Stable Genius? Sorry Democrats, But This Is How China Views Trump’s Foreign Policy

Matt Vespa

"To Democrats, Donald Trump is reckless. He’s a moron. He’s threatening to blow up the U.S. economy through trade wars and renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement. He’s says other nations have stripped us of our wealth. He’s goes off half-cocked on Twitter. In short, the man is unstable and will lead us into nuclear World War III. Sadly, that’s not how the East views the president. In fact, they’re view him as a “master tactician” that’s trying to buck the old order and reassert American primacy in the process. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, NAFTA, and the World Trade Organization get in the way of that. By casting them aside, with the U.S. still the top dog in the world, Trump can reassert American power on the international scene, according to Mark Leonard, director of the European Council on Foreign Relations. 

"Leonard spoke with numerous officials and members of the Chinese elite, some of them high-level, who are more wary of what they see as Trump’s “creative destruction.” He also said the people he spoke noted that Trump is the first president to attack China economically, military, and on the basis of ideology. They also viewed his Helsinki presser with Russian President Vladimir Putin, which many viewed as a low point in the administration, with the hysterical view being that it was treasonous, as Kissinger-esque in the sense that Trump is using Russia to isolate China." . . .

Remember the Barrycades? Only Obama would handle a government shutdown this vindictively

Tunnel Wall archives

1. No Barrycades! Sec. Zinke Will Spend The Government Shutdown Ensuring The WWII Memorial, National Parks, Stay Open
From 2013: Obama barricades Lincoln Memorial unlike during 1995 “shutdown”  "Morgen Richmond, of the former Verum Serum blog, has been doing great research on the closure of parks and monuments in Washington, D.C. by Obama and the Democrats, revealing rank hypocrisy and mean-spiritedness.

"For example, The White House now claims that it needed to erect barricades at the WWII Memorial to keep out vistors, including a group of visiting WWII veterans, because parks service personnel know how to perform CPR.  (Seriously, that’s the claim.) " . . .

. . . The Barry-cades should be the symbol of this “shutdown” — political opportunism by Obama and the Democrats in Congress who create unnecessary photo-ops, even if it means ambushing visiting WWII veterans and ordinary citizens in order to protect special Obamacare privileges enjoyed by members of Congress.  . . .

Called by some a "veangeful narcissist".   "A top-secret memo that has been released to members of Congress, but still is being withheld from the American public, characterizes Barack Obama as “the vengeful narcissist” and alleges surveillance abuses by his administration" . . .

The Trump shutdown compared with the Obama shutdown

2. If lane closings end Gov. Christie's career, what about Obama's closing of national monuments and parks?

The work of a vindictive, petulant president: Federal Government Park Service blocking view of Mt. Rushmore from highway    "With South Dakota’s most famous park, Mt. Rushmore, many people can stop along the highway and take pictures because… Well, because IT’S A MOUNTAIN.
....
"But the Obama administration won’t have any of that. They have actually gone to the step of putting parking cones along the highway, so you can’t stop and take a freaking picture of the nation’s most famous mountain from the road..."

How much did it cost to do this?
Thomas Lifson gives his estimate of the former President's character

The vindictiveness of Obama shown during the government shutdown
"However, the Obama Administration is going out of its way to take unreasonable and unnecessary steps to block public access to parks and monuments that isn’t warranted by a government shutdown. For example, open air parks and national monuments, places without doors or gates, where people are allowed to visit 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, have been barricaded off. In addition, none of these D.C. memorials were closed during the last government shutdown in 1995-1996 under the Clinton Administration. The Obama Administration’s closing of these sites is not something they are required to do; it’s something they are CHOOSING to do. The Obama Administration wants the effects of this government shutdown to be as painful as possible." . . .

Obama's Spite Fences.

"First remember: Park Rangers Ordered to ‘Make Life Difficult’ During Shutdown Those would be the National Park Service of Obama's Rangers and never forget that.

