Tag: politics

THE GREAT DEPORTATION

In the words of ex-NY Giants football coach Tom Coughlin “talk is cheap; play the game.” For the past several years various politicians have been advocating the need for a “comprehensive” immigration policy, but for various reasons nothing substantive has been accomplished. President Trump also has been staunchly advocating strengthening the southern border. This includes preventing illegal immigrants from entering the country and deporting the undesirable ones that are already here. Only five days into his presidency Trump has been demonstrating that, unlike his predecessors, his talk was not cheap. He intends to “play the game.” We are witnessing yet another example that Trump “says what he means and means what he says.”

The Great Deportation has begun. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt proclaimed that “President Trump is sending a strong and clear message to the world that if you illegally enter the [US] you will face severe consequences.” Officials assert that this is just the beginning of the deportation process. Moreover, the US has already deployed some 4,000 active-duty military personnel to render assistance to inundated CBP personnel. This is an obvious tactic that somehow eluded the prior Administration.

While Trump has vowed a campaign of mass deportations, his White House border czar has repeatedly said that initially they will be targeting the low-hanging fruit, people who have committed crimes. That includes known terrorists, spies, psychos, and criminals, such as rapists, pedophiles, gang members and murderers. (The NY Post has dubbed this phase “pervs and perps,” which is an apt moniker.) Many of these people are relatively easy to find. Law enforcement officials have arrested and released them multiple times. They know where to find them. They are not hiding. Heretofore, they have had no fear of law enforcement. That is about to change.

ICE is now be authorized to seek out illegals in locations that were previously prohibited on the grounds of being “sensitive,” such as schools, churches and hospitals. Some rights groups, such as the ACLU, have launched plans to protect immigrants who are detained at these locations even though border czar Tom Homan has declared repeatedly that ICE operations will be focused initially on specific people who have committed crimes.

According to a survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research there is widespread support in America for beefing up security at the southern border and undertaking some targeted deportations, particularly of people who have committed violent crimes. The same poll reported that most Americans think local police should cooperate with federal immigration authorities on deportations in at least some cases. Support declines when it comes to deporting people in the country illegally who have not been convicted of a crime. Some deportations may be controversial, such as those that split families where some members are citizens and others are not, but for now the public is squarely behind these deportations.

In just five days, Tom Homan, Trump’s border czar, has accomplished more than Kackling Kamala did in four years. There have been hundreds of arrests and hundreds more detentions. Fox News reported that this included illegals from dozens of countries. Multiple media outlets have shown the visual of these people boarding C-17s in shackles to be transported to various countries. It’s true what they say: “a picture is worth a thousand words.”

Trump has suspended the entry of all undocumented migrants to the US, and border patrol agents have been instructed to turn people away without granting them asylum hearings. Heretofore, migrants were able to arrive at the US border and had the legal right to seek asylum. He also ended a major Biden-era policy that allowed up to 30,000 migrants per month from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela to fly into the US on “humanitarian” grounds.

People, both foreign and domestic, are getting the message. As these deportees return to their home country other wannabees are realizing the futility of even trying to come to the US. On Friday, Guatemala received three flights from the U.S. loaded with Guatemalan nationals who had been sent back to their home country. A spokesperson for the Guatemalan Migration Institute told NBC News that two of Friday’s flights were on military aircraft and the other was on a non-military plane. The total number of Guatemalans who arrived in Guatemala City from the three flights was about 265.

In another interesting development the city of Huntington Beach, CA, located in deep blue Orange County, passed a “non-sanctuary city resolution” that basically requires local law enforcement to cooperate with ICE and other federal agencies in the performance of their duties with respect to locating, detaining and deporting illegal aliens. I view this as a direct “shot” at Governor Newsome and CA’s sanctuary policies. Could it be the first of many? We’ll see.

According to the AP Mexico denied a U.S. military plane access to land Thursday, at least temporarily frustrating the Trump administration’s plans to deport immigrants to that country. In a press release, Mexico’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not go into detail as to why the U.S. plane was not allowed to land. However, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum’s government has said it opposes “unilateral action” by Trump to implement “restrictive immigration standards,” such as the reinstatement of the “remain in Mexico” policy.

