Author: webuiltitblog

I am a retired financial services executive who worked on Wall Street for 42 years. I established this blog to publish commentary on politics and business as I still follow these areas closely. My hobbies include golf, reading, travel and spending time with my grandchildren.

2024 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION UPDATE

I feel as though I am being forced to watch a rerun of the same “movie” I saw some four years ago. I didn’t like it then, and I don’t like it now. I remember the plot was very predictable, and I particularly didn’t like the ending.

What movie am I referring to? It’s the Dem Party election strategy. You have to hand it to the Dems in one respect. Their strategy is consistent, well-executed, and it usually works. I have explained it before, but for those of you who don’t remember, here’s a brief three-step synopsis.

Step one – Between elections pursue your progressive (some would characterize it as extremely progressive) political, economic and social agendas.

Step two- As the quadrennial presidential election date approaches modify your policies into those of a moderate. This is the tricky part. It requires (1) a biased media that will decline to denote the various considerable inconsistencies and (2) an electorate that will accept these changes without questioning your motives and inconsistencies. It may require outright lying, but so what, most people won’t notice, and if anyone does, see #1.

Step three – After winning the election resume your progressive policies.

The foregoing, in a nutshell, is the tried-and-true Dem election strategy. It worked in 2020, and there is a good chance it will work in 2024. Some of you may recall that in 2020 Biden essentially campaigned from his basement. He hardly appeared in public. He rarely addressed the media, much less answered their questions. The few members of the media who questioned this campaign strategy were drowned out. The handy excuse was the COVID pandemic, but in time we learned that this was all a ploy to hide his cognitive deterioration. This was discovered well after the election of course.

Now fast forward to 2024. KK is following the same strategy. Avoid interviews, except “softball” interviews with friendly journalists and commentators who will not press her on inconsistences, flip-flops, or outright lies nor ask “embarrassing” questions. Do not talk extemporaneously in public; use teleprompters at all times, and any questions from reporters must be scripted. Normally, candidates will speak to the media and answer questions quite often to get their message out to the electorate as Trump and Vance are doing. I can’t remember the last time KK held a press conference or engaged in a question-and-answer session with the media (except for softball interviews with friendly journalists). “Tampon Tim” is following the same script.

Time magazine even put KK on this week’s cover without having interviewed her. I don’t ever recall the magazine doing that. Incidentally, I can think of many more deserving “covers” for this week. How about one of our many Olympic heroes, such as Simone Biles, Katie Ledecky or the men’s and women’s basketball teams, to name a few. They actually achieved something positive, if not heroic, whereas KK hasn’t.

The media would have you believe that in just a few short months KK has morphed from one of the worst vice presidents in our history who was so historically bad that many Dems and Dem supporters were pushing to have her removed from the 2024 ticket to the second coming of FDR. In case you have forgotten this, below please find some sample headlines. These are not from Fox News or some other right-leaning source but from hardcore left-wing publications. NY Times 2/6/23 – “Kamala Harris is [still] trying to define her vice presidency. Even her allies are tired of waiting.” Washington Post 3/15/24 – “For this country’s sake VP Harris should step aside.” New York Magazine 9/13/23 – “The case for Biden to drop Kamala Harris.”

What changed? We know what changed. Biden had a disastrous presidential debate that exposed his severe cognitive decline before the entire world. All of a sudden everyone saw that “the emperor [truly] had no clothes.” The Dem Party ruling cadre decided he was killing their re-election chances and had to go. Despite having swept the Dem primaries with some 18 million votes the cadre forced him out in what amounted to a coup. Eighteen million votes were summarily swept aside. So much for our democratic election process.

Given the short timeframe before early voting, KK was their only viable replacement. However, her far-left political policies rendered her unelectable. She required a radical makeover, and as described above, she got it. One would think that the electorate is too smart to be gaslighted like this, but so far it appears to be working. KK is gaining in the polls.

Running mate Tampon Tim has been largely silent too. He already has been caught in one lie with respect to his military service, which he must deal with. That will require a real press conference before a querying, if not hostile, press. It will be interesting to see how that works out.

CONCLUSION

According to the latest polls, the race has tightened considerably. One poll, NY Times/Sienna Poll, actually has KK narrowly ahead in three of the swing states – MI, PA and WI. On the other hand, the latest Trafalgar Poll has Trump with narrow leads in AZ, NC, Nev and PA. The two polls are inconsistent, but clearly, the momentum is favoring KK. Like I said, the Dem gaslighting appears to be working. The Trump campaign has to figure out a way to expose the KK-Tampon Tim flip-flops and inform the electorate of the true nature of their policies. There’s still time until ED, but with early voting starting in some states in 30 days or so, as Yogi Berra liked to say,” It gets late early.”

by Leave a comment

THE ENIGMA OF THE ELECTORATE

Try as I might, I cannot comprehend the mindset of the electorate. I just don’t get it. It does not make any sense to me. Maybe, you, the readers, can explain it to me.

For the past 3 1/2 years the country has been in a severe downward spiral, economically, politically, and socially. I have described this, in detail, in previous blogs, but it bears repeating briefly. Please see below for a few examples.

