Category: News

Donald Trump just secured the soccer mom vote 

He also just secured the female evangelical female vote too.

AMES, Iowa — Sarah Palin, the former Alaska governor and 2008 vice-presidential nominee who became a Tea Party sensation and a favorite of grass-roots conservatives, endorsed Donald J. Trump in Iowa on Tuesday, providing him with a potentially significant boost just 13 days before the state’s caucuses.“Are you ready for the leader to make America great again?” Mrs. Palin said with Mr. Trump by her side at a rally at Iowa State University. “Are you ready to stump for Trump? I’m here to support the next president of the United States — Donald Trump.”Her support is the highest-profile backing for a Republican so far. It came the same day that Iowa’s Republican governor, Terry Branstad, said he hoped that Senator Ted Cruz would be defeated in Iowa. The Feb. 1 caucuses are a must-win for the Texas senator, who is running neck-and-neck with Mr. Trump in state polls.The endorsement came as Mr. Trump was bearing down in the state, holding multiple campaign events and raising expectations about his performance in the nation’s first nominating contest.As Mrs. Palin announced her backing, Mr. Trump stood wearing a satisfied smile as she scolded mainstream Republicans as sellouts and praised how Mr. Trump had shaken up the party. “He’s been going rogue left and right,” Mrs. Palin said of Mr. Trump, using one of her signature phrases. “That’s why he’s doing so well. He’s been able to tear the veil off this idea of the system.” – Source: Sarah Palin Endorses Donald Trump, Which Could Bolster Him in Iowa – The New York Times

 

The video:

https://youtu.be/Tif6xm4_ysA?t=58m51s

The question that many are asking is, why did she pick Trump over Cruz? Actually, there are two reasons; one is that Cruz might have seriously pissed off Palin by basically insulting her. The other reason basically is because Ted Cruz’s wife works for or did work for one of the biggest banks, that was involved with the huge meltdown in 2008 and got a bailout from it. She also is or was, depending on whom you believe; a member of the council on foreign relations, which is huge minus among the Conservative base —- especially the Ted Party base.

Reaction has been predictable among the left. The reaction among the right is varied; some are happy, some, not so much. Personally, I think that this endorsement will be just another feather in Donald Trump’s hat; I just hope that Trump does not squander this chance. For the drive-by crowd, I am neither a supporter or against Donald Trump; I view all politicians with a good dose of skepticism.

I would recommend Trump not to use her too much to stump for his campaign, because there are a good number of people, who see Palin as a blithering idiot and that would work against him.  An endorsement is fine, a campaign attack dog would be a disaster. So, keep Palin at a distance. I just hope Trump does not pick her to his Vice President; that would be huge mistake. I mean, anything is better than Hillary. But, with Palin in the VP slot, Trump would not get elected in the general election at all. I might be wrong about that, but I really doubt it.

Either way, I will be following this a bit more closely, as this primary race just got a bit more interesting now.

Blogger roundup:  The Huffington Post, Donald J Trump for President, Guardian, John Hawkins’ Right Wing News, US News, Mediaite, Gawker, FiveThirtyEight, Bloomberg Business, Power Line, The Atlantic, Algemeiner.com, Business Insider, Hot Air, ThinkProgress, Right Wing Watch, Lawyers, Guns & Money, Vox, Shot in the Dark, Raw Story, The Right Scoop,National Review, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, RealClearPolitics, The Last Tradition, Washington Post, addictinginfo.org, Trail Blazers Blog, Talking Points Memo, American Spectator,Political Insider …, BuzzFeed, Outside the Beltway, The Slot, Weasel Zippers, Mother Jones, VICE, The Week, Vox Popoli, Daily Kos, The Last Refuge, Politico and Townhall.com,  Mother Jones, ABC News, BizPac Review, New York Times, U.S. News, Washington Times, The Hill, National Review, RedState, Fox News Insider,Washington Monthly, The Daily Caller, The Gateway Pundit, Balloon Juice, American Spectator, The Right Scoop, The Week, Mediaite, Salon, Hot Air, Telegraph,PoliticusUSA, Bloomberg.com, Politico and Little Green Footballs

 

 

I have really bad feeling about that standoff in Oregon

Update: WorldNetDaily has a good background on this story. Regardless of how one feels about all that; this is not the way to solve this issue, at all.