The Administration dealt with that issue with alacrity. A White House official said in a text message that “the flights thing was an administrative issue and was quickly rectified.” Indeed, on Friday White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced, that “yesterday, Mexico accepted a record four deportation flights in one day.” President Scheinbaum added, “Mexico has a very good relationship with the United States government, and we cooperate on a wide range of issues, including migration.” She added “when it comes to repatriations, we will always welcome the arrival of Mexicans to our territory with open arms. Mexico embraces you.”

Mexico is anticipating an influx of migrants pursuant to Trump’s deportation orders and has started building giant tent shelters in nine border cities to temporarily house them. For example, according to Reuters as part of the “Mexico Embraces You” program the Mexican border city of Ciudad Juárez has commenced to construct shelters that will be able to house thousands of migrants and should be ready in a few days. The shelters will provide food, medical care and assistance in getting identification documents. Additionally, a fleet of buses will be available to help transport Mexicans back to their hometowns. Other nations, such as Guatemala are planning to launch similar efforts to absorb their returning deportees.

Another significant development was the scrapping of the CBP One smartphone app, which migrants were able to use to schedule appointments with US border patrol agents. The CBP One app was launched by the Biden administration as a way to organize and streamline the entry of migrants who are fleeing persecution. According to CBS News, some 270,000 migrants who had been hoping to utilize the app to obtain appointments have become stranded in Mexico. The American Civil Liberties Union has since filed a legal challenge against the app’s closure.

In other related news the Trump Administration removed Secret Service protection from Anthony Fauci, John Bolton and Mike Pompeo. Trump, somewhat facetiously, offered to “give them some [telephone] numbers of some very good security people” if they wanted to hire their own.

Conclusion

According to Fox News Digital illegal immigrant encounters at the southern border have dropped significantly since Trump’s inauguration compared to the end of the previous administration. It is refreshing to finally have a president who recognizes a problem and proceeds to resolve it quickly and efficiently. Illegal immigration is but one of many problems Trump has inherited, and my hope and expectation is that he will handle the others in a similarly expeditious fashion.

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PRESIDENT TRUMP’S INAUGURATION

He’s baaaack! The country is ecstatic (most of it anyway, the wokers not so much, but who cares?). Our allies are reassured. Our enemies are wary, or perhaps, even fearful.

Article II, Section 1 of the Constitution states that “The executive Power shall be vested in the President of the United States of America,” and it provided an oath of office for the President-elect’s official swearing-in. This 35-word oath has remained unchanged for more than two centuries, in part because it so clearly and simply describes the responsibilities of the Chief Executive. It says:

“I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.” (Washington added the words “so help me God,” which became a permanent part of the oath.)

There is no constitutional requirement that the oath be administered by the chief justice. It has been administered by 15 chief justices (one of whom—William Howard Taft—was also a former president), but due to various exigent circumstances also by one associate justice, four federal judges, two NYS judges and one notary public.

The word inauguration is derived from the Latin augur, which refers to the rituals of ancient Roman priests seeking to interpret if it was the will of the gods for a public official to be deemed worthy to assume office.

Trump’s inauguration took place on Monday at 12:01, yes, the oath of office commenced one minute late, but who cares. There is no requirement that the Bible or any book for that matter, be used to administer the oath, and none is mentioned in the Constitution. John Roberts, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court administered the oath of office to President Donald Trump whereupon Trump officially became the 47th president of the United States of America. Attendees included Trump’s and J. D. Vance’s families, a plethora of other prominent politicians, business leaders, entertainers and other assorted dignitaries, including former politicians Bush, Clinton and Obama and of course Biden, Harris and their spouses.