  1. Inflation – Let’s have some fun with statistics, which we all know can be twisted every which-way to prove whatever one wants to “prove.” For example, according to the CPI the rate of inflation in 2021 when Biden took office was 1.2%. It rose to a peak of 8% in in 2022, and in June 2024 it had decreased to 5%. Thus, while technically the Dems’ assertion that inflation is decreasing is correct it is still at an unacceptably and unsustainable rate. This all a direct result of Biden’s excessive spending programs. All of us can see many examples of this in our daily lives.
  2. Food – In March 2024 a basket of groceries that cost $100 in November 2020 cost a whopping $125.80. This statistic is no surprise to those of us that actually food-shop, as opposed to many of the so-called elites who don’t. During the same period restaurant meals have increased 24%, and fast-food prices 24.6%. These price increases are probably understated since they likely don’t take into account smaller portions, to which we can all attest.
  3. Gas at the pump – According to Newsweek and AAA the average price was $2.40/gallon in January 2021. It rose to a peak of $5.06 in June 2022, and in August 2024 it was $3.83. So, once again, Dems can twist these numbers to assert that gas prices are decreasing while ignoring the overall increase since January 2021.
  4. Housing – According to AI Overview the median sales price of a house increased 28% from June 2020 to June 2024. According to bankrate.com the 30-year fixed rate mortgage rate averaged 3.5% in 2021. In 2024 it was 6.5%. That would amount to a significant difference over a 30-year period. The obvious result is that many people cannot afford to buy a house.
  5. Illegal immigration – Never mind the flood of statistics that have been released by DHS and other sources. All one has to do is turn on the tv news. We can all see for ourselves the veritable flood of illegal aliens crossing our non-existent southern border daily. It is so bad we don’t even know how many there are (estimates run as high as 20 million), where they come from, and what their intentions are. Furthermore, it’s not just the people, it’s also the drugs, crime, terrorism risk, and drain on us financially, economically and socially.
  6. Crime – Again, one has to look past official statistics. Many crimes are not being reported because everyone knows that the police are severely hampered in dealing with criminals, and “woke” DAs won are reluctant to prosecute them. Just turn on the tv news. Almost every day there are reports of people being murdered, assaulted, robbed and raped. The worst thing is that much of the crime is indiscriminate and random. No one and nowhere is safe. Property is being wantonly destroyed. Again, store employees are powerless to stop the perpetrators. Many businesses are abandoning crime-ridden cities. Many people are fleeing Dem-controlled states such as CA and NY for “safer” states like FL and TX.
  7. Foreign Relations – When Trump left office we were not involved in any wars. Terrorism was under control. The ME was relatively quiet. Iran was subject to embargoes, feeling a severe economic pinch, and in no financial position to fund terrorism. The US was feared and respected. Now, there are serious wars ongoing in the ME and Ukraine; Iran is very close to possessing nuclear capabilities; our allies are distressed; and are enemies are emboldened.

The foregoing are just a few examples of the deterioration of life in the US since January 2021. I could have listed many more, but you get the point. Truly the Dems and their policies have been the root cause. They have been in control of the government. That is why I am truly flummoxed by the polls that show the election is a toss-up.

CONCLUSION

I understand that many people hate Trump and refuse to vote for him. In my view those people are not thinking logically. They are willing to vote against their own self-interest to punish Trump. I have to chuckle when I hear that. That doesn’t punish Trump or hurt him in any meaningful way. Of course, he wants to win the election, but if he were to lose, he would just return to his previous life of wealth and privilege. In my opinion, he is not running for self-aggrandizement. He doesn’t need all the abuse he’s been subjected to for the last nine years. He’s doing it for us, the average citizen. He truly wants to help the country. No, if he were to lose, he would be disappointed, but it would devastate him.

The real losers would be you, your family, your kids and grandkids, and the country. We simply cannot afford four more years of Biden-Harris. I love this country, but there are many who do not, and it appears that most of them are Dems and Dem supporters. All they do is criticize, riot and destroy. They don’t have America’s best interests in their heart. They are only interested in perpetuating their power, privilege and control. They mistakenly think socialism would be an improvement. They are sadly mistaken. Socialism has been tried many times, and it has never worked. Never. If you doubt me, as Casey Stengel used to say, “you can look it up.”

Be honest with yourself. Are you better off today than you were 3 1/2 years ago? A few of you might be. If so, great. I’m happy for you. But if you are not, why would you return the same people to power who have made your life worse? That makes absolutely no sense, which is why I say I don’t understand the electorate.

The only possible reason is “Trump Derangement Syndrome.” Apparently, it’s a real thing. I fear it will be our fatal flaw. Remember, you get the government you deserve. You will have no one to blame but yourself.

When deciding for whom to vote don’t listen to the bloviators and the spin doctors in the media or elsewhere. Use your eyes and ears and the common-sense God gave you.

by Tags: , , , Leave a comment

TIM WALZ

Who is Tim Walz? What is his background? What are his political beliefs? Few Americans know the answers to these questions. Walz is largely unknown outside of his home state of Minnesota. According to a just-released NPR/PBS/Marist poll, until Kackling Kamala (“KK”) picked him as her running mate on August 6, 2024, 71% of Americans had never heard of him. I suspect that as they do become familiar with him most of them will be horrified. Read on and I will edify you.

Timothy James Walz was born on April 6, 1964 in West Point, Nebraska. His father was a schoolteacher, school superintendent and an Army veteran who had served in the Korean War. He can trace his family roots in America back to 1867 when his great-great grandfather emigrated to the US from Germany.

He was raised in Nebraska. He graduated from Chadron State College in Chadron, NE and became a teacher and a coach in Alliance, NE where he met his wife, Gwen. They married in 1994, and two years later they moved to Mankato, MN where Welz continued to teach and coach. Where do you think they spent their honeymoon? If you guessed “China,” go to the head of the class. He has been a strong advocate of China throughout his political career.

Welz has been accused of mischaracterizing and embellishing his military service. He did serve in the National Guard for 24 years, but he did not serve in combat. In 2005 when his unit was about to be deployed to Iraq he retired abruptly to avoid going. This did not sit well with some of his fellow soldiers. In the words of two of his Command Sgt. Majors Thomas Behrends and Paul Herr he circumvented the standard retirement process and just “slithered out the door.” In addition, they have accused him of “embellishing and selectively omitting” facts with respect to his military career. This may or may not be exposed during the campaign.

Welz entered politics in 2006 winning election to the US House of Representatives. He served six terms in the House before being elected governor in 2018. He was re-elected in 2022. His record in politics has been extremely liberal, even socialist. He is an admitted admirer and disciple of Senator Bernie Sanders, an admitted Socialist. I didn’t think it was possible for KK to find a politician further left than she, but in Welz she has found her man. One might say they are “political soulmates.” The mainstream media will likely attempt to modify, downplay or even scrub Welz’s extreme positions, as it is doing with KK, but don’t be fooled. His record as governor is public information and available if one cares to look.

