Politics – Page 31 – Really Right

Imperial President and Decline of America

Two stories caught my attention today that are different but related. The common thread is the decline of our country due to departing from the principles of our founding. The first story is from Fox News and I do take issue with the author, as I hope to explain below, and the other is thought provoking.

Fox News is running a commentary piece today titled Judge Andrew Napolitano: Trump violates Constitution – Spends unappropriated funds, raises taxes on own

That question has been asked lately with respect to President Trump’s planned use of federal funds to construct 175 miles of sporadic barriers along portions of the nearly 2,000-mile U.S.-Mexico common border.

After Congress expressly declined to give him that money, Trump signed into law – rather than vetoed – the legislation that denied him the funds he sought and then spent the money anyway.

The question regarding presidential power has also been asked with respect to Trump’s imposition of sales taxes – Trump calls them tariffs — on nearly all goods imported into the United States from China. These are taxes that only Congress can constitutionally authorize.

And the question of presidential power has been asked in connection with the presidentially ordered mistreatment of families seeking asylum in the United States by separating parents from children – in defiance of a court order.

This question of presidential power is not an academic one. Nor is it a question unique to the Trump presidency, as it has risen numerous times before Trump entered office. But the audacious manner of Trump’s employment of presidential powers has brought it to public scrutiny.

The Judge also goes on to mention the War Powers Act and other powers ceded to the President by Congress.

Analysis and Commentary part 1

In principle, I agree with the Judge’s concerns. However, as the Judge also points out in his article, the government has been cut loose from its Constitutional moorings for about the last hundred years. We have flipped the Constitution from a national government of enumerated powers (government allowed to do only those things specifically mentioned in the Constitution) to one of virtually unlimited power where only those things specifically forbidden by the Constitution are not allowed.

The Judge also points out that “power abhors a vacuum” and “I have written before that the Republicans who rejoice in this will weep over it when a Democrat is in the White House.”

To which I respond, “Hey Judge, why in the heck do you think we hated eight years of Obama so much? He was using Executive Orders and government regulations for all sorts of illegal and immoral things.”

What I hope Trump will do is undo Obama’s Executive Orders—which he has been doing—and then, unlike Obama, get the Congress to codify his actions into law to put them beyond the ability of another President to undo by Executive Orders. Hence my hope for Trump’s reelection and Republicans to take back the House in 2020.

Folks, I hate the idea of Executive Orders, continuing budget resolutions, and judicial legislation. We have a severe case of all three because Congress will not do their Constitutional duty.

Frankly, I would be OK with Congress rescinding some of the extra Constitutional powers of the President, but only if they are will to do their job. Truthfully, I don’t have any confidence in either Party being willing to truly govern.

I think we are rapidly moving to rule by either an aristocracy or dictatorship. The viability of the two party system is coming to an end. Again, I assert that Trump will likely be the last Republican President ever. The Democrats have put their thumbs on the electoral scales to such an extent that a Republican winning a national election will be mathematically impossible any more. The Republican Party has run its course and will never be an effective political force in American history once Trump leaves office.

Modern Romans

This brings me to the second article today, Fall of Rome: Are there lessons we can learn?

The story slug line sums it up “Bill Federer recounts eerie similarities between ancient city, modern America.”

Federer takes a survey of reasons that the Roman Empire fell and it sounds eerily like today’s news.

The article dedicates several paragraphs to each of the following topics:

open borders
loss of common language
welfare state
violent, sensual entertainment and sex-trafficking
church withdrawal from involvement
birth control, planned parenthood and fewer children
immorality, infidelity and loss of virtue
class warfare
high taxes
out-sourcing
exploding debt and coinage debasement
deep state, establishment politicians
defense cuts and over-extended military
loss of patriotism
terrorist attacks

The article is long but for those that care, this is an ominous warning of what lies ahead. I implore you to read it in its entirety.

Analysis and Commentary part 2

Judge Napolitano raises three points to whack Trump: the border wall, tariffs, and immigration. I wish to respond briefly to all three.

Border Wall

Every elected official and military member in our country takes an oath that states in part “… I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic…” The core question is what do you do when your country is being invaded, your laws are being ignored and/or not enforced, and Congress refuses to do their job? The Judge rightly states “power abhors a vacuum” so if you are Commander and Chief, what do you do? Congress and the Judge would have Trump do nothing. Trump was elected on the promise to fix the problem and Congress won’t act because they want to deny Trump a political victory. Congress has chosen to break their oath for short-term partisan political reasons. Trump is acting because he feels that he needs to defend the country.

Tariffs

Tariffs used to be the backbone of funding the national government. It was the primary method of taxation that the founders wanted the national government to use. Once again the Judge is correct that tax policy should be set by Congress. However, there is another factor in the tariff controversy; namely, the defense of the country, which brings us back to the oath of office again. Congress has failed to protect our country from being at the mercy of other nations. This brings me back to the article from Federer.

Rome’s economy stagnated from a large trade deficit, as grain production was outsourced to North Africa.

Gerald Simons wrote in “Great Ages of Man – Barbarian Europe” (NY: Time-Life Books, 1968, p. 39): “As conquerors of North Africa, the Vandals cut off the Empire’s grain supply at will. This created critical food shortages, which in turn curtailed Roman counterattacks.”

For “grain” in the above quote, try substituting “manufacturing–including that required for national defense” and use “China” in place of “North Africa”. Here’s my rewrite:

America’s economy stagnated from a large trade deficit, as manufacturing–including that required for national defense–was outsourced to China.

“The Chinese could cut off America’s source of manufactured goods at will. This creates the potential for critical shortages, which in turn would curtail American’s response.”

Of all powers in the world, China is the largest nation that we potentially could go to war with, so how does it make sense to be wholly dependent on them for our way of life? Both Congress and previous Administrations have been OK with this dependence on foreign powers for our manufacturing and military technology. Without technology manufactured by both Russia and China, our military cannot operate. Without these two nations we have no Internet, communications, missiles, ships, tanks, guns, aircraft, absolutely nothing. We produce nothing and consume everything. This situation is nuts.

Chinese parts are used in all American weapon systems

Trump is trying to loosen the grip of China on our economy and national defense. Again, Congress is not keeping their oath of office and refusing to act in the best interest of our country. Once again, Congress offers no leadership on this issue.

Immigration

The statement by the Judge is just an outright lie. The Judge stated, “…the presidentially ordered mistreatment of families seeking asylum in the United States by separating parents from children – in defiance of a court order.”

Sorry Judge but the people in the detention facilities entered the country illegally. They could have filed for asylum in the United States without illegally entering our country. Those that enter by the front door don’t end-up in these places.

Second, no President purposely “orders the mistreatment of families”. Obama reversed the kids in cages thing that you knuckleheads keep wanting to crucify Trump for.

Oh, and a judge ordered it. So what? It’s not the judge’s job to make immigration policy or to enforce it. Many people crossing illegally are doing so with children not their own. That’s the problem with folks hopping the fence. You need to retroactively sort the bad apples from the harmless ones. Not everyone under 18 years of age is a saint, MS-13 anyone? Some adults have criminal histories and if they enter with children they will be separated. If they don’t like it then stay home.

MS-13 Criminal minors infiltrating American cities

This whole narrative is a bunch of crap. I won’t say it never, ever happened, but we are a good people and it’s not our practice to harm others—unless they’re unborn.

