Sunday, February 19, 2023

Why Is Pete Buttigieg Allowed To Keep Failing Upward?

 The Federalist


. . ."Now the secretary of transportation is both a political celebrity and someone immune to meaningful criticism over our country’s transportation failures — and there have been many.  

"Though the left rarely misses an opportunity to announce that “the adults are back in charge,” Buttigieg’s failures suggest otherwise. His highlight reel at the Department of Transportation includes a supply-chain crisis punctuated with a personal leave, flight system disruptions that stranded millions of travelers and temporarily grounded all U.S. flights, rail strikes, and a series of horrific train derailments. On Main Street, people get fired for far less.

"Plucked from obscurity as mayor of a struggling Rust Belt city, Buttigieg found himself among the leading Democratic presidential candidates in 2020; he even won the Iowa caucuses. Biden, who considers the former mayor a future party star, awarded him a cabinet post. It defies logic.

"Where logic fails, leftist dogma can fill in some of the gaps. Buttigieg will continue checking the “first gay ___” box as far as he climbs the ladder. In the current manifestation of the Democratic Party, which selects and rejects candidates over such identity trifles, it is a powerful weapon in his arsenal. Any honest reflection on his meteoric political rise must consider identity factors. Ask incisive questions next time you meet someone who admits to being a 2020 Buttigieg supporter. It is an instructional exercise in today’s political environment.". . .

Gigi Sohn: Sen. J.D. Vance Puts Biden’s Nominee For FCC Commissioner On FULL BLAST For ‘Racialized Rhetoric’

"If confirmed, Sohn will become the first openly gay FCC commissioner. She and her wife Laura have been married since 2008." UK Daily Mail 

 K. Walker  "We all know that none of that racist B.S. would fly if it went the other way as Sen. Vance so beautifully pointed out. Somehow these race-obsessed leftists don’t even see their own bigotry as bigotry. It’s nice to have it tossed in their smug faces while they have to sit there indignantly. It’s especially nice when it’s done with decorum and finesse as Senator Vance did."...


ClashDaily's Associate Editor since August 2016. Self-described political junkie, anti-Third Wave Feminist, and a nightmare to the 'intersectional' crowd. Mrs. Walker has taken a stand against 'white privilege' education in public schools. She's also an amateur Playwright, former Drama teacher, and staunch defender of the Oxford comma. Follow her humble musings on Twitter: @TheMrsKnowItAll and on Gettr @KarenWalker

. . .Gigi Sohn, President Biden's pick for a vacant seat on the Federal Communications Commission, is a proud member of a nonprofit that wants to uphold sex work online, and which honors sex workers including a dominatrix who boasts about urinating on people's faces. . . 

Cruz throws down with radical Biden nominee who tweeted: ‘Fox News plays a role in destroying democracy’ (bizpacreview.com) . . ."Then Cruz asked her an obvious question and her reply stretches credulity to the limits of belief.
" 'Can I ask you one final question? Is MSNBC very, very close to the Biden administration?” the conservative asked.
“ ' haven’t the slightest idea. I don’t watch it,” Sohn snapped back.
“ 'You don’t watch MSNBC?” Cruz asked, obviously not believing her claim in the least.
“I do not, I don’t watch CNN either. I listen to NPR. Honestly, I don’t,” she responded.
"At one point during the hearing, Senator Cruz asserted, “Ms. Sohn portrays herself as a defender of free speech, but she has a history of campaigning to censor conservatives. She calls Fox News, quote, ‘dangerous to our democracy.’ And has urged the FCC to revoke Sinclair’s broadcast licenses.”
“To Ms. Sohn, it seems that conservative speech is worse than obscenity,” he claimed.". . .



. . ."This new reality makes the Biden administration’s nomination of Gigi Sohn to the FCC all the more troubling given her track record of disregard for our sensitive secrets and outright hostility to intellectual property, which could dangerously empower America’s enemies namely Russia and China, if she is confirmed.  She is an utterly inappropriate choice, and the administration should withdraw her nomination straight away.