Update #2: Taylor Millard over at Hotair.com offers his thoughts on the situtation

I hate to sound like a pessimist or even an Eeyore, but I have a really horrible, sinking feeling about that standoff up in Oregon.  I’ve seen this before, back in the 1980’s and 1990’s and it didn’t end pretty. I hope cooler heads prevail and nothing happens. However, if I know these people; something bad is going to happen. 🙁

The story via OregonLive.com:

Update at 9:15 p.m.: Statement from Harney County Sheriff Dave Ward: “After the peaceful rally was completed today, a group of outside militants drove to the Malheur Wildlife Refuge, where they seized and occupied the refuge headquarters. A collective effort from multiple agencies is currently working on a solution. For the time being please stay away from that area. More information will be provided as it becomes available. Please maintain a peaceful and united front and allow us to work through this situation.”

The Bundy family of Nevada joined with hard-core militiamen Saturday to take over the headquarters of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, vowing to occupy the remote federal outpost 30 miles southeast of Burns for years.

The occupation came shortly after an estimated 300 marchers — militia and local citizens both — paraded through Burns to protest the prosecution of two Harney County ranchers, Dwight Hammond Jr. and Steven Hammond, who are to report to prison on Monday.

Among the occupiers is Ammon Bundy, son of Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy, and two of his brothers. Militia members at the refuge claimed they had as many as 100 supporters with them. The refuge, federal property managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, was closed and unoccupied for the holiday weekend.

In phone interviews from inside the occupied building Saturday night, Ammon Bundy and his brother, Ryan Bundy, said they are not looking to hurt anyone. But they would not rule out violence if police tried to remove them, they said.

“The facility has been the tool to do all the tyranny that has been placed upon the Hammonds,” Ammon Bundy said.

“We’re planning on staying here for years, absolutely,” he added. “This is not a decision we’ve made at the last minute.”

The problem is that the Hammond family says that they did not even invite these people and they really do not even support them at all. This is why I agree with Jazz Shaw over at HotAir.com:

This is crazy. (And I know that’s not going to sit well with those regularly spoiling for a fight with the feds.) Taking armed troops in to seize control of a federal building and essentially daring the government to come get you is pretty much the course of last resort. This is the fight you choose to draw the line in the sand over? If the Hammonds aren’t seeking protection and are planning to continue their appeal through the normal legal channels, this armed insurrection isn’t being done for their benefit. If you’re doing it to try to stop the feds from exercising control over a wildlife refuge, well… nope. Sorry. Still crazy.

Harness all of that energy and enthusiasm into getting a legal team to begin challenging the federal government in court over it. It will be a long, hard slog, but you’ll garner a tremendous amount of support around the nation, particularly among conservatives and libertarians. Taking up arms over this will produce just the opposite result. It’s time to get the troops out of the building before somebody gets hurt and this turns into a literally bloody debacle.

I also happen to agree with John Hawkins:

Intelligent people can differ over whether the sentences are fair and of course, a peaceful protest is always fine. However, taking over a government building and trying to provoke a violent government response is so irresponsible that it borders on insane. It would be nice if the people involved came to their senses and called this whole thing off before anyone gets hurt, but common sense doesn’t seem so common in the age of Obama.

I could not agree more. This is not going to end good. When the Government shows up Monday, this is not going to end well and it is going to nothing for the liberty movement, at all. It is only going to paint anyone, who believes in the Constitution, in small Government, and in personal Liberty as far right-wing nut jobs.

Related:

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Bloomberg: 37% of likely Republican voters support Muslim ban on immigration

Well, they didn’t ask me. I don’t support such silliness. 🙄

Almost two-thirds of likely 2016 Republican primary voters favor Donald Trump’s call to temporarily ban Muslims from entering the U.S., while more than a third say it makes them more likely to vote for him.Those are some of the findings from a Bloomberg Politics/Purple Strategies PulsePoll, an online survey conducted Tuesday, that shows support at 37 percent among all likely general-election voters for the controversial proposal put forward by the Republican front-runner.“We believe these numbers are made up of some people who are truly expressing religious bigotry and others who are fearful about terrorism and are willing to do anything they think might make us safer,” Doug Usher, who runs polling for Washington-based Purple Strategies, said in his analysis of the findings. “This indicates that, despite some conventional wisdom expressed in the last 48 hours, this is unlikely to hurt Trump at least in the primary campaign.”

Source: Bloomberg Politics Poll: Trump Muslim Ban Proposal – Bloomberg Politics

Others: Politico, Mother Jones, Talking Points Memo, No More Mister Nice Blog,Washington Post, Hot Air, Outside the Beltway, FITSNews, Hullabaloo, PoliticusUSA, Rush Limbaugh, Allen B. West, Business Insider, Vox, The Week, Political Wire, Daily Kos and The Daily Caller (via Memeorandum)

Local News: Honest protest against ISIS or just staged for the media?