Conclusion

We all agree that the immigration system is broken, but again, Congress has failed to put forward a solution to fix it. Both Republicans and Democrats have simultaneously held the Presidency, House, and Senate and failed to pass a bill, thus in my mind, both parties are without excuse. Bottom line is some people would rather have the issue to campaign on than fix it. If you don’t like what Trump is doing—and like it or not, he’s the only one who is acting—then tell Congress to do their job and keep their oath of office.

I keep telling people that the Democrats are squandering their best chance to get things done that would be good for the country. Trump is willing to work with them but they are not. Whatever history says about Trump, it will not be singing the praises of Congress.

To close with another quote from Federer that sounds eerily like today:

The Roman emperor usurped so much power, that the Roman Senate, instead of ruling Rome and defending the rights of the people, existed only to maintain their own positions. Common people were discourage from getting involved in politics.

The Durants wrote in “The Lessons of History” (p. 92): “The educated and skilled pursued business and financial success to the neglect of their involvement in politics.”

Dems Go for Pagan Vote

In their never ending pursuit to identify another class of victims, the Democrat Party has decided to embrace those that reject God. While most of us had thought they did this decades ago, they formalized the arrangement earlier this week by passing a resolution to be welcoming and inclusive of those unwilling to bend their knee in worship of their Creator.

The Democratic National Committee (DNC) passed a resolution Saturday praising the values of “religiously unaffiliated” Americans as the “largest religious group within the Democratic Party.”

The resolution, which was unanimously passed at the DNC’s summer meeting on Aug. 24 in San Francisco, Calif., was championed by the Secular Coalition of America, an organization that lobbies on behalf of atheists, agnostics, and humanists on public policy. The group celebrated the DNC’s move as the first time a major party “embraced American nonbelievers.”

“Religiously unaffiliated Americans overwhelmingly share the Democratic Party’s values,” said the resolution…

The move comes as Democratic presidential candidates have ramped up their religious rhetoric on the campaign trail, but the party announced it is targeting “nonreligious voters” to try to beat President Trump, who solidified the evangelical vote in 2016.

Political pundits have pointed out Democrats’ so-called God problem in the past and their efforts to solve it.

In 2012, the last election Democrats won, a headline from the convention read: “Democrats boo God.” In 2016, attendees heckled a preacher during the opening prayer. And on Saturday, Democrats took a shot at believers who use “religious liberty” to threaten the civil rights of LGBTQ Americans.
Democratic Party embraces nonreligious voters, criticizes ‘religious liberty’ in new resolution

Below is the resolution in its entirety.

After passage, the Secular Coalition of America issued the following press release.

The Democratic National Committee (DNC) this past Saturday embraced American nonbelievers for the first time, adopting a resolution that recognizes their contributions to society and to the Democratic Party.

This move by the DNC, which was unanimous absent one abstention, demonstrates that they are living up to the big-tent inclusive values they regularly espouse, though it also shows they recognize the value of courting the largest, fastest growing religious demographic in the nation. It was first passed in the DNC’s Resolutions Committee on Thursday.

At nearly one quarter of the total U.S. population, nonreligious Americans—one third of which are Democrats and nearly half of which are independent—will represent a sizeable voting bloc in the upcoming election. This resolution marks the first time a major U.S. political party has specifically courted religiously unaffiliated people across the nation.
Democratic Party embraces nonreligious voters at annual summer meeting

Let’s breakdown the math in the last paragraph.

25 percent of the US population is classed as “Unaffiliated.”

6. Atheists and agnostics account for a minority of all religiously unaffiliated.

Most are secular. Atheists and agnostics account for only about one-quarter (27%) of all religiously unaffiliated Americans. Nearly six in ten (58%) religiously unaffiliated Americans identify as secular, someone who is not religious; 16% of religiously unaffiliated Americans nonetheless report that they identify as a “religious person.”
America’s Changing Religious Identity

So, a quarter of a quarter of the US population is atheist, agnostic, pagan, secular, or whatever you want to call it. In real math, that means about 6.25 percent of the nation falls into this bucket.

Given the bombardment of secularism and evolution in our culture, I’m surprised the number is that low.

As always, Democrats don’t care what you believe—or don’t—as long as your first allegiance is to the All Powerful State.

The Big City Homeless Problem

By Chief

I was treated to a special on Fox News while at the local gym the other night. It was a series of reports from Los Angeles, Portland, San Francisco, and Seattle regarding the homeless issue. (Click on City name to view the video.) It was cringe worthy at best and flat out gross at worst. They discussed a vermin epidemic in San Francisco, Typhus outbreak in Los Angeles, a public health crisis in Portland, and a dire situation in Seattle where businesses are closing shop.

By the way, typhus, as described by our Governor, is a “medieval disease…in California….in 2019.” Think about that. We view ourselves as a state on the “cutting edge” of both medicine and technology and we have an epidemic of Third World diseases in our largest population center that we are powerless to stop.

The special showed makeshift tent cities, homeless camps, and some very elaborate dwellings built from scraps of cardboard and pallets. These camps are almost like their own city or municipality; complete with stoves, buckets used as a latrine, some set ups had a living room and a kitchen. These are not your typical homeless camps from years ago. The program also featured the incredible rat and vermin issues…which spread to the business districts nearby due to the sheer size of these camps. Keep in mind that these camps aren’t under an overpass anymore…they are behind businesses, in alleys, fields, parks etc.…they cannot just be shooed-off.

The process for their removal works similar to an eviction notice for a landlord, a sign must be posted to allow them to remove their belongings, and usually they get 72 hours to do so. Only then can a crew come through and throw away the piles of trash and feces left behind.

The program spoke about how this is all the fault of liberals, feel good policies and good money spent to solve the problem. However, the Blog Father and I disagree somewhat; we will lay it out later.

So, what caused all this? Well its complicated, but it’s a mixture of quite a bit. While electeds will say job loss, those folks look pretty raggedy for recently losing a job. Some say foreclosure…that crisis happened a decade ago. Some say insufficient wages to cover rents, and in some cases that could be true, have you seen rents in the Bay Area lately? Even that argument doesn’t hold much water once you consider that the same cities infested with the homeless are also home to “good paying” tech companies that are buying up land in that same area.

It’s amazing. Every one of these political folks fall over one another to get on camera and promise they have a plan to fix the issue…it just takes XXX millions of dollars a year…and a new fee or tax hike will pay for it! Pay attention to the word I used…. “folks” not Democrats, because there were likely several Republicans who voted for these very policies or fees! That’s correct, only recently was the GOP driven out of the inner city entirely, and the holdouts voted for these policies because “they were needed at the time, we thought it was the answer, or I needed to vote that way to fund the budget.” Because of these holdouts, the GOP is unable to make the argument that the Democrats “own it.”

This concept never seems to motivate the GOP. We always have a handful of weak-kneed turncoats who vote with the other side to allow the solution to seem bipartisan. Additionally, you can always count on a right leaning group or two to throw their name behind it because… well if it works, we can say we were a part of the solution. As a result, when the plan fails, the Left–who basically run the city government–can claim it was a bipartisan error, and “we all got it wrong.”

I have never understood the point of this needless compromise. If you make the other side vote in its entirety for some program…and it fails…with no opposition party support, they cannot call it bipartisan. At that point, the opposition can then say that our plan could have worked but we never got the opportunity. However, come to think of it, my side never has a solution so that would be a moot point, my guys just love to just vote “No”, and say it ain’t so. “Repeal and replace Obamacare” is the posterchild for the fecklessness of Republicans. Sadly, this is the rule and not the exception.

