Saturday, July 16, 2022

When a first-term Democratic president struggles, people talk about Jimmy Carter

  WBUR


"President Biden, like any second-year occupant in the Oval Office, does not much like the phrase "one-term president."

"As a Democrat, he presumably does not enjoy the comparison some are making between him and Jimmy Carter, the only Democratic president since the 1800s that the voters sent packing after just four years.

"But that comparison is, as they say, out there. And as the White House ponders staff moves in the months ahead, it knows it needs to address the dread "Carter model."

"To be fair, Carter's ill-fated presidency occurred during extraordinarily difficult times, beset by numerous global crises and dogged by economic conditions he largely inherited from his predecessor. Biden's defenders might say the same.

"We should also note that Carter, at 97, is the longest living president ever and has long since rewritten his legacy with decades of humanitarian work at home and abroad. Overwhelming majorities of Americans approve of his performance since leaving office and polls show the public's assessment of his years in office has risen as well. Presidential scholars generally rate him in the middle ranks of U.S. presidents.

"Yet Carter remains a punchline in American politics, scarcely acknowledged at his party's national political conventions and rarely listened to in policy debates. That is because when he left office four decades ago, Carter was down to 34% approval in the Gallup Poll and lost to Ronald Reagan in 1980 by a landslide in the Electoral College.

"Not just another election, 1980 signaled a sea change in American politics. A half century of the New Deal and Democratic domination gave way to an era in which Republicans more than held their own, winning the Electoral College in six of the next 11 cycles and controlling at least one chamber of Congress two-thirds of the time.

"Carter also left a legacy of frustration and fecklessness that has been difficult for Democrats to shake. He is remembered for the Iran hostage crisis that consumed the last year of his presidency. He is remembered for his hapless struggles against inflation, high gas prices and the threat of oncoming recession — not to mention an aggressive Russian war machine invading a neighboring country in defiance of the world community.". . .

Friday, July 15, 2022

A Scandal That Ended Joe Biden's 1988 Presidential Campaign |

 Fom April, 2019: Time; Why Joe Biden’s First Campaign for President Collapsed After Just 3 Months   .  . ."Here’s how TIME described why the fallout was so intense: T]he Biden brouhaha illustrates the six deadly requirements for a crippling political scandal.

1) A Pre-Existing Subtext. “The basic rap against Biden,” explains Democratic Pollster Geoff Garin, “is that he’s a candidate of style, not substance.”

2) An Awkward Revelation. The Kinnock kleptomania was particularly damaging to Biden since it underscored the prior concerns that he was a shallow vessel for other people’s ideas.

3) A Maladroit Response. Top Aide Tom Donilon claimed that Biden failed to redit Kinnock because “he didn’t know what he was saying. He was on autopilot.”

4) The Press Piles On. Once textual fidelity became an issue, reporters found earlier cases in which Biden had failed to give proper citation to Humphrey and Robert Kennedy. By themselves these transgressions would not have been worth noting.

5) The Discovery of Youthful Folly. During his first months at Syracuse University Law School, in 1965, Biden failed a course because he wrote a paper that used five pages from a published law-review article without quotation marks or a proper footnote. Since Biden was allowed to make up the course, the revelation was front-page news only because it kept the copycat contretemps alive.

6) An Overwrought Press Conference. With a rambling and disjointed opening statement, Biden failed to reap the benefits of public confession, even though he called himself “stupid” and his actions “a mistake.” Part of the problem is that he contradicted himself by also insisting that it was “ludicrous” to attribute every political idea.

Biden administration continues to spread the myth about gouging gas stations

 Jack Hellner  "On Election Day, the spot crude oil price was around $40 per barrel, and today it is around $100 per barrel — this is a 150% increase.  On the same day, the retail gasoline price was $2.10 per gallon, and today, it is around $4.60 per gallon (up around 120%).  If gas prices correlated with inflation, it would actually be 60 cents higher per gallon, not lower.

"Biden whispers to gas station owners, "Just lower your price to reflect your cost" — as if they don't consistently conduct business operations without the advice of Sleepy Joe.  It seems that people throughout the Biden administration believe that crude oil magically and immediately moves from the spot market to our cars.

