Fool and his money: Good riddance, Tom Steyer

"Only the poor, after all, see their quality of life fall when they are told to pay for their own plastic bags, or foot exorbitant electricity bills, see their long commutes get costlier with gas hikes, and lose their straws, all so that guys like Steyer and his set can feel virtuous."

Monica Showalter   "A couple of years and $250 million later, Tom Steyer's presidential run has left him exactly where he started in the presidential race, at zero.

"The poor wretched monomaniac of greenie virtue now goes the way of Jay Inslee*, the qualified, but leftist, governor of Washington state who, like Steyer, was also global warming bore and washed out because of it. You'd think maybe Steyer would have noticed how unimportant this 'sky is falling' greenie cause was with voters by that point, but nope, Steyer continued to sell that snake oil to voters, thinking a barrage of television ads would make them catch on. He never had a clue.

"Now he has his clue, $250 million dollars later, no delegates, a pathetic third place finish in South Carolina, prompting him to finally cut his losses, and exit the race.

"Actually, he probably had some clues, given that he changed his tune to South Carolina's voters from global warming to 'racial justice,' something he claimed "not enough people" cared about but, trust him, he did, in what was an obvious pander for the black vote in South Carolina. Turns out another old white guy, Joe Biden, got there first, succeeding in that machine pol way of his, through endorsements from old-line black politicians such as Rep. James Clyburn -- gaffes, exaggerations, and all." . . .

Another fool that departed: *Jay Inslee: I'll Ask Megan Rapinoe To Be My Secretary of State Some called the US women's soccer team "ugly Americans" because of their abrasive behavior during the World Cup last year, including dragging the American flag on the ground.

. . . "Rapinoe urged Americans to treat each other with respect after a parade for the women’s national team in New York earlier this month.

Megan's love

“We have to be better,” she said. “We have to love more, hate less. We got to listen more and talk less. We got to know that this is everybody’s responsibility. Every single person here, every single person who’s not here, every single person who doesn’t want to be here. Every single person who agrees and doesn’t agree. It’s our responsibility to make this world a better place,” she said.

President Trump and Rapinoe feuded during the Women's World Cup after the soccer star said she was not going “the f---ing White House” if her team won."  . . .
What has happened to my father's Democrat Party? 

                            "It's a pleasure to represent the US  here in Saudi Arabia"

Joe Biden wins thumping victory in South Carolina as he finally beats Bernie into second place - and Donald Trump predicts that it spells the end of 'mini' Mike Bloomberg's campaign

UK Daily Mail

"Joe Biden, long considered the Democrats' frontrunner, finally won a state, as South Carolina was called for the former vice president the minute polls closed. 

"At Biden's headquarters in Columbia, South Carolina supporters screamed at the early call as MSNBC played on the jumbotron at University of South Carolina's volleyball center. Directly after, Jazzy Trinity, the band playing the event, started performing 'I Gotta Feeling' by the Black Eyes Peas. 

"Biden's win was called with 0 per cent reporting because exit polls had signaled such good news for the former vice president.   

"More than half of those who cast ballots were black, a stronghold for President Obama's vice president. Nearly half say that Rep. James Clyburn's endorsement - which was for Biden - was an important factor in their vote, according to the Washington Post. 

"And about half said they wanted the next president to return to Obama's policies, rather than dramatically shaking up the country, which is in line with what Biden's has proposed. " . . . 

Chris Wallace 'horrified' by CNN's Acosta's conduct: 'It's not our job to one-up presidents'

What does it take for CNN to fire a reporter?

The Hill  "Chris Wallace ripped Jim Acosta over a heated exchange the CNN chief White House correspondent had with President Trump during a press conference in India on Tuesday, saying Acosta made a "huge mistake" that "adds to the people questioning the credibility of the media."
" 'I was horrified by [Acosta]," Wallace said at a Columbia University event in New York City hosted by the Common Ground Committee on Tuesday night. "It’s not our job to get in fights with presidents. It’s not our job to one-up presidents. It’s our job to report on presidents."
"But to the degree we have responded to his attacks on us with attacks or advocacy in kind, there’s a huge mistake, and I think adds to people questioning the credibility of the media," the "Fox News Sunday" host said.
"Acosta told Trump during a press conference in New Delhi that CNN's "record on delivering the truth is a lot better" than his "sometimes" after the president broached the topic of a recent report on Russia's election interference that CNN later walked back.