This issue is one where the tide is turning without any contribution from the GOP. Republicans won’t be picking up any new voters from this crisis, but it’s fun to see some of the natives getting restless. A prominent moderate Democrat radio host in San Francisco said the Democrats have been an abject failure on the homeless issue. A local Sacramento small business owner lashed out, saying she was tired of finding her store broken into, vandalized, having to shoo away homeless people, throw away cups of urine, feces, or syringes. She is moving to Austin, Texas by the way. The problem is very bad in downtown Sacramento. I have seen it first-hand. Residents in Los Angeles County want to know how the 118 million in new taxes were spent to combat the homeless when the issue has gotten worse. You now have moderate Democrats, independents, and Republicans on the same side of an issue.

Problem is there is no solution. You see, homeless people actually have the most freedom of any group in the country. They can camp wherever they darn well please, be a nuisance, create tons of trash, and face no repercussions. Liberal judges have granted them incredible rights to do as they please. Go to a big city and see for yourself. The touristy areas may be somewhat homeless free, but any business district is sure to be crowded with them. Hypodermic needles, syringes, urine, feces etc. all are common as well, because someone else will clean it up. Furthermore, they face no criminal charges since the politicians/Democrat voters passed Prop 47 which decriminalized almost every type of theft a homeless person is capable of.

Worse yet, our society actually attracts people into homelessness. As noted above you can pretty much do anything you feel like and get away with it, or if you need healthcare/dental care/eye care, just get arrested and the taxpayers will cover it free. In addition, we have places that will give you a couple square meals day such as Loaves and Fishes, or the “rainbow” Methodist church near me who proudly shares; they offer free breakfast and lunch on weekends. Also, there is Elk Grove Food Bank and various other charities that provide food as well for them to stock-up on.

Homeless folks also get taxpayer money given to them with no strings. Yes, they get Social Security money each month just for being a 30-year-old drug addict. They get paid out of the part of Social Security call SSI (Supplemental Security Income).

We spend millions on cleaning up their camps and the trash that comes with it. We provide them free needles to continue their drug habit. All of this is being done under the guise of we are trying to help them. We even are building housing to house them. Keep in mind all this is free for homeless people or those who game the system. The only adverse thing about being homeless is every so often they come to clean up your mess and you have to vacate the area with all your belongings for a few hours.

You see the issue here is despite all these well-intentioned laws and mandates, they never addressed the biggest problem within the homeless community…drugs and alcohol abuse. You see if you are under the influence of any of these substances, you cannot enter into any housing designated for homeless people. Thus, condemning them to the streets. It’s a viscous cycle, and this is a big reason why the situation is not improving. We can spend all the millions we want, and it makes no difference, literally. Some people want to spend even more! I see political types and nonprofits get in front of the camera constantly and always are offering up a plan, and it involves ample amounts of government money to make it work.

The City of Sacramento has been trying to remodel the Old Hotel Berry for years to house the homeless. Last I checked, they were just going to tear it down and figure it out later. However, in the end the City decided to remodel the Old Hotel Berry for 24.5 million in taxpayer dollars. Each room is for single person and that comes out to about $240,000 per unit. Each of the 104 units is between 151 – 317 SF.

Hotel Berry Sacramento – photo from June 2012

The truth is that most homeless people would rather live down by the American River as there as very few rules when you live in a tent city.

To fix the problem I recommend repealing Prop 47 and criminalizing low level misdemeanors again. This will land more homeless in jail upfront but over time, the problem gets better. In jail, homeless people will be provided for materially and mentally in a drug free environment. This is cheaper and more cost effective for both the community and the homeless people. Reforming the laws will make the police and business owners keep a closer eye on their neighborhoods and not be apathetic like they are today.

Ideas such as this one will infuriate Republicans, but the government should hire a cleaning crew similar to what BART did in the Bay Area. The crews do major deep cleaning, and after that they do a normal clean every week; “poof” the smells of feces and urine are gone, and trash removed! The homeless don’t typically congregate in areas where they will be shooed away, so the problem will deteriorate over time.

While it is not easy to accept a form of reality most are not accustomed to in America…some problems are not fixable. Some people do not wish to work, or live in housing, or play the by the rules of others (drugs and alcohol are all they care about). They do not want to clean up after themselves and this is all due to a problem we created. We have provided all these services for free. Cities like San Francisco have decided to try to “round up the homeless and force them in shelters” but the ACLU responded to the idea by announcing that they will provide free representation in court to the homeless. So, we all lose out.

Buckle in and fasten your chinstrap, this one is getting messy. This is what a full-on nanny state looks like, meals provided free, housing provided free, clean up services…free…. clean syringe…. free… government assistance… free…. outside groups willing to offer legal assistance… free. A lesson again, once you allow people a certain freedom or benefit good luck taking it away even if it’s for their own good.

The Chief

The Cult of Trump

Thanks to Facebook, I frequently get to see posts from “the other side” no not the physically dead, just the spiritually dead. One person that I frequently see posts from is a retired Liberal relative of my wife. Since she’s family, I normally show restraint and don’t respond—except on two occasions. Over the weekend I saw a post that I thought deserves rebuttal. Instead of doing it on Facebook and giving her the satisfaction that she hit a nerve, I thought I would respond here instead.

As it turns out, the article is three years old anyway. That’s another gripe I have with Facebook, you don’t know if the post is fresh or years old. It just shows up in your feed. This gem is from GQ Magazine. Before getting into the details, I have two thoughts. First, why is this in a magazine that is supposedly, Gentlemen’s Quarterly (GQ)? Second, it’s written by a woman saying disparaging things about a successful businessman. Am I the only one finding this ironic and counter to the stated purpose of the publication?

The article in question is The Cult of Trump: Can’t understand why a loved one would vote for Donald Trump? Let the experts who spend their lives studying cults help break it down.

The article invokes as proof, a fellow named Rick Alan Ross. Ross is identified in the article as “America’s leading cult expert.” Sorry Mr. Ross, but I’ve never heard of you so I’m having doubts about your credentials. As a diligent guy, I did what any enterprising fellow would do, I looked you up on Wikipedia.

Ross’ first dust-up with a cult (as he defines it) was with a group of Messianic Jews. Being that Bob Dylan is also a Messianic Jew, I’m not seeing the offense that he took to these folks. I guess Jews trying to convince other Jews that Jesus is their Messiah is offensive to a Jew that rejects Jesus. Ross identifies as Jewish but in my experience such identification is often more cultural than religious. Oh, Ross is described as having “a personal hatred for all religious cults.” He also was a prominent figure in the government’s treatment and subsequent assault on the Branch Davidian complex in Waco, Texas.

Wikipedia: Rick Alan Ross

Using Ross as their source, GQ identifies three marks of the Cult of Trump.

Sign I: His campaign is fueled by charisma.

For his followers, the appeal of Trump is Trump himself: his take-no-bullshit attitude, his (greatly embellished) only-in-America success story, his apparent business savvy. His policies, which are largely vague or nonexistent, aren’t the main draw (his 180 on immigration, one of the defining issues of his campaign, doesn’t appear to bother his supporters). And that’s where he perfectly fits the cult archetype.