"The truth is, there are many steps that crude oil must go through before it arrives at the pump, and each step is also reeling from the rate of inflation.  Delivering product from the well to the customer involves many companies and areas of focus:". . .

"Throughout Trump's years, and despite a high demand, energy prices were affordable.  On the other hand, Biden campaigned on a promise that he would destroy the fossil fuel industry.  As soon as he took control, he blocked a pipeline and took major steps toward preventing drilling.  Regulatory federal agencies started — and continue to do so — ramping up compulsory regulations against refineries.  Financial administrators and the SEC also organized to damage businesses that lent to or invested in the fossil fuel industry.

"Should we be surprised?  According to the Committee to Unleash Prosperity:

First and foremost, 62 percent of Biden's top political appointees and staffers 'who deal with economic policy, regulation, commerce, energy and finance have virtually no business experience.'

What's more, only one out of eight Biden officials has what the authors deem 'extensive business experience,' and the average level of business experience across the Biden administration is about 2.4 years

Thursday, July 14, 2022

What the Heck Is Gavin Newsom Doing at the White House?

 



What the Heck Is Gavin Newsom Doing at the White House? (townhall.com)
After surviving a recall effort and bolstering his political power, Newsom has been all over the press and on the national stage, taking stands on hot-button issues. 
"Parents, educators, politicians and more were confused by the news that California was receiving an award from the Education Commission of the States after reports it came in last in terms of in-person learning in the 2020-21 school year.". . .
"We're officially in Bizarro World," Corey DeAngelis, National Director of Research at the "American Federation for Children, told Fox News Digital. "California was the worst state in the nation when it came to reopening schools. Politicians backed by power-hungry teachers unions put the desires of adults over the needs of children. These union-induced school closures hurt children academically, mentally, and physically. Leaders of states that committed human rights violations against society's most vulnerable should be shamed, not celebrated.". . .

"We Now Know Who 'Pedo Peter' on Hunter Biden's iPad Is, and I Have Serious Questions" Matt Margolis

 PJ Media  . . ."At the time, it was not clear who “Pedo Peter” was, but that question has now been answered. Breitbart News has learned that Pedo Peter is the name assigned to his 17-year-old niece, Natalie Biden—the daughter of his late brother Beau, and of Hallie Biden, Beau’s widow, with whom Hunter had a romantic relationship after Beau’s passing.

"So, yeah, I have some questions. Serious questions." . . .

. . ."It was previously speculated that  “Pedo Peter” was either Joe Biden or Hunter Biden. It had been previously reported that Joe Biden wrote to several people close to him via email, including his son Hunter, using the pseudonym “Peter Henderson,” in reference to a fictional Soviet Union-era spy who infiltrated the U.S. government in several Tom Clancy novels. Biden’s history of creepy, pervy behavior with young girls and reports that his daughter Ashley’s diary revealed that he used to take inappropriate showers with her as a child, also gave credence to this theory.

"This new development raises all sorts of questions. Why was 17-year-old Natalie listed as “Pedo Peter” on the iCloud account? Hunter Biden had a two-year relationship with Hallie, and likely spent a significant amount of time with her kids. There are several photos that have been shared on Twitter, reportedly from Hunter Biden’s iPad, of Natalie Biden allegedly taking drugs, sleeping in Hunter’s bed, and even being really inappropriate on a couch. I won’t share them here, but they’re out there. As I said, I have some serious questions."

Pope derides Biden's abortion views, Catholic self-identity as 'incoherence'

 MSN   "Pope Francis questioned President Biden's conscience on Tuesday in an interview during which he described the commander-in-chief's religious identity and views on abortion as incoherent.

"A month after conception, the DNA of the fetus is already there and the organs are aligned. There is human life," the pontiff said in the interview with Spanish-language outlet Univision.

Asked about Biden — a self-professed "devout Catholic" who supports blanket legalization of abortion on the federal level — the pope dismissed the president as incomprehensible. 

"A month after conception, the DNA of the fetus is already there and the organs are aligned. There is human life," the pope said in the Univision interview. "Is it just to eliminate a human life?"

