COLLECTIVE MADNESS


“Soft despotism is a term coined by Alexis de Tocqueville describing the state into which a country overrun by "a network of small complicated rules" might degrade. Soft despotism is different from despotism (also called 'hard despotism') in the sense that it is not obvious to the people."

Saturday, October 28, 2017

Culture Wars: First They came for Confederate Memorials , Now Washington is in Their Crosshairs, Christ Will be Next

Washington, Lee memorials to be removed from church sanctuary in effort to be 'welcoming' to all - Washington Times


An historic Episcopal parish where George Washington frequently worshiped has decided to remove a memorial plaque honoring the nation’s first president, saying the decision was out of a desire to provide a “welcoming” worship space for all visitors. The church will also remove a similar memorial plague honoring Robert E. Lee, the commander of Confederate Army of Northern Virginia.

The vestry of Christ Church in Alexandria, Virginia, announced its unanimous decision in an Oct. 26 letter, The Republican Standard website reported Thursday. The letter suggests that while initially the concern was over honoring the Confederate military leader, Washington’s slave ownership was a factor in the decision to remove his plaque as well.

“We understand that both Washington and Lee lived in times much different than our own, and that each man, in addition to his public persona, was a complicated human being, and like all of us, a child of God,” Christ Church’s vestry said. 

“Today, the legacy of slavery and of the Confederacy is understood differently than it was in 1870. For some, Lee symbolizes the attempt to overthrow the Union and to preserve slavery. Today our country is trying once again to come to grips with the history of slavery and the subsequent disenfranchisement of people of color.
“… Many in our congregation feel a strong need for the church to stand clearly on the side of ‘All are welcome — no exceptions,’ ” the letter continued. “Because the sanctuary is a worship space, not a museum, there is no appropriate way to inform visitors about the history of the plaques or to provide additional context except for the in-person tours provided by our docents.

“The Vestry believes that the memorial plaques to George Washington and Robert E. Lee should be considered together. The plaques were erected at the same time. They visually balance each other, maintaining the symmetry of our sanctuary. The men they memorialize are giants in our nation’s history and were members of this parish,” the vestry said. “Robert E. Lee has taken on outsized symbolism in the national conversation about race and inclusion.”

According to photos of the church available online, the identically designed plaques adorn the wall at the front of the sanctuary — Washington’s on the left side, Lee’s on the right. Each plaque shows an image of a cross and crown and reads “In Memory Of” preceding their respective names. Neither man’s military or political accomplishments are listed on the memorial plaques, which appear to be carved on marble and overlaid with gold paint.

“It is important to understand that the plaques will not be moved to a storage area,” the vestry noted in its letter. “Rather, they will remain in the church until they can be relocated to a place of respectful prominence where they will be fully visible to parishioners and tourists alike. And ultimately, they will be incorporated into a more complete presentation of our long and many-faceted history.”

Founded in 1773, Christ Church is nearing its 250th anniversary year, the vestry said, and the relocation of the memorial markers was just “the beginning” of a larger effort to “take ownership of our history,” perhaps with “a museum or interpretive center” on the grounds to better serve tourists and history buffs.
Read the full Christ Church vestry letter by clicking here.


112 comments:

  1. DEAR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CHRIST,

    Earlier this summer, the Vestry began to consider whether the George Washington and Robert E. Lee memorial plaques should remain in or be moved from the worship space in Christ Church. The Vestry also began to consider how Christ Church can better understand and present our significant history, which dates back to 1773. This was not a discussion we entered into lightly, but rather a sincere attempt to have a family conversation about our worship space, our larger history, and our future.

    We spent the month of September listening to the parish: seven listening sessions, many emails, numerous phone calls, countless informal conversations, and many one-on-one meetings and discussions with parishioners. The passion, respect, and thoughtfulness of the people of this parish were evident throughout the listening sessions, conversations, and emails.

    We are especially thankful for those who prayed daily for both the parish and Vestry, which has been prayerfully discerning where God is calling Christ Church.

    The plaques were erected in 1870, just two months after Robert E. Lee’s death, by parishioners eager to memorialize two men who had impact within our parish and an outsized impact on our nation. We recognize that our church was present at the center of two of the most important events in our nation’s history.

    Washington is unique in our nation’s history: the leader of the Revolution, the visionary who not only refused to be king but also gave up power after eight years, and a symbol of our democracy. He regularly worshiped in our pews and helped shape our city’s character.

    Lee was a longtime parishioner, whose family had a significant presence in our church. From “Light-Horse Harry” Lee’s membership in our parish at the time he memorialized George Washington as “first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen,” to Mary Custis Lee’s gift of $10,000 to begin the Christ Church endowment, the Lee family was a prominent part of the Christ Church family.

    We understand that both Washington and Lee lived in times much different than our own, and that each man, in addition to his public persona, was a complicated human being, and like all of us, a child of God.

    Today, the legacy of slavery and of the Confederacy is understood differently than it was in 1870. For some, Lee symbolizes the attempt to overthrow the Union and to preserve slavery. Today our country is trying once again to come to grips with the history of slavery and the subsequent disenfranchisement of people of color.

    Hebrews 13:2 says, “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” Christ Church lives into this call, feeding the hungry with our Lazarus ministry, welcoming the stranger in our refugee ministry, and inviting all to worship with us. The plaques in our sanctuary make some in our presence feel unsafe or unwelcome. Some visitors and guests who worship with us choose not to return because they receive an unintended message from the prominent presence of the plaques.

    {...}

    ReplyDelete
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    1. {...}

      Many in our congregation feel a strong need for the church to stand clearly on the side of “All are welcome— no exceptions.”
      Because the sanctuary is a worship space, not a museum, there is no appropriate way to inform visitors about the history of the plaques or to provide additional context except for the in-person tours provided by our docents.

      The Vestry believes that the memorial plaques to George Washington and Robert E. Lee should be considered together. The plaques were erected at the same time. They visually balance each other, maintaining the symmetry of our sanctuary. The men they memorialize are giants in our nation’s history and were members of this parish. Robert E. Lee has taken on outsized symbolism in the national conversation about race and inclusion.

      The Vestry has unanimously decided that the plaques create a distraction in our worship space and may create an obstacle to our identity as a welcoming church, and an impediment to our growth and to full community with our neighbors. Accordingly, the plaques will be relocated no later than the summer of 2018.

      This decision is a beginning, not an end. {you can bet the farm on that!}

      First, this decision is the beginning of a parish-wide process for discerning an appropriate new home for the memorial plaques. The Vestry will create a committee of parishioners to explore options for displaying the plaques prominently and with appropriate historical context on our campus. This committee will work over the coming months to explore the options and engage the parish in the discernment process, and will make a recommendation to the Vestry for the plaques’ new home by April 15.

      It is important to understand that the plaques will not be moved to a storage area. Rather, they will remain in the church until they can be relocated to a place of respectful prominence where they will be fully visible to parishioners and tourists alike. And ultimately, they will be incorporated into a more complete presentation of our long and many-faceted history.