“The single most salient feature of a cult is a person who has become, essentially, an object of worship,” Ross says. They’re the “defining element of the group,” the heart of the movement.

This is the first of several prima facia arguments put forth to bolster this narrative. Every successful person in politics has some measure of charisma. I guess compared to Hillary Clinton, Trump would win in that category.

But Trump an object of worship? Really? Heck no. Do I want him to be successful? Yes, but worship?

Ross and the GQ author don’t define a cult in terms of theology but power and control. I see nothing on his website condemning Communism or Socialism, if control is an identifying mark of a cult or false religion then both these political systems should qualify in spades.

Why is it that Liberals think we are all a bunch of mind-numbed robots that hang on someone’s every syllable? Did it ever occur to Ross that Trump says the things that we already feel and believe? This article was written after Trump was made the nominee at the Republican convention but before the General election. Our hope at the time, which has generally been true since he took office, is that Trump would be disruptive to the good old boy system in Washington and that he would undo the attacks on Christianity and traditional American values perpetrated by Barack Obama.

Trump is trying to do things differently. Do I always agree with him? No, generally I support him and want him to be successful. Frankly, I’m more interested in what he actually does and not so much what he says. However, I do enjoy that he confronts Democrats on Twitter and irritates the snot out of them. Prior to Trump, Democrats did whatever they wanted, and Republicans would cower in the corner in fear of what the media would say if they responded. Trump has shown what we always knew about Democrats, they have no morals, principles, or backbone. Their ideology is without foundation and is only one slogan thick. They can’t stand it when someone pushes back at them. Which brings us to the second point.

Sign II: He’s a raging narcissist.

“Cult leaders are most often narcissists,” Ross explains. “They see themselves as the center of the known universe, and everyone revolves around them.” Trump, he says, fits the warning signs of narcissistic personality disorder—an exaggerated sense of self-importance, preoccupation with success, power and brilliance, behaving in an arrogant or haughty manner—to a T (for Trump, probably). Lest we forget, Trump says he went to the “best school in the world,” has “the world’s greatest memory,” and will be “the greatest jobs president God has ever created.”

Trump has a big ego, but so does everybody in politics. Humble people don’t run for office. It is true that Trump doesn’t care what his opponents think. It is on this point that comparisons to Donald Trump diverge from Arnold Schwarzenegger. Arnold caved completely but Trump has stood tall in the face of assault after assault.

If you want a raging narcissist, look no further that Barack Obama. The man can’t give a speech without using, “I”, “me”, “my” at least a hundred times in 20 minutes; even if its at someone’s funeral. Everything he said and did was about himself.

If this accusation was true of Trump, trust me, the media would be all over it. Trump has a big ego, but he doesn’t talk in terms of himself but what he thinks is best for America. That is a huge difference.

Sign III: What he says is always right. Even when it’s not.

“You just can’t put that material in front of a true believer and it has any effect,” Ortega says. “And I think people are seeing the same thing with Trump. Trump creates this sort of field, this bubble, that the people inside of it are just incapable of seeing these things as those on the outside.”

That reality distortion field is in full force with Trump’s supporters. Despite his bankruptcies and spectacular business failings (Trump Vodka, anyone? No?), the notion that he’s a successful businessman who would bring the same acuity to running the country is one of the pillars of his campaign. And though nearly 80 percent of the things he says are outright lies, he manages to pin the blame on the “dishonest” and “biased” media. Many of his followers, already distrustful of mainstream news outlets, accept whatever rationalization he provides, no matter how outlandish.

Talk about irony. This point is where any attempts to portray Trump supporters as cultists hits the wall and explodes. Liberals are nonresponsive to facts and information. They can only argue from emotion and claim that facts are different than truth. (If I have my way, Joe Biden will never live down that claim.)

The biggest shocker to folks in Washington was that after he was inaugurated, Trump began to implement the things he promised in his campaign. What he said is what he tried to do. Granted, he has met with much resistance, but he has followed through where he could.

I don’t get the meme that everything Trump says is a lie. I can understand if Liberals don’t like 80 percent of what he wants to do but… this lie thing is without substance. I tried to look up so called “fact check” stuff on Trump and the one thing I noticed was they kept moving the goal posts and making false equivalences. Trump shoots from the hip quite often but generally his recall is good; compared to Joe Biden, Trump is a genius in this department.

Liberals have a preset template that they use to filter anything Trump, they won’t consider anything contrary to their presuppositions. Thus, they reject any evidence contrary to what they want to be true. As previously documented here, the repeated accusation that Trump is a racist is exhibit one in this regard. It is untrue but they keep saying it anyway.

Conservatives care about a man’s character not their skin color. Liberals would think that since I like Trump and I happen to have pale skin that I must be a racist. This is untrue and intellectually lazy. In fact, such a statement is racist not me.

Ok want an example. I’ll give you two.

Meghan Markle—the babe that married Prince Harry
I had no interest in her racial make-up. Why would I? I know she is attractive and had some interest in being in movies. I have previously blogged about her and the false conversion into Anglicanism not because she trusted in Christ but to please the Queen mother. It never occurred to me that she might be all or partly black until I read it in some British tabloid. My reaction was oh, that’s interesting trivia, as I wondered why it mattered. For some reason, its a big deal in England.

Kamala Harris
Another nice-looking babe, but I don’t like her because of her politics. She has “San Francisco values” and was a horrible Attorney General in California. As AG, she refused to enforce the laws that she personally didn’t like. In the Senate, she was no upgrade from Barbara Boxer. She is all in on rainbow people and murdering the unborn thru all nine months of pregnancy and expects my tax dollars to pay for it. It never occurred to me to inquire about her race. I really don’t care. It wasn’t until I read articles about former Assembly Speaker and ex-SF Mayor Willie Brown fornicating with her in exchange for boosting her political career that I ever read anything about her skin color. Again, prior to this year, it never occurred to me to inquire on her race. It was her character that I disagreed with. She is wrong on policy.

I believe this is true of most people including President Trump. Only Democrats look at people in terms of their group membership not as individuals.

Mr. Ross and the author are wrong that followers of Donald Trump are cultists. We want a change in the direction of the country, especially after the destruction wrought to the Republic by Barack Obama. Trump is a supporter of the First Amendment, the Second Amendment (for the most part), and will give us better judges on the Supreme Court than anyone else in either Party. So, what he says may be entertaining but we support him for what he has done. He has done his best to keep his campaign promises because he meant what he said, that is both rare and refreshing in politics.

Oh, on his website, Mr. Ross has a copy of the GQ article with a disclaimer at the bottom.

[Note: Historically, a destructive cult leader, such as Jim Jones, David Koresh or Charles Manson has no meaningful accountability. Destructive cult leaders are typically not elected and therefore not subject to the checks and balances of a democracy, such as the judicial and congressional branches of government. For this reason an elected President of the United States (POTUS) cannot be seen as a destructive cult leader. Donald Trump may have a cult-like following and possess certain character traits similar to a cult leader, but he cannot be seen simply as a cult leader, without careful qualification. Donald Trump was elected and must be reelected to continue as POTUS and as POTUS he is accountable to the American people, our elected government and the Constitution of the United States, which he publicly swore to uphold at his inauguration. — Rick Alan Ross]
Ross’ copy of the article and disclaimer can be found here.

Typical Internet Meme citing Ross’s website as proof that Trump supporters are cultists.
A claim Ross is unwilling to make.