Below please find some of the highlights, or rather lowlights, of his tenure as governor. Most of these are extreme, socialist positions and far to the left of the beliefs of most Americans. I have gleaned these from a variety of media reports, and if you doubt my veracity feel free to fact-check:

  1. Welz’s first decision as governor was to initiate a statewide “woke” DEI commission.
  2. During the riots in the summer of 2020, he took no action against the perpetrators while Minneapolis and other cities were burned and destroyed. Moreover, he resisted calling the National Guard for five days denigrated them as a bunch of “19-year-old untrained cooks.” That delay cost an estimated $500 million in property damage.
  3. He supported KK’s ill-conceived and ill-advised decision to establish bail funds for those who were arrested.
  4. Furthermore, he defended the rioters’ violence as necessary for “equity” and “inclusion.”
  5. His wife, Gwen, was fully in lockstep with him on this issue. She opined that “criminals should get as many chances to commit crimes as they need.”
  6. He favors defunding the police. It is no coincidence that the crime rate in MN has continued to increase in contrast to the US as a whole where it has been decreasing.
  7. During COVID he enacted the most Draconian of guidelines, including strict lockdowns. He ignored a scheme that defrauded the federal government of some $250 million in stimulus money and exploited poor children. In addition, he encouraged people to “snitch” on friends, relatives, and neighbors who failed to adhere to them. He even went so far as to establish a “hotline” for this purpose. This is straight out of the communist playbook.
  8. Similarly, he believes that parental consent is not needed for irreversible gender-changing procedures on young children. This is an example of the state wresting control of children from their parents, which is another characteristic of communism.
  9. He placed tampons in boys’ locker-rooms. That far-out move earned him the sobriquet “Tampon-Tim.” As my friend and loyal reader, Richard, is fond of saying, that’s the kind of catchy nickname that will “stick like Gorilla Glue.”
  10. He advocates completely open borders with unrestricted immigration. No limits. No vetting. Come one, come all.
  11. He is an exponent of taxpayer-funded education, driver’s licenses, and healthcare for illegal aliens.
  12. He wants a single payer healthcare system administered by the government. That would spell the termination of private healthcare providers. Forget about Obama’s promise that “if you like your doctor/health plan you can keep him/it.” In other words, folks, socialized medicine. Ask people in Canada or Europe how that’s working out for them.
  13. He has made MN a sanctuary state and a “trans-refuge.”
  14. He has supported the defacing and destruction of national landmarks, monuments and statues.
  15. He advocates unfettered abortion on demand up to the moment of birth. This may sound appealing to some women who want to retain “control over their own bodies,” however, the current weight of medical evidence is that a fetus becomes viable sometime during the second trimester. Therefore, many, if not most, Americans are against abortion after that time. In my opinion, late-term abortions are tantamount to infanticide.
  16. He is a staunch supporter of the Green New Deal.
  17. He is against fracking and drilling for fossil fuels.
  18. He advocates raising taxes.
  19. He is a strong supporter of the “Squad,” and is in accord with its pro-Hamas/anti-Israel/antisemitic stance. In point of fact its members such as Omar, Bowman and AOC have applauded his selection. Also, his own state of MN is known as a hotbed of pro-Hamas/pro-Palestinian/anti-Israel/antisemitism. Therefore, it’s fair to presume that he shares those beliefs.

CONCLUSION

There is nothing inherently wrong with being a Socialist, or even a Communist for that matter. It just has no place on a national ticket.

Typically, presidential candidates select a running mate who will “balance” the ticket, ideologically, politically and/or geographically. The idea is to broaden the appeal of the ticket by tracking to the center where most of the voters are. KK went in another direction. She doubled down on her radical, socialist beliefs. Obviously, she felt she had to shore up the small but vocal radical, pro-Hamas, pro-Palestinian, anti-Israel, antisemitic left wing of the Dem party. That could be why she selected Welz over PA Governor Shapiro, who is Jewish.

Normally, what she did would doom her candidacy, but undoubtedly, she is counting on the media to gaslight the voters with respect to Welz’s record as they are doing with respect to hers. Somewhere, Karl Marx is smiling.

by Leave a comment

BIDEN-HARRIS, WHERE ARE YOU?

Some of you of a certain age may remember that comedy police tv show Car 54 Where Are You featuring two stumble-bum NYC cops who were never where they should be and never got anything right. Well, the current situations in the US and the world in general remind me of that show’s theme song. I have paraphrased somewhat. If you remember it, sing along with me.

“The economy’s a mess. Our southern border’s in distress. Crime is rampant in our streets. The Middle East is such a beast. BIDEN-HARRIS, WHERE AAARE YOU?

Some of you may not like my little ditty, but in my opinion it fits. Currently, there are a plethora of serious problems facing the US, and neither Biden nor Harris is to be found. For the record, Harris, as vp, has supported Biden’s policies consistently. She is married to them. They are hers as well as his.

Rising prices and rising interest rates have destroyed the fiction that inflation is “transient.” Yesterday’s employment report demolished the administration’s fiction regarding that area. Also, yesterday, the stock market crashed, which is a harbinger of tougher times ahead.

Many people are having trouble putting food on the table, putting gas in their cars, or finding an affordable place to live. The ME is about to explode. Israel is already fighting Hamas and Hezbollah in a two-front war, and Iran is threatening to broaden that into a regional conflict. Russia’s war with Ukraine is threatening to escalate. China is ready to pounce on Taiwan. And North Korea is, well, North Korea.

And, Biden-Harris, or is it Harris-Biden (forgive me if I get confused, but then again so do they) has not said or done anything about any of them. Neither of them is to be found. Harris is on her “honeymoon,” and Biden is probably sleeping comfortably somewhere.

Biden-Harris’ economic policies will likely result in a recession, maybe a deep one. Their open border policies have allowed some 20 million illegal immigrants to enter our country, mostly unvetted. If even 1% of them are terrorists, criminals, or ne’er do wells we have 200,000 such people loose in the country. Biden-Harris’ weakness abroad has emboldened our enemies and distressed our allies.

Let’s not forget, Biden is still the president, albeit in name only. Basically, he has “checked out,” and Harris not taken charge yet. She’s busy campaigning. She has not even given an open press conference in which she will have to answer questions from the media. I’m not counting the softball, creampuff interviews with handpicked journalists. I mean a real press conference with media that will push her on the issues. Biden has not even issued his famous, ineffectual warning to our enemies – “don’t.” If that was meant to deter our enemies, it hasn’t and never will.

Who’s calling the shots? Who’s running the show. To paraphrase Abbott and Costello – “Who’s on first?”

CONCLUSION

The US is in a dire situation. Our enemies sense weakness and indecisiveness. They smell blood. We are vulnerable, and they know it. In fact, we are as weak and vulnerable as we have ever been in my lifetime, and Biden-Harris seem oblivious to all of it. They are focused on DEI and pronouns. They treat illegal aliens better than citizens. They have shown they will do anything to get elected, even pander to the far left and socialist elements that hate America and have seized control of the Dem Party.

