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End Stage Trump-Russia

Mark Noonan19 Comments

So, we had Cohen at the House today – where someone convicted of lying to Congress got to testify…which just shows how stupid this whole thing has become. I was working a bit of over time today, and so missed the hearings. When I got home to check on how it went, this stood out:

Cohen testified that he went over “topics” that Democrats would raise at today’s hearing with lead anti-Trump attack dog, Adam Schiff (D-CA), chairman of the House intelligence committee. So the substance of his testimony was coordinated with the Democratic leadership.

And that is that – he’s coordinating with the people supposedly just trying to elicit the facts of the case. That isn’t fact-finding and oversight: that is prosecution. But the House doesn’t prosecute – not even in impeachment; the House just gathers facts and, depending, refers them to trial before the Senate or to Justice for prosecution. The fact that Cohen was getting coached from the Democrat side of the aisle means that all he was doing was feeding the partisan, Democrat Narrative. Not a word of what he said can be trusted, even if he hadn’t previously lied to Congress.

I have noticed – and so have plenty of others – that the Trump-Russia thing is rapidly morphing into “Trump violated campaign finance laws by paying off women”. Lawyers would have to really decide, before a judge, if such payments were campaign finance violations. But even if they are, such things are invariably handled by fines. Personally, I don’t see them as such – even if Trump dipped into actually donated money to pay the ladies off. From what I can gather, Trump has had a lot of women shake him down for money post-interaction. What isn’t completely certain is whether he had sex with any of these claimants. Such things are difficult to prove unless there’s a third witness or forensic evidence (like a blue dress, ya dig?). Normally, people aren’t having sex a trois; so, its “he said/she said”. But if you’re a billionaire, maybe you just make the calculation that its better to pay for it to go away than to fuss about a sordid scandal in public? The ultimate outcome of the Stormy Saga indicates that Trump may be the put-upon person in all this (though it is enormously funny, still, that Stormy will be the first prostitute to ever pay a politician). If a lot of ladies, justifiably or not, were coming out of the woodwork demanding cash for silence in 2016, then in my view that would be a campaign expenditure…after all, Trump has never hid his social life; none of us were shocked to find out he might have had a dalliance with a lady of interesting background. He wasn’t paying to hide; he was paying to get rid of so he could get on with the campaign. So, campaign expenditure. Of an odd sort, to be sure; but, still.

I don’t know the Democrats’ end game here. Clearly, the large majority of the Democrat base wants Trump impeached. They are convinced that he colluded with Russia to switch votes from Hillary to himself in 2016. So, too, do a large number of Democrat House members want him impeached. Its not a matter in the House of “can they get to 2018?”. If Nancy holds a vote, I can’t see any Democrats voting against. The only question at that point would be if any GOPers would vote along with them. But I don’t see Nancy wanting to hold a vote – such an action is fraught with peril for the Democrats. I think that Nancy would only go along with it if she were assured that at least 5 Republicans in the Senate would vote to convict (this wouldn’t be enough to remove: but it would be enough to say that a bipartisan Senate majority voted to convict, and that would be enough for political purposes). If they impeach via a party-line vote and then Trump is acquitted in the Senate, that would be a disaster for the Democrats heading in to 2020. Trump would be vindicated – and the Democrats very publicly exposed as mean-spirited, hyper-partisans. OTOH, Nancy might be forced to it: the base gets more extreme every day. They might start talking up primary challenges in 2020 for House members who don’t vote to impeach.

Do keep in mind that there is a part of the GOP – rapidly shrinking but still there – which would love to go along with the Democrats in getting rid of Trump. Flake and McCain are gone…but Romney is there along with Murkowski. Cocaine Mitch, though, can probably keep his caucus in line: remember, if the House impeaches, there has to be a trial in the Senate. It isn’t up for debate: the Chief Justice comes over to preside and the Democrats make their case, then the Senate votes. And if it comes to that, absent some really solid evidence against Trump, I think McConnell will be able keep the GOP majority in line…and even a Murkowski would tread carefully, knowing that a vote to convict would make her toxic with GOP voters unless there was clear evidence of criminal behavior to justify the vote.