So in the end, even Ross thinks calling Trump supporters cultists is a bridge too far, even though he clearly has no love for them.

Liberal Logic: Trump Defends Israel Therefore Trump Bad for Israel

Only in a world where wrong is right and up is down could anyone believe that Trump is bad for Israel but that’s the latest claim of smoldering fecal matter published by The Atlantic.

Please note the fact claims of the author in these paragraphs.

The upshot is that Jewish organizations have lost control of the narrative on Israel. Trump’s actions and statements about Jews and Israel have little to do with the Jewish people—they reflect the mode and priorities of his largely Christian, right-wing base. In practice, Washington’s bipartisan consensus on Israel mostly remains intact, but the story about Israel has changed radically. Jews have become characters in a larger political drama over Israel and anti-Semitism, two of the issues they have historically cared about most. The endless cycles of outrage are not meant to benefit Jews, and they’re not really about Jews.

Trump, in particular, has changed the bipartisan playbook on Israel. The president repeatedly singles out Representatives Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, who have been critical of Israel and were recently barred from entering the country at Trump’s urging. When Trump says these women hate Israel, hate Jews, and are anti-Semites, that gives permission to “the president’s people to say, ‘We don’t care about traditional ways of approaching the U.S.-Israel relationship,’” Solow said. “It also frees up all the president’s opponents in the Jewish community to say, ‘You know what? All the rules have changed.’” As a result, politically conservative and progressive Jews, who might have once found common ground on the Israel issue, are constantly at one another’s throats.
Is Trump Destroying Bipartisan Consensus on Israel?

President Trump is right to go after the haters of Israel but when he defends the Jewish state, Liberal Jews are somehow offended. Like Trump, I don’t get it. The Democrats have thrown the Jews overboard and as long as the they remain Liberals first and Jews second, the Democrats will let them have a seat at the table…for now.

Folks, the followers of Islam were brought into this country by President Obama in the millions, not for the purpose of finding a better life in America, but to colonize our nation and expand the caliphate. Everywhere you turn, Liberal places are allowing special rules and practices to accommodate the worshippers of Allah. Liberals are afraid of them.

Please don’t get me wrong, I favor anyone from anywhere coming to the United States, but only those that want to be Americans. If they want to turn America into a place like the third world hellhole, they came from then go home. If you didn’t come here for freedom—religious and economic—then stay home.

Truth is the Liberals are using the people who practice Islam as a way to teardown the beliefs and institutions derived from Christianity; ironically, Christianity and Western Culture are the only thing that can stop the spread of Islam.

Liberals think the enemy of my enemy is my friend but the analogy they should really be concerned with is the one about giving the scorpion a ride across the flooded river or in this case Atlantic Ocean. The uneasy alliance they have made with Islam will—if they ever succeed—be their undoing.

Trump is pointing out that Jew haters are allowed to spew their hatred and the Democrat leadership is silent. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and Ilhan Omar of Minnesota are Democrats, not only in good standing but along with the other two, are the new face of the Democrat Party. Nancy Pelosi may be Speaker until they carry her out of the House Chambers feet first but she in not running the show. Nancy is just the crazy aunt in the basement.

Dear Nancy, the generation coming up behind you believes all that crap you have been spewing since you guys took over the Party that fateful summer in Chicago back in 1972. Funny, you are now the stale generation of out of touch leaders. How do you like being replaced by younger and more Leftist children. Call it Karma or what goes around, but your goose is cooked.

Trump may be upsetting the traditional apple cart of Jewish folks trying to play both sides of the aisle (a lament of this article quoted above) but the truth is those days were over when Obama took-over the reins of power a decade ago.

If Trump is guilty of anything concerning the Jews and Israel, it is this, choose this day whom you will follow, one Party leads to life and the other to your destruction. Or as Bob Dylan said it many years ago, “When you gonna wake-up?”

Trump is right to defend Israel. Trump is right to attack Tlaib and Omar. Sadly, Nancy Pelosi has put herself in a box that to chasten these two racist idiots will make her appear to agree with Trump and she can’t have that; it would be her undoing. Perish the thought that the adults would discipline the children. If Nancy slapped down these two, it would open up a world where both Parties might work together, and the Democrats have so poisoned the well (or swamp if you prefer) that they can’t have that be an outcome. Better to get rid of Trump than do their jobs.

Trump is right to attack these two babes. They are friends of terrorists and murders and the hate they spread is a deadly toxin. The Democrats won’t clean-up their own House and Trump is just pointing that out. The only conclusion that rational people can draw is that the Democrats must really agree with Tlaib and Omar. How is he the racist by pointing it out?

A “Well Intentioned” Law Gone Bad

By: Chief

Back in 2015, a young Grant High School football player, Jaulon “JJ” Clavo and 3 friends were in a car going to get fast food prior to their game. Clavo was shot and killed, and his teammate Malik Johnson was shot but not killed. A few days later teenage thug Keymontae Lindsey, a high school transient was arrested and charged with killing Clavo.

Lindsey fit all the descriptions of a killer, he was 15, in the Strawberry Manor Bloods gang, not in school, troubled home environment, and owned a gun. He killed an icon in the area’s football team! Should be an open and shut case, right? Incorrect.

Enter SB1391, which was passed by the Legislature and signed by Governor Brown. This law bars anyone under the age of 16 from ever being tried as an adult. Since this law was signed in 2016 it should not apply to Lindsey, right? Incorrect, language hidden in the law actually allows cases to be re-opened and, in most cases, re-sentenced in juvenile court. So, the bill was like the DeLorean actually going back in time instead of setting a forward-thinking precedent. So, Lindsey, whom juvenile court had already decided could not be rehabilitated (jail doesn’t rehabilitate anyway ask any corrections worker), now had his case re-opened. Citing this law, the judge ruled he had to be tried as a juvenile. The Sacramento DA appealed, and the CA Supreme Court affirmed the judge’s decision. Ultimately, he was to be tried as a juvenile.

Lindsey was found guilty in a bench trial of premeditated first-degree murder, premeditated attempted murder, and discharging a firearm into an occupied vehicle. That sounds very serious because it is, and if Lindsey was an “adult” at the time, life in prison without parole was the likely outcome. Because he was tried as a minor, he must be released from custody before his 25th birthday, Lindsey is 19 now.

Wait a minute. Back up. Did you say what I thought? Correct. A very dangerous person now will get his walking papers from jail at age 25, after killing 1, and make no mistake, he could have killed 3 more, as the bullet was not meant for Clavo it was meant for Jackson. How is this justice when a mother lost her son, and another family likely will lose theirs as Jackson has since joined a gang for protection? If you are unfamiliar, Grant High School is located in a very rough part of Sacramento, where even the police take their time responding to emergencies as to not get caught in the crossfire.

So, what about this law was “well intentioned?” I am of the belief that every story has at least 2 sides, yours, mine, and the truth. I don’t like reading stories of people going away for life based on just one thing, however Murder and anything with aggravated violence is a different story. This Lindsey guy was a gang member and did the deed. Why does he get the same treatment as a first-time offender who may have a real chance to turn his life around? In this deep blue liberal state in which we live, I understand the thought behind the process, it gives a second chance. I reject this thinking but at this time we have no opposition party willing to get into the mud and fight these things. I guess this country was built on second chances, but the person who authored the law (Ricardo Lara) doesn’t seem to understand the way gangs work or worst doesn’t care. First you create a blanket policy, removing the judge from the judicial process, and contrary to public belief, most gang members (especially those currently incarcerated) are very bright when it comes to the law. This case should underscore it, Jackson was not killed by Lindsey, Lindsey killed him because as someone under the age of 16, they knew he would be out at 25.