And yet, despite the foregoing the 2024 presidential election is in a virtual dead heat. Millions of people are either uncaring, ignorant or oblivious. Others favor Trump’s policies over Biden-Harris’, but they have such irrational hatred for Trump that they will vote Dem anyway, even though it is against their and their children’s self-interest. Go figure.

I don’t get it. I just don’t get it.

by 1 Comment

THIS MONTH IN HISTORY – JULY

Historically, July has been a very active month. Below please find a list of significant historical events that have occurred during the month. Read on, and be edified.

July 1 – Canada Day is celebrated commemorating the union of Upper and Lower Canada and certain of the Maritime Provinces to form the Dominion of Canada on July 1, 1867.

July 1, 1862 – President Abraham Lincoln signed a bill authorizing the first income tax levy (3%).

July 1, 1863 – The decisive Civil War Battle of Gettysburg commenced.

July 1, 1963 – The US Postal Service commenced using zip codes.

July 2, 1776 – The Continental Congress adopted a resolution declaring that “these united colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent states.”

July 2, 1788 – Congress announced that the US Constitution had been ratified by the requisite nine states.

July 2, 1881– President James Garfield was shot and mortally wounded. He died on September 19.

July 2, 1937 – Pilot Amelia Earhart went missing.

July 2, 1964 – President Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

July 3, 1775 – George Washington took command of the Continental Army at Cambridge, MA.

July 3, 1976 – Israeli commandos rescued 103 hostages being held by pro-Palestinian guerrillas on a hijacked airliner at Entebbe airport in Uganda.

July 4, 1776 – The Continental Congress formally approved the Declaration of Independence, making this date the US’s official Independence Day, even though many of the 56 signatories signed the document later. (The exact dates are in dispute to this day.)

July 4, 1863 – The city of Vicksburg, MS surrendered to General Grant giving the Union control of the vital Mississippi River.

July 4, 1959 – A 49th star, representing Alaska, was added to the flag.

July 4, 1960 – A 50th star, representing Hawaii, was added to the flag.

July 5, 1946 – The bikini, named by creator Louis Reard for the Bikini Atoll where the atomic bomb was tested, was introduced in Paris.

July 6, 1885 – Louis Pasteur administered the first successful rabies shot (to a boy who had been bitten by a rabid dog).

July 6, 1942 – Holocaust victim, Anne Frank, and her family began hiding in a sealed-off room in Amsterdam in an ultimately futile attempt to avoid being captured by the Nazis.

July 7, 1898 – President McKinley signed a resolution annexing Hawaii.

July 8, 1889 – The Wall Street Journal began publication.

July 10, 1940 – The German Luftwaffe commenced bombing raids against Great Britain.

July 10, 1943 – The Allies commenced their invasion of Europe by landing in Sicily.

July 10, 1973 – The Bahamas gained its independence after 250 years of British rule.

July 13, 1977 – Two lightening strikes caused a 25-hour blackout in the NYC area. (Did the local birth rate spike in April, 1978?)

July 14, 1789 – A mob of protesters successfully stormed the Bastille Saint-Antoine in Paris, a fortress, a prison and a hated symbol of aristocratic repression. The Bastille’s fall shocked the aristocratic world and signaled the beginning of the French Revolution.

July 16, 1769 – Father Junipero Serra founded the mission of San Diego de Alcala (present-day San Diego), one of many he founded throughout current-day California.

July 16, 1969 – The Apollo 11 mission took off for the moon.

July 17, 1918 – Bolshevik rebels murdered Czar Nicholas II and his family in Ekaterinburg, Siberia.

July 17, 1955 – Disneyland, in Anaheim, CA, opened to the public.

July 17, 1996 – TWA Flight 800 blew up shortly after takeoff off the coast of Long Island.

July 18, 1936 – The Spanish civil war began as a revolt by right wing army officers stationed in Morocco.

July 18, 1947 – President Truman, who had succeeded to the presidency following FDR’s death, signed an Executive Order that laid out the order of succession in the event a president were to die or become incapacitated (vp, speaker of the house, etc.). This order became the basis for the 25th Amendment to the Constitution, which was ratified on February 10, 1967.
July 18, 1969 – Senator Ted Kennedy drove his car off a wooden bridge on Chappaquiddick Island killing aide Mary Jo Kopechne and ending his chances for the presidency.

July 20, 1969 – Billions of people watched live on tv as Neil Armstrong became the first man to walk on the moon. (Famous quote – “One small step for man; one giant leap for mankind.”)

July 27, 1953 – The US and Korea signed an armistice ending the Korean Conflict, which had raged on for three years.

July 27, 1974 – The House of Representatives charged President Nixon with the first of three articles of impeachment for obstruction of justice, eventually culminating in his resignation.

July 29, 1976 – David Berkowitz, aka “Son of Sam,” began his murderous reign of terror in NYC, which lasted until August 10, 1977.

July 29, 1981 – England’s Prince Charles and Lady Diana were married at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London.

July 30, 1965 – President Lyndon Johnson signed the Social Security Act of 1965, which established the Medicare and Medicaid programs.

July 31, 1798 – The US Patent Office opened and issued its first patent (for a new method of making potash and pearl ash).

Birthdays – Thurgood Marshall – 7/2/1908; Stephen Foster (wrote some 200 songs, (including Oh Susanna, Camptown Races and Swanee River) – 7/4/1826; Calvin Coolidge (30th President) – 7/4/1872; David Farragut (Civil War admiral, famous quote: “Damn the torpedoes; full speed ahead”) – 7/5/1801; PT Barnum (promoter, showman and co-founder of the circus) – 7/5/1810; Cecil Rhodes (his will established Rhodes Scholarship) – 7/5/1863; John Paul Jones (father of US Navy, famous quote: “I have not yet begun to fight!”) – 7/6/1747; Leroy “Satchel” Page (AA Hall of Fame pitcher) – 7/7/1906; Nelson Rockefeller – 7/8/1908; John Calvin (founded Presbyterianism) – 7/10/1509; Arthur Ashe (tennis champion) – 7/10/1943; John Quincy Adams (6th president and son of #2, John Adams) – 7/11/1767; Gerald Ford ( 38th president) – 7/14/1913; Rembrandt van Rijn (famous Dutch painter) – 7/15/1606; Nelson Mandela – 7/18/1918; Edmund Hillary (first to ascend Mt. Everest) – 7/20/1919; Ernest Hemingway (Nobel Prize-winning author) – 7/21/1899; Simon Bolivar (aka “The Liberator” or “The George Washington of South America” for his successful efforts to liberate the nations of Colombia, Panama, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and Venezuela from Spain) – 7/24/1783; Amelia Earhart (pioneer female pilot) – 7/24/1898; George Bernard Shaw (playwright) – 7/26/1856; Jacqueline Bouvier (JFK widow) – 7/28/1929; Benito Mussolini – 7/29/1883; Henry Ford – 7/30/1863.