“It’s a cheap way to deal with the situation,” an angry Park Service ranger in Washington says of the harassment. “We’ve been told to make life as difficult for people as we can. It’s disgusting.”

"Blame whomever you will for this issue, but know that it was Obama who ordered these sites blocked!" . . .

Read the entire collection here.

Socialist Democratic Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Women’s March co-leader Linda Sarsour were featured speakers at the 16th Annual Universal Muslim Association of America

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Linda Sarsour co-headline political action conference

. . . "Ocasio-Cortez doesn’t hide her hatred towards Israel, but fumbled answers on the subject and admitted that she’s “not the expert on geopolitics on this issue.” From The Times of Israel:

“The lens through which I saw this incident, as an activist, as an organizer – if 60 people were killed in Ferguson, Missouri, if 60 people were killed in the South Bronx, unarmed, if 60 people were killed in Puerto Rico – I just look at that [Gaza] incident more through just, as an incident, and to me, it would just be completely unacceptable if that happened on our shores,” she said.

“Of course the dynamics there, in terms of geopolitics … is very different than people expressing their First Amendment right to protest,” Hoover replied.

"She called the killing of Palestinians at the Gaza fence a massacre. Terrorist group Hamas encouraged people to breach this fence and members of the group died at the the fence. Hoover brought this up:

“Yes,” Ocasio-Cortez conceded, adding, “But I also think that what people are starting to see at least in the occupation … of Palestine [is] just an increasing crisis of humanitarian condition and that to me is just where I tend to come from on this issue.”

When Hoover, a former aide to President George W. Bush, asked Ocasio-Cortez to clarify what she meant, Ocasio-Cortez paused and answered: “I think what I meant is like the settlements that are increasing in some of these areas in places where Palestinians are experiencing difficulty in access to their housing and homes.”

"In another interview, she “drew parallels between Gaza and civil rights protests in America, a rhetorical turn that American Jewish groups like the Anti-Defamation League have criticized.”

There’s a lot of evidence of Sarsour’s hatred of Israel, but her appearance at an event in Chicago 2017 sticks out the most for me. That’s where Sarsour embraced terrorist Rasmea Odeh, the woman received a “prison term for a 1969 supermarket bombing in Jerusalem that killed two Hebrew University students, Edward Joffe and Leon Kanner,” and convicted “for the attempted bombing of the British Consulate that same year.' ”

Socialized healthcare: Just another reason to go out and vote this November

32 trillion reasons to reject Ocasio-Cortez  "Over the last week, we've seen Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the young woman who defeated incumbent Democrat Representative Crowley, on TV outlining her socialist fantasies.

"A new report ought to force Miss Ocasio-Cortez and Senator Sanders to explain how they will pay for Medicare for all.  According to this report, it will be super-expensive: 

. . . The study confirms what we've known for years, unless you are a liberal Democrat looking for a talking point.  In other words, doubling all federal individual and corporate income taxes would not be enough.

"But don't expect Senator Sanders, or most in the media, to explain how he is going to pay for all of this.

"Just another reason to go out and vote this November. "

"Sen. Bernie Sanders' 'Medicare for all' plan would boost government health spending by $32.6 trillion over 10 years, requiring historic tax hikes..."
"... according to the analysis by the Mercatus Center at George Mason University in Virginia. Doubling federal individual and corporate income tax receipts would not cover the full cost, the study said" (Bloomberg).

"If every major country on earth can guarantee health care to all, and achieve better health outcomes, while spending substantially less per capita than we do, it is absurd for anyone to suggest that the United States cannot do the same," Sanders said in a statement. "This grossly misleading and biased report is the Koch brothers response to the growing support in our country for a 'Medicare for all' program."  From Althouse.

