, but fell flat on his face and made a fool of himself and his employer.

"President Donald Trump’s policy advisor Stephen Miller attended the White House press briefing to explain the RAISE act, an immigration policy, that Trump endorsed Wednesday morning.

"Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AK) and Sen. David Perdue (R-GA) developed the plan and Trump explainedthat the “application process will favor applicants who can speak English, financially support themselves and their families and demonstrate skills that will contribute to our economy.”

"Acosta tried to debate Miller on the English speaking part of the RAISE act and failed miserably." . . .

Power Line comments: Trump Adviser Stephen Miller Spars With CNN’s Acosta Over Immigration  "Miller pointed out that English is already a requirement of naturalization." . . .

"Do you really at CNN not know the difference between green card policy and illegal immigration?" he asked." 

"Acosta is known for his sometimes adversarial relationship with the White House, including new White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders" . . .

Jim Acosta Was Wrong To Claim Only British And Australian Immigrants Speak English   "Jim Acosta embarrassed himself badly confronting Stephen Miller on camera yesterday. I thought the interchange was beneficial to the Trump administration and to opponents of illegal immigration everywhere. Rather than having a buffoon repeatedly sending whiny tweets about #FAKENEWS!! every day, or sending out petulant dwarves to tell blatant falsehoods, why not send someone out like Miller — who actually knows what he is talking about, and backs up his argument with facts and logic rather than lies and empty bravado?" . . .

The Problem of Competitive Victimhood

Victor Davis Hanson

Divisive identity politics are fading in favor of a shared American identity.

"The startling 2016 presidential election weakened the notion of tribal identity rather than a shared American identity. And it may have begun a return to the old idea of unhyphenated Americans.

" Many working-class voters left the Democratic party and voted for a billionaire reality-TV star in 2016 because he promised jobs and economic growth first, a new sense of united Americanism second, and an end to politically correct ethnic tribalism third. 

"In the 19th century, huge influxes of Irish and German immigrants warred for influence and power against the existing American coastal establishment that traced its ancestry to England. Despite their ethnic chauvinism, these immigrant activist groups eventually became indistinguishable from their hosts. Then and now, the forces of assimilation, integration, and intermarriage make it hard to retain an ethnic cachet beyond two generations — at least without constant inflows of new and often poor fellow immigrants." . . .   Read more.

CNN, NYT reporters humiliated by Stephen Miller at WH immigration briefing

Thomas Lifson  "I could not help but think of the movie The Revenge of the Nerds yesterday, as a balding, slender Republican hit back when the cool kids from the media started implying racism.  Progressive activists masquerading as reporters are not used to Republicans who hit back at their insinuations.  But two of them encountered return fire at yesterday's White House briefing on the new merit-based Senate immigration bill cosponsored by David Perdue and Tom Cotton.

"White House policy adviser Stephen Miller fought back when CNN's Jim Acosta began insinuating that racism is behind the bill in the "last question" of the briefing, claiming a radical change in immigration policy and citing the Emma Lazarus poem added to the base of the Statue of Liberty.

"What you're proposing," Acosta begins his sermon, "or what the president is proposing, doesn't seem, does not sound like it's in keeping with American tradition when it comes to immigration."

He then looks at his notes and says.

"The Statue of Liberty says …"

The Statue of Liberty says.

"It says 'Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,' it doesn't say anything about speaking English or being a computer programmer," Acosta goes on, "Aren't you trying to change what it means to be an immigrant coming into this country if you're telling them they have to speak English."

"As David Harsanyi of The Federalist dryly commented, CNN's Jim Acosta read the Statue of Liberty poem and "had a meltdown when someone suggested immigrants be able to read it, too.' " . . .

Tesla: the beautiful, clever, and very immoral automobile

Bookworm Room

Tesla owners shouldn’t be proud about their “green” machine. Instead, they should be embarrassed about a rich person’s car paid for by poor people’s money.

 

. . . "Tesla’s flagship automobile, the Model S, would not only fail to make money in a free market, it would likely bankrupt any company that tried. As the Los Angeles Times reported, Tesla’s “cars themselves aren’t making the company any money.” A Model S with a typical options package sells for more than $100,000, but that is literally tens of thousands of dollars less than it costs to manufacture and sell.