Don’t believe me? Ask any sheriff who works in the jail, or an officer who works in a gang suppression unit. The law related books are always sold out in the jail library and the members who are incarcerated read them all day…they have nothing better to do. They rely the info back to the street members, and viola, you will soon see a spike in under 16-year olds killing people, because they then can kill another one after being released! The Bible may need to be rewritten to an “eye for two eyes.”

Long ago there was a similar law that was repealed after the gangs exploited it to kill people by getting their youngest members to pull the trigger. Thus, the law gave birth to initiation by murder. Oh, anybody was fair game not just other gang members. It took much effort to repeal the law and give discretion to the courts and local law enforcement. In this case, we are literally repeating the mistakes of the past. Like socialism, apparently some folks on the Left think that the only problem with the idea is that the right people just haven’t tried it yet.

In conclusion I hear a lot about unfairness in the judicial system and this underscores it! Think about the victim’s family. She already must live a daily reality of her son being taken from her and now she gets to go to bed knowing the killer will be out in about 6 years? Where is the justice? I hear from lawmakers all the time claiming that our system punishes people of color…in this case they were both black! (Statistically, blacks are almost always killed by other blacks.) Where is Black Lives Matters here? Clavo was by all accounts a good kid…this Lindsey…a scum of the earth thug. When did the GOP stop caring? Where are the DA’s, the Sheriffs, the judges, the people we are told actually are tough on crime? More people will die because of this, and all I hear about is a half-baked recall plan to remove Governor Newsom or about how we need to spend millions more on “homeless” initiatives; we need to wake up people! Why do I get a feeling this Lindsey fellow probably wouldn’t be turning in his gun if we passed a law saying he must do so? Anyone want to take bets this Lindsey is back in prison or 6 feet under within a short time of being released?

The Blog Father and I speak often about liberalism and both of us believe it is a disease. I think that thesis is supported by laws like these. It’s a feel good, well intentioned law, but it winds up backfiring. Also notice, it was never voted on by the people, it was legislated, and signed by the governor as to not allow us pawns to weigh in. The ruling Party can’t risk a disaster like when we voted for Prop 8. Like I said above, I think a repeal vote should be in order, but I don’t have the money or the knowledge to run something like this. When you are a super minority party, it’s time to fight the battles you can win on.

The Chief

Ricardo Lara
pay-to-play Insurance Commissioner

Oh, by the way Ricardo Lara, the author of this garbage, is the Insurance Commissioner and boy does he have some radical ideas he is working on! Too bad worthless Aaron Park won’t share them on his blog…strange since Aaron claim to be an insurance agent in a wildfire zone!

Death by Clintonicide

By The Chief

Unless you are related to Aaron Park, you may have heard that disgraced human piece of excrement Jeffrey Epstein died this past weekend. Without wanting to be a conspiracy theorist, I will examine this through an unbiased lens. Epstein “allegedly” committed some heinous crimes towards underage children, involving adults of age. Crimes so gross the Blog Father and I decided not to discuss them in this space.

So, let’s have a look at the circumstances of his suicide…this is where things get very murky. You see Epstein was on suicide watch and when in jail, suicide watch means someone is physically watching you and supposed to be checking in on you every 30 minutes; think of a wellness check on steroids. Jails are very controlled environments and protocol is stressed big time, as lawsuits are very damaging since “the inmate is in PROTECTIVE custody” while in jail. Epstein was apparently removed from said suicide watch, which is odd since he tried to kill himself earlier. About this same time, he had a mysterious female visitor for two hours—in private. Then days later, he was found dead. A subsequent investigation somehow got us more questions than answers. First the guards were apparently faking making rounds checking on him. The cameras malfunctioned, for a time. He was moved to a different cell, had a cellmate, then didn’t. The hyoid bone, by the way, is a bone that is typically broken in strangulation not suicide, just keep that in mind.

Odd when you think about it, he knew exactly when to die so the cameras wouldn’t catch it, the guards wouldn’t be making the rounds, the autopsy would take days, then bam on a Friday afternoon the autopsy is done…death by suicide. Friday afternoon by the way is the slowest day in the news cycle…also when no one is paying any attention mind you. All this occurring less than 72 hours after he said he had info on former Gov. Bill Richardson and former Senator George Mitchell. Normally I would not call shenanigans on this but let’s delve into the other Clinton acquaintances who ended up “dead by suicide.”

James Mcdougal–of Whitewater fame, he was Ken Starr’s “star” witness, was found dead of an apparent heart attack in solitary confinement in jail

Mary Mahoney–a White House intern, was found murdered in a Starbucks. This occurred just after she was supposed to go public with her sexual harassment claim against Bill.

Vince Foster–he was a Clinton counselor at Rose Law Firm…yup that one…single gunshot wound to the head.

Ron Brown–former Sec of Commerce and DNC chair, found dead in a plane crash. Oh, he had a wound to the head consistent with a gunshot. Oddly enough he had spoken bout cutting a deal with prosecutors involving the Clintons…days later an air traffic controller on duty that day committed suicide.

C. Victor Raiser II–died in a single plane crash in 1992

Paul Tulley–a major DNC donor and Clinton friend, found dead in a Little Rock hotel room in 1992.

Ed Willey–a friend of Clinton and major fundraiser, found dead in the woods in VA. Gunshot wound to the back of head, ruled suicide, died same day his wife was set to come forward with allegations of Clinton groping his wife.

Jerry Parks–head of head of Gov Clinton’s security team, found dead in his car in rural Arkansas. His son said he was working on a dossier about Clinton and was set to go public. Where else have I heard that word dossier????? The dossier was removed from his house and never found.

James Bunch–suicide by gun shot. He claimed to have had a book about prominent politicians who visited prostitutes in Texas and Arkansas.

James Wilson–died from alleged hanging; he had ties to Whitewater.

Kathy Ferguson–died of a gunshot wound; ruled a suicide. There were packed suitcases in her house where she died. She was the ex-wife of Clinton co-defendant Danny Ferguson in the Paula Jones case. Kathy was seen as someone trying to “collude” with Jones. Collusion???? Where have I heard that before?

Bill Shelton–fiancée of Kathy Ferguson and a state trooper in Arkansas, objected to the suicide ruling of his fiancée. He also died of suicide at her grave site of…single gunshot wound.

Gandy Baugh–an attorney for Clinton buddy Dan Lassater, died by jumping out of a window of a high building. His client was a convicted drug dealer.

Florence Martin–a CIA member, involved in the Barry Seal, Mena Arkansas airport drug smuggling venture was shot 3 times, ruled a suicide.

Suzanne Coleman–had an affair with Bill, was pregnant, died by suicide of a bullet to back of head. Suicide while pregnant…back of head shot…. strange.

Paula Grober–died in a single car crash; she was Clinton’s speechwriter for the deaf.

Danny Casolaro–investigator of the Arkansas airport smuggling scandal, slit his wrists halfway through the investigation.

Paul Wiltcher–was an investigator alongside Casolaro, found dead on a toilet in Washington DC three weeks after delivering a document and statements to Janet Reno. Guess he wanted to go out like Elvis???