by Tags: , , , , Leave a comment

KAMALA AND ISRAEL

Kackling Kamala(“KK”) is trying to walk a fine line with respect to the Israel-Hamas War. On one hand, she is offering disingenuous platitudes in support of Israel to try to convince it and the Jewish portion of the electorate that she backs our ally and is not antisemitic. In that vein she has told the story that as a child she helped raise money to plant a tree in Israel. (Even if that is true, and the likelihood is that it is a Bidenesque tall tale, it does not have any relevance to her positions today.) On the other hand, she is trying to convince the pro-Palestinian, antisemitic portion of the electorate that she supports them. Biden had been pursuing this two-faced, dichotomous approach, and it did not work for him. Both sides saw right through it and criticized him for it.

Neither side is happy. Pro-Palestinian voters in Minnesota have criticized what they perceive as her lukewarm support. They have made it abundantly clear that they want nothing less than for the US to withdraw its support for Israel entirely and support Hamas unequivocally. Also, a sizeable chunk of Dems in Michigan expressed their displeasure by voting “uncommitted” in the 2024 primary rather than voting for Biden. I don’t think this vacillating approach will work for KK either.

Jews, do not be deceived by KK’s current utterings. She has a long record of antisemitism and support for extreme Palestinians. As with everything else, she says one thing but does another. Her actions speak louder than her words. For example:

  1. She has continually demonstrated empathy and support for Palestinian rioters, such as those who occupied college campuses earlier this year. She minimized or overlooked that they committed various crimes, such as assault on Jewish students, breaking, entering and occupying university buildings, and harassing Jewish students with hateful antisemitic slogans and signs.
  2. She has been and is in compete lockstep with Biden and the Dems tepid support for Israel in its war with Hamas. In the immediate aftermath of Hamas’ unprovoked terrorist attacks on October 7, they first tried to dissuade Israel from retaliating at all. When that didn’t work, they tried to get Israel to “show restraint” in its response. That was absurd on its face. Name one other instance in the history of the world in which a country that had been attacked was urged to show restraint. For instance, did the US show restraint after Pearl Harbor or 9/11? Then, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, aka “The Chameleon,” gave a speech in which he urged Israel to force out Netanyahu and hold new elections. Such interference in the internal workings of another sovereign nation is traditionally reserved for “banana republics,” not an ally.
  3. Last week KK “dissed” Israel’s President Benjamin Netanyahu by not attending his speech before Congress. Not only did she disrespect Netanyahu, but also Israel, our staunchest and most dependable ally in the ME and Jews, in general, as well. Her feeble excuse was that she had to attend a previously-scheduled speech at a college sorority. That snub was consistent with the Dem Party’s policy of criticizing Netanyahu rather than Israel itself in the hope that it will prevent or at least minimize Jews’ defecting to the GOP. I think and hope most Jews will see that for what it is, code for antisemitism. Several Republicans sharply criticized this obvious snub. Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s comment that this “made it clear that Harris stands with the woke antisemitic members of her party” was a typical example. She even drew criticism from some Dems. One, speaking anonymously in fear of retaliation, said “it makes zero sense that for our most important ally [in the ME] she’s skipping out on the speech.” The representative added “a bunch of us have [made] calls [to her office] saying, ‘what are you doing.'” Later, she tried to mend fences by meeting with Netanyahu privately, but in my view that was just for optics and too little, too late. Again, actions spoke louder than words.
  4. Recently, she offered a weak statement of support for Israel, proclaiming “Israel has a right to defend itself.” Well, duh. That was a typical KK non-sequitur. Of course, any country has that right. Rather than meaningless words how about some action such as sending needed weapons that Israel keeps on requesting.
  5. She has continually expressed sympathy for the plight of Gazan civilians. While it’s unfortunately true that many have been murdered and have been deprived of necessities like food, medicine and shelter that is primarily the fault of Hamas, not Israel. It was Hamas that started the war. It is Hamas that is stealing much of the aid being supplied by the Red Cross and others, and it is Hamas that has been using civilians as human shields. War is hell. In all wars throughout history civilians have been caught in the middle. They have been dispossessed, robbed, raped, enslaved and murdered. It is a sad fact, but it’s true. As anyone who has fought in a war will tell you that’s the very nature of war. It’s why we say, “war is hell.” In this case, I would like to denote that Israel has gone overboard to minimize civilian casualties.
  6. A few days ago, Hezbollah launched a rocket attack on a Druze village that borders on Lebanon. A dozen young children were killed while playing soccer. How about expressing sympathy, condemnation and outrage regarding that. As I write this, I have not heard a peep from KK.

CONCLUSION

This entire debacle is a prime example of cause and effect. Biden’s ME policies have been the cause, and the effect is what we see now. KK fully endorses those policies, and her comments and actions as delineated above have not been helpful. In actuality, they have served to encourage Hamas to keep holding the hostages and keep fighting and have extended the war. It’s clear to objective observers that her motives are disingenuous. In reality, she’s trying to placate the radical, antisemitic left wing of her party for political reasons, for votes in the upcoming election.

Israel is embroiled in an existential battle against enemies that have vowed to exterminate it as evidenced by their mantra “from the river to the sea.” They have consistently proclaimed they don’t want a two-state solution. They want a one-state solution. Theirs. Their desire to negotiate a cease fire is just a ploy to stop Israel from destroying them. When they feel the time is right, they will attack again. This is what they have always done.

Israel’s entire history has been characterized by a series of wars and terrorist attacks. All of them have been started by their enemies. If they don’t finish the job this time by destroying Hamas and Hezbollah entirely there will just be another war, and another, and another. Ultimately, it will cost more lives and treasure. I say to KK. Just get out of the way, and let Israel do what it has to do to finish the job.

One final comment. Let’s not forget that Iran has been sponsoring all these terrorist groups. Also, let’s not forget the root cause of all the terrorist attacks that have plagued the region in the last 3 1/2 years. Iran has been able to fund the various terrorist groups because Biden, in one of his more fatuous decisions, stopped domestic drilling for oil and ended the embargoes that Trump had put in place, which has allowed Iran to make a fortune selling its oil and use those funds to sponsor terrorism in the region.