And so we go on with our insane times – the most law-abiding President we’ve had in ages being dragged by people who probably violate federal laws a dozen times a week…and all of it being done in service to a stupid theory cooked up by Team Hillary to explain away their loss. Just incredible.

End Stage Feminism

Mark Noonan16 Comments

A federal judge has ruled that the males-only draft is unconstitutional – which makes sense given that all combat roles are now open to women. And I hate to break it to everyone but it is either ban all women in the military, or agree to draft women if it ever comes to that. There’s no half way point here…it is simply unfair to say that one class of people who can fight are excused while another class of people aren’t. Either the entire class is in, or it is out. Shortly after I read that bit of news, this popped up in my Twitter feed:

The victories of Feminism have not really been a victory for feminine ideals or for the feminine point of view. On the contrary, it has involved the progressive invasion of the feminine side of life by masculine ideals. – Christopher Dawson

Chesterton also noted this when he pointed out that Feminism asserts that women are slaves when they serve their husbands but free when they serve their employers. The whole thing is rather ridiculous…but, here we are. Personally, I think you ladies are rather nice and when you’re doing women things, I’m impressed. Less impressed with female boxers and infantrymen. This will change – and the change, when it comes, will be extremely rapid. It’ll come right around the next serious war we get into. Don’t get me wrong: there are roles women can certainly play in today’s military – pilot and drone pilot immediately spring to mind. But jumping out of an airplane in full combat gear and then running into battle…maybe not so much. In the end, though, it has to be all or nothing: all combat, or no combat. People will have to pick.

Birth Control and Abortion

Mark Noonan18 Comments

I despise Birth-Control first because it is a weak and wobbly and cowardly word. It is also an entirely meaningless word; and is used so as to curry favour even with those who would at first recoil from its real meaning. The proceeding these quack doctors recommend does not control any birth. It only makes sure that there shall never be any birth to control. It cannot, for instance, determine sex, or even make any selection in the style of the pseudo-science of Eugenics. Normal people can only act so as to produce birth; and these people can only act so as to prevent birth. But these people know perfectly well that they dare not write the plain word Birth-Prevention, in any one of the hundred places where they write the hypocritical word Birth-Control. They know as well as I do that the very word Birth-Prevention would strike a chill into the public, the instant it was blazoned on headlines, or proclaimed on platforms, or scattered in advertisements like any other quack medicine. They dare not call it by its name, because its name is very bad advertising. Therefore they use a conventional and unmeaning word, which may make the quack medicine sound more innocuous.

Second, I despise Birth-Control because it is a weak and wobbly and cowardly thing. It is not even a step along the muddy road they call Eugenics; it is a flat refusal to take the first and most obvious step along the road of Eugenics. Once grant that their philosophy is right, and their course of action is obvious; and they dare not take it; they dare not even declare it. If there is no authority in things which Christendom has called moral, because their origins were mystical, then they are clearly free to ignore all difference between animals and men; and treat men as we treat animals. They need not palter with the stale and timid compromise and convention called Birth-Control. Nobody applies it to the cat. The obvious course for Eugenists is to act towards babies as they act towards kittens. Let all the babies be born and then let us drown those we do not like. I cannot see any objection to it; except the moral or mystical sort of objection that we advance against Birth-Prevention. And that would be real and even reasonable Eugenics; for we could then select the best, or at least the healthiest, and sacrifice what are called the unfit. By the weak compromise of Birth-Prevention, we are very probably sacrificing the fit and only producing the unfit. The births we prevent may be the births of the best and most beautiful children; those we allow, the weakest or worst. Indeed, it is probable; for the habit discourages the early parentage of young and vigorous people; and lets them put off the experience to later years, mostly from mercenary motives. Until I see a real pioneer and progressive leader coming out with a good, bold, scientific programme for drowning babies, I will not join the movement. – G K Chester, The Well and the Shallows

Always keep in mind that the people in favor of birth control – and, now, abortion – are in favor of evil, but are too cowardly to shout their evil. Except, until just recently. The “shout your abortion” people are getting to the point where they will boldly announce their support for infanticide. Remember that the most common charge leveled against witches in olden days was that they prevented the birth of children. Our modern witches are certainly in favor of that – and are only a step away from raising altars to Baal and burning children alive.