"Unauthorized release of classified information is a federal crime in the United States, and over the last decade, two significant leaks of government information carried out by NSA contractor Edward Snowden and Army private Chelsea Manning have directly undermined the safety of the American people as sensitive information enabled our adversaries to target U.S. soldiers and our allies in Afghanistan. The senior-most military leaders in our country — serving under Presidents from both parties — have testified as much to the U.S. Congress. 

"The Snowden and Manning leaks should be front and center again as Ms. Sohn’s nomination is considered because she serves as a board member and champion of the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), which has been outspokenly supportive of her nomination. ". . . 

The buck stops...with the previous guy

  Silvio Canto, Jr.

Why do the Biden administration's people engage in these lies? First, they know that the media won't challenge them.  The journalists have been on a long "siesta" since Biden took over. Second, and more seriously, the "Biden-istas" don't know what they are doing.


"It has happened before.  In other words, the current president will blame his predecessor for this or that.  However, I don't remember someone doing it in his third year or to this degree.

The Biden administration has a "Trump" for everything.  Let's look at five of their excuses in this article from Ben Whedon:

President Joe Biden, however, has time and again sought to sidestep the weighty burden of history through the simple expedient of passing the buck for presidential choices gone awry to his predecessor.

With Biden's job approval rating remaining well underwater, his administration is redoubling efforts to blame its perceived failures on former President Trump — a practice dating back to its botched withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021 and stretching right up to the present, with its much-panned responses to the Chinese spy balloon and the Ohio toxic train derailment.

"Let's look deeper:

1) Blame the Ohio derailment on Trump executive orders.  Not true — but they had two years to reverse them if the rules were so dangerous to rail safety.

2) Balloons flew over us when Trump was president.  No one in the Trump administration remembers, and I guarantee you that some bureaucrat would have leaked it to his favorite newsman if so.  They leaked everything else.

3) Inflation was here when I got here.  Well, inflation was here at 1.4%, and it’s a lot higher now.

4) Trump left us a chaotic border.  This is so absurd that it makes you wonder how they can say it with a straight face.

5) Trump made me get out of Afghanistan the way we did.  Why didn't Trump do it when he was president?  He wanted to get out but understood that it was important to leave correctly.

One trip to the border and Kevin McCarthy can only say 'no amnesty'

 Monica Showalter  "House Speaker Kevin McCarthy is thought to be soft on a number of issues, but so far, he's shown a lot of backbone.

"We see that now, with his trip to the border, according to Fox Digital:

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy on Thursday again ruled out any form of

Donkey Hotey
amnesty for illegal immigrants already in the U.S., after the Biden administration renewed calls for an inclusion of a pathway to citizenship as part of any immigration deal.

McCarthy spoke to Fox News during his visit to the border in Arizona. He was asked about past statements he has made where he has ruled out any form of pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants as part of an immigration deal. On Thursday he reiterated that stance.

"That is the case, because you can't have immigration reform without first securing the border," he said. "How can you trust? You find people coming one after another and when you ask them why they’ll tell you ‘the president told me to come.’"

The Biden administration and congressional Democrats have called for citizenship for millions of illegal immigrants as part of a reform to fix what they say is a broken immigration system.

"While he's actually always been against amnesty, he underscored pretty well what he learned on that border trip, that the border is out of control and illegals are rolling in for taxpayer benefits and to benefit Democrats as voters.

"It came as new amnesty noises are being heard from Washington.

"According to a different story on Fox Digital:". . .

The Left Is Willing to Bankrupt America for Climate Change

 I just feel these people with their record of oppression and violence cannot be believed. TD


The American Spectator

Like the most intolerant zealots of the past, they believe they have the only truth and will override forcibly all who contradict them.

“The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of blessings. The inherent virtue of Socialism is the equal sharing of miseries.”
— Winston Churchill, House of Commons, Oct. 22, 1945

 . . ."Replacing all gasoline-powered cars with electric vehicles won’t be enough to prevent the world from overheating. So people will have to give up their cars.… Progressives’ dirty little secret is that everyone will have to make do with much less—fewer cars, smaller houses and yards, and a significantly lower standard of living.