      Second, this decision is the beginning of a parish-wide process to take ownership of our history. The Vestry will create a committee of parishioners to better define how we tell our story. This project will involve developing a narrative for Christ Church that spotlights many of the parishioners and experiences that give us our identity: men and women such as George Washington, David Griffith, Robert E. Lee, Armistead Boothe, Sallie Stuart, Henry & Trudye Fowler, and many more.

      We envision that this work will result in a presentation of our history, a gift to the parish that will allow Clergy, docents, and members of Christ Church to clearly articulate our common story as we approach our 250th anniversary. Parishioners will be invited to help shape this important work throughout the process. This committee will launch in January 2018.

      Third, this decision is the beginning of a parish-wide process for identifying and developing locations to tell our story across the entire campus. The Vestry will create a committee of parishioners tasked with working with parish members to identify ways we can highlight not only the plaques, but many other materials and objects from our past. This will allow visitors and researchers to more fully understand the role Christ Church has played in our community and our nation since 1773.

      This work will result in a recommendation to the Vestry for changes to how we interpret our history across the campus, which could include a museum or interpretive center. This committee will also launch in January 2018.

      {...}

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    2. {...}

      This decision is the beginning of a prayerful, parish-wide effort to come together. The discussion about the appropriateness of the plaques in our worship space caused friction in our parish family. We understand that the discernment process has felt confusing and exclusive. We hope all parishioners will be more fully involved as we move forward.

      To succeed, the committees must reflect the full range of perspectives and concerns of the parish. We invite you to share your hopes for this process and to nominate yourself or other parishioners to serve on these important committees. Reflections and nominations can be sent to wardens@ccalex.org.

      Additionally, the Clergy, Vestry and other lay leaders will be actively seeking opportunities to bring parishioners together. We invite parishioners to reach out with ideas and recommendations. Vestry members will host a forum on November 5 and will also be available at the coffee hours every Sunday in November for conversation and comments.

      As always, we begin this new journey with a prayer:

      God of compassion, you have reconciled us in Jesus Christ who is our peace: Enable us to live as Jesus lived, breaking down walls of hostility and healing enmity. Give us grace to make peace with those from whom we are divided, that, forgiven and forgiving, we may ever be one in Christ; who with you and the Holy Spirit reigns for ever, one holy and undivided Trinity. Amen.

      Delete

    3. When in Christ Church do as the Clergy Vestry do, or get the fuck out.

      Delete
  2. It has been obvious to me for some time. There are no "inclusions" in culture. Attempts at "inclusion" invariably end in the exclusion of the welcoming culture. Those demanding inclusion are proven dominant by the very act of their complaints and demands being given consideration, then acceptance. There is no end other than a victory and a defeat.

    So it has always been. Give a stitch and you will end up naked.

    ReplyDelete
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    1. .

      We spent the month of September listening to the parish: seven listening sessions, many emails, numerous phone calls, countless informal conversations, and many one-on-one meetings and discussions with parishioners. The passion, respect, and thoughtfulness of the people of this parish were evident throughout the listening sessions, conversations, and emails.

      I guess we will need to get a body count on how many of these slimeballs aren't white and of European descent.

      .

      Delete
    2. As far as I can tell, this parish went way left some time ago. The assistant rector is a woman married to another woman.

      I don't care what these folks do amongst themselves, but they advertise they are Alexandria's "historic" church. That being the case, instead of simply removing the plaques, they could at least have moved them to a more suitable location -- even if it were outside the building itself.

      There's a Catholic Church in Old Town Alexandria that has a plaque on a stone pillar that explains that when the church was being planned, George Washington donated as one of his officers was involved in getting the church built. I don't think that plaque will be moving soon.

      Delete
    3. .

      Geez, Bob, don't you read this stuff before commenting on it?

      “It is important to understand that the plaques will not be moved to a storage area,” the vestry noted in its letter. “Rather, they will remain in the church until they can be relocated to a place of respectful prominence where they will be fully visible to parishioners and tourists alike. And ultimately, they will be incorporated into a more complete presentation of our long and many-faceted history.”

      .


      Delete
  3. When in Rome, do as the Romans or get the fuck out.

    ReplyDelete
  4. CULTURE WARS

    GOP establishment billionaire Paul Singer, the top funder of the Washington Free Beacon, has a long history of support for the GOP establishment over economic nationalists and conservatives–including backing open borders, pro-amnesty efforts.
    Late Friday, Singer’s Washington Free Beacon came clean as the original funding source for Fusion GPS’s research against now-President Donald Trump. Fusion GPS research was later funded by Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton’s campaign, and created the now-infamous fake news dossier against Trump, but the efforts originally lay with Singer.

    Multiple outlets reported Friday night that lawyers for the Free Beacon had just informed the House Intelligence Committee that their outfit was the first to engage Fusion GPS to conduct opposition research against then-candidate Trump. The neoconservative media outlet emphasized in a statement that this engagement involved all of the GOP candidates for president – not merely Trump – and never involved Russia or dubious former intelligence asset Christopher Steele, before the project was dropped and taken over by Hillary for American and the Democratic National Committee in the Spring of 2016 through potentially illegal payments made through law firm Perkins Coie.

    When news of the DNC and Hillary Clinton campaign’s involvement in the dossier, a primary source of the “Russia Story” dogging the first ten months of Trump administration, first broke, the Washington Post reported “one Republican” had been involved. That Republican is now clearly Singer, the Free Beacon’s main funder.

    Singer’s involvement in the dossier, and opposition research on Trump more generally, comports with a years-long pattern of advocacy for mass immigration, massive funding of establishment GOP candidates, and antagonism towards the populist-nationalist movement.

    ReplyDelete

  5. CNN legal analyst: Charges filed in Mueller probe means it will last 'well into 2018'


    http://thehill.com/homenews/media/357613-cnn-legal-analyst-charges-filed-in-mueller-probe-means-it-will-last-well-into

    ReplyDelete
  6. Unless Mueller does what is right and indicts himself, The Donald ought to just break out the pardon pen.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies

    1. The Russian collusion narrative is falling apart. There will be many embarrassed politicians in the near future
      John Dietrich
      This “dossier” was an obvious fraud and no one in the intelligence community believed otherwise. People who claimed it might possibly have value were deceiving the public. They did this because it was the only thing they had to justify an investigation of the Donald Trump campaign. More

      http://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2017/10/the_russian_collusion_narrative_is_falling_apart_there_will_be_many_embarrassed_politicians_in_the_near_future.html

      Hillary Clinton: Faust and Mephistopheles Rolled into One
      Patricia McCarthy
      Like Faust, Hillary Clinton seems to have sold her soul to Mephistopheles in exchange for money and power. Like Mephistopheles, Clinton can also get diabolical when cornered. More

      http://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2017/10/hillary_clinton_faust_and_mephistopheles_rolled_into_one.html

      Clinton and the Rosenbergs: Let's Dare Call It Treason
      Daniel John Sobieski
      Is Hillary's Uranium One deal treason like that committed by the Rosenbergs? If not, then just what would be? More

      http://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2017/10/clinton_and_the_rosenbergs_lets_dare_call_it_treason.html

      Delete
    2. The Donald ought to break out the pardon pen and fire Mueller at the same time.