It is good, perhaps, that the liberals, starting with the disgusting “shout your abortion” movement, are taking the mask off. It is way past time that we understand that these people think of the human race as a pestilence. That they want fewer of us – or, more accurately, they want fewer of the sort of people they don’t like. You’ll never see them volunteer to off themselves to control population size. We now have a real chance to get people to understand what is really covered under the phrase “pro-choice”: an excellent bit of propaganda whereby a good-sounding phrase covers a monstrous action. But this is where it leads – this, indeed, is where the whole course of action since birth control first arose leads: to the destruction of human life. As Chesterton pointed out, what objection can you have against infanticide once you’ve asserted that there is no moral stricture against physically preventing people from getting pregnant? People laugh at the slippery slope. They laughed even a decade ago.

Anyone laughing, now? You see where this is going. You have no excuse to pretend you don’t know. It is either become Pro-Life, or participate in evil.

Open Thread

Mark Noonan16 Comments

So, Ralph Northam (D-In Deep Doo Doo) is, so far, refusing to quit after a photo was found of him either in blackface or a Klan outfit (it still isn’t clear just which of the two he was). Though rumors fly that he will quit. Some Democrats are calling for him to step down, others are standing by him…and the MSM is just furious. At us; for noticing. Banner week for the Democrats: infanticide, closet racism and Pelosi’s approval rating dropping like a rock. Best joke so far: we’re keeping Northam comfortable while we discuss whether his governorship is viable.

Meanwhile, the Democrats are starting to line up against Trump for 2020. Latest entrant: Cory Booker. T Bone could not be reached for comment.

They all seem like ill-educated clowns, to me: but, then again, maybe I’m not the right guy to judge. I’d like to think that none of them have a chance, but each of them is running because they are sure that if they get the Democrat nomination, the entirety of the global Establishment will move heaven and earth to get them elected. Against all that, we’ll have Trump and us. Who will prove the stronger? Time will tell.

I’m betting on Trump and us.

Apparently there is a lot of discounting for prescription drugs but you and I don’t get to see it: Trump wants to make it so we do. Outside the limelight, Trump and his Administration just keep working away to make things better for regular folks. He should be re-elected with 60% of the vote. If we had an honest media, he would.

Trump is also rebuilding our Navy: we just let out a contract two build two Ford Class carriers at once. The carriers are good. Saving money by building two at once is great. Best of all is the maintenance of a large, experienced workforce for such things. We get into a shooting war with a major power, we might have to replace sunk and damaged carriers in a hurry, and we’ll need the skilled people to do it.

Shortest Congressional Junket, Ever

Mark Noonan36 Comments

So Pelosi and her Congressional minions were on their way to a Congressional junket and while they were on the bus heading towards the airport, Trump cancelled the trip and they were forced to turn around and return to the Capitol.

This is the most glorious thing I’ve ever seen in politics.

Sure, the Never Trump people are in lockstep outrage with the Democrats/MSM, but no one cares what any of them think.

Tit for tat – no more letting the Democrats be nasty and no counter-fire.

Shutdown Open Thread

Mark Noonan36 Comments

Day 24 of the Government Shutdown and I still don’t care…its a challenge to see if it goes on long enough to make me care.

A lady shoots a mugger and a liberal complains about it – eventually, he boils it down: he just wants a world without violence. Count me out of such a world. Outside of Heaven, you’d only get such a world by draining out of the human race every semblance of courage, honor and willingness to take risks. Because we want people to bravely go and do things, we need courage – because we have courage, we will have people who will misuse courage. That is just human nature: some people will go bad. Only mindless, spineless slaves could live in a world without violence.