Biden and Harris, who undoubtedly loath each other, sat side-by-side and listened stone-faced as Trump ripped their failed Administration to shreds. Perhaps, his criticisms were a bit excessive, but I don’t believe he said anything that wasn’t accurate. At the conclusion of the ceremony, they faded away into history. They still have their supporters, but most Americans will breathe a sigh of relief. They depart with one of the lowest approval ratings ever. Prospectively, historians will assess their tenure, and in my view not in a positive way.

For most of us, the resurrection of America has begun. Trump characterized it as the “golden age of America.” The changes will be radical, virtually 180 degrees. For the past four years the country had lost its way. It had morphed from a 250-year democracy into a morass of wokeism, DEI, and divisiveness. The swamp was overflowing and threatening to drown us all. We were unable or unwilling even to defend our borders. The southern border was more akin to a turnstile than a real border. We were wrecking our economy by paying excessively for foreign oil and gas while ignoring a literal ocean of it under our feet. America was being perceived around the world as weak, indecisive, and fatuous. All that changed in an instant at 12:01 yesterday.

There were some unusual facets to Trump’s Inauguration Day. First of all, although Presidential inaugurations have traditionally been held outside and in public, due to the freezing weather it was held indoors. This was to protect the health of the public who wanted to see the festivities. This year’s was not the first one to be moved indoors due to the weather. For example, in 1909, Taft’s inauguration was moved to the Senate Chamber due to a blizzard, and in 1985, harsh weather forced Reagan’s second inauguration to be moved inside. These were wise decisions. History buffs will recall the tragedy that befell William Henry Harrison following his outdoor inauguration. More on that below.

Secondly, over the course of the day Trump delivered three speeches of roughly 33 minutes each, first at the inauguration, itself, then in a separate room to a group of elected officials who had been unable to gain access to the main room, and finally a third speech to a group of supporters. These were followed by a casual impromptu press conference while he was signing some 100 EOs. Unlike Biden, who basically hid from the media, he answered any and all questions. To me, this illustrated the true genius of Trump. It’s not just what he says, which is important; it’s also his style – relaxed, conversational, and transparent.

In his speeches Trump did not say much that was new. Generally, he reiterated what he has been saying for the last four years on the campaign trail, in the debate, and in press conferences. I didn’t object to the repetition. I realize it served a purpose as it was new to some people. Few people doubt that he will follow through. He has demonstrated that he says what he means and means what he says.

As promised, Trump signed a slew of EOs, including, among others:

  1. Reversing 78 EO’s that Biden had signed.
  2. Halt temporarily the Tik Tok ban pending negotiations.
  3. Withdraw from the ill-advised, ill-conceived Paris climate accords.
  4. Declare a “National emergency” at the southern border. This will facilitate the various reforms to our border policy that Trump has been advocating.
  5. Declare a “National emergency” with respect to energy. This will enable us to resume drilling and reopen the Keystone Pipeline.
  6. Designate drug cartels and migrant gangs as terrorist organizations.
  7. Pardon some 1,500 persons who were convicted of crimes related to the January 6 demonstrations at the capitol.
  8. Authorize the creation of DOGE.
  9. Terminate the practice of men competing against women in sports. Prospectively, there will only be two genders – male and female.
  10. Rename the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America, replace Mt. Denali with the original name, Mt. McKinley, and resume control of the Panama Canal.
  11. Terminate the policy of “birthright citizenship.” The success or failure of this will ultimately be determined by SCOTUS’ interpretation of the 14th Amendment.

Some of these will be enacted immediately; others will take some time; and others will face legal challenges. However, as we have seen, Trump is persistent and persuasive.

What was my favorite part of the inauguration? EVERYTHING! I loved the pageantry. I loved the speeches. I loved it all. Mostly, I loved the fact that it took place at all. It was four years in the making and long overdue. To put it succinctly, the country could not have survived four more years of Biden/Harris.

The initial inauguration (of George Washington) in 1789 in New York City, which was the nation’s first capital, was delayed due to harsh weather, which made travel even more difficult than normally. It was supposed to take place on March 4, the day of the year on which the federal government was to begin operations that year in accordance with the Constitution. But it took until April 6 for a quorum of congressmen to make its way to NYC to even count the electors’ votes and officially declare GW the President (unanimously) and John Adams the Vice President.