Think Tank: Medicare For All Has $32-Trillion Federal Price Tag;  Would increase annual federal spending on health care by $2.5 trillion

. . . "That assumption—that Medicare for All would mean all Americans enjoying the much lower prices Medicare commands in buying health care services—is key to the slight advantage the Sanders plan has over the current trajectory. That goes away, the paper finds, if for example we assume that payments will be made at the current average market rate—the mean of all of the private and public health care prices in the market today. If we use that number, then the ten-year cost of Medicare for All rises to $38 trillion, well-outstripping status quo projections.

"Other key assumptions—all of which Blahous explicitly outlines—keep the cost of Medicare for All lower than what it would likely actually be. For example, the Sanders plan assumes that the government could successfully substitute all brand-name drugs with generics—failing to do so would make "actual savings… less than assumed under these projections." The estimate of the amount of savings that would accrue from reduced administrative costs is similarly termed "aggressive" by Blahous, and would likely be far less significant if the Medicare-using population quintupled.

"In other words: Medicare for All would likely be more expense than the status quo, a cost that would be borne by taxpayers in one way or another, rather than by individual consumers.

" 'There should be a robust public discussion," Blahous concludes, "of whether these outcomes are desirable and practicable before M4A's enactment is seriously considered."

The Comical Conservative

Iran currency drops 18% in two days

Obama could never have made this happen even if he wanted to. But for him, the mullahs came before the Iranian people. TD

AFP  "Iran's currency traded at a fresh record-low of 119,000 to the dollar on Tuesday, a loss of nearly two-thirds of its value since the start of the year as US sanctions loom.

"The Iranian rial has been crashing in recent days as the country anxiously awaits the reimposition of full US sanctions, starting on August 6.
. . . 
"In April, the government tried to fix the value of the rial at 42,000, but black-market rates exploded as Iranians rushed to illegal traders, seeking to protect their savings by buying dollars, or investing in the hope that the rial would continue to fall."

Barack and Michelle Obama Dance to N-gga in Paris

Quoting: "You can bet your sweet b*** cheeks that if Donald and Melania were dancing to this, Ryan would pull the race card!  But when it’s Michelle and Barack, then Ryan says it’s “Presidential”.

The Blacksphere  "Here’s how USA Today reported it:

Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s On the Run II tour was in for a presidential treat over the weekend.Barack and Michelle Obama attended the couple’s show Saturday night at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, and fans couldn’t handle the way they commanded their dance moves.Concertgoers captured the former president and first lady dancing to Jay-Z’s 2011 hit “N—– in Paris.”And, let’s just say, fans of the First Family of Hip-Hop ended up getting a second show from the former First Couple of the United States of America.

AprilDRyan‏Verified account @AprilDRyan

More

Well well! This DC On the Run concert with Jay-Z and Beyoncé is very Presidential. Former President Obama and the Former First Lady Mrs. Obama are here for this amazing show. Mrs Obama was just in Paris for the show. Amazing show

Robert Spencer's History of Jihad Opens Eyes

That was the birth of "jihad."  Be meek and deceptive first, until you gather enough power, then unsheathe the sword.  It worked then and it is working today.

Amil Imani  "When I read Robert Spencer's new masterpiece, The History of Jihad: From Muhammad to ISIS, it was as though George Orwell had summed up Robert Spencer and uttered his famous words: "In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act."

"Before starting to tell you about this unique documentary book about the history of jihad, I must tell you I have firsthand experience with this ideology.  I confess, there are not many people able to put this into words so accurately and so eloquently and so easy to read and understand as does Robert Spencer.  In the history of jihad, from cradle to grave, Spencer has outlined – irrespective of what the term in "Islam" may mean – the facts on the ground and conclusively demonstrated Islam's violent nature from its very beginnings.  No need for us to go back to the time of Muhammad and re-examine the historical records; Spencer has already done it and provided us with many anecdotal insights.  

"It is true: Islam has been imposing its oppressive, intolerant, and deathly dogma without let-up.  This archaic, primitive belief of over 1,400 years' duration has been and continues to be at war with valiant people the world over who refuse to bend their necks to its yoke.  What Spencer has done is turn on the lights brightly for all to see." . . .