      Whole thing is a big farce.

      It's Hillary that is the criminal.

      Delete
    3. Wrong again, Robert "Draft Dodger" Peterson.

      Whether or not Hillary is a criminal has absolutely nothing to do with Mr Manafort's crimes, nothing to do with the activities of Lt Gen Flynn and Mr Kushner and their unreported Russian contacts.

      No, "Draft Dodger", the Mueller investigation is no farce.
      Nor is it a joke.

      It is a very serious thing.

      Delete
    4. You should be investigated, Self Confessed War Criminal, Dead Beat Dad, Jew hater, and Liar.

      Delete
    5. It would be easy to do. All Justice would have to do is recover all your earlier postings here, War Criminal and Dead Beat Dad.

      Now how about leaving me alone the rest of the day ?

      I'm sure people are sick of this crap.

      Delete

    6. Been there, done that, "Draft Dodger" Peterson.

      They 'busted' the gun dealer from Ohio and then...
      ... the Israeli trolls that took his place

      Delete
  7. We Need an Investigation of the Entire Justice Department Now
    BY ROGER L SIMON OCTOBER 25, 2017 CHAT 512 COMMENTS

    Bravo, Charles Grassley! The Iowa senator has turned into something of an aging Mr. Smith taking on corruption in the Obama administration (and its Justice Department) and calling for a special investigator for the metastasizing Uranium One Scandal. But is it enough?

    As has been reported, this 2010 deal was made despite a hitherto unknown FBI investigation that exposed bribery, kickbacks, etc. on the part of the Russian company involved. The pact resulted in 20% of U.S. uranium in Putin's hands (some of whic, in lethal yellow cake form, has already disappeared into the ether) and millions of dollars in the Clinton Foundation's coffers, basically at the same time.

    Or should we now call this the Podesta, Podesta & Manafort Scandal, because an ongoing and related report on Tucker Carlson's cable show is unmasking a series of connections that make the most paranoid conspiracy theorist seem rational?


    A thus-far-reliable source who used to be involved with Clinton allies John and Tony Podesta told Tucker Carlson that press reports appearing to implicate President Trump in Russian collusion are exaggerated.

    The source, who Carlson said he would not yet name, said he worked for the brothers' Podesta Group and was privy to some information from Robert Mueller's special investigation.

    While media reports describe former "Black, Manafort & Stone" principal Paul Manafort as Trump's main tie to the investigation, the source said it is Manafort's role as a liaison between Russia and the Podesta Group that is drawing the scrutiny....

    Manafort was, at the time, representing Russian business and political interests during the Obama era.

    The source said the Podesta Group was in regular contact with Manafort while Hillary Clinton was America's chief diplomat....

    According to Carlson, "Manafort was clear that Russia wanted to cultivate ties to Hillary" because she appeared to be the presumptive 45th president.

    ReplyDelete
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    1. In other words, as the French say, it's the world upside down. Russia? Trump? Oh, sorry, no, it's the Brothers Podesta and, through them, Hillary. Meanwhile, over at the also related (phony) Trump Dossier Scandal:

      In the midst of a court case that threatened to reveal the dossier’s funding, it emerged Tuesday night that political consulting firm Fusion GPS was retained last year by Marc E. Elias, an attorney representing the Democratic National Committee and the Clinton campaign. The firm then hired former British intelligence officer Christopher Steele to write the dossier that contained unverified and lurid allegations about Trump and his team’s ties to Moscow.
      In the latest news, it appears Elias' firm was being used as a cut-out to avoid campaign disclosure laws in the promulgation of Fusion's garbage. Possible criminal liability looms. It's "unclear" whether Mrs. Clinton herself knew about this utterly disgusting behavior in her name, though loyalist Brian Fallon hinted as much on cable news Wednesday.

      More disturbingly, indications are that the FBI itself relied on this execrable pack of nauseating lies to jump-start the Trump-Russia collusion investigation. They may even have made additional payments to Fusion GPS themselves. [bold decidedly mine]

      Holy Toledo! Has the FBI turned into CNN? Or are they just dumber than the proverbial stones?

      Speaking of which, we also have the unanswered questions about Deborah Wasserman Schultz and her Pakistani computer expert who had access to the data of dozens of congressional Democrats, not to mention the unsolved mystery of the murder of Seth Rich and the hacking of the DNC server. The FBI and the DOJ have told us next to nothing about either. In general, we learn more from Julian Assange, like him or not.

      Imran Awan Scandal Shows Just How Much Dirt Dems Wanted to Hide By Focusing on Trump-Russia
      And then's there's the Unmasking Scandal with its attendant mysteries. Who was ordering Samantha Powers to do hundreds of unprecedented unmaskings of U.S. citizens in foreign intelligence surveillances? Where does that trail begin and end? With the death of democracy?

      It's obvious these various scandals are beginning to intersect or, more precisely, intersected long ago and now the connections are being revealed. Undoubtedly, more are to come. And it's a safe bet they'll be yet more astonishing.


      Grassley's calling for a special investigator for Uranium One, laudable as it is, is far too circumscribed. There are so many scandals, not to mention people at the highest echelons of our government, involved here it's hard to count them. They keep popping up like rodents in a game of whack-a-mole.

      Peter Berkowitz wrote the other day in the WSJ that "James Comey and Robert Mueller Imperil the Rule of Law. " Indeed they do. But the recusal of Mueller, which I previously called for, is not enough. We have a systemic problem within the DOJ and FBI that has been going on for some years and has grown to the extent these organizations act like mini-states, impervious to supervision by anyone, especially the very people they are supposed to serve -- you and me. They are the Deep State taken to the tenth power. The internal conflicts of interest are so many they'd fill the Mariana Trench.

      The time has come for a thorough airing to renew the trust of the citizenry. That means a special investigator, but one with a wide berth to look into the entire DOJ and FBI, its patterns and practices, and, let's be honest, our intelligence agencies as well. We're living in a bureaucratic nightmare. As Mark Steyn put it so succinctly on Tucker Carlson's show Wednesday night, "Everyone is colluding with Russia except Trump!"

      The question is: how do we find this person or persons untainted and honest enough to conduct this investigation? Oh, Diogenes!

      https://pjmedia.com/rogerlsimon/need-investigation-entire-justice-department-now/

      Delete
    2. Quirk was out looking for an honest man/woman the other day.

      Since he hasn't reported back I assume he has not found one yet.

      Delete
    3. He met with everyone I know here in Idaho.

      Delete
    4. And met with you, too, and had to continue his search elsewhere.

      Delete

    5. We were together when Q interviewed us, bobbie, we are always together.

      Delete
  8. The news broke on Friday night with suitable fanfare that the special counsel has brought the first charges, in the form of a sealed indictment, in connection with his investigation of Russian interference in our democracy and all things associated with it.

    I hope it didn't come as a surprise.

