Monday, November 2, 2020

By Their Own CRITERIA, Democrats Are The Ones UNDERMINING American Democracy

 Socio-Political Journal

The Democratic Party’s policies and tactics since Trump’s 2016 nomination are, almost to a letter, right out of leftist Harvard professors' litmus test for detecting assaults on democracy


"Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt, professors of government at Harvard University, issued an ominous warning for the United States in 2018 in their book “How Democracies Die.” Today, democracies are more likely to perish due to the insidious erosion of fundamental democratic institutions at the hands of elected leaders than as a result of a dramatic coup. If the United States were to experience a democratic crisis, it would most likely begin at the ballot box.

"While the book clearly displays the left’s obsession with President Donald Trump’s alleged authoritarian tendencies, the authors concede that the president hasn’t really broken any democratic rules. Democracy and its institutions remain intact under Trump.

"The book’s real albeit unintended takeaway is the disturbing extent to which the Democratic Party’s policies and tactics since Trump’s 2016 nomination are, almost to a letter, right out of the authors’ litmus test for detecting assaults on democracy. The use of the pandemic to justify gross violations of civil liberties, threats of a court-packing scheme, the persistent and fanciful Russian collusion narrative, the failure to condemn Antifa and Black Lives Matter violence, and media-tech silence, suppression, and censorship don’t just raise red flags; they sound so fearful an alarm that, at this point, only the willfully deaf are refusing to take heed.

"Levitsky and Ziblatt warn that although America’s institutions are robust, citizens must not take democracy for granted. Political parties should avoid stoking the flames of authoritarianism by making devil’s bargains with radical elements, both within the party or with extremist outsiders, to secure electoral victory.

"The authors propose four indicators for discerning undemocratic trends. Predictably, they argue Trump checks every box. But the claims rely heavily on off-color banter from campaign rallies that never translated into policy, as well as Trump’s allegations of media dishonesty and potential electoral fraud that have ended up being more perspicacious than authoritarian.

"In any case, the authors have admitted Trump has not been much of a dictator. If you apply the behavioral warning signs to the Democratic Party, however, the results are uncanny." . . .

Muslim terrorist attack on synagogue in Austria, several dead

 BareNakedIslam   "There was an attack against the Seitenstettengasse synagogue in the Austrian capital of Vienna, Krone reported. The Austrian Foreign Ministry confirmed that it was a terrorist attack. Several shots are said to have been fired near Schwedenplatz area of Vienna."

"Greek City Times (h/t Mano) Austrian police said that “Currently there is a major police operation in the Inneren Stadt. According to the Interior Ministry, apparently at least one perpetrator was arrested. A police officer is also said to have been shot and seriously injured.

Several shots were fired and one of the perpetrators is said to have blown himself up with an explosive belt. Jewish residents being urged to stay in their homes.
A video is currently circulating on Twitter showing the police in action and gunshots can also be heard. 
"Greek City Times (h/t Mano) Austrian police said that “Currently there is a major police operation in the Inneren Stadt. According to the Interior Ministry, apparently at least one perpetrator was arrested. A police officer is also said to have been shot and seriously injured.
"Several shots were fired and one of the perpetrators is said to have blown himself up with an explosive belt. Jewish residents being urged to stay in their homes.
A video is currently circulating on Twitter showing the police in action and gunshots can also be heard." . . .

Texas Police Blame Incompetent Biden Supporter For Running Into a Trump Supporter's Pickup

 RedState  "Over the weekend, the Biden campaign, showing the courage that is sure to get the United States carpet-bombed should he be elected president on Tuesday, cancelled several campaign stops in Texas. The campaign was doing that perennial head fake that is called “turning Texas Blue” for the profoundly stupid who populate the ranks of Democrat true believers. Texas is not turning anything but Red in 2020 and everyone knows that. Why the campaign showed the white feather, so to speak, is more interesting. The Biden campaign bus, affectionately known as the Pudding and Sweet Cheeks Express to party faithful, was shadowed throughout Texas by a Trump pickup truck caravan.

"While being safely escorted by an impenetrable wall of pickups driven by actual men…something that set hearts aflutter among all of Biden’s staffers…one car driven by a Biden loyalist tried to force a pro-Trump pickup off the road. That did not work out well." . . .