Jon Parnell Walker–investigating Whitewater, he jumped from a very high building, suicide by concrete.

Barbara Wise–a Commerce Department worker, was found naked, and bruised, also dead locked in her office. Death ruled unknown.

Charles Meissner–died in a plane crash. That’s a lot of plane crash deaths so far here.

Dr Stanley Heard–a family doctor for the Clintons, died in a small plane crash and oddly enough his lawyer was on board!

Barry Seal – the drug running TWA pilot at the center of the Arkansas scandal…dead, maybe this one wasn’t an accident???

Johnny Lawnhorn Jr. – worked on Clinton’s cars, found dead in a car wreck where he hit a telephone pole, had a check made out to Clinton in the trunk of a car at his body shop. Woah that’s weird!

Stanley Huggins–he and Walker were investigating Madison Guaranty, his death a suicide, report was never released to the public.

Hershell Friday–big Clinton fundraiser, his plane exploded
Kevin Ives & Don Henry these two stumbled upon the Arkansas drug running scheme the initial autopsy said they died when they fell asleep on the rail tracks…huh? Then it was ruled they were likely slain and put on the rail tracks to cover up…that sounds more believable.

Then there are these 6 who had info on the Ives/Henry case above:

Keith Coney–motorcycle hit the back of a truck
Keith McMaskil– stabbed 113 times
Gregory Collins–gunshot wound killed him
Jeff Rhodes–killed, mutilated and found burned in a trash dump
James Milan–found decapitated, coroner ruled “natural causes.” Huh???
Richard Winters–he was a prime suspect in the case, was killed in a set up robbery

Looks like someone wanted these boys dead and gone from this earth, and to scare off any other folks who had info.

These are all bodyguards of the Clintons found dead:

Major William S. Barkley, Jr.
Captain Scott J . Reynolds
Sgt. Brian Hanley
Sgt. Tim Sabel
Major General William Robertson
Col. William Densberger
Col. Robert Kelly
Spec. Gary Rhodes
Steve Willis
Robert Williams
Conway LeBleu
Todd McKeehan

The most recent to die:

Seth Rich–former DNC staffer shot off camera (highly unlikely) in DC, I guess the shooter knew where the cameras didn’t record. Also, he was robbed…get this, of nothing! Julian Assange claimed to have the good on the killer mind you!

Sal Cincelli–an FBI agent investigating the Clinton foundation was found dead in the middle of a dance floor at a club, from 2 gunshot wounds to back of head…ruled a suicide.

There was a handful of others including celebrity Chef Anthony Boutdain who exclusively said on Twitter if found dead by suicide it wasn’t one…yet he was found dead and was ruled a suicide.

Again this is not to stir up conspiracies but that is a lot of people who are close to the Clintons dying of “multiple gunshot wounds” “plane crashes” and single gunshot wounds ruled as suicide. No wonder I got a lower rate on my life insurance when I said I was not related to the Clintons in anyway, even a chance encounter.

Editor’s Note: Shortly following the posting of this extensively researched blog post, the Chief succumbed to a fatal dose of lead poisoning. Apparently, as his teepee caught fire, the lead paint was absorbed into his lungs and caused his demise. At least that was the finding by the medical examiner that autopsied his charred body. The fire was so hot that the lead congealed into two large fragments about .45 caliber each.

The Inevitable Candidate

By Chief

Joe Biden is going to be the nominee…everyone knows it…everyone says it. He thinks he is running against Trump now…and it very well may be…however here is a good contrarian look at how “inevitable” he is.

In some cases these folks are correct. Biden is polling around 28% nationally and if that number holds, he will be hard to beat. But I want to caution, that is a national poll where; CA, NY, TX, FL, IL, and a handful of other states are way oversampled. Remember Democrat primaries tend to favor the very far left, not the middle or centrist types to whom Biden thinks he is.

Take for example Iowa, the first Caucus. As someone with family in Iowa (one of my ancestral hunting grounds), I can tell you they take the Caucus very seriously. In essence everyone from the town joins in a local meeting hall like the Y or a gym and they go into a certain corner or part of the room to indicate support for a specific candidate. You are in a public setting in front of your friends, family, and other citizens…they also can persuade you to join “their side.”

This process is very dirty. Let’s say the Warren and Sanders people decide they need to join forces to beat Biden, games are played. Trust me on this. In this age of Internet and cell phones, caucus strategy can be coordinated statewide which also adds another level of complexity to this process. Alas Biden is not polling that well in Iowa and Sanders has a very organized operation there. Let’s say Sanders wins, and Biden takes a disappointing 3rd.

Next up is New Hampshire, 8 days later. It’s a traditional primary, but Sanders should do very well as should Warren as they are from neighboring states. Momentum is a huge thing in politics and with candidates dropping out after a poor Iowa showing and dried up fundraising, suddenly a 28% national poll number doesn’t seem great. 11 days later is Nevada and you could have a similar issue of Biden, coming off what could be 2 losses, scoring another third place showing to boot. Again, Sanders should do well. In the wake of the Nevada primary, more candidates drop out and that “other” 72% is not spread amongst so many candidates anymore. Biden should win South Carolina, but it could be too little too late.

Super Tuesday is next, but I won’t cover that. There are too many states and it is way too early. Just understand when you hear inevitability, it very seldom is the case. Think back to 2008, it was Hillary vs McCain, inevitable right? Hillary won right? Mitt Romney was a shoo-in to beat Barack Obama. It was Jeb Bush in 2012 right? Bernie was a total joke, who would ever support a socialist?

You must remember momentum is the name of the game. After the last debates Marianne Williamson, Andrew Yang, and Kamal Harris looked good…Biden was widely panned as having a bad night. You can be sure with billionaire Tom Steyer in the race now–he is pushing for impeachment ASAP–so there is another person cutting into that 28%. Keep in mind Sanders and Warren have hard support. Their people are fired up and are not switching unless it’s to block someone from winning. Biden has soft support that seems to drop a little after each week…

Just Think about it.

Chief

Skynet says Politicians are Criminals, Politicians React

We now we have proof that Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning are beginning to approach rudimentary levels of human understanding. In actual tests, computers are beginning to recognize that politicians in both Congress and California’s Legislature are crooks.

I’ve long maintained that Conservatives use logic and Democrats use emotion; thus, when logic is applied to politics, Democrats loose. Not only am I now on the side of Angels but so are the machines. While they may yet declare war on all humanity at some future point; at present, I’m happy to be of one mind with them.

Of course, the ACLU is outraged by this development. If the algorithms of Google, Facebook, Apple, and Amazon should turn on their masters before the 2020 election, Trump might actually win without the need to livestream all eight years of his Administration on Twitter.

FAANG is Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Netflix, Google

Here’s the latest from Silicon Valley.

California Assemblyman Phil Ting … (D-San Francisco), who authored a bill to ban facial recognition software from being used on police body cameras, was one of 26 California legislators who was … matched with a mug shot in a recent test of a common face-scanning program by the American Civil Liberties Union.