Washington wasn’t even there. It took several days for the news to reach him at his home in Mount Vernon. He left for NYC immediately, but he didn’t arrive for several weeks. It was probably an arduous journey by horseback, coach and barge. Inauguration Day was April 30. All subsequent (regular) inaugurations from 1793 until 1933 were held on March 4. Martha did not even join him until later.

One issue was GW’s official title. After much debate finally, a congressional committee settled on the title we still use today: “President of the United States.”

The only ones who heard GW’s Inaugural Address were those members of Congress gathered in Federal Hall in NYC on April 30, 1789. Over the years the Inaugural process has undergone various iterations, but the First Inauguration established many traditions that continue today. For example, President Washington followed his swearing-in with an Inaugural Address, a special speech written for the occasion. In 1793 the oath of office for Washington’s second term was administered by William Cushing, an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court and the first in a long line of Supreme Court Justices to preside over Presidential Inaugurations.

Thomas Jefferson was the first to be sworn in as President in Washington, D.C., the location chosen for the permanent capital and the site of all but a handful of subsequent Inaugural ceremonies. Jefferson showed his taste for simplicity by going on foot to the Capitol for the oath-taking and returning to his boardinghouse afterwards for dinner. Imagine that!

After his second Inauguration, however, Jefferson rode on horseback from the Capitol to the President’s House (the name then used for the White House) amid music and a spontaneous gathering of mechanics from the nearby Navy Yard – a procession that has morphed the Inaugural Parade.

Jefferson’s second Inauguration also began the tradition of the Inaugural Open House, when the executive mansion was opened to all who wished to greet the President after his swearing-in. The popularity of the Open House would later cause our seventh President, Andrew Jackson, to flee through a window after a mob of well-wishers stormed the White House, ruining furniture and breaking china in their eagerness to see him.

James Madison, America’s fourth President, and his wife, Dolley, were the guests of honor at the first official Inaugural Ball, held at Long’s Hotel in Washington, D.C. His inaugural address was the first to be published in the newspapers for all to read. Martin Van Buren’s Inauguration featured two balls.

The most tragic inauguration was that of William Henry Harrison. He was inaugurated as the ninth President of the US on March 4, 1841. The day of the inauguration was overcast with a cold wind, but foolishly, Harrison eschewed an overcoat, hat, and gloves for the ceremony. Furthermore, he delivered the longest inaugural address to date, 8,445 words over nearly two hours. On March 26, Harrison developed a cold, which evolved into pneumonia. In those pre-antibiotic days pneumonia was often fatal. Harrison died on April 4. He was the first president to die in office; his 31-day tenure is the shortest of any President.

James Polk took the oath of office in 1845 while Samuel Morse, inventor of the electric telegraph, sat near him on the platform tapping out the news on his newly invented machine. In 1857 James Buchanan’s Inaugural ceremony became the first to be photographed. Citizens across the country were able to share in the festivities through pictures.

In 1865, despite growing concern about safety, Abraham Lincoln shook some 6,000 hands after his second Inauguration. President Grover Cleveland, realizing that the White House could no longer accommodate such crowds, instead held a review of the troops from a flag-draped grandstand just outside, adding another element to the Inaugural Parade.

In 1897 William McKinley became the answer to a trivia question (Who was the first president to appear in a motion picture?) Most people assume the answer to be Ronald Reagan, but it was McKinley as highlights of his inauguration were recorded by movie cameras.

In 1925 Calvin Coolidge’s oath of office was broadcast on the radio. In 1949, Harry Truman became the first President to whose swearing-in was televised. In 1997 President Bill Clinton’s second Inauguration was the first to feature an official web site and to be seen live on the Internet by people around the world.