Maaloula, we saw it happen in our time:  

Maaloula Christians say town - their neighbors and friends - Muslims took part in attack  "According to families who fled Maaloula (Syria), some of their Muslim neighbours were involved in the attack that devastated their village located about fifty kilometres from Damascus, dispersing its residents.
"Perceived as a betrayal of the long-lasting trust that existed between Christians and Muslims in Maaloula, where Muslims make up about 30 per cent of the village population.
"The presence of young Muslim fighters from the village among Syrian rebels appalled the Christian population. However, it is a sign of the growing ambiguity of Syria’s armed rebellion."

When she remembers how US Secretary of State John Kerry described the SLA forces as "moderate" before a Senate committee, she shakes her head in a sign of weariness over such ignorance or bad faith. In her eyes, the Western press seems to have lost all credibility.

. . .  

Study: 'Medicare for all' would cost $32.6 trillion over 10 years

. . . Republican presidential candidate Graham ripped into the 2016 Democratic front-runners, saying Bernie Sanders "went to the Soviet Union on his honeymoon" and never came back.

The Moderate Voice

Rick Moran  "The Mercatus Center, a libertarian think-tank out of George Mason University, is releasing a study today that will show how much Vermont senator Bernie Sanders's "Medicare for all" idea would cost.

Over ten years: $32.6 trillion.

"The Associated Press wants to make sure you read that correctly:

That's trillion with a "T."

The latest plan from the Vermont independent would require historic tax increases as government replaces what employers and consumers now pay for health care, according to the analysis being released Monday by the Mercatus Center at George Mason University in Virginia.  It would deliver significant savings on administration and drug costs, but increased demand for care would drive up spending, the analysis found.

Sanders' plan builds on Medicare, the popular insurance program for seniors.  All U.S. residents would be covered with no copays and deductibles for medical services.  The insurance industry would be relegated to a minor role.

"When asked how she would pay for her democratic socialist agenda, which includes the Medicare for all program, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez made is sound so easy:

"This is an excellent, excellent question," she replied. "I sat down with a Nobel Prize economist last week – I can't believe I can say that, it's really weird – but one of the things that we saw is, if people pay their fair share, if corporations and the ultra wealthy – for example, as Warren Buffett likes to say, if he pays as much as his secretary paid, 15 percent tax rate, if corporations paid – if we reverse the tax bill, raised our corporate tax rate to 28 percent ... if we do those two things and also close some of those loopholes, that's $2 trillion right there."

"That "$2 trillion right there" is over ten years.  In other words, Ocasio-Cortez is coming up only $30 trillion short in funding her fantasy.

"No response yet from the democratic socialists, but you can imagine them impugning the integrity and motives of the people who conducted the study rather than intelligently debating the issue.  That's because they are economic dunces and don't have a clue how they are going to pay for free health care, free college, or other freebies they think we all need.  All they know is that the coercive, tyrannical power of government to seize and control must be employed in service to their agenda. 

"Be afraid.  Be very afraid."

Study: 'Medicare for all' projected to cost $32.6 trillion

After taking into account current government health care financing, the study estimated that doubling all federal individual and corporate income taxes would not fully cover the additional costs.

AP  "Sen. Bernie Sanders' "Medicare for all" plan would increase government health care spending by $32.6 trillion over 10 years, according to a study by a university-based libertarian policy center.

That's trillion with a "T."

"The latest plan from the Vermont independent would require historic tax increases as government replaces what employers and consumers now pay for health care, according to the analysis being released Monday by the Mercatus Center at George Mason University in Virginia. It would deliver significant savings on administration and drug costs, but increased demand for care would drive up spending, the analysis found.

"Sanders' plan builds on Medicare, the popular insurance program for seniors. All U.S. residents would be covered with no copays and deductibles for medical services. The insurance industry would be relegated to a minor role.

" 'Enacting something like 'Medicare for all' would be a transformative change in the size of the federal government," said Charles Blahous, the study's author. Blahous was a senior economic adviser to former President George W. Bush and a public trustee of Social Security and Medicare during the Obama administration." . . ."