"I worry that the president’s attacks have given too many straight news reporters — not talking about the opinion page or prime time — an excuse or license to cross the line themselves and become players on the field, and I think that is a huge mistake," Wallace said. "It’s not our role. Our role is to be observers, umpires, fact-checkers, investigators — it’s not to be advocates. It’s not to be opponents."
"Wallace was appearing with New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman, also a CNN contributor, who said she agreed with Wallace on the media's role." . . .

Conservatives Mock Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez For Citing HS Science Fair Among Her Credentials

Daily Caller  "Conservatives mocked Democratic New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez after she cited her high school science fair in a Twitter spat with Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz.

"Ocasio-Cortez kicked off the exchange by criticizing President Donald Trump’s decision to name Vice President Mike Pence as the head of the Coronavirus task force, saying that he did not believe in science.". . . 

Ted Cruz Asked Ocasio-Cortez, ‘What’s A Y Chromosome?’ She Went Ballistic

"Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz sparred with New York Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez over several unanswered science questions.

"The spat began Thursday when Ocasio-Cortez criticized President Donald Trump for putting Vice President Mike Pence in charge of the task force responding to Coronavirus.

"Cruz responded by asking Ocasio-Cortez, “As you are speaking as the oracle of science, tell us, what exactly is a Y chromosome?”. . .

Ted Cruz

✔@tedcruz

We see evolution every day: the Dem party is rapidly evolving into an angry, anti-science socialist ideology. You insulted Pence & I asked you 3 real Qs re science. You ignored all 3 & responded w/ your resume & ad hominem attacks. Instead of insults, address the substance. https://twitter.com/aoc/status/1233409167085449216 …

Brutal Cartoon Shows How Come Many Democrats Are in Panic Mode Right Now

Brutal Cartoon Shows How Come Many Democrats Are in Panic Mode Right Now
. . . "Their 2020 field of potential presidential candidates is a clown car filled with half wits and do nothings, none of who could compete with President Trump head to head.

"They say that a picture can be worth a thousand words, so here in one brutal cartoon is exactly why so many Democrats are in panic mode right about now:" . . .

. . . "While most Demo are socialists in their heart they’re very concerned that being open about it, like Bernie Sanders is, will mean disaster for them at the polls.
"And their concern is not off base. Most Americans reject socialism and socialists.
"Democrats know this and some are in full-on panic mode and doing what they can to stop Bernie, by any means necessary." . . .
Cartoonist Gary Varvel isn't the only cartoonist see Bernie for what he is:

A campus favorite?

Cruz Scorches Sotomayor over Trump Critique

Sotomayor's Hypocrisy on Trump Friendly Judges Brutally Exposed by a Single Cartoon

Daniel John Sobieski  "Before Sonia Sotomayor,  the “wise Latina” as she once referred to herself, was nominated by President Barack Hussein Obama in May 2009 and confirmed as Supreme Court justice that August, her legal expertise and judgment were being questioned by those noting her high reversal rate by the court she was being elevated to:" . . .

Sen. Ted Cruz used Tuesday’s Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on universal injunctions to criticize Justice Sonia Sotomayor for her dissent, accusing a “handful of judges” as acting as part of the “resistance movement” against the Trump administration in blocking its policies.He compared her opinion, which he noted no other justices signed onto, to “an arsonist complaining about the noise from the fire trucks.”Sotomayor last week chided the Trump administration for repeatedly coming to the U.S. Supreme Court seeking stays on district court injunctions.“It is hard to say what is more troubling: that the government would seek this extraordinary relief seemingly as a matter of course, or that the court would grant it,” she wrote.

. . .
"With a Senate cowered by political considerations and the passions of the moment, we got Anthony Kennedy’s America, a land of weather-vane SCOTUS decisions and coat-hangers continuing to be beaten into scalpels.  Thanks to President Trump, who realized the Supreme Court was and still is a political arena, at least for those who confirm SCOTUS picks,  the appointments of Gorsuch and Kavanaugh have shifted SCOTUS back in an originalist direction. Are they “Trump” justices per se? Perhaps not, but they share his views on the role and limitations of the Supreme Court.

"It took Cruz just two minutes during the hearing to reduce Sotomayor’s protest to a pile of politically motivated babble:" . . .

. . . “ 'In the eight years of the George W. Bush administration, district courts issued a total of 12 universal injunctions against the Bush administration,” he said. "In the eight years of the Obama administration, district courts issued 19 universal injunctions against the Obama administration. In just three years of the Trump administration, we have already had 55 national universal injunctions issued against the federal government.' " . . .