LA teachers are out on strike, demanding more money. Of course, they are always getting more and more and more money. In fact, they are awash in money. And its not like anyone is seriously demanding they produce educated children. Been decades since any parent in LA actually demanded that sort of outcome. Naturally, the liberals who govern LA are in full accord with the teachers – all they need is for the liberals who run California to extract more tax money from the ever shrinking number of middle class Californians. And, that will be done.

It is only 167 feet, but the problem is we didn’t detect this asteroid which came very close until a couple weeks before it arrived. We need a bigger budget to track these things. Of course if a really big one comes, not much we can do…but, also, we’ll pick up a really big one fairly far out. But a smaller one, big enough to kill thousands to millions, might not show up on our screens until it is far too late.

The Brexit deal failed in Parliament. I’m with those who think it deliberate – make such a bad deal that everyone unites against it…and then call for a new referendum and count on overwhelming Establishment hostility to convince a bare majority of Britons to reject Brexit.

Impeachment Talk

Mark Noonan50 Comments

New articles of impeachment have been filed in the House. I’m thinking that just about every two years someone files articles of impeachment against every President – but, most of the time, it is mere boilerplate. This time, it might have more to it. The Democrats will do everything they can to harm Trump, of course. They won’t hold back from impeachment based upon the facts of the case or simple decency: if they do it, then it is because they calculated it works best for them.

It won’t happen tomorrow. First, Mueller has to drop his report – which will have nothing, but will hint darkly at this and that horrible thing the President may have done. Then the House will hold well-televised hearings and MSNBC will have to talk shop it for a few news cycles. So, not before, say, April, at the earliest.

The Democrats have the votes to impeach – if Pelosi allows it to come to the floor, then the President will go on trial before the Senate. It is highly unlikely that Democrats will find 20 Republican Senators willing to commit political suicide by voting to remove the President. But, I don’t think that would be the Democrats real desire (they’d take it if they could get it, of course). All they’d really be hoping for is for 51 Senators to vote to convict. While that would not remove Trump from office, it would be devastating to him. The Democrat talking point would be “a majority wanted him removed from office”. Trouble is, I don’t think even Mitt Romney would go along with it. Susan Collins is up for re-election in 2020 and while she wins by attracting Democrats, she does need a united GOP to get over the top. Murkowski isn’t up until 2022, so she might be a possibility – but, once again, she’d risk a pretty ferocious backlash at home should she vote to convict Trump. Democrats would need to find four Republican Senators to get to that 51, and I just don’t see where they get the four.

And that, right there, might get Pelosi to spike any impeachment move. A Senate which voted by a majority to acquit Trump would work out to a vindication of the “witch hunt” accusation. It may boomerang very hard against Democrats – especially as they’ll have no legislative accomplishments to burnish their record heading into 2020. On the other hand, the Democrat base – which, according to polls, believes that Trump got elected because Russia switched votes in 2016 – would be quite furious if Trump isn’t impeached. The Democrats have dangled the red meat of Trump’s removal in front of their base for two years…will they be satisfied with anything less?

Personally, I think the Democrats made a strategic mistake when they followed along with the Team Hillary idea that Trump’s victory was illegitimate. They could have more effectively fought him on policy – what they’ve been fighting him on is his mere existence. His continued existence works out to defeat for the Democrats – and by not accepting him as legitimate, they’ve fairly well foreclosed any possibility of negotiating with him. They’ll have to go into 2020 without having gotten rid of Trump, and without having anything else to show for their efforts.

New Year Open Thread

Mark Noonan17 Comments

It does seem a bit weird to be in 2019. Even weirder will be next year when we enter the 20’s. Of course, less weird for the young.

I had never heard of Hasan Minhaj until just today – and I heard about him because Netflix removed an episode of his show. That isn’t important. What is important is why they removed it: because Saudi Arabia requested they do so. It appears that Minhaj has been critical of the Saudi government and that government has the power, it would seem, to reach into an American corporate boardroom and make demands.