    While we still don't know exactly who has been indicted — or on what kinds of charges — the reporting, if true, should put to rest, with right-thinking folks (no pun intended) in this country, the notion that the special counsel's investigation is a hoax or a witch hunt or fake news.


    http://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/charges-russian-meddling-probe-prove-no-witch-hunt-article-1.3595200

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We don't know who, what, when, where or how or a damned thing it but that knowledge sure should put to rest the notion that the whole thing is a farce, yessirree.

      Delete
  9. October 28, 2017
    Donald Trump vindicated
    By Earick Ward

    There are four distinct camps regarding Donald Trump.

    Trumpsters – Those who were with Trump from the outset. Who saw his shtick for what it was – response to the jungle, which is Washington D.C., and felt that he, and he alone could tame the beast.


    Reluctant Supporters – Republicans who supported another candidate originally but came around to Trump before the general.

    NeverTrump Republicans – Jonah Goldberg, Bill Kristol, John Kasich, John McCain, Jeff Flake, et al. Republicans who seemingly would have preferred that Hillary won, than the lowbrow outsider, Donald Trump.

    Unhinged Leftists – The hard left is, well, hard left. Trump Derangement Syndrome is strong in this bunch; Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer, Elijah Cummings, Maxine Waters, Frederica Wilson, Anderson Cooper, Don Lemon, Chris Matthews, Rachel Maddow, Jimmy Kimmel, and on, and on, and on.

    I was a reluctant Donald Trump supporter, and while there have been tactics employed that I might have handled differently, his win and subsequent advances has made me a believer. Bismarck said, “those who like laws or sausage should not watch either being made.” While the process has been ugly, the results to date have been astounding. President Trump has made progress on the economy, jobs, the Supreme Court, border security, international affairs, and in defeating ISIS and radical Islamic terrorism.

    It was reasonable that some in Congress and the media might have hedged their bets, with the Trump/Russia collusion narrative blaring on the television 24/7. Who would want to stench of these allegations stinking up their own personal and political fortunes through association? But now, the Trump/Russia collusion narrative blowing up in the Left’s face.

    The revelation that Hillary Clinton, her Campaign, the DNC, Mainstream Media, Barack Obama, Eric Holder, Loretta Lynch, John McCain, Robert Mueller, and James Comey played a part in this false narrative should make one’s blood boil. As the man said: someone’s got to go to prison, Ben.

    I won't hold out hope that Hillary, or any of these other cast of characters will be that "someone", but given the new revelations about the sham that is the Russia Investigation, I would hope that our Congressional representatives will get behind the President and have the wherewithal to do the things that they campaigned to do. The President has been fighting these lies on his own. Man up, put aside your petty squabbling aside, and get down to the people's business.




    http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2017/10/donald_trump_vindicated.html#ixzz4wp8qVPMp

    ReplyDelete
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    1. .

      Pure nonsense.

      Just as Deuce longs for the 'culture' of the past I long for the GOP of the past. Today's GOP is populated by RINOs and that includes the biggest RINO of all, Donald Trump.

      There is nothing conservative about the GOP other than their willingness to stick it to the little guy.

      .

      Delete
  10. My two senior 'Congressional Representatives' have spoken out on Donald "Bone Spur" Trump.

    Both were "Real Republicans", back in the day.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hell, "Draft Dodger", even you supported Mr McCain, his character and judgement, back in 2008.

      He has not changed.

      Delete
    2. Bob Corker has spoken out on the "Peoples Business", too.

      He is a Congressional Representative, for a whole State.

      Delete
    3. Well, "Self Confessed War Criminal", the choice was McCain or O'bozo.

      And, "Dead Beat Dad", I said at the time I hoped McCain died of a heart attack right after taking the oath, making Sarah Palin President.

      When the time came I voted for Romney too.

      Delete

    4. Your pathologies are showing Robert "Draft Dodger" Peterson.

      Delete
  11. O Canada !

    Canada: Muslim who slit woman’s throat and said Allah commanded him to kill her found “not criminally responsible”

    OCTOBER 27, 2017 11:58 AM BY ROBERT SPENCER
    60 COMMENTS

    “Thamer Hameed Almestadi was likely suffering from a brief psychotic episode…”

    In reality, when asked why he did it, Almestadi said, “I started listening to the Koran and understanding the meanings differently.”

    But of course Canadian authorities aren’t going to admit the possibility that the Qur’an might incite violence. Once that is ruled out, they have decide that Almestadi is insane. He is just another example of the global outbreak of mental illness.



    “UBC student not criminally responsible for attack on classmate,” by Kendra Mangione, CTV Vancouver, October 26, 2017:

    A university student has been found not criminally responsible for an attempt to kill a classmate who lived in his dormitory last year.

    Thamer Hameed Almestadi was likely suffering from a brief psychotic episode when he attacked a fellow international student, a judge said Thursday. Almestadi told police at the time that he’d believed God commanded him to sacrifice her.

    The Saudi Arabian national will be detained in custody at the forensic psychiatric hospital in Chilliwack.....

    https://www.jihadwatch.org/2017/10/canada-muslim-who-slit-womans-throat-and-said-allah-commanded-him-to-kill-her-found-not-criminally-responsible

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The Canadians are fumbling badly in the culture wars.

      Great country, idiotic government.

      Delete
  12. Authorities impose INFORMATION BLACKOUT in Las Vegas attack
    By Pamela Geller - on October 27, 2017

    There already was a blackout on the worst mass murder in modern American history. 58 dead, hundreds wounded, the savagery of the Vegas attack is unspeakable, and still the incompetent, clueless authorities know nothing. That’s the information they seek to blackout. This botched investigation is a stunning indictment of the FBI.

    This is not the Soviet Union, this is not Iran or Riyadh – this is America. Where is the outrage?

    And while the bumbling FBI has dismissed out of hand jihad as a motive, here is what we know:

    ISIS has claimed responsibility for the Vegas slaughter.
    ISIS does not claim credit for events that are not theirs.
    They have double and tripled down on their claim. They have said that Stephen Paddock had converted to Islam six months ago, and they revealed his Islamic name as Abu Abd Abdulbar al Ameriki.
    Paddock made multiple trips to the Middle East. The FBI has not spoken of his itinerary or who he met with.
    His girlfriend Mari Danley had relatives in Dubai.
    Over 200 of Paddock’s foreign financial transactions were flagged for possible covert terrorism financing.
    Paddock transferred $100,000 to his girlfriend in the Philippines, now an ISIS foothold.
    Paddock removed the hard drive before he committed suicide. The San Bernardino jihad attackers did the same thing. If you recall, Syed Rizwan Farook and Tashfeen Malik threw their hard drives in a lake near their home, and despite Herculean efforts by law enforcement, the hard drives were never recovered.


    AUTHORITIES PUT BRAKES ON INFORMATION FLOW IN LAS VEGAS SHOOTING
    By Rachel Crosby Las Vegas Review-Journal, October 26, 2017:

    Fifty-eight people killed. More than 500 injured. And yet, nearly a month after the Las Vegas Strip experienced the worst mass shooting in modern American history, local and federal authorities are refusing to fill in the blanks.....

    https://pamelageller.com/2017/10/fbi-blackout-vegas-attack.html/

    ReplyDelete
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    1. .