Jake Tapper is a bit of sunshine in the darkness at CNN

Democrats make a statement, however false,  of accusation against President Trump or any conservative and the anti-Trump press publishes those words; they then become revealed "truth" to be quoted over and over by TV talking heads and on posters at anti-conservative gatherings.

Smackdown: Jake Tapper calls out Democrat Ted Lieu for lying about Trump and coronavirus  "It's like some sanity has returned, at least a little.

"Which is why Tapper's stinkeye to the
whole matter was so welcome."

"For all the sludge of lies about President Trump and his preparations for coronavirus, modeled in part on the Democrats' Katrina template which damaged President Bush, Jake Tapper of all people stepped in and shut leftist Rep. Ted Lieu up. Tapper commented:

In his questions for @SecPompeo, Rep. @tedlieu
said Mick "Mulvaney told the Conservative Political Action Conference that the coronavirus was the hoax of the day." That's not what Mulvaney said.

. . . Mulvaney said at CPAC today that 5-6 weeks ago, the admin. held coronavirus briefings on the Hill and only 5 senators & 10-15 congressmen showed up. He attacked the media for covering impeachment: “We were dealing with it. The press was covering their hoax of the day.” . . .This thread continues...

"Which was an unexpectedly welcome smackdown, given that the press and its Democrat allies have gone all in to create a truly phony narrative suggesting that President Trump considers the coronavirus outbreak "a hoax." When President Trump, and his lieutenants such as acting Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney, have used the term, they explicitly stated that the Democratic claims that Trump was either unprepared or doing nothing about coronavirus were the hoax. Which they were." . . .

I have always respected Jake Tapper as a serious journalist and once wrote him about leaving CNN. One can suppose that, just as an actor in a terrible movie can be damaged goods for his future, Mr. Tapper be associated with the yellow journalism that is CNN.

Republican Senators Murkowski and Collins Join Democrats to Defeat the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act

The Ohio Star

"Republican Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska voted with Democrats Tuesday against protecting unborn babies after 20 weeks.

"Both Collins and Murkowski voted with Democrats against the Republican-backed Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, while Democratic Sens. Bob Casey of Pennsylvania, Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Doug Jones of Alabama voted with Republicans on the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act.

"2020 Democratic presidential candidates Sens. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts did not vote on either bill.

"As expected, Senate Republicans did not muster the needed 60 votes Tuesday to pass the pain-capable act, a bill banning abortion after 20 weeks and sponsored by Republican South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham. Senate Republicans also did not muster the 60 needed votes to pass the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, a bill protecting babies born alive through botched abortions sponsored by Republican Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse.

"It was understood ahead of the votes that both bills lacked necessary votes to progress, but Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell pushed the divisive bills forward in order to spur conservative enthusiasm by forcing Democrats to pick a side on issues like infanticide. McConnell has said that the bills pose “moral questions” that Democrats must answer, The New York Times reported.

"President Donald Trump has also harnessed outrage surrounding Democratic Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam’s infanticide comments to spur support for his 2020 presidential campaign." . . .  More...    Via Dale Brooks at Expose Liberals & Media Bias

Bernie Sanders Applied for 'Conscientious Objector' Status During Vietnam, Campaign Confirms

ABC News 2015

"After the terrorist attacks on 9/11, Sanders voted in favor of use of force."

— -- Bernie Sanders applied for conscientious objector status during the Vietnam War, his campaign confirmed to ABC News.
"As a college student in the 1960s he was a pacifist," Michael Briggs, campaign spokesman added in an email. "[He] isn't now."
Last week, the Des Moines Register ran a column from a Hillary Clinton supporter 
and Vietnam veteran, titled, "How can Sanders be commander in chief?"
"My question as a Vietnam veteran is: How on earth could a person claiming to be a conscientious objector become the commander in chief of the most powerful military in the world?" questioned the column author Steve Wikert. According to a profile from the Vermont Senator's hometown newspaper, the Burlington Free Press, his conscientious objector status application was eventually rejected, but by then Sanders was too old to be drafted.