Cause and effect.

    by Tags: , , , , , , , Leave a comment

    KAMALA HARRIS

    It’s time for you to meet the real Kamala Harris, aka Kackling Kamala (“KK”), not the media version that the Dem and media spin doctors are currently spewing out, but the real, unvarnished, unedited version that we have seen and heard for some 20 years. According to multiple media reports she was the most liberal, far-left senator. She was even to the left of avowed Socialist, Bernie Sanders. I can’t conceive of there being any room to the left of Sanders, but somehow, she found it.

    Currently, the Dems are doing what they always do to deceive the voters and win elections. For 3 1/2 years or so they pursue their true left-leaning policies, and then as election day approaches, they spin their positions and statements in order to get re-elected. Then, after ED they return to their true policies. It always reminds me of George Orwell’s novel 1984 where the government-dominated media periodically alters information it disseminates to the public at its whim. Orwell’s novel was fictional, but much of what he wrote is coming true today. More on this later.

    Kamala Devi Harris was born on October 20, 1964 in Oakland, CA. Her father, Donald Harris, who was born in Jamaica and emigrated to the US in 1961, was a professor of economics at Stanford University in Berkley, CA. Her mother, Shyamala, was a biologist, who was born in India, and had emigrated to the US in 1958. They met in 1962 and married in 1963. Kamala has one sister, Maya. Robert and Shyamala divorced when Kamala was seven.

    Due to Kamala’s parents’ work the family moved around quite a bit. KK spent part of her childhood in Montreal and various areas of the Midwest before settling in Berkeley in 1970. While in elementary school she was, as she denoted in the 2019 presidential debate, bused from a predominately black public school to a 95% white school in a more affluent neighborhood.

    KK declared her candidacy for President on January 21, 2019. Her campaign was short and not so sweet. She fared very poorly in the second debate enduring criticism of her record as CA attorney general by Biden and Tulsi Gabbard. Afterwards, her poll numbers crashed into the single digits and her funding dried up. On December 3, 2019, she withdrew and promptly endorsed Biden, a fortuitous move.

    She became VP due to an unlikely series of events. Following his nomination Biden was pressured to select a black woman as his running mate. James Clyburn and others advised him that “African American women needed to be rewarded for their loyalty.” The pressure mounted in the wake of the George Floyd murder. Biden, no doubt recalling KK’s early endorsement chose her. The ticket won a close election, and KK became the first female, first African American, and first Asian American VP.

    As VP KK has become a prime example of the “Peter Principle.” This term, which was first formulated by educationalist, Laurence Peter, holds that a person will continually earn advancements until he or she reaches a position in which he or she “reaches a level of incompetence.” Regardless of her pros and cons in her prior positions KK is generally considered to be among the worst, if not the worst, VPs ever. She has had one of the lowest approval ratings and highest staff turnover rates of any vp. Critics and former staff members have derided her “abrasive” management style, her laziness and her penchant for berating subordinates.

    If you want to vote for KK at least be cognizant of what policies you are voting for. According to a poll published by RealClear Politics in April only 39% of registered voters had a favorable view of Harris. In 2019 Harris was ranked as “the most politically left” senator by the nonpartisan GovTrack organization. As I said, she was even ranked as more extreme than avowed Socialist, Bernie Sanders.

    As I said, the Dems and the media have been and will continue to sanitize and modify Harris’ political views. But don’t be gaslighted. By her own admission she fully supports all of Biden’s policies. She has espoused her real views over a 20-year career. Below please find a list of some of them paraphrased from her own words based on interviews by several media outlets such as CBS, CNN, MSNBC and others. To quote the late Joe Louis: “[S]he can run, but [s]he can’t hide.”

    1. As “border czar” she did nothing to curtail the onslaught of illegal migrants. She didn’t even deign to visit the various border hotspots to view the situation firsthand. In fact, she has proclaimed she favors unfettered, unlimited immigration and full rights for illegals, including free education and healthcare. In doing so, she has, in effect, supported human trafficking, sexual and other abuse of women and children and abetted the increased risk of terrorism, crime, and inflation. She wants to decriminalize illegal border crossings. Without effective borders we would no longer have a viable country.
    2. She was an early and staunch supporter of the Green New Deal, an ill-conceived, ill-advised program that will cost trillions of dollars, explode inflation, and adversely impact our lives in a plethora of ways.
    3. She supports a universal single payer healthcare system for everyone. A government-run system similar to that of Canada and Europe would replace private insurance. Ask any resident of those areas how that system is working out for them.
    4. She supports eliminating ICE or at least sharply curtailing its powers.
    5. She would ban various quality of life choices such as gas cars, red meat and plastic straws. MIDWESTERNERS, ARE YOU PAYING ATTENTION?
    6. She would ban offshore drilling and fracking. VOTERS IN PA, OH, AND TX, ARE YOU PAYING ATTENTION?
    7. She would abolish the Senate filibuster. At times, this rule can be annoying, but it has encouraged deliberation and served the purpose of preventing the railroading of legislation.
    8. She has espoused defunding the police.
    9. She supported the rioters in 2020 (“They won’t stop and should not.”), no-bail laws and established a fund to bail out criminals.
    10. She favors unrestricted abortions up to the moment of birth and perhaps beyond. This is only supported by a small sliver of voters and is tantamount to infanticide.
    11. She supports raising taxes to as high as 80%. Even that would not be sufficient to pay for all of the programs she has espoused.
    12. She supports a mandatory government sponsored buyback program for guns owned by private citizens. Many gun owners view this as nothing more than a thinly disguised confiscation program.
    13. She has denigrated and demeaned 18–24-year-olds characterizing them “stupid.” “That’s why they live in dormitories with resident advisors.” Kamala, how about all the 18-24-year-olds who work and support their families or those who serve in the military? That was just one example of the inane things she has said periodically. Another one would be when she gave a speech saying the US and “North Korea” have enjoyed a “long and enduring alliance.” Really?
    14. She supports regulating “hate speech,” which is code for censorship.
    15. As I have blogged previously the majority of her words and actions have made it clear that she is anti-Israel and pro-Hamas. She cares more about the Muslim vote in Michigan and other states than our most reliable ally in the ME.
    16. She has made tasteless jokes about killing Donald Trump. It’s irresponsible talk like that that may have inspired the would-be assassin in Butler, PA and perhaps others prospectively.
    17. Her penchant for kackling is most annoying, embarrassing and unprofessional. Can you her imagine being in a serious meeting with Putin and suddenly bursting out with one of her kackling episodes?