"How, then, does Tesla make its money?" . . .

Students Outraged After University Moves 9/11 Memorial

This news should trigger you in your safe space.

“Does the university fear that some students or faculty members might be coerced or harassed by a poignant reminder of the atrocities committed by Muslim terrorists on American soil?"

Todd Starnes

"For the past two years, the Young Americans for Freedom chapter at Southern Methodist University displayed nearly 3,000 American flags on a prominent university lawn to remember those killed in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

"But Old Glory won’t be posted on the Dallas Hall Lawn this year – even though the display had been well-received by the student body.

"The university objected to the location of the display, citing a revised policy aimed at protecting students from “harmful or triggering” messages.

“ 'While the University respects the rights of students to free speech, the University respects the right of members of the community to avoid messages that are triggering, harmful, or harassing,” the policy reads.

"I reached out to Southern Methodist University to find out who could possibly take offense at a memorial honoring American citizens killed by Muslim terrorists. I had my suspicions, but I wanted to hear it from the university’s leadership.

"Spokesman Kent Best told me the revised policy covers all lawn displays, not just the 9/11 memorial." . . .

University Bans White And Straight Students From Campus Safe Space…

Weasel Zippers

"Because it’s okay to discriminate against white and straight people.

"Via Daily Caller:

The University of Minnesota is banning white and straight students from a safe space on campus, according to a Thursday report.

The school’s Gender and Sexuality Center for Queer and Trans Life hosts “Tongues Untied,” a space in which people can congregate to discuss the impact of sexuality, race and gender, according to Campus Reform. But not everyone is invited.

“For our allies: we do appreciate your voices and commitment to dismantling racism and homophobia; however, please note that this is a space created for LGBTQIA and/or same-gender-loving people of color,” the space’s description reads.

“If you identify as a queer and/or trans indigenous person or person of color, we welcome you to take part in our discussions,” states the group’s Facebook page.

The ban refers to this group's particular safe space, not all safe spaces.

"The University of Minnesota has allowed a group to exclude/prohibit white and straight students from dropping into their safe space. The school’s Gender and Sexuality Center for Queer and Trans Life hosts an event called “Tongues Untied.” So, if you’re identified as a straight Caucasian person, you won’t be allowed entry.

“ 'Tongues Untied,” is a safe space to speak about the impact of sexuality, race and gender, according to Campus Reform. The description for the event reads, “For our allies: we do appreciate your voices and commitment to dismantling racism and homophobia; however, please note that this is a space created for LGBTQIA and/or same-gender-loving people of color.' ” . . .

Retired generals, admirals thank Trump for announcing ban on transgender troops

Rowan Scarborough

"More than a dozen retired generals and admirals have signed a letter to President Trump thanking him for his announced policy to ban transgender people from the armed forces.

“ 'We write today to express our gratitude to you for making the extremely courageous decision to reverse President Obama’s transgender social experiment,” the conservative retired flag officers wrote. “There may be an enormous amount of vitriol directed at you for making this policy correction, but please know that overturning this policy may have done more in the long-term to save the culture and war-fighting capacity of the U.S. military than perhaps any other military policy you will adopt as president.”

"The letter came as the Palm Center, a research nonprofit that promotes the LGBT agenda, released a competing statement from 56 retired admirals and generals who say reimposing the ban will hurt readiness, not help it.

“ 'The Commander in Chief has tweeted a total ban of honorably serving transgender troops,” the statement said. “This proposed ban, if implemented, would cause significant disruptions, deprive the military of mission-critical talent, and compromise the integrity of transgender troops who would be forced to live a lie, as well as non-transgender peers who would be forced to choose between reporting their comrades or disobeying policy.”

"Among the statement’s signatories: retired Marine Gen. John Allen, former deputy commander of U.S. Central Command; retired Vice Adm. Donald Arthur, former surgeon general of the Navy; and retired Lt. Gen. Claudia Kennedy, the first woman to achieve three-star rank in the Army." . . .