Bernie Sanders: 'People Are Responding to Our Message'Poll: Hillary Clinton's Iowa Lead Over Bernie Sanders Shrinks to 7 PointsBernie Sanders Responds to Possible Joe Biden Run

"Sanders's political and anti-war activism in the 1960s and '70s has been well-documented. While at the University of Chicago, he was a member of several progressive peace organizations, including the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and the Student Peace Union.
"As a congressman and later senator, Sanders has rarely voted to authorize the use of force." . . .
Via Diane Kissee at Expose Liberals & Media Bias

Sanders Pretty Much Tells Rust Belt Workers He's Ready to Brutalize Them

" . . .What they don’t tell you is that millions of Americans will be punished and subjected to economic destitution because they work for industries liberal America hates. They hate you, remember that."

Townhall  "The Nevada Caucus has come and gone, but the debate leading to it had some rather worrisome tidbits if you’re a worker in the Rust Belt. The Democrats just hate you. That’s all we can gather from their agenda, especially Sen. Bernie Sanders.
"If he isn’t bellowing about health care, it’s climate change. We’re less than a decade away from all of us dying from global warming, according to the Vermont senator. So, that means we have to act now. Not tomorrow, not after breakfast—now! We’re all going to die…unless we do exactly what the Democrats want on this issue, which is typical. And in doing so, Sanders, like his former rival Hillary Clinton, may have had his own coal miner moment. You might remember from 2016 that the former first lady and two-time presidential loser promised to put a lot of coal miners out of business if elected president. 

"In 2020, MSNBC’s Chuck Todd asked Sanders what he would say to workers in the Rust Belt, specifically in the key state of Pennsylvania, who are in the natural gas industry. It supports hundreds of thousands of jobs. Banning it, which is what Sanders wants to do, will destroy this industry overnight. And Todd aptly noted The New York Times report that quoted top union leaders in the Keystone State stating that if Sanders or Liz Warren is the 2020 nominee, they will tell their people to either vote for Trump or stay home. " . . .

The Era of Limbaugh; Why Rush Limbaugh matters

Bold, brash, divisive, funny, and amped up, President Trump's style is similar to a shock jockey's. His presidency is another reminder of Limbaugh's staying power. The American right has been molded in his anti-elitist, grassroots, demotic, irreverent, patriotic, hard-charging image. Rush Limbaugh is not just a broadcaster. He defines an era.

"Florida governor Ron DeSantis spoke to Rush Limbaugh last fall at a gala dinner for the National Review Institute. The radio host was there to receive the William F. Buckley Jr. award. "He actually gave me one of the greatest compliments I've ever had," Limbaugh told his audience the next day. "He listed five great conservatives and put me in the list." DeSantis's pantheon: William F. Buckley Jr., Ronald Reagan, Antonin Scalia, Clarence Thomas, and Limbaugh.

"Good list. No media figure since Buckley has had a more lasting influence on American conservatism than Limbaugh, whose cumulative weekly audience is more than 20 million people. Since national syndication in 1988, Limbaugh has been the voice of conservatism, his three-hour program blending news, politics, and entertainment in a powerful and polarizing cocktail. His shocking announcement this week that he has advanced lung cancer, and his appearance at the State of the Union, where President Trump awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, are occasions to reflect on his impact.

"It's one thing to excel in your field. It's another to create the field in which you excel. Conservative talk radio was local and niche before Limbaugh. He was the first to capitalize on regulatory and technological changes that allowed for national scale. The repeal of the Fairness Doctrine in 1987 freed affiliates to air controversial political opinions without inviting government scrutiny." . . .

The only predictable fallout of coronavirus? Partisanship.

Knowledge of the physical universe has grown exponentially since 1918. So have the means by which we are able to express discontent, fear, blame, and unreason. Which is why I do have one prediction about the weeks ahead: Our politics will remain nasty, polarized, overheated, and dispiriting. Even as Mother Nature reminds us who's really in charge.

Matthew Continetti "The pundits are having difficulty settling on a historical analogy for the COVID-19 coronavirus. Will the spread of the disease be President Trump's Katrina or his financial crisis? Will it be similar to the H1N1 avian flu pandemic in 2009 or will it be politicized like the Ebola outbreak in 2014?
"Comparisons are tough. After all, the situation is unprecedented. The political consequences of COVID-19 are difficult to predict because of the interplay between a public health emergency and a fractured public narrative. Coronavirus is the first postmodern pandemic.
"It has the makings of a phenomenon not seen in a century. The Spanish Flu of 1918 infected an estimated one-third of the global population. It had a case fatality rate greater than 2.5 percent—slightly higher than the rate for coronavirus observed in China so far. More than 600,000 people died in the United States of "La Grippe." No one wants to see these numbers repeated.