As Finley makes clear, that is only the beginning of the problem. To replace your gas heating and stoves with electric and to junk all internal combustion cars and trucks is far beyond the power of our grid to generate or deliver. And on top of that, we have the catastrophists’ urgent demand to replace all fossil fuel power generation without the use of nuclear power. That in turn creates a necessity to build up a battery-storage capacity that is capable of smoothing out the immense dips in wind power that come with every calm day and the even greater dips in solar power that come with every night and every overcast day.

"Even supposing that were practically possible to some degree, the catastrophists are facing the fact that tripling the output of batteries would require a green imperialism that would exploit the environment and cheap labor of places like Congo for cobalt and lithium and other elemental needs that we are unwilling to dig closer to the power centers of the ruling class of the Green Empire.

"There don’t seem to be material solutions that can do what the first easy ad campaign of the climate catastrophists sold us on. It is becoming apparent that it is going to take more than EVs to green the planet.

"For the catastrophists, at least the ones still thinking, it is clear that there is no technology that can deliver what they require in time to deal with the doom they believe is imminent.

"So, what should we do? Their emerging suggestion is: Do what our grandparents did — do without.". . .

On the one hand, you can't expect to endlessly dump toxic chemicals into the air and water without expecting harmful environmental repercussions. On the other, what began as common sense anti-pollution and conservation efforts decades ago has morphed in its own religion where Mother Earth is worshipped and man is viewed as the anti-Christ. The Reign of Error of the Eco-Nazis must be stopped.

The lies government will tell to force green energy 

 . . ."And now we see how little they care about actual pollution, and an actual threat to the people, with a massive chemical spill in Ohio.  They see the fish dying and the chemicals in the water, but they tell the people the water is safe. 

"I bet the people in this town are comfortable with coal plants and gas-powered vehicles.  Biden and Mayor Pete haven't even cared enough to visit.  Maybe Kerry, Gates, Obama, and Gore can fly in on their private jets to warn them about climate change and to watch their carbon footprint.

"Of course the same people that talk about the existential threat of natural resources spread multiple lies about COVID and silenced anyone who dared disagree with the dictatorial edicts. 

"Is it any wonder that the people have so little trust in big government and in the media establishment that promotes its policies?". . . 

Comment to this post: The arrogance of elites betrays them: There is no God but there is "climate change" and CO2 is their devil and they can control the environment. We should give them more billion$$$$$. Yet all they give us is death, inflation, drugs, fear, disease, and despair. Leftists are those who never "received a love of the truth." 


Rare Footage Documents Queen Elizabeth's Coming of Age During Second World War

Youtube    "Rare archive footage tells the story of a young Princess Elizabeth's 'coming of age' during the Second World War. As the Commonwealth endures the coronavirus pandemic, the Queen has made comparisons between the current crisis and the hardship of the war years.

"Elizabeth was just 13 when war broke out in 1939, but went on to become the first female member of the royal family to serve in the armed forces in 1945. "Fascinating video clips chart her growing role in the war effort, from her first radio broadcast addressing child evacuees in 1940, to her appearance on the balcony of Buckingham Palace during the VE Day celebrations in 1945. "Not everyone knows the full extent of Elizabeth's role in the final year of the war. The heir presumptive was granted a commission as an honorary second subaltern in the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) on 24 February 1945. During her service, the princess learned how to repair vehicle engines as a mechanic in her unit. "The monarch’s position as a driver and mechanic during the war is being explored in a documentary airing at 9pm on Wednesday 22 April on ITV, titled Our Queen at War."

Saturday, February 18, 2023

West Coast, Messed Coast™ : The Complete and Utter Failure of 'No Bail' for Criminals

Victoria Taft

Excerpt from this post below:

. . ."How’s No Bail Working Out for You?

"Our first stop on the West Coast, Messed Coast™ report takes us to California, whose cadre of George Soros-bankrolled district attorneys and their fellow travelers in the Democrat super-majority legislature have tripled the violent crime rate since “no bail” rules went into effect. That was a lot for just one sentence, so you may wish to go back and review it.