Later Inaugurations have featured specially built pavilions for dancing, balls held at several sites throughout the capital, and even Inaugural parties in other cities. Modern Inaugural festivities reflect not only the President they honor, but also the desire to include the many Americans who want to take part in celebrating our nation’s rich history and the transfer of presidential power. Moreover, due to the wonders of modern technology millions of people are now able to view the festivities on television, streaming services or even their phones from the comfort of their own home.

Normally, the content of inaugural addresses is soon forgotten, but there are exceptions. Some examples of enduring moments include:

  1. During the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln called on Americans to “…finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation’s wounds.”
  2. In 1933 Franklin Roosevelt reached out to citizens discouraged by the Great Depression, saying, “the only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”
  3. And the one I remember, in 1961 JFK urged, “…ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country.”

Conclusion

At the present time the country is more united than in several years. Trump has a strong mandate, but the people will expect him to fulfill it. History tells us that the public’s patience will wear thin. Winning the election was an important first step. Now, comes the hard part – governing. The GOP has a very slim majority in the House, and the Dems will likely not be inclined to cooperate. Trump will have only 12 or at most 18 months to demonstrate progress before the 2026 midterm elections where history tells us that the president’s Party can expect to lose Congressional seats. We have a great opportunity. Let’s hope we don’t waste it.

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TRUMP’S EXECUTIVE ORDERS

Today is January 14. Donald Trump will be inaugurated as the 47th President of the US on Monday, January 20. For those of you who may be math-challenged, that’s six days from now, or as we used to say in the Navy, “five days and I wake up.” Six days until we cleanse ourselves of the Wokers. Six days until we rid ourselves of all the DEI BS. Six days until we begin to drain the swamp. Six days until, to paraphrase former President Gerald Ford, “the long national nightmare will be over.” Six days until the day of reckoning for America’s enemies. Six days until we have a real country again with real borders. Six days until we begin to expel all the drug dealers, criminals, spies, psychos, and other interlopers that have infested our country. Six days until we begin to “drill, baby, drill.” Six days until we will take back our country. On November 5, 2024 the “deplorables” spoke loudly and clearly. In six days, America will once again be a democracy.

Based on multiple media reports Trump has compiled some 100 executive orders that he plans to sign on Day 1 and implement asap. One hundred may seem like a lot, but other presidents have signed more, many more. For example, FDR signed 3,021 during his tenure.

An executive order (EO) is a written directive from the President of the United States that has the force of law and directs and empowers the members of the Executive Branch of the federal government to take certain actions.  EOs are based on the President’s power and authority derived from Article II of the Constitution.  EOs have the effect of law and do not require action by Congress.

EOs can be controversial. Some people deride them as a means for the president to govern by bypassing Congress. However, EOs are legal as long as they do not “”make new law.”

Much of the damage Biden perpetrated was via EOs, for instance, summarily halting the use of the Keystone Pipeline, so Trump should be able to undo them just as easily. Indeed, Trump has declared “I can undo almost everything Biden did through EOs, and on Day 1 much of that will be undone.”

That said, voters will have to be patient. It will not be possible to enact all changes on Day 1 or even Week 1. Some may require the consent of Congress. Others, such birthright citizenship and transgender issues will likely face legal challenges. But the voters gave Trump a strong mandate, and he can be very persuasive and persistent. I expect most of them to get done eventually.

Below please find a sample of the pending EOs. Most of these are already well into the planning stage and will be ready to be implemented on Day 1:

  1. Secure the border. This will include finishing the border wall, reinstituting travel bans and the remain in Mexico policy, mass deportations of criminals, drug dealers, suspected terrorists, spies, migrants who commit crimes, and other undesirables. Contrary to what many Dems are saying ICE will not be snatching people off the street or separating families. The focus will be on the low hanging fruit as described above. It is estimated that there are several hundred thousand such persons, plenty enough to keep ICE busy.
  2. Rein in sanctuary jurisdictions. These entities are breaking the law, and the Federal government has the power to stop them. For example, the Feds could suspend funding for these jurisdictions and/or prosecute those who adamantly refuse to cooperate.
  3. Resume oil and gas drilling and reopen the Keystone Pipeline. I have discussed this issue many times in