I’ve been saying for some years now that Big Corporation is the mere flip side of Big Government. They work hand in glove. They will not attack each other. They will defend each other. One side of the Coin merely pointed out to the other than there was this guy out there attacking the Coin. We need to really make some big changes – revolutionary changes. If we don’t, we’ll soon find that the only things we’re allowed to hear are things pre-approved by the corporate and government bureaucracies.

Kanye West opens 2019 by re-affirming his support for Trump. It’ll be interesting to see how this plays out. I know some black people who want Kanye’s black card revoked…but I’m betting that they feel far more comfortable saying that than any black person would voicing support.

We had our usual New Year’s Eve dinner with friends and during the conversation, it came out that we are all getting to be rather vigorous supporters of Trump. He’s the only guy not lying and he’s the only one looking out for us. 2020 could get very interesting.

Rod Dreher has some interesting comments about the Spanish Civil War. If we do have a Second Civil War here, it will be, in my view, far more like the Spanish Civil War than our first Civil War. Far more bloody; far more cruel; far more deeply changing to the national mind. As Dreher points out, the normal narrative you get about the Spanish Civil War is Good Republicans vs Bad Fascists…but it wasn’t like that, at all. There was some good – and a lot of bad – on both sides. Personally, you magically turn me into a 1936 Spaniard, and I’d likely be Carlist. I recommend the article, and that you read this book.

Open Thread

Mark Noonan41 Comments

The MSM was working up an anti-Trump “he hasn’t visited the troops this Christmas” meme. Until just recently.

Glen Reynolds talks up the prospects of war and how we might have a very lousy 21st century. It’d have to be pretty bad to exceed the 20th century, but there’s definitely a chance we could see that. It has been rolling around in my head that the existence of things like the UN and NATO have pretty much created this bad situation – alliances aren’t supposed to be permanent and a permanent, global talk-shop is a sure-fire way to make certain that cracks continue to be papered over. We do need alliances and we do need mechanisms for addressing international concerns…but the alliances and the talk-shop should be ad-hoc and set up for specific purposes.

Take, for instance, Russian aggression in Europe. NATO is pretty much a dead weight – the NATO “allies” are hoping that the United States will carry the load. On the other hand, if we had no NATO, we could craft an alliance with the nation’s most concerned and we’d likely get them fully willing to put the necessary muscle behind the effort. And as for something like peace in the Middle East, absent a UN – where Russia and China can veto any action which doesn’t 100% suit them – we could put together a group akin to, say, the Congress of Vienna in 1815 to hammer out a settlement…something where no one can stop it from happening short of war, but with the Great Powers insisting, all the smaller fry would have to just fall in line. None of this would assure against war, but I think it would have a better chance than the current system where we’re slowly drifting to war and none of the mechanisms in place can stop the drift.

IQ scores are falling around the world and a prime suspect is the Boob Tube – TV or computer, doesn’t seem to matter which (my Dad was calling the TV the “idiot box” back in the 70’s). I can definitely see this. First off, a lot of the information provided on screen is just wrong: some of it quite stupidly wrong. But as its on a screen and people, especially young people, have been trained to believe the screen, they are believing some really dumb stuff. Secondly, it takes time to learn and digest information, especially complex information. The whole thing about TV – and even more so the internet – is speed. Quick bullet points with pre-determined conclusions are the norm. I don’t think anyone intended this to happen: but if what is wanted is a generation of stupid people dependent upon government, you couldn’t have planned it better.

A Chinese admiral thinks that if he can sink a couple ships and cause us 5,000 or 10,000 casualties, we’ll quit. This was tried before, and it didn’t work out well for those who tried it. But, I think China will try it, in the by and by.

That Saudi “journalist” who got (apparently) whacked in Turkey? Pretty much a paid, Qatari agent. Important lesson here: the MSM is lying. It is lying all the time. It is lying about everything. It even lies when it doesn’t have to – I mean, come on: it was still bad this guy got killed. They didn’t have to make him out as some sort of heroic journalist truth-teller. Now, all fruit from this tree is poisoned.