"A study commissioned by Yolo County District Attorney Jeff Reisig found that suspects “released without bail were rearrested on 163% more charges than those who posted bail, and they reoffended 70% more often.” The net effect? “Violent crime tripled and felony offenses nearly doubled.”

"What are you looking at? Your safety isn’t important, California’s woke Left seems to be saying.

"No bail has been an utter failure if — and it’s a big if — one counts public safety as a goal.

Irony Alert

"The case of stupid hanging over the West Coast, Messed Coast™ like an odiferous miasma has settled over Washington state, where mental health big shots and the Department of Corrections are busily planning to release the worst of the worst sex perverts from McNeil Island into neighborhood homes, as I previously reported. McNeil Island is where these unfixables are sent after their prison terms have expired.

"Parents of children who wait for the school bus across the street from the Tenino-area residential property that will house a handful of the Washington state’s unfixable sex criminals have filled inboxes and town halls with outrage, fighting for their children’s safety. A daycare is ensconced nearby.  No matter.". . .

Even The Obama Team Is Slamming Biden For Corruption

Shaub went on to say that he is “happy” that Attorney General Merrick Garland hired Robert Hur as a special counsel to look into Biden, but he asserted that it is “unlikely” that Biden is “at risk of any of the legal repercussions.”

The Bearded Patriot  "President Joe Biden was criticized by Walter Shaub, the Obama administration’s ethics chief, on Tuesday for unlawfully holding onto secret information.

"Shaub claimed that Biden showed a “inexcusable ignorance of the most fundamental security protocols.” Yet Shaub compared former President Donald Trump to Biden in order to diminish the gravity of his acts.

"“Biden’s own retention of secret records indicates an appalling violation of the most fundamental security measures,” Shaub said to Fox News. “It’s nothing like Trump’s purposeful refusal to release classified records ordered by the National Archives.”

"In addition, Shaub criticized the White House for keeping secret the second finding of classified documents, those at Biden’s private residence in Wilmington, Delaware, even though the White House had previously disclosed the discovery of those records at Biden’s private office in Washington.

" The first batch of records was purportedly found by Biden’s private counsel on November 2, and the second on December 20. But they forgot to mention the second when they revealed the first last Monday.". . .

Friday, February 17, 2023

Three Cheers for Lib Defectors

Laura Hollis   "Conservative journalists, commentators and on-air talent have been working for years to break the stranglehold that the Left has on the media, and therefore news and culture. They have made remarkable strides, and their impact is growing every day.

"More recently, a less-frequently discussed but equally notable phenomenon has been taking place. Over the past few years, a notable number of left-wing authors have broken ranks with their comrades in pursuit of a work environment free of the censorship and bias that has been throttling real reporting.

"Bari Weiss left The New York Times, moved to Substack, and then founded a new online newsletter called The Free Press that features writers of a variety of political persuasions. Glenn Greenwald was one of the co-founders of The Intercept, created purportedly in response to a perceived need for independent journalism. Greenwald subsequently left The Intercept, citing editorial censorship; he, too, moved to Substack. Michael Shellenberger, who used to describe himself as a progressive, wrote a scathing piece for Forbes magazine in 2019, criticizing so-called progressive policies in California that were contributing to the homelessness crisis in that state. Shellenberger has since authored two bestselling books, "Apocalypse Never" and "San Fransicko," exposing the deceit and damage inflicted by the environmental and homelessness policies espoused by the Left. Matt Taibbi was once a contributing editor for Rolling Stone magazine. He now publishes his popular online newsletter, The Racket, via Substack.

"Greenwald has become a relentless critic of American media, newly popular on the Right and now loathed by the Left. Weiss, Taibbi and Shellenberger have also made themselves personae non grata on the Left by helping Twitter's new owner Elon Musk reveal the extent of the censorship that was taking place in the social media behemoth. Twitter's former executives — often at the behest of Democrat operatives in government — were falsely labeling political conservatives as Russian operatives, suppressing truthful but damaging information about Joe Biden and his son Hunter in the run-up to the 2020 presidential election, and shutting down the accounts of anyone with questions or information that ran counter to the "official narrative" about the origin of the COVID-19 pandemic, alternative treatment protocols, the efficacy of masks or the risks of vaccines.". . .