After Texas car stunt, Biden crybabies call in the FBI

The FBI is investigating this car stunt while all the evidence of Hunter Biden's national sellouts of influence to the red Chinese goes unbusted? Hope like anything these people never get power.

 Some Texas-style humor prompts Karen-style howls from Biden campaign

Analysis: Trump Campaign Numbers Headed into Election Day

 

RedState  "Bill Stepien, Trump Campaign Manager, took to Twitter today to boast of Trump’s chances for election day.  Trump has cut or completely erased many of the leads Biden held as of the middle of October, drawing to statistical dead heats in several polls including Georgia, Florida, and others.  While I don’t think the media polls mean much at this point considering that a huge number of Dems have already voted, I simply use those numbers as proof that even the media sees what is potentially coming.
. . . 
"Two extremely true parts of the above two tweets. Not only is Trump riding a huge wave of momentum into election day, but Democrats watching this have been losing their minds.  All of the pollsters who predicted a Biden landslide are hedging more than an Atlanta Falcons fan at the end of the 3rd quarter (sorry Atlanta Falcons fans!). As I have discussed in numerous prior pieces, Democrats had to run the score up in the first half of the game to weather the massive turnout from the right on Election Day.  That, it appears, didn’t happen." . . .

How Trump threw Obama off his game

Don Surber  . . . "But Donald John Trump knew what he was doing in 2011, when he resurrected birtherism. He was poking Obama to see how he would react. 

"Obama lost his cool.

"At the annual White House Correspondents Association dinner, Obama ripped into Donald Trump.

"From his seat at the Washington Post table, Donald Trump observed and smiled. Obama had taken the bait.

"I don't know if President Trump knew this at the time, but 20 years earlier, Obama as a law student had ripped into him. In a paper, Obama wrote, "[Americans have] a continuing normative commitment to the ideals of individual freedom and mobility, values that extend far beyond the issue of race in the American mind. The depth of this commitment may be summarily dismissed as the unfounded optimism of the average American — I may not be Donald Trump now, but just you wait; if I don't make it, my children will."
. . . 
"Kelly's column ended, "Barack Obama knows that if Joe Biden is defeated, the loss will represent another repudiation of the Obama-Biden reign. Obama’s presence on the campaign trail isn’t really about helping his bestie win the White House, it’s about saving face. And if Donald Trump wins, no other political figure will have done more political damage to the man most presidential historians consider the most gifted politician of modern times.

"That’s not exactly the legacy Barack Obama has in mind."

Sunday, November 1, 2020

Maxine Waters Calls Black Trump Voters 'Shameful,' Says She Will 'Never Ever Forgive Them'

PJ Media  . . . “ 'I don’t even know where any blacks would be coming from that would be voting for Trump,” she said. “It just hurts me so bad to see blacks talking about supporting Trump. I don’t know why they would be doing it. I don’t know why it is on their minds.”

"Waters also seemed to express a lack of confidence in the polls. “But if we don’t turn out this vote and turn it out huge, this man could end up winning again,” she said. “This country would go backward. The divisiveness that this deplorable human being has caused, the confrontation, the dog-whistling to the right-wing, the white supremacists, the KKK, and they are coming alive. They are emboldened because they have a leader.”

“ 'He’s a racist,” Waters continued. “He does not have any appreciation for black people and black women in particular.”

"That’s amusing, considering he’s done more for black America that the first black president, Barack Obama, ever did.

“He talked about us so bad. He talked about John Lewis so bad. He talked about Cummings so bad. He has no respect for us,” she continued, apparently equating the criticism of any black person for any reason to being racist by default. Apparently we’re supposed to pretend that John Lewis and Elijah Cummings served their poor, crime-ridden districts well?

"Of course, Waters wasn’t finished. “He is not doing anything for us. For those black young men “I don’t even know where any blacks would be coming from that would be voting for Trump,” she said. “It just hurts me so bad to see blacks talking about supporting Trump. I don’t know why they would be doing it. I don’t know why it is on their minds.”

Waters also seemed to express a lack of confidence in the polls. “But if we don’t turn out this vote and turn it out huge, this man could end up winning again,” she said. “This country would go backward. The divisiveness that this deplorable human being has caused, the confrontation, the dog-whistling to the right-wing, the white supremacists, the KKK, and they are coming alive. They are emboldened because they have a leader.”

“He’s a racist,” Waters continued. “He does not have any appreciation for black people and black women in particular.”