      Damn Bob, you are an idiot.

      ISIS does not claim credit for events that are not theirs.

      Why Does ISIS Claim Responsibility for Acts They Didn't Commit

      "For them, it's a quote-unquote 'freebie,' in the sense that they get attention, and people talk about whether it's them. For terrorist groups, being in the news is one of the validations that they have an impact," he said.

      Historically, the majority of the Islamic State's claimed attacks were carried out by people acting in its name, but the group has made multiple spurious claims in recent memory. Notably, the group claimed credit for a deadly mass shooting at a Manila casino in June, although no connection between the gunman and the group was ever discovered...


      ISIS Claims of Responsibility Are Growing More Dubious

      .ISIS also claimed, after a British Airways flight at Charles de Gaulle Airport was evacuated last month, that it had planted bombs there. There were no bombs, and the evacuation was due to an unrelated incident...


      What's a terrorist group to do when they go from a caliphate one day and on every front page as the world's number 1 boogeyman to an after thought relegated to page 2 or 3?

      One thing is certain, regardless of what information is released about the JFK assassination, the conspiracy theories will continue and likely expand. The same applies to Geller and her ilk and those who follow her.

      .

      Delete
  13. A new star is born to rival H. A. Goodman -

    WHATFINGER

    Bullsht-Russian-Collusion-Narrative-Collapses 5 min VIDEO

    https://www.whatfinger.net/single-post/2017/10/28/Bullsht-Russian-Collusion-Narrative-Collapses

    One billion clicks can't be wrong.

    ReplyDelete

  14. We can see it here, as well.

    Truly Comical


    Mueller's latest move has Trump's staunchest allies melting down on Twitter


    http://www.businessinsider.com/mueller-trump-russia-hannity-roger-stone-gorka-meltdown-twitter-2017-10


    The talk of jokes and farce will soon melt away ... The Mueller investigation is very, very serious.


    ReplyDelete
  15. Big Farce - Fire Mueller

    Mueller facing new Republican pressure to resign in Russia probe

    Brooke Singman By Brooke Singman | Fox News

    More Russia bombshell revelations to come?

    It was a bad week for Hillary Clinton and Democrats as revelations on their roles in the Trump dossier came to light and investigations began on the Obama-era Uranium One deal. Is this just the beginning?

    Special Counsel Robert Mueller is facing a fresh round of calls from conservative critics for his resignation from the Russia collusion probe, amid revelations that have called into question the FBI’s own actions and potentially Mueller’s independence.


    This week’s bombshell that a controversial anti-Trump dossier was funded by the Democratic National Committee and Clinton campaign has Republicans asking to what extent the FBI – which received some of the findings and briefly agreed to pay the same researcher to gather intelligence on Trump and Russia – used the politically connected material.

    Hill investigators also are looking into a Russian firm’s uranium deal that was approved by the Obama administration in 2010 despite reports that the FBI – then led by Mueller – had evidence of bribery involving a subsidiary of that firm.

    Critics question whether Mueller’s own ties to the bureau as well as fired FBI director James Comey now render him compromised as he investigates allegations of Russian meddling and collusion with Trump officials in the 2016 race.

    “The federal code could not be clearer – Mueller is compromised by his apparent conflict of interest in being close with James Comey,” Rep. Trent Franks, R-Ariz., who first called for Mueller to step down over the summer, said in a statement to Fox News on Friday. “The appearance of a conflict is enough to put Mueller in violation of the code. … All of the revelations in recent weeks make the case stronger.”


    Outgoing New Jersey GOP Gov. Chris Christie, a former federal prosecutor and Trump ally, also suggested Friday that Mueller consider stepping aside.

    “If the facts that you just laid out are true, then somebody with Bob Mueller’s integrity will step aside and should -- if in fact those facts, as you laid them out, are true,” Christie said on “Fox & Friends,” in response to various conflict-of-interest allegations.

    The New Jersey governor sounds off on the Russia controversy and provides insight on the opioid crisis on 'Fox & Friends.'Video

    Christie on anti-Trump dossier: We all knew Dems did this

    The special counsel’s office declined Fox News’ request for comment....

    http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/10/27/mueller-facing-new-republican-pressure-to-resign-in-russia-probe.html

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. .

      Somehow, I just don't see Mueller being influenced by the opinions of Republicans in Congress or those of the WSJ and IBD in 'demanding' he step down.

      .

      Delete
    2. .

      It's funny how the demands are becoming a bit more hysterical as the first indictments start coming in.

      .

      Delete
    3. It's funny how you, Mueller, and Comey don't seem to give a damn about selling our uranium to Russia in exchange for Clinton Cash.

      http://a57.foxnews.com/images.foxnews.com/content/fox-news/politics/2017/10/27/mueller-facing-new-republican-pressure-to-resign-in-russia-probe/_jcr_content/article-text/article-par-12/inline_spotlight_ima/image.img.jpg/612/344/1509128233228.jpg?ve=1&tl=1

      Delete
    4. 5000 points to Doug

      -500 points to Quirk in latest exchange

      9 minutes to game time, Vandal Fans !

      At Home in the Dome

      Delete
    5. The whole thing is a big farce. Mueller, who is dirty himself, hires Clinton supporters. It's the entire Democrat Party and its supporting apparatus that needs investigating.

      And I'd investigate Quirk too, just to be on the safe side.

      Delete
    6. I've heard a lot in my life about dirty advertising money in politics.

      Delete


    7. .


      Loral selling ICBM secrets to the Chicoms was no big deal, either.


      .


      Delete
    8. October 28, 2017
      Hillary Clinton: Faust and Mephistopheles Rolled into One

      By Patricia McCarthy

      "Two souls, alas, are housed within my breast, And each will wrestle for the mastery there." Goethe, Faust

      Most people are nominally familiar with the legend of Faust. There are many variations but the essence of the tale remains the same. It tells the story of a man unhappy with his own lack of success in life. In frustration he becomes a sorcerer. Practicing his black magic, the devil materializes and offers him a deal: The devil, Mephistopheles, will serve Faust and help him become a success in return for his eternal soul. From this tale we get the adjective "Faustian," to describe people whose pride and arrogance leads to their own downfall. Hillary is both Faust and Mephistopheles. She has, from her college days, sought ever-increasing power and money. In the process, she became both Faust, the eternally dissatisfied "scholar," and Mephistopheles, the paragon of evil.



      From early days as the first lady of Arkansas, she felt entitled to more money and prestige than her husband earned as governor. Together with her husband, she got them both involved in the Whitewater and Madison Guaranty real estate and bank scandals. Once in the White House, her first depraved undertaking was to fire the entire White House travel office staff in order to turn the business over to a cousin of Bill Clinton's and some Arkansas friends. Then there were the "bimbo eruptions. " She was in charge of silencing Bill's conquests who might speak the truth about her husband's wanton sexual adventures. A full list of Clinton corruptions can be found here. It is a long list.