I suggest the tracks be replaced by a pipeline

 


Buttigieg Blames Trump for Ohio Train Derailment but Leaves Out One Inconvenient Detail  . . ."He somehow failed to mention, however, that the Trump administration ended two years ago — and that he and his fellow Democrats have had every chance to rectify the situation if they really believed it would cause an accident like this.". . .

. . ."However, an official from his own administration called these statements “misinformation.” Buttigieg referred to a “braking rule” but the rule had already been dismantled by Trump in 2018.". . .

Looking for a cabinet member named Pete  . . ."I'm not mocking the job but only pointing out that this is not supposed to be a controversial post.  Of course, that was before a fellow named Pete Buttigieg got the job because he met certain criteria in the "identity politics" section.  In the old days, people got cabinet jobs because they had certain expertise in their areas.  In this administration, it's all about clicking boxes, e.g., just check out the press secretary.". . .


The Babylon Bee won't let this pass:  Pete Buttigieg Celebrates 24 Hours Without A Train Derailment   
The Transportation Secretary was clear, however, that his work is still not done. "We still have a long way to go," he continued. "Clearly, some trains are racist, and we must stop them. Some train tracks are still racist, and we must dismantle them and then rebuild them using construction workers of color. I am gay."
. . ."At publishing time, Buttigieg had decided to delay his presidential campaign announcement until everyone forgets about this whole thing.". . .


Don Lemon Utters 'Dumbest Thing Ever Said on CNN' - And Hilariously Cites Google as His Source

Google: the most trusted name in news.

 Western Journal   "CNN’s Don Lemon made a belittling comment about women on his low-rated morning show Thursday and cited Google as his source.

"In today’s society, overt sexism is not generally tolerated. In Lemon’s case, we can probably assume his comment was made with confidence and without fear of repercussion because he checks off enough diversity boxes.

"In any event, Lemon’s short tenure as a co-host of “CNN This Morning” has been an unmitigated disaster. The calamity continued unabated on Thursday as the dedicated left-wing activist took on a new enemy: women older than 40.

"As he discussed Nikki Haley’s presidential bid in relation to her comments on some of America’s elected officials being too old, he implied the former UN ambassador and South Carolina governor is over the hill.". . .

Magical Thinking at the New York Times

 Ann Coulter

It's understandable that the very same news outlets fanning the flames of anti-police hysteria in the wake of Floyd's martyrdom -- directly responsible for the deaths of thousands of black people -- would want to shift blame to "The Pandemic." But witch doctors have more empirical evidence for their diagnoses than the Times does for its repeated pronouncements that the pandemic caused violent crime. Ann Coulter

"Ancient primitives -- or as we now call them, "Indigenous people whose land we stole" -- believed in talismans, voodoo, rain dances and other versions of "A preceded B, so A caused B." Today, we consider such reasoning classic fallacy. Except at The New York Times.

"First, you need to understand that the Times is no longer a newspaper, but more of a shaman. The paper used to report news. Anyone reading it for information these days might as well pull into a gas station and expect the nice man in a crisp white shirt to dash out and pump his gas.

"Much like a Starfish tuna factory, the news comes in, then has to be cleaned, chopped up, soaked in oil and tightly packed into a tin can. If you peered into the Times' back room, you'd find hundreds of woke scriveners repacking the news to fit the narrative.

"Second, an urgent cleanup operation was needed to explain the paroxysm of violence that followed 2020's anti-cop mania pushed at places like the Times. It simply could not stand to have people imagine that revering criminals while anathematizing the police would have any effect on the crime rate.

"No, that wouldn't do. The facts had to be retrofitted into an alternative narrative. What was the best backup explanation? The pandemic!

"Attributing the massive crime wave to the pandemic solved two problems that would have arisen had the Times simply reported the facts: the upsurge in black crime, and the Times' active encouragement of such.". . .