"That’s amusing, considering he’s done more for black America that the first black president, Barack Obama, ever did.

“He talked about us so bad. He talked about John Lewis so bad. He talked about Cummings so bad. He has no respect for us,” she continued, apparently equating the criticism of any black person for any reason to being racist by default. Apparently we’re supposed to pretend that John Lewis and Elijah Cummings served their poor, crime-ridden districts well?

"Of course, Waters wasn’t finished. “He is not doing anything for us. For those black young men."

"Like many Democrats, Maxine Waters is scared of independent-thinking black voters who don’t automatically support the Democratic Party that has failed them for decades. Polls have shown that Trump’s support amongst African Americans has gone up during his presidency, and could make the difference on Election Day." . . .

CNN Mourns ACB Confirmation By Flying Chinese Flag At Half-Mast

Babylon Bee


"ATLANTA, GA—CNN is in mourning today after the confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett to the U.S. Supreme Court. To recognize this momentous tragedy, CNN President Jeff Zucker has announced that the majestic flag of the People's Republic of China will be flown at half-mast for the remainder of the day.

"This is a dark, dark day for our democracy," sobbed CNN anchor Don Lemon. "It's so, so very dark that democracy might be dead already. What must China think of us? They are probably so embarrassed for us because the Republicans are mean and hypocritical and our Constitution is the worst."

"All CNN employees will also observe a full minute of silence at noon to recognize the darkness of this dismally dark day for our democracy. They will also light candles for RBG and wear sackcloth-- which is normally against dress code but will be permitted for today only since it's such a dark day.

"Our only hope now is to elect President Kamala Harris and pack the courts," said Brian Stelter. "May the spirit of President Xi and RBG be with us.' "

Why the Left Is Mad about the Supreme Court


National Review

Justice Amy Coney Barrett is not the primary reason for their agitation.

"When Joe Biden finally answered, after several weeks of hemming and hawing, whether he would indulge the recently revived left-wing fantasy of adding justices to the Supreme Court, it was revealing. And not simply in the way that his response — “to put together a national . . . bipartisan commission” some months after Election Day — betrayed his decades as a political creature. (Have a problem? Form a “commission.”) For although this response has come to be seen as a kind of demurral, Biden still maintained that the Supreme Court was “out of whack.”

"This is, in essence, the same belief held by others on the left, amplified during the confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court. Here as in other things, Biden seems to differ from the left primarily tactically, sharing many of its ends but aware that some of them — and some of its preferred means, such as Court-packing — are unpopular. But there remains the shared contention that what President Trump and Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell have accomplished in placing three “conservative” appointees on the Supreme Court in one presidential term remains somehow illegitimate.

"Superficially, this almost certainly proceeds from a sense on the left that they got played. Ignoring arguments of precedent, and the fact that, while McConnell undoubtedly played hardball, he did so well within his constitutional powers, many liberals are simply aggrieved at conservative political victories. And it is their right to be so aggrieved; goodness knows the Right has felt the same way under different circumstances. But that many on the left prefer to respond by seeking to dramatically alter the century-and-a-half-old configuration of the Supreme Court — something not even FDR could do as president — suggests something deeper is at play" . . .

Obsession: How the Media Keep Us Ignorant

 


Intellectual Takeout   
"Many people of all political persuasions, including myself, find much of the mainstream news opinionated and biased. Negative media coverage of President Trump, for example, ran as high as 99 percent in May. 

"This slanted news does serious damage to our republic. It’s divisive, but it also causes
ignorance. Two days ago, I met a man in his mid-30s who gave me a blank look when I mentioned the scandal surrounding Hunter Biden’s hard drive. When I asked another woman, a Democrat, what she thought about the possibility of Joe Biden having dementia, she had no idea what I meant.

"But there is a threat to an informed citizenry as great as prejudicial reporting: negligence. The MSM not only keeps us in the dark by their bigotry and their deliberate omission of certain stories, but also by their inability to broaden their reporting.

"Since January, the media has focused continually on the pandemic sweeping the globe. They’ve battered us with statistics, with terrible stories of nursing home deaths, and with arrests made when a church or business opened, news seasoned with the opinions of “experts.”