    CONCLUSION

    Well, there you have it, the real, unvarnished thoughts and opinions of Kamala Harris in her own words. As I said, if you want to vote for her, fine. By all means, it is your right to do so. Just be cognizant of whom and what you are voting for. Don’t be gaslighted.

    Even if you hate and despise Trump on a personal level remember you should vote for the policies, not the person. If you’re not happy with the state of your life or the country, if you are worse off today than you were four years ago, strap on your “big boy pants,” hold your nose, suck it up, and vote for Trump. Your kids and your grandkids will thank you.

    by Tags: , , , , Leave a comment

    FLAG DESECRATION

    Desecrating the American flag, i.e. burning or stomping, has become a favorite means of protesting or rioting. Yesterday’s vile, contemptuous, despicable, and appalling display in Washington DC made my blood boil. I am irate, as you should be.

    I understand that in 1989 the Supreme Court held that such actions constituted a form of “symbolic speech” and therefore fell under the protection of the First Amendment of the Constitution. I understand that many Americans have taken the liberal view and agree with the court’s decision.

    That said, in my opinion such actions are just plain wrong. At some point, common sense has to take over. Since the Revolutionary War through the present day, millions of brave Americans have fought for and died for that flag and what it represents. It is a symbol of America and all it stands for.

    There has got to be some legal way to curtail this scourge. The 1989 Supreme Court decision was only by a 5-4 vote. Today, the composition of the SC is different. Perhaps, another case can be brought that would result in a different outcome. A constitutional amendment is cumbersome, time-consuming and would take years. There has got to be a better way to deal with this.

    Many of the rioters were probably illegals. They shouldn’t be in the US to begin with. Why should they be allowed to desecrate our flag? Why should they be afforded the right of free speech? Additionally, maybe the rioters can be prosecuted for other crimes such as assault and vandalism.

    CONCLUSION

    We have to find a way to curtail flag desecration. Our leaders seem to be unable or unwilling to take action. Other countries, particularly our enemies, see this as a sign of weakness and a further deterioration of American might.

    My suggestions would be to:

    1. arrest all the rioters;
    2. find some other related crime to prosecute them for, such as vandalism or assault;
    3. run their IDs to determine if they are wanted for other crimes (I dare say many of them will be.); and
    4. ferret out those who are in the US illegally and deport them on the spot.

    You may have better ideas. I welcome your suggestions. Somehow these activities must be stopped!

    by Tags: , , , Leave a comment

    ONE THOUSAND

    I know what you’re probably thinking. That is an odd title for a blog posting. What does it signify? Well, simply put this is my 1,000th blog posting. I began blogging 12 years ago on September 5, 2012. I had retired three years previously. My wife had suggested I needed to do something to “exercise my mind.” Since I always listen to my wife (“Yes, dear.”) I began this blog. As I write this, my blogs have generated over 36,000 views. They have been read by viewers in 115 countries, and they are regularly posted in The Times of Israel. Nice, but I couldn’t have done it without you, the readers. Thank you for your loyalty.

    Now, to the real focus of this blog, our vice president and Dem Party designated nominee for president – KACKLING KAMALA (“KK”).

    KK is a creation of the Dem elites. They have adopted her and anointed her as the designated nominee out of desperation following the demise of Joe Biden’s campaign. For various reasons, which I have documented in previous blogs, there is no one else.

    She has not earned a single delegate ever. In 2020 her candidacy never got off the ground. It was over before it began. It went broke and was characterized by internal bickering and disfunction. She was forced to suspend her candidacy before the Iowa caucuses. Her earlier career was mediocre at best. I will analyze it in a later blog.

    In 2020 Biden selected her as his running mate because the party elites and “wokers” told him he had to select a black female. Biden didn’t want her. She had no power base; she didn’t add much, if anything, to the ticket; and they had clashed in the debates. But being “good old malleable Joe” he caved like a cheap suit.

    The power elites wanted her now because she will be Biden reincarnate, Biden without the age and cognitive issues. Like Joe, she will accede to their wishes. Make no mistake about it. She was and is in accord with Biden’s misguided policies. If you didn’t like Biden’s policies you surely will not like hers.

    Actually, there is evidence that her political philosophy is to the “left” of Biden and even Bernie Sanders in many areas. Reporting in the NY Post columnist Isaac Schorr characterized her as a “far-left authoritarian demagogue,” “Biden on steroids.” More on this below. If she were to win, she will be president in name only. The same hidden cadre of power elites will be running things. Once again, democracy and the will of the people will have been thwarted.

    As vp KK has been a disaster. She has no positive achievements of her own. Probably, her biggest failure was immigration at the southern border. Biden designated her as “border Czar,” and assigned her the task of resolving the problem. It was a chance to demonstrate her mettle, and she failed. I have discussed this in detail in pervious blogs. In summary, she didn’t even bother to visit the problem areas of the border, and presently, the situation is worse than ever.

    Below please find some samples of KK’s political positions, many of which are far to the left of the mainstream and would be detrimental to the country.

    1. While in the Senate she was a strong supporter of the ill-advised Green New Deal, which basically would terminate thousands of blue collar and middle-class workers’ jobs, bankrupt the country, and result in the demise of the fossil fuels industry.
    2. She wants to ban fracking. Are you paying attention PA, OH, Texas and the rest of the oil-producing states?
    3. She favors the “Medicare-for-All program, which, essentially, would terminate all private insurance plans in favor of socialized medicine.
    4. Her tax ideas are totally inane. She favors raising taxes. She has not put forth any sensible plan and has not demonstrated even a modicum of business or finance knowledge, but she did characterize the idea of a tax rate of 80% as “fantastic.”
    5. She was a leading proponent of defunding the police.
    6. She has been a strong critic of ICE, and if elected she would probably abolish it or at least sharply curtail its power.
    7. She often “shoots from the hip” without any analysis or thought. For example, early on, before all the facts were known she characterized the Jussie Smollett hoax as a “modern day lynching.”
    8. She advocated funding bail for all who are arrested, particularly those who had rioted in the cities in 2020.
    9. She favors a sweeping amnesty for illegal immigrants, more extreme than Biden.
    10. However, perhaps most destructive is her antipathy against Israel, our only reliable ally in the Middle East, and its leader, Benjamin Netanyahu. She is more extreme than Biden was. In my view, her attitude and actions have indicated a pro-Hamas bias. She is more in line with the attitude of the Squad and other antisemites in her party. For example, she will be boycotting Netanyahu during his visit to the US. This sends a very bad signal to the rest of the world, but she is either oblivious to that fact or simply doesn’t care. I repeat what I have said many times already. Why any Jew would vote for the Dems is beyond me.