This comes via WXYZ TV in Detroit:

On one hand, I am glad to see Muslims stand up against terrorism; but the cynic in me, honestly wonders if this is just is not just some attempt to save face by the Muslim community in Detroit. After all, this blogger here, has went undercover and caught Islāmic Imams preaching hate of Christians and Jews from their pulpits.

So, this little protest really means nothing to me really.

Blacks are whining in Detroit….Again

It seems that the “social justice” crowd is at it again, trying to subtly suggest that because Detroit has a white Mayor, that blacks are being discriminated against.

Via NBC News black division:

Downtown Detroit has been fashionably in redevelopment and undergoing resurgence since the economic downturn, but not everyone is feeling welcome.

With its shiny new facades on chic eateries, cafes and microbreweries, the bright transformation and new attitude has often been called “New Detroit.” It’s all a point of pride for Mike Duggan, the first white mayor elected in 40 years who took office last year. His efforts ranging from urban landscaping to lowering the crime rate to incubating booming businesses have brought new hope for the Motor City—consistently plagued for decades with scandals, crime and blight.

Yet, many black Detroiters are crying foul, saying Detroit is becoming a tale of two cities; while young, white residents enjoy a stylish, prosperous downtown, black business owners say they are being systematically forced out of business.

Not everyone is buying that little lie however:

Charlie Beckham, Detroit’s Group Executive for Neighborhoods, who invited the first group of business owners to talk, is adamant there is no effort to push out black businesses. Instead, he said, the economy has changed, and people are repositioning.

“There are plenty of successful black business owners doing the right thing. They scratched and saved and paid their workers before they bought the Cadillac,” said Beckham, who has served six mayors since the late Coleman Young, the city’s first black mayor. “The responsibility is on us. When you’ve had a month-to-month lease for 25 years, and you get pushed out of your lease or when you lose your property because you didn’t pay your mortgage or taxes, that’s just bad business.”

Meanwhile, Smith negotiated a lease with new building owners and Spectacles is staying put. Mo’ Better Blues, which in October won a $50,000 Motor City Match grant from the city of Detroit, is celebrating its grand opening in another downtown location on November 7. The Mongos continue to run Café D’Mongo’s Speakeasy, a downtown bar/restaurant.

“We’ve got to tighten up in this new environment,” Beckham said. “Buy the building. Negotiate a strong lease. If the economy goes up or down, you will not get pushed out. Is there still racism? Yes. But we can’t let that be an excuse.”

Here’s what I wrote in the comments section of this story:

Amazing, the same people that are largely responsible for the downfall of my great city are now @!$%#ing because they’re not being allowed to do it again. How quaint. 

The truth is, if you don’t have the money to be in business, you shouldn’t be in business to start with! NO ONE is entitled to anything! If you can’t hang with the big dogs, get off the porch!

Racist? No. Racial Realist? Yes. 

If you ain’t got the flow to be in business, than take your broke black a$$ on down the road and let someone who does have the building, it is just that simple. 

Amazing how blacks think that they’re entitled to everything. This is what happens when you give them special treatment. Give them an inch and they try to take a mile. 

I stand behind that comment 100%.

 

UPDATED WITH STATEMENT John Boehner to resign at end of October

I knew this was coming, I just did not know when.

Via The New York Times:

WASHINGTON — Speaker John A. Boehner, under intense pressure from conservatives in his party, announced on Friday that he would resign one of the most powerful positions in government and give up his House seat at the end of October, as Congress moved to avert a government shutdown.

Mr. Boehner, who was first elected to Congress in 1990, made the announcement in an emotional meeting with his fellow Republicans on Friday morning.

The Ohio representative struggled from almost the moment he took the speaker’s gavel in 2011 to manage the challenges of divided government and to hold together his fractious and increasingly conservative Republican members.

Most recently, Mr. Boehner, 65, was trying to craft a solution to keep the government open through the rest of the year, but was under pressure from a growing base of conservatives who told him that they would not vote for a bill that did not defund Planned Parenthood.

Mr. Boehner’s stunning announcement lessens the chance of a government shutdown next week as Republican leaders in Congress will push for a short-term funding measure to keep the government operating and the speaker will no longer be deterred by those who threatened his job.

There are some that are saying that this could cause a problem for the GOP and it could be a win for the Dems. However, I disagree with that, the Dems are so unpopular now with Americans, especially middle America that I believe that this will only strengthen the GOP’s base and appeal.