      "If I wasn't a devil myself, I'd give Me up to the Devil this very minute" -Goethe

      For those paying attention, Hillary has long been known to be a woman wholly without an ethical bone in her body. And this was before we learned that it was she who commissioned the fake dossier that was meant to take Trump down and out, first out of the campaign and after he was elected, out of the White House. Now we know that it was her campaign and the DNC who together paid nearly $9 million for that piece of rubbish that likely led to the Obama administration's spying on a host of private citizens they hoped would lead them to a prosecutable crime. She now claims she did not know about the dossier she herself had commissioned, but that is clearly a lie, as she tweeted her knowledge of it before it was publicly known, before the election. The woman could not tell the truth if a gun was held to her head. Consider the blatant, shameful lies she told about the Benghazi tragedy. She lied to the faces of the families of the dead. She laughed about it, as she so often does inappropriately, at the hearing at which she testified thirty-nine times that she "could not recall" when questioned about the details of what happened that night.

      Delete
    9. “Fools that will laugh on earth, most weep in hell.” Christopher Marlowe, Dr. Faustus

      While her defenders in the media are making light of the news that Hillary's campaign commissioned the dossier rather than admit they have been wrong about Trump colluding with Russia for nearly a year, the worst of her malevolence has finally broken through the logjam that comprises the mainstream media. The fact that she sold out American national security for money, $145m plus Bill's $500k for a speech tells the story; she is as culpable for her crimes as was Aldrich Ames. She orchestrated the sale of 20% of U.S. uranium to Putin and she did it with the full knowledge of Obama, Bob Mueller, James Comey, Eric Holder and Rod Rosenstein. Each of them is a traitor as well for letting it happen. This bit of skullduggery renders Watergate equivalent to a littering violation. It is a huge betrayal of the country not to mention our formerly constitutional government. (Peter Schweizer wrote about all of this in his book Clinton Cash, 2015) And still, the media folk in her camp, the same ones who thought Donald Trump Jr.'s meeting with the Russian lawyer constituted treason, are defending her part in the biggest scandal since the HUAC hearings and the Rosenbergs' conviction as spies.

      In the very early pre-Goethe versions of Faust, the devil, despite his "pact," of course betrays Faust who is constantly deceived by the devil's deceptions but Faust is irrevocably corrupt and the devil "drags him off to hell." Faust wastes the fleeting power he was given with cheap indulgences, as Hillary has so often; Hillarycare, for one, and two failed runs for the presidency are a few of her many cheap indulgences. Faust tried to escape from the pact because of the burden of disgrace and damnation but Mephistopheles wins the day. In Goethe's version of Faust, God saves him in the end because of his prodigious efforts to redeem himself. Hillary has made no such effort. For forty years, she has made use of her inner devil to malign, cheat and destroy anyone who got in the way of her Faustian quest for money and power. And despite the wealth and influence she did amass, she has been her own worst enemy. She seems a woman who completely lacks any sense of joy. Her loss to Donald Trump is evidence that God works in mysterious ways.

      It is common knowledge by now that the Clinton Foundation did very little charitable work and was mainly a slush fund for the luxurious life style of the Clinton family and their favored friends. It took in millions of dollars from mostly foreign nations and corporations who got whatever "favors" they paid for in her pay-to-play scheme. The $145 million that Russia paid the Foundation via a Canadian bank was for that 20% of American uranium. We know that some of that uranium has left the country, despite what Hillary's defenders say, and where it went we do not know. North Korea? Iran? She sold her soul long ago for fame, power and money.

      "Alas, I have studied philosophy, the law as well as medicine, and to my sorrow, theology; studied them well with ardent zeal, yet here I am, a wretched fool, no wiser than I was before." -Goethe

      Delete
    10. Franz Liszt wrote the Mephisto Waltz as a musical expression of Faust. It was written as an integral part of a Faust play by Nikolaus Lenau and connotes Faust's spinning out of control. It is a perfect accompaniment to Hillary's Faustian career. Randy Newman wrote and produced his own updated musical version of Faust in 1995. This lyric from one of his songs seems an apt description of where Hillary stands today:

      "I'm bleedin' all over the place, Bleedin' all over. Get me a witness To record my disgrace, How I've been dishonored, Deceived and debased. Then someone get me a band-aid Before I fall on my ******' face 'Cause I'm bleedin' all over the place."

      Indeed she is.



      http://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2017/10/hillary_clinton_faust_and_mephistopheles_rolled_into_one.html#ixzz4wq6gMcaA

      Delete
    11. .

      DougSat Oct 28, 04:38:00 PM EDT

      It's funny how you, Mueller, and Comey don't seem to give a damn about selling our uranium to Russia in exchange for Clinton Cash.


      I won't speak for Mueller or Comey but as for myself, of course, the deal bothers me just as Bush turning over 22 of our ports to the management of Dubai bothered me.

      That said arguing Mueller should resign because of a deal negotiated by CFIUS is silly. You have congressional committees investigating the whole Uranium One affair. If they turn up any proof of wrongdoing by Mueller then he can resign. If he resigned now that would end the Russian investigation. No doubt about it. IMO not a good thing even though the Trumpettes are clamoring for it.

      In the mean time, I'd suggest you investigate the CFIUS process and history just so you know what you are talking about. You might want to check out the terms of the deal itself and what was negotiated, for instance, that while Russia may own the uranium and profit from it, none of the uranium mined can be sold outside of the US without action by Congress.

      .

      Delete
  16. No two people are more responsible for the blunders of the post-Cold War era than McCain and Bush.

    About which of half a dozen wars were they right?

    Yesterday's New York Times recognized Trump's triumph:

    "Despite the fervor of President Trump's Republican opponents, the president's brand of hard-edged nationalism -- with its gut-level cultural appeals and hard lines on trade and immigration -- is taking root within his adopted party."

    Moreover, a new question arises:

    Can the GOP establishment believe that if Trump falls, or they bring him down, they will inherit the estate and be welcomed home like the Prodigal Son? Do they believe their old agenda of open borders, amnesty, free trade globalism and democracy-crusading can become America's agenda again?

    Trumpism is not a detour, after which we can all get back on the interstate to the New World Order.

    For though unpleasant, it is not unfair to say that if there was one desire common to Bernie Sanders, Ted Cruz and Donald Trump voters, it was be rid of the regime resting on top of all of us.

    Should Trump fall, and a restored establishment attempt to reimpose the old policies, there will be a truly uncivil war in this country.

    After the Trumpian revolt, there is no going back. As that most American of writers, Thomas Wolfe, put it, "You can't go home again."

    Traditionalists have been told that for years. Now it's the turn of the GOP establishment to learn the truth as well.

    Goldwater lost badly, but the establishment that abandoned him never had its patrimony restored. It was the leaders they abhorred, Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan, to whom the future belonged.

    Pat Buchanan

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. ...It's not the GOP or Trump, it is We The People. Buchanan is right when he says: "if there was one desire common to Bernie Sanders, Ted Cruz and Donald Trump voters, it was be rid of the regime resting on top of all of us."