    CONCLUSION

    Currently, KK is in a “honeymoon period.” The media is hyping her as the savior of democracy. This is what they do. For years they protected Biden. Now they will do the same for KK.

    Voters should not be deceived. She is not well known to much of the country. Hopefully, as they get more familiar with her, her warts will be exposed.

    Don’t forget all her faults and failures as listed above. If she were to win the country would go “from the frying pan to the fire.”

    by Tags: , , , , Leave a comment

    DEMS ENGAGE IN AUTOCRACY, NOT DEMOCRACY

    Folks, in the last month we have been witnessing the complete breakdown of our democracy. A small, but powerful and influential group of Dems, their supporters, media allies, and influential donors (the “Usurpers”) have determined that they don’t want Biden to continue to seek the Dem Party’s nomination for president. They have concluded that Donald Trump will likely win the election, possibly by a landslide, and his coattails would increase the GOP’s margin in the House and flip the Senate. The senators and congressmen running for election and re-election have concluded Biden will be a drag on their candidacy, and they will likely lose. That is anathema to them as they would lose their power and influence. Their sense of entitlement simply will not tolerate such a result. Accordingly, they have coerced him to withdraw “voluntarily” from the race.

    According to published reports as recently as a few days ago Biden wanted to continue. He proclaimed he had a “path” to victory, and he was “in it to win it.” Delusional, perhaps, but he was entitled to his own opinion. It is still early in the campaign, and a lot of unforeseen events could have swung the election. History is full of unlikely upsets. (See Truman and Trump.) But the Usurpers didn’t want him to do so. Consequently, purely for selfish reasons that I will discuss below, they forced him to withdraw. They accomplished this by a multipronged attack consisting of private arm-twisting by influential party members such as key advisors and former presidents Obama and Clinton, among others, public declarations by various senators and congressmen, and stories in the media that he was too old and cognitively unfit.

    And, yet they are content to have him finish out his term. Ask yourself, if he is unfit to run for re-election, why is he not unfit to govern for the next six months? It puts the country at grave risk. In the words of “Dr. Spock” it is not logical. It makes no sense, except for the reasons cited above.

    Understand, I am not defending Biden’s disastrous record as president nor am I disputing that he is cognitively unfit. In my opinion, both are obvious and have been for some time. What I am disputing is the process. That pesky little document called the Constitution has a process for dealing with a president that is unfit to discharge his duties. It’s called the 25th Amendment. It lays out a specific procedure by which he can be declared unfit and replaced. It may be complicated. It may be tedious. It may be controversial. It may be difficult to accomplish. But it is the ONLY legal way to remove a president.

    Furthermore, it only deals with removing a president, not forcing him to withdraw from the nomination or election process against his will. TO MY KNOWLEDGE THERE IS NO PROVISION IN THE CONSTITUTION OR ANYWHERE ELSE THAT SUPPORTS THIS.

    For four years we, the public, have been fed the fantasy that Biden is cogitatively fit. His cadre of advisors has shielded him. The mainstream media has protected him. They have both denigrated any stories of his decline as a “right wing conspiracy, a MAGA conspiracy, a Fox News conspiracy.” For four years the evidence was obvious to anyone who cared to look. His family knew it. His advisors knew it. White house reporters and domestic and foreign politicians with whom he interacted on a regular basis knew it. Fox News watchers knew it. However, most of the public did not or refused to acknowledge it. It was only when his decline was exposed in last month’s presidential debate and became obvious to everyone around the world that “The Emperor had no clothes” that the protectors and deniers admitted it. Then and only then, did Usurpers go to work as described above. To paraphrase the novel 1984 Biden was fine, until it was decided he wasn’t.

    Biden has gone through the nomination process unopposed. According to Politico and various other media outlets he has won 3,861 delegates, well in excess of the 1,986 required for nomination. Millions of people have voted for him in good faith. They all had their individual reasons for doing so. Some of them were aware of his cognitive condition and chose to ignore or discount it; some may not have been. Doesn’t matter. They all voted for him “fair and square.” In effect, what the Usurpers have done is disenfranchised them unilaterally. Probably, fewer than 100 of them have illegally countermanded the will of millions simply because they don’t want Biden to win the nomination. That, my friends is a characteristic of an autocracy, not a democracy.

    At the present time, Harris is the favorite to replace Biden. She has already garnered a host of endorsements; the mainstream media is supporting her; and no other candidate appears desirous of challenging her. However, it should be noted that she has a lot of “baggage,” and she has not distinguished herself as VP. In addition, as Biden’s VP she has been tainted by his failed and unpopular policies. Also, she was cognizant of and participated in the aforementioned coverup regarding Biden’s cognitive deficiencies. Furthermore, certain heavyweights, including Obama, Pelosi, Schumer and Jefferies have not yet endorsed her. To me, this indicates a lack of confidence and conviction in her. It also begs the question, if not Harris then who. The Dem bench is woefully thin. All that said, the Dems will probably be stuck with her. Whatever her deficiencies she is the only one who could inherit the campaign’s $200 million plus war chest.

    CONCLUSION

    Make no mistake. The Usurpers have not done this to benefit the country. If that were their goal, they would have proceeded with the 25th Amendment process. If they were truly concerned about the welfare of the country they would have blown the whistle on Biden four years ago. They are so disingenuous and hypocritical it disgusts me.

    What we are witnessing is a classic “palace coup” akin to what occurs in autocracies. The only thing missing is a takeover by the military. My prediction is that the Dems will present us with the allusion of an open convention in which Biden’s delegates, having been released, will, in theory, be free to vote to choose the nominee. In reality, they will be heavily influenced by a small number of power brokers who will, in reality, choose him or her. Then, if the nominee should win, this small group of power brokers will, in effect, have bypassed the democratic process and chosen the next president.

    by Tags: , , , , Leave a comment