So if all else fails, blame it on the Koch Brothers...

Townhall

NO ANTI-KAVANAUGH GROUNDSWELL IN MAINE OR ALASKA

Power Line  "The hope of Democrats that they can stop the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh rests largely on two moderate Republican Senators, Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski. So far the signsregarding these two aren’t encouraging for Democrats, though we’re still relatively early in the process.

"Democrats recall that during the fight over repealing Obamacare, Collins and Murkowski bucked the GOP leadership and, along with Sen. John McCain, defeated legislation that would have effectuated a repeal. The Washington Post reports that, in the hope of a repeat performance, a “well-organized campaign” is under way to pour millions of dollars worth of anti-Kavanaugh ads into small towns throughout Maine and Alaska.

"The Post also reports that, so far, constituents are unmoved. In separate interviews with the Post, Collins and Murkowski say that voters view the health-care debate and the Supreme Court very differently:

“The protests are similar, the media campaign is more aggressive this time, but the constituent involvement is less. And I think that’s because health care is so personal and affects everybody,” Collins said.

“A different level of intensity, a different level of intensity. What I was hearing at home were very personal stories,” Murkowski recalled of last summer’s interactions with constituents. “Literally people in tears. The level of just emotional outpouring that made it just — intense is the best word — is different than it is now.”

"That doesn’t surprise, but this does:

Some Senate aides said the confirmation battle for Education Secretary Betsy DeVos sparked more constituent outreach than either Kavanaugh’s nomination or last year’s confirmation of Justice Neil M. Gorsuch.

. . . 

4 Reasons A Straw Ban Isn’t As Sustainable As You Think

American Thinker

Bustle  . . . "There are myriad environmental benefits to reducing or eliminating single-use plastics, which aren't recyclable more often than not. But it's important to move towards a more sustainable future in a way that doesn't make life more difficult for people who rely on plastic. Straws have been the particular focus of attention in recent years, David M. Perry writing for Pacific Standard notes, following a viral video of a sea turtle with a straw in its nose, even though straws haven't been shown to be a particularly large source of plastic pollution in our oceans. If we're thinking about solutions to the problem of single-use plastics, we need to consider options that don't cause undue harm and that are truly sustainable, in every sense of the word. Here are a few reasons that plastic straw bans might not be as sustainable as you'd think." . . .

Hollywood's transgender revolution

Daily Caller   "Transgender persons are now more easily celebrating their identities in Hollywood, according to the number of transgenders working in the business.

“ 'It’s a revolution,” transgender film director Rain Valdez told ABC News, calling the changing culture in Hollywood a movement. “It’s exciting to me that we’re finally asking for our seat at the table, to tell our stories because no one can tell them better than we can,” Valdez said."

" 'Transgender Silas Howard began as a largely unknown director of independent films, but is now directing episodes of hit TV shows like “The Fosters,” “This Is Us,” and “Transparent.” Howard is also directing a film about a set of parents coming to terms with their child being transgender, starring Claire Danes, Jim Parsons and Octavia Spencer among other famous actors and actresses.

“ 'It’s a big shift,” Howard told ABC. “We’re seeing so much talent. We are seeing shows that are told from the ground up. It is so authentic and it is so universal and that’s an exciting thing to witness.”

"The CW’s TV show “Supergirl” recently announced its first transgender superhero who will also be played by a transgender person.

"Scarlett Johansson abdicated herself from playing the role of a transgender character in an upcoming film, following backlash largely from the transgender community.

“ 'I’ve learned a lot from the community since making my first statement about my casting and realize it was insensitive,” she said, CNN reported. “I have great admiration and love for the trans community and am grateful that the conversation regarding inclusivity in Hollywood continues.” (RELATED: Woman Decides To Become A Man. Now She’s Accused OF ‘Mansplaining’ And ‘Male Heterosexual Privilege’)" . . .