UNITED NATIONS 'HAS NO POWER,' POPE FRANCIS SAYS

He added that Biden should instead question his own conscience and consult with his bishop.

"I leave it to [President Biden's] conscience and that he speaks to his bishop, his pastor, his parish priest about that incoherence," the pope remarked.

'The Bidens live a different life from the rest of us!' Hunter's former Venice neighbors are up-in-arms over a homeless 'tent city' that's taken over since he left and took Secret Service with him - as he moves AGAIN from swanky Malibu rental

 UK Daily Mail

"But since Hunter moved to Malibu, a 'tent city' of homeless people camping out on the sidewalk has sprung up again, prompting outrage among residents. Photos show tents, umbrellas, trash bags, camping chairs, blankets and shopping carts piled up, filling the width of the sidewalk and stretching down the Venice street where Hunter's former home sits. It has since been painted from white to black. DailyMail.com can also exclusively reveal Hunter has moved out of his $20,000-per-month Malibu home after just a year."


'They are there 24/7 which is a plus for us here on the Venice Canals. We need the extra security considering the amount of crime we have. Interestingly the homeless people who were living up along the street he now lives on are gone. 'It could be a coincidence or the city had them removed because of Hunter. I think his presence will help clean up the area and I hope he gets involved with the community. It's a tight community with great people.' But photos taken on the street this week show that since the First Son left the area it has regained its previous homeless encampment.


Joe Biden’s embarrassing first day in Israel




Joe Biden’s embarrassing first day in Israel   . . ."And then there was the big lie. Trump did two extraordinarily important things in the Middle East. The first was to curb the Palestinians’ outrageous demands. All past administrations, whenever the Palestinians said “no” to a good offer, sweetened the pot, encouraging Palestinians to continue saying “no.” Trump did something different. When the Palestinians said “no,” he started withdrawing things from the pot. If he’d had more time (i.e., his second term), he probably could have brought them to heel. Second, Trump initiated the Abraham Accords, from which Israel and her neighbors are continuing to reap benefits. This, too, withdrew things from the Palestinians. Trump essentially told the Arab nations that Israel was a more useful ally than the fractious, violent Palestinians. Thus, the Arab nations could do one-on-one trade and travel agreements with a functional nation rather than a terrorist state. Biden, instead of honoring Trump’s accomplishments and promising to build on them, outright lied because that’s what Biden does:". . .
Every time Biden opens his mouth, America’s enemies (and there are many) must lick their chops, while America’s allies (and there are a diminishing number) must shake in their boots. It is to be hoped that a successful midterm election, giving Republicans such a decisive hold on Congress that even RINOs listen to American voters, will rein in Biden’s more dangerous behaviors, whether in matters of policy or speech.

. . ." Every time Biden opens his mouth, America’s enemies (and there are many) must lick their chops, while America’s allies (and there are a diminishing number) must shake in their boots. It is to be hoped that a successful midterm election, giving Republicans such a decisive hold on Congress that even RINOs listen to American voters, will rein in Biden’s more dangerous behaviors, whether in matters of policy or speech.". . .

Barack Obama: Still a Racial Incendiary

Larry Elder


"Former President Barack Obama recently gave a speech in which he attacked the critics of "identity politics." At the June Copenhagen Democracy Summit Obama said: "I have little sympathy for reactionaries who cynically condemn identity politics or cancel culture when really all they're doing is trying to preserve existing privilege or excuse entrenched injustice, or bigotry. I mean, the original identity politics is racism and sexism and homophobia. That's nothing if not identity politics, and it's done a lot more harm than some tweet from an aggrieved liberal."

"Reactionaries"?

"Yes, that would be the same Obama who burst on the national scene by giving a rafter-ringing keynote speech at the Boston 2004 DNC convention where he denounced identity politics. Then-Illinois state Sen. Obama said: "There are those who are preparing to divide us, the spin masters and negative ad peddlers who embrace the politics of anything goes. Well, I say to them tonight, there's not a liberal America and a conservative America -- there's the United States of America. There's not a black America and white America and Latino America and Asian America; there's the United States of America. The pundits like to slice-and-dice our country into red states and blue states; red states for Republicans, blue states for Democrats. But I've got news for them, too. ... We are one people, all of us pledging allegiance to the stars and stripes, all of us defending the United States of America."' . . .