Either way, this will be a shift from the establishment running the house to a conservative. Look for more impasse with the President till he leaves office. This might lead to Government shutdowns and other such stuff.

Stay tuned.

Update: Here is the Official Statement:

WASHINGTON, DC – House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) today issued the following statement:

“My mission every day is to fight for a smaller, less costly, and more accountable government.  Over the last five years, our majority has advanced conservative reforms that will help our children and their children.  I am proud of what we have accomplished.

“The first job of any Speaker is to protect this institution that we all love.  It was my plan to only serve as Speaker until the end of last year, but I stayed on to provide continuity to the Republican Conference and the House.  It is my view, however, that prolonged leadership turmoil would do irreparable damage to the institution.  To that end, I will resign the Speakership and my seat in Congress on October 30.

“Today, my heart is full with gratitude for my family, my colleagues, and the people of Ohio’s Eighth District.  God bless this great country that has given me – the son of a bar owner from Cincinnati – the chance to serve.”

The comments over on that site are for the ages. The old school of politics and political operation is over. This is a new era and Boehner just could not exist in it. The days of the Republican ruling class are over; which is, in a way, a good thing for America. The establishment is going to have to either get in line or get out of the way.

Related:

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Justice? Detroit Drug Dealer and FBI informant “White Boy Rick” to be resentenced

This is an interesting development.

Via The Detroit Free Press:

Richard Wershe Jr.— known as White Boy Rick — wore European suits and had a full head of hair when he gained notoriety as a teenage drug dealer in the 1980s.

In a Detroit courtroom today, the now bald 46-year-old had on green jail garb when he learned he will be resentenced for a drug crime committed at age 17, which could lead to his freedom.

Wayne County Circuit Judge Dana Hathaway issued the ruling and said her decision was based on case law related to juveniles and the evolution of penalties for drug crimes.

Wershe was quiet and stoic during the 5-minute hearing in the Frank Murphy Hall of Justice attended by friends and family, including his mother and 27-year-old son. About a dozen reporters and several photographers also gathered in the courtroom.

Wershe was convicted of possession with intent to deliver more than 650 grams of cocaine in 1988 and has spent the last 27 years in prison. Authorities said Wershe had eight kilos of high-grade powered cocaine worth about $5 million.

I remember when this man’s trial and sentencing happened back in the 1980’s. I never knew him personally, as he lived on the other side of town from me. However, I remember the buzz in the local media. There is alot more to Rick’s story, to put you up to speed, here are a few videos on the subject:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJWoqqMftis

For some context, watch these:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10SprwE0qmM

As you can see, Rick was used by the feds and then left in jail to rot. 😡

The truth is, that if Rick were a black man, he would already be out of jail. However, because Rick is a white man and because he happens to know a good deal about the corrupt workings of the Detroit police and the political elite class in Detroit and the federal government’s so called “war on drugs,”  the feds want him to stay behind bars.

Here is hoping that Rick finally gets some justice in his very sad case.

Others: Raw Story and Guardian (via Memeoradum)

 

Another White Police Officer shot, this time in Houston, TX

What say you, #blacklivesmatter?

From the AP:

HOUSTON (AP) — A sheriff’s deputy in uniform was shot and killed Friday night while filling up his patrol car at a suburban Houston gas station, according to authorities.

Deputy Darren Goforth, 47, was pumping gas into his vehicle about 8:30 p.m. Friday when a man approached him from behind and fired multiple shots, Harris County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Ryan Sullivan told The Associated Press. Once the deputy fell to the ground, the suspect fired more shots.

Police described the suspect as a dark-complexioned male who is believed to be between 20 and 25 years old, and stands about 5-foot-10 to 6-feet tall. He was wearing a white T-shirt and red shorts and driving a red or maroon pickup-style truck with an extended cab. Police said an intensive search for the suspect remained ongoing Saturday morning.

No motive was determined for the shooting. Harris County Sheriff Ron Hickman said Goforth, who was a 10-year veteran of the force, had a wife and two children.

“In my 45 years in law enforcement, I can’t recall another incident so cold-blooded and cowardly,” Hickman said.

Sheriff’s office spokesman Deputy Thomas Gilliland said Goforth had traveled to the Chevron station where the shooting happened, after earlier responding to a routine car accident.

“He was pumping gas into his vehicle. and the male suspect came up behind him and shot the deputy multiple times,” Gilliland told the Houston Chronicle. “The deputy fell to ground. the suspect came over and shot the deputy again multiple times as he lay on the ground.”