"The Black Lives Matter Movement with its protests and riots occasionally nudged aside the pandemic as worthy of reporting, but generally coronavirus remained front and center in the headlines. The nomination and confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court dominated the news for a few days, and with the election season, those who watch televised news find themselves now in a storm of opinions, polls, and speculations.

"Meanwhile, this hurricane of headlines has swept away events taking place around the world." . . .

How Hunter Biden became the unkempt man who left his laptop in a nondescript computer store in a Delaware shopping mall - and never returned

UK Daily Mail  "Unkempt and unshaven, the man stumbled into the nondescript computer store at a Delaware shopping mall.

"Entering The Mac Shop carrying three water-damaged computers, he approached owner John Paul MacIsaac, who later claimed that he smelled alcohol on the customer's breath.

"Mr MacIsaac was able to fix two of the machines, but the third was beyond repair. Then the customer gave his name: Hunter Biden." . . .


. . . "He decided to look at the recovered material on the laptop – which is now in the hands of the FBI as part of an investigation in which Mr MacIsaac is a material witness – and says a chill ran down his spine.

"The Mail on Sunday today reveals some of that material for the first time – exposing how the son of the man tipped to be America's next President left himself wide open to blackmail.

"Mr MacIsaac fears repercussions. 'I have everything documented. I have everything saved. But the shop is over. I won't be able to sustain my business… too many people are angry.' ". . . 

. . . "Strangely, the story got little traction in the US media. Stranger still, Twitter blocked the New York Post's account while Facebook and Google censored any mention of the article. Under pressure, they relented.

"Even when Tony Bobulinski, a former US Navy serviceman and ex-wrestling champion who was Hunter's business partner, went on Trump-supporting Fox News to confirm he had emails verifying those on the laptop, the story was largely ignored."

. . . "The Mail on Sunday today reveals some of that material for the first time – exposing how the son of the man tipped to be America's next President left himself wide open to blackmail.

"Mr MacIsaac fears repercussions. 'I have everything documented. I have everything saved. But the shop is over. I won't be able to sustain my business… too many people are angry.' " . . .

Finally, as Mr Trump fumed about the absence of media coverage for the Biden Files, the material was offered to The Mail on Sunday and MailOnline.
Twitterboss Jack Dorsey

. . . "Quizzing Twitter's chief executive Jack Dorsey during a virtual Senate hearing last week, Texas senator Ted Cruz asked: 'Who the hell elected you and put you in charge of what the media are allowed to report and what the American people are allowed to hear?' Mr Dorsey has apologised for Twitter's action and said its treatment of the New York Post story was 'unacceptable'.

"Republicans have long accused the bosses of technology companies of double standards for editing, deleting or fact-checking Mr Trump's posts while allowing harmful hate speech to remain on their services." . . .

 

Bad time for this

 Of all the times to be offline, the next few days may see the Tunnel Wall unable to be online. This evening will tell the tale. TD

A struggle against evil can be humorous

 

Genghis Gary
ome Texas-style humor prompts Karen-style howls from Biden campaign  . . . "One of them even called 911, suddenly taking a shine to the cops they otherwise want to defund.

"The hypocrisy runs thick, to start. This, after all, is the party whose candidate is endorsed by Antifa. The party of looting, rioting, and burning, the party of CHOP, the party of restaurant disruptions, the party of shooting into Trump processions, as happened in Sherman Oaks. "Get in their faces," as Rep. Maxine Waters put it, calling for mobbings of Republicans in public places. 

"Now we see the whimper of the punched bully, the acts and language of the Karen, crying victim and asking to speak to the management. (And apologies to all the nice people named 'Karen,' as a 'Monica,' I know.)" . . .

Democrats made this comparison:


. . . What it sounds like is the Bidenites were looking for an excuse to play victim. One of them calculated that there was more public relations value in claiming that a non-violent funny stunt with Trump flags fluttering around a big Biden bus like Texas swallowtails was 'dangerous' to them than holding the actual rally, which by all counts would attract only a few dozen. Much better for the Bidenites to get the national media to report on the "ambush" and play the victim and establish another phony "narrative" about the dangers of Trump supporters, than to do the actual work of campaigning." . . .

Voting Against Evil

. . . "Joe Biden, the Democrat candidate, professes to be a Roman Catholic, yet like all the other faux Catholic Democrats like Nancy Pelosi, still approves abortion on demand up to delivery. That is infanticide and pure wickedness." . . .