Wednesday, July 13, 2022

There's got to be lots of Biden buyer's remorse out there now

 American Thinker


The Biden administration has been a disaster from day one.  All sentient persons know it, even those in deep denial.

Before Biden became president, our economy was humming along, as it usually does.  To keep it working well, the main requirement was to keep out of its way and to keep bureaucrats and politicians in check.  Joe Biden did the exact opposite and we're all paying an enormous price for it.

The millions of Americans who voted for Biden cannot be surprised about how it's turned out.  Joe Biden had a fifty-year history of being an embarrassingly incompetent and corrupt politician.  His voters were willfully blind to that reality.  How many of them lament voting for him?

Anyone who voted for Biden-Harris enabled this disaster.  We are now saddled with two and a half more years of deliberate damage done by this administration.  The policy choices made thus far have been so harmful that even Democrats are looking for ways out.  However, there is no obvious way to end the destruction until 2024, thirty months from now.  A President Harris would just be more of the same.

Democrats and the media pretend there's still a possibility that Biden will run for a second term.  There is no way that will happen, but they have to go through the motions so as to keep him from being a lame duck this early in his first term.


Democrats ought to be furious at their party leaders, and many of them are.  Those leaders are responsible for Biden and Harris being in the White House.  Joe Biden was supposedly the best they had.  But he has been the worst president in our country's history, and all the other candidates would have been just as bad or worse....

There's No Way Joe Biden Survives This: Democrats Must Jettison Him BEFORE Midterm Season Heats Up

 

""As the Hunter Biden story continues to explode in scandal and scope, it’s becoming  to hide. Even if Fake News and Big Tech keep up their efforts to suppress it, it’s so vast and egregious that it’s going to erupt into a campaign issue in the fall — and Democrats can’t have that.

I previously predicted that party handlers would keep Biden in place until after the midterm elections, then use him as a sop for all the Democrat’s failure vibes before jettisoning him ahead of the 2024 election season. But now, I don’t think they can wait that long: Hunter’s laptop and iPhone disaster is ballooning out of control.

Ordinarily, we on the right would disregard a story like Hunter Biden’s leaked videos and communications because it’s too perfect. It’s got everything: hookers, drugs, dysfunction, and massive Biden family corruption straight up to the top. It validates everything the right has been saying so perfectly, it simply has to be fake. But, no: it’s real.

Besides being the juiciest trove of First Family dirt ever imagined, the scandal involves actionable evidence of crime, corruption, and compromise of the sitting President. Thus, Biden’s tenancy in the White House cannot stand, and there’s no way Democrats are going to leave him in office until Republicans gain control of the Congressional committees — impeachment and removal would be the least of their problems at that point. Their party’s reputation would be in the toilet for a generation.

Democrats are going to have to make their move before then, because picture campaign ads like this running in all the major markets this fall:

Tuesday, July 12, 2022

Mother Arrested in Police Raid at Home for Calling Transgender 'Man' on Twitter

Neon Nettle

Transgender 'activist' Stephanie Hayden complained to police
 that someone used their 'birth name' on Twitter. "their"?

"A mother was arrested in front of her three children during a police raid on her home after she "misgendered" and born-male transgender woman by calling them a "man" on Twitter.

"Kate Scottow was thrown in a jail cell for seven hours after three police officers raided her home in Hertfordshire, UK, seizing her laptop and smartphone.

"The 38-year-old mom of three from Hitchin was later questioned at a police station about an argument with transgender "activist" Stephanie Hayden on Twitter over so-called "deadnaming," which is when a person is referred to as their birth name rather than the name they choose to identify with.

"Mrs. Scottow had her photograph, DNA, and fingerprints taken following her arrest and remains under investigation by Hertfordshire Police for linking Hayden to a "former male identity.". . .

Saying Men Can’t Be Pregnant Is Now Violence Too…    Video