      The "political elite" from both parties lost touch with the people long ago. Empty promises, insane spending, "political correctness," graft, corruption, and unequal application of the Rule of Law lit the fuse. Trump was the initial explosion. Now a new fire is burning and the political class can't put it out.

      Delete
    2. .

      After the Trumpian revolt, there is no going back.

      I would be both more convinced and more comfortable in the thought if it wasn't such a flawed vessel leading the charge. IMO, Trump is not draining the swamp, he is expanding it.

      I fear it's another instance of Apres moi, le deluge.

      .

      Delete
  17. I'd argue your point if the Vandals weren't playing so well.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Well that settles it: Go Vandals!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Trucks shoulda turned front wheels hard right and hard left.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MI1jEesuzI&t=270

    ReplyDelete



  20. .


    I know I can never do enough to make up for the harm I caused. I will be spending time with my family and friends, as I work to make amends and contributions both large and small.


    .


    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
    2. I am honored and proud to say I am a friend to Doug.

      He is always welcome at the farm.

      Delete
  21. This article will please some here -

    It’s 10 P.M., Do You Know Where America’s Troops Are?

    http://www.nationalreview.com/article/453198/lindsey-graham-niger-troops-war-on-terror

    ReplyDelete
  22. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Final

      Idaho 31

      La-Monroe 23

      The Mighty Idaho Vandals did their very very best to lose the game in the last ten minutes, but failed.

      Delete
    2. Next season we will be moving to The Big Sky Conference, Vandal fans, where the competition is fierce, the cheerleaders beautiful, and the skies without clouds.

      Delete
    3. .

      La-Monroe?

      Is that a Canadian team? French?


      .

      Delete


    4. .


      Nitwit !


      .



      Louisiana-Monroe

      It's a Red Roosian team, the La-Monroe Red Imperialists.

      Delete
    5. They tore apart The Monroe Doctrine and have absorbed Cuba, and Venezuela too. And they are working on Peru.

      You sound like you've never been out of Detroit, Michigan.

      Delete
    6. La-Monroe was ANOTHER son of a Gold Star Mom defiled by "President" Trump.

      Delete
    7. Yeah, come to think on it, you're right.

      They named the football team after that guy.

      Delete
  23. "Public Housing"

    https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1CAACAO_enUS720US720&ei=UyP1WcDvAuuD0gKHv6ywCQ&q=conservative+talk+show+host+owns+section+8+housing&oq=conservative+hossection+8+housing&gs_l=psy-ab.1.0.0i8i7i30k1.62908.69831.0.72872.18.17.1.0.0.0.251.3037.0j8j7.15.0....0...1.1.64.psy-ab..2.7.1460...0i13k1j0i7i30k1j0i7i5i30k1.0.x5sLrFbe0no

    ReplyDelete
  24. North Korea on verge of 'catastrophe' at nuclear site - China warns Kim to STOP tests

    NORTH Korea has been warned not to detonate another hydrogen bomb at its nuclear test site or risk a huge catastrophe for both Kim's hermit state and China.


    By ROSS LOGAN
    17:00, Sat, Oct 28, 2017 | UPDATED: 21:21, Sat, Oct 28, 2017

    South Korea monitor nuclear leakage from North Korean test site. Picture

    Scientists from Beijing believe the Punggye-ri nuclear facility is unstable and that just one more explosion could blow the top off of Mount Mantap, beneath which all six of North Korea's nuclear tests thave been conducted.

    That could lead to the mountain collapsing, causing radioactive waste to escape and blow aross the border into China just 50 miles away.


    Researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Geology and Geophysics warned Pyongyang delegates of the risk during a briefing in Beijing soon after North Korea's last nuclear test on September 3, according ot the South China Morning Post.

    Tellingly, the meeting occured two days before North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho told reporters at the United Nations Assembly in New York Pyongyang was considering conducting a hydrogen bomb test over the Pacific Ocean.....

    http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/872394/north-korea-news-china-warns-kim-stop-nuclear-tests-punggye-ri

    ReplyDelete
  25. What costume are you going to wear on Halloween, Quirk ?

    Or, just going as you are again ?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. .

      Sports fan. Jeans, t-shirt, baseball cap, and a can of Bud.

      .

      Delete
    2. You should go as Jared Kushner, though you might need to wear elevator shoes, and comb your hair.

      Delete
    3. Oops.

      Well, that sounds good.

      You won't even have to change clothes, or drinks.

      Delete
    4. I'm going, as always, in my medieval chivalric Romantic Knight Errant of Olde costume.

      They Ladies swoon, will give me anything I ask for. I say make it good and plenty, and they do.

      Delete
    5. He should go as Kaepernick.

      Delete
    6. :)

      Ring the door bells on his knees.

      Delete
    7. Everyone will buy my oversized classic lensless doorknob/peephole combo.

      Delete
  26. The 'confidential informant' is going to testify before Congressional Committees about the Hillary/Obama/Mueller/Lynch/Holder/etc Uranium One deal.

    That ought to be good.

    ReplyDelete
  27. I'm gonna keep an eye on Truckee on Halloween Eve.

    I'm thinking orange Monster Trucks.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cayucos Cam has some homoerotic footage of surfers in and out of their wetsuits.

      http://805webcams.com/cayucos-california-pier-webcam/

      Delete
    2. To the right, 1 of them is showering off in his boxers.

      Delete
    3. Too dark to see anything now.

      Delete
    4. Does he have a T-shirt, a baseball cap, and a can of Bud ?

      Delete
    5. You can scroll back to 6:30 pm (top left of the screen) to see the show.

      Delete
    6. Google's Pixel 2 Camera view of granddaughter:

      https://scontent.fhnl1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/22815203_10155891431735152_2449407170409381025_n.jpg?oh=1a144d7b6886b034982473d66517df6b&oe=5A6D332F

      Delete
    7. Wish they'd make a dedicated camera.

      His phone shoots 240 frames per second!

      Delete
    8. I think it's Quirk at the beach with MisDemenoir, Felony, Me-Me and Da Da LeBoeuf.

      I'd get jealous, so I'll pass.

      Delete
  28. Even Panetta wants Hillary investigated -

    PANETTA: Investigate Clinton, DNC Dossier Payment...

    CNN Undisclosed Ties To FUSION GPS...

    House panel secures access to bank records....DRUDGE

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Panetta used to be my congressperson.

      Nice nose.

      Delete
    2. http://www.tabletmag.com/wp-content/files_mf/panetta1.jpg

      Delete
    3. Did you ever speak with the fellow ?

      Delete
    4. Leon Panetta: Donald Trump ‘undermining the credibility’ of intel community with Twitter tirades

      Mueller and Comey always have and always will have complete credulity in my mind.

      Delete
    5. Sadly, no.

      I did see Sandy Koufax in the lobby of a theater in SLO, though.

      (San Luis Obispo)

      Delete
  29. October 28, 2017
    Trump and the demise of ISIS
    By Peter Skurkiss

    One of the many areas where the liberal media is loath to give President Trump credit is the demise of ISIS.