He said Goforth died at the scene. Detectives were checking security camera video for possible clues.

This is not justice, this is nothing more than straight up cowardice. This was an act of murder, which is the cause of the media ginning up resentment against law enforcement. This is what happens, when you give a movement of leftists, anarchists and common thugs a spotlight and try to make them into something that they are not.

Congratulations Democrats. You own this one. 😡

Update #1: Hotair.com confirms that the suspect is black and they have a photo.

The Korean peninsula is turning into a powder keg

Because I have been so busy with covering local stuff, moral failings and silly attacks on multi-racial people; I have overlooked the fact that the fit is about to hit the shan in the Korean peninsula. 😯

Via CNN:

Paju, South Korea (CNN)North Korea outlined an ultimatum Friday to its southern neighbor: Stop the “provocations” and “psychological warfare” or pay the price.

“If South Korea does not respond to our ultimatum,” North Korean U.N. ambassador An Myong Hun told reporters, “our military counteraction will be inevitable and that counteraction will be very strong.”

North Korea’s regime, known for being both thin-skinnedand fond of saber rattling, has made plenty of threats before. In fact, articulating derogatory and intimidating words about South Korea and the United States has been more the norm than not for years.

What makes this case different, though, is that two South Korean soldiers have been seriously wounded (by landmines August 4 in the Demilitarized Zone) and that there’s been firing back-and-forth since then. An said Friday that “all the (North Korean) frontline large combined units (have) entered into a wartime state … fully armed to launch any surprise operations and finish their preparations for action.”

Specifically, this threat is tied to cross-border propaganda loudspeakers that South Korea resumed using last week for the first time in a decade. Pyongyang is demanding they be turned off by Saturday evening.

“The situation of the country is now inching closer to the brink of war,” Ji Jae Ryong, North Korean ambassador to China, told journalists in Beijing on Friday.

The part that gets me is that South Korea is actually provoking this whole thing.  If I were President Obama, I would be making a phone call to South Korea’s President and telling her, “Cut the crap, or we don’t lift a finger to assist you.”

The Korean War was one of the worst Wilsonian foreign policy blunders ever, that was given to us, by President Harry Truman. President Truman ended one war, that was declared properly and started another one at the request of the United Nations. We lost many a man on those battlefields, and what did we gain? Nothing. It ended in an armistice.

The President of South Korea is needlessly putting US troops at risk with what she is doing. She should be told to stop; or the United States of America should withdraw our forces from the region and wish them good luck.

Jane Hamsher of FireDogLake calls it a day

This is a surprise.

Via FireDogLake:

As many of you know, Firedoglake has been on hiatus for eight months while I recovered from hip replacement surgery. During that time I’ve been contemplating what the next chapter should be for the website. After some personal reflection, I have decided to pass the torch on to Kevin Gosztola and Brian Sonenstein, who will launch their own media organization called Shadowproof that will build on the success of FDL.

[…….]

The dogs and I have really loved being a part of the FDL community for over a decade, and are so very thankful for all of the great friends we’ve made and the experiences we have had. But we feel it’s time to hand over the helm to new, young energetic voices like Kevin, Brian, Dan and Kit. Moreover, it’s the right time in their careers when they should be stepping into leadership positions. I am so proud of all of the work they’ve done, and look forward to watching their growth as they lead their own organization.

I want to thank everyone over the years who has helped to make FDL a huge success. I urge those who have supported FDL to support Shadowproof, because it’s going to be amazing.

When I first started blogging back in 2006, when I was writing at “The Populist“, Jane’s blog was one of my regular reads. I wish her the best with her hip recovery and in her future endeavors.

Skippy, The Bush Kangaroo remembers as well. Skippy is an old timer blogger like me. 🙂

UPDATE: I just wanted to share a few more thoughts here on this blog posting that I didn’t get to share earlier.

For better or for worse; Jane Hamsher has been a critic of Barack Obama. she was a critic of Obamacare, she was a critic of many of the things that went on during his administration. For that she lost a lot of friends on the liberal left and because of that she lost her status in the blogosphere as one of the great ones.

That in itself, is a demonstration of how just how partisan politics can be corrosive to the political process and also to political writing. I mean Jan Hamsher has been around since 2004 and she started blogging on Blogspot which was a long time ago in blog years and human years too and I think it’s sad that Jane basically became of pariah in the liberal blogosphere, because she dared not to go along with the group think when it came to Barack Obama.

Anyhow, I wish Jane the best and I hope she finds something good to do after blogging.