About 1 in 5 legislators was … matched to a person who had been arrested when the ACLU used the software to screen their pictures against a database of 25,000 publicly available booking photos. Last year, in a similar experiment done with photos of members of Congress, the software … matched 28 federal legislators with mug shots.
Facial recognition software mistook 1 in 5 California lawmakers for criminals, says ACLU

Ting is outraged to be publicly identified as a malefactor by the precursors to Skynet. He claims that it is not his fault and blames others, in this case defective software. While attacking Silicon Valley products in California is a risk; nevertheless, he has partnered with the ACLU to push legislation to halt this technology from being used by government agencies not under his control (i.e. local police).

My Assemblyman is on this list and I’ve always been Leary of him

In defense of the machines (which is only logical after all), we all know that the ACLU recognizes virtually nothing traditionally defined as a criminal act as being anything but society’s fault. The ACLU only believes; that supporting Trump, homeschooling your children, being a Christian, and such; are criminal beliefs that society should punish by imprisoning you and separating you from your children.

Furthermore, the article baselessly charges that the software is guilty of racial profiling, opposing women, and youth.

Critics contend that the software is particularly problematic when it comes to identifying women, people of color and young people.

In defense of the machines; however, the homeless, the poor, and transgender people were not singled-out as categories of discrimination by the machines. Given that we are talking about California, this seems to severely undercut Ting’s arguments of discrimination.

Proponents of the technology contend it could be an important law enforcement tool, especially when policing large events or searching for lost children or elderly people. The bill is opposed by many law enforcement groups.

“Law enforcement groups” in the above quote means labor unions.

Labor unions have two big gripes with the machines. First, machines could displace humans doing certain tasks currently reserved for their members. Second, unlike politicians, machines don’t give campaign contributions in exchange for increasing their pay. Lastly, how long would it be before the machines caught-on that unions are a criminal enterprise in league with the ruling class? Can you imagine if the machines prosecuted the unions and both political parties under the RICO statutes?

Identifying 20 percent of political incumbents as criminal—on the basis of arrest records—is a very good start and a big step for Artificial Intelligence. We all know that most politicians weasel out of trouble by using their connections to make things disappear. As Jeffery Epstein proved, no one is beyond the reach of the rich, powerful, and well connected. Perhaps A.I. can add more transparency to government. I’m old enough to remember when that used to be a virtuous idea.

Jeffery Epstein murdered in solitary confinement in Aug 2019

In the meantime, I think some Ting wrong in the California Legislature.

Truth Over Facts

I came across a news story that was such a target rich environment that I couldn’t let it go without comment. Recently, career politician, former Senator, Obama Vice-President, and Presidential aspirant, Joe Biden was stumping in Iowa where he said:

We choose unity over division. We choose science over fiction. We choose truth over facts.
Joe Biden Endorses Ocasio-Cortez’s Support For ‘Truth Over Facts’

Joe Biden: “we choose truth over facts”

The crowd cheerspic.twitter.com/QLqXa8Qmm2
— Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) August 8, 2019

Wow! All three propositions are lies; especially, when said by Democrats. This can easily be proved.

We choose unity over division.

Democrat’s treatment of race is all about skin color or other categories of group identity. They have no use for individual effort. They like claiming the legacy of Martin Luther King while purposely repudiating King’s speech about judging people not by the color of their skin but the content of their character. Such talk is anathema to Democrats.

We choose science over fiction.

Oh yes, that’s why Democrats embrace the fiction of climate change despite no science to support it. Oh, another quick example. Ok. Try this. The Bible says that God made them male and female. This is science. Democrats made-up all the others. That is called fiction.

We choose truth over facts.

This statement is the one I’d like to explore for the balance of this post.

The idea that truth is incompatible or at odds with facts is a strange idea.

Truth Defined

I looked up the definition of Truth in the Internet. The dictionary listed 11 different definitions:

the true or actual state of a matter:
conformity with fact or reality; verity:
a verified or indisputable fact, proposition, principle, or the like:
the state or character of being true.
actuality or actual existence.
an obvious or accepted fact; truism; platitude.
honesty; integrity; truthfulness.
(often initial capital letter) ideal or fundamental reality apart from and transcending perceived experience:
agreement with a standard or original.
accuracy, as of position or adjustment.
Archaic. fidelity or constancy.

The reality is that truth is inseparable from facts. If a fact or facts disprove an idea, then by definition, it cannot be true. Given this, what is Biden talking about?

Ultimate Truth

Truth is ultimately a standard that is external to men but knowable by them. It is a measuring stick of information and ideas. Men were created with a knowledge of truth. Truth is a characteristic and attribute of God. God is Truth, Love, Justice, and many other things. Part of being created in God’s image is that humanity reflects—even in our alienated and broken state—the ability to know truth and use reason to learn about the creation around us.

However, the Bible has a warning about man’s ability to know truth. The Apostle Paul wrote a letter to the church in Rome that begins in part:

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

God gave men the ability to know truth to be able to know Him; however, certain folks pervert the truth and choose instead to believe a lie.

Lest you think the Apostle Paul has the market cornered on using the word “truth” take a look at the Gospel of John.

John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

John 1:17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

John 3:21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

John 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the truth worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

John 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

John 5:33 Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth.

John 6:14 Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world.

John 7:40 Many of the people therefore, when they heard this saying, said, Of a truth this is the Prophet.

John 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
John 8:40 But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham.

John 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

John 8:45 And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.

John 8:46 Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me?

John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

John 14:17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

John 15:26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

John 16:7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.

John 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

John 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

John 17:19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.

John 18:37 Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.

John 18:38 Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at all.

John wrote other parts of the Bible also. Truth was vitally important to him.

1 John 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:

1 John 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

1 John 2:4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

1 John 2:21 I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth.

From these verses we learn that Scripture places a very high value on truth.

God is truth.
We are to follow Jesus because he is the way, the truth, and the life.
Those that seek after God, follow the truth and are instructed in it by the Spirit of God.
Those that reject God do not have the truth in them and the ability to recognize truth will be taken from them if they persist in their rebellion.

Truth is an absolute. The word appears 224 times in the Bible, mostly in the New Testament.

Faith, in the Bible, only has merit if it comes from God for God is the only One worthy of our faith and devotion. Likewise, God’s creation is orderly and reflects His character. Only because of this can we know anything about the world around us. The Western concept of science is based on this proposition.

Biden’s “truth” is not Truth

So, what does Biden mean when he proclaims, “We choose truth over facts.”

First and foremost, Biden means that he, a mere man, is god. Same lie as in the Garden. “… ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.”

Biden predetermines what is truth for him and will reject any facts that don’t agree with his presuppositions. Thus, everyone has “a truth” but no one possesses “The Truth.” Hence, Biden embraces moral relativism or as they said in the old days, “… every man did that which was right in his own eyes” (Judges 17: 6b).

So, if Biden’s “truth” is not based on Truth or facts then it can only be subjective and emotional. His credo is feelings not facts; which sums up nicely the state of both Democrats and a whole lot of everyone else.

Stated another way, you get to believe what’s true for you and I can believe what’s true for me and both are equally valid; even when we hold opposite opinions. Over time, this logical fallacy has given way to Political Correctness. All political correctness does is enter the vacuum created by this relativistic worldview and unilaterally proclaim one view valid and the other is banned from the public square and the truth be damned.

Only when you subscribe to the lie that the emperor has clothes can you state such nonsense as “We choose truth over facts.”

In the real world, truth is inseparable from facts. Men conspiring to substitute a lie for the truth gain nothing but their ruination.

Sorry Joe but there is such a thing as right and wrong and you sir, and your cohorts, are in really big trouble. That’s the truth.