    To recall, this group of Islamic psychopaths expanded its domain in short order to include wide swathes of Iraq and Syria under the Obama administration. Showing his "sophisticate worldly" grasp of the situation, President Obama dismissed ISIS as a "junior varsity" and then watched impotently as ISIS gobbled up ever more ground and committed one unspeakable atrocity after another. The cancer of ISIS was spreading so fast back in 2014 that "informed opinion" had it that these fanatics would capture enough oil-producing parts of Iraq to make them a permanent fixture in the Middle East.


    Back in those days, a dear friend of mine, a liberal and NPR devotee, was so upset by the continual outrages of ISIS that she asked in frustration, "Why doesn't God just destroy those barbarians?" It's an understandable sentiment.

    Now, nobody would mistake Donald Trump for God, but he seems to be the answer to my friend's prayers. In ten short months, the Trump administration has put ISIS on the verge of total collapse in Iraq and Syria. Just last week, ISIS lost its capital and stronghold at Raqqa. The tide has so completely turned that the International Red Cross is now concerned that all the captured ISIS militants might not receive humane treatment at the hands of their captors.


    Imagine that.



    One of the main reasons the U.S.-led coalition has had such success against ISIS is that President Trump and the staff he has assembled (like General James "Mad Dog" Mattis) have abandoned many of the asinine politically correct rules of engagement of his predecessor and made it open season on ISIS militants. Leadership counts.

    Don't get me wrong. The defeat of ISIS in Iraq and Syria does not fix the Middle East. Nor does it mean that remnants of ISIS won't pop up somewhere else. When President George W. Bush invaded Iraq and engaged in nation-building, this was like Humpty-Dumpty being pushed off the wall. And just as all the king's men couldn't put the splattered Humpty back together again, neither can all the American blood and taxpayer dollars bring stability and peace to that area of the Middle East.

    Problems will continue to beset the Middle East, some of which are seemingly intractable. ISIS will be a minor one of them, if one at all. But don't expect the liberal mainstream media to give Donald Trump any credit for this. The media will downplay the significance of the ISIS defeat, which is another form of how it peddles fake news. The Democrat narrative will be that ISIS collapsed under its own weight or that its defeat was inevitable. Is it any wonder, then, that fewer and fewer Americans trust either the Democrats or their lapdog media?



    http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2017/10/trump_and_the_demise_of_isis.html#ixzz4wrReSNJf

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Obama had my favorite rules of non-engagement.

      ...like the time he let thousands of armed barbarians travel openly across the desert in Iraq with impunity.

      Delete
    2. I liked "don't shoot until you're shot at first".

      That wasn't the rule of engagement that won the battle of The Gunfight at the OK Corral.

      Delete
    3. 10 Gunfights That Defined The Old West

      2 Gunfight At The OK Corral

      This is definitely the most famous Old West gunfight and one that turned Wyatt Earp into an icon. However, it involved eight other people who never attained the same level of fame. At the time, older brother Virgil was actually the leader of their group because he was town marshal in Tombstone. Yet Wyatt Earp captured American’s imagination, mostly by appearing in popular dime novels of the time.So, on one side, we have three Earp brothers: Wyatt, Virgil, and Morgan, and their friend, Doc Holliday. On the other we have five members of a notorious gang called “The Cowboys”: Ike and Billy Clanton, Billy Claiborne, and Tom and Frank McLaury. There was a lot of tension between these factions, and The Cowboys made numerous not-so-veiled threats at the Earps. On October 26, 1881, they had finally had enough, and the three Earp brothers and Holliday approached The Cowboys looking to settle the score.According to the Earps and witnesses, they didn’t go there looking to fight. They told The Cowboys to surrender their weapons, and the gunfight started when they refused. By the end, three Cowboys were dead, Virgil and Morgan were wounded, and Doc had been grazed by a bullet. It only lasted 30 seconds and didn’t actually take place at the OK Corral, but it was enough to secure its place in history.

      1 Earp Vendetta Ride

      Not many gunfight stories mention the consequences, but this one is the direct result of the infamous OK Corral shoot-out. The Cowboys gang was quite large, so other members naturally sought revenge on the Earp brothers for their fallen comrades. This resulted in an attack that maimed Virgil Earp and an ambush that killed Morgan. In response, Wyatt, now a US Marshal, formed a federal posse and went after the culprits in what would be known as the Earp Vendetta Ride.The posse rode from March 20 until April 15, 1882, tracking down The Cowboys. In Tucson, they killed Frank Stillwell, one of the suspects in Morgan’s murder. However, the highlight of the Ride was a large shoot-out near Iron Springs on March 24. The posse came upon nine members of The Cowboys, including William Brocius (aka “Curly Bill”), another participant in Morgan Earp’s assassination. Curly Bill saw the posse approaching and was the first to fire his shotgun at Wyatt, but he missed. Earp fired back and hit Bill square in the chest, killing him instantly. What followed was a gunfight between the two factions, but nobody else was killed except for a horse belonging to one of the lawmen, Texas Jack Vermillion. Eventually, The Cowboys made their escape. During the gunfight, Earp was shot numerous times through his clothes. One bullet hit his bootheel, and another hit his saddle horn, but he otherwise escaped unscathed once again.

      http://listverse.com/2014/11/10/10-gunfights-defined-old-west/

      Delete
    4. I always wait until the other guy makes a move first just to drive home the reality of my superior ability/agility with a revolver.

      ...and to further piss off the dirtbag as he takes his last breath.

      Delete
  30. .

    America First?

    Not quite...

    Trump's $700 Billion Gift to Wealthy Foreigners

    At the heart of the Trump Tax-Cut plan is the huge corporate tax cuts which the Tax Policy Center estimates will cost $2 trillion over the next 10 years.

    But one thing is true: These days there’s a lot of cross-border investment. In particular, as Steven M. Rosenthal of the Tax Policy Center notes — in a paper I found revelatory — around 35 percent of U.S. equities are now owned by foreigners, triple the level during the Reagan years.

    What this means is that around 35 percent of a tax cut from an administration that proudly uses the slogan “America first” — $700 billion over the next decade — wouldn’t even go to Americans. Instead, it would be a windfall to wealthy foreigners, who would probably gain a lot more from the tax cut than U.S. workers. Oh, and it makes all that talk about allies not paying their “fair share” sound kind of silly, doesn’t it?


    And who will be paying for this windfall for these foreigners? You guessed it, you and me. One big chunk will the big cuts in Medicare and Medicaid, $1 trillion from Medicare and $500 billion from Medicaid.

    And the Trumpettes say, "Thank you sir, may I have another."

    .

    ReplyDelete
  31. Bad news for Cosby and Hefner's ghost:

    https://www.facebook.com/NowThisHer/videos/vb.879606075503602/1048979698566238/?type=2&theater

    ReplyDelete
  32. This guy's genius and facility with the language is breathtaking:

    https://www.facebook.com/NowThisPolitics/videos/vb.908009612563863/1762564927108323/?type=2&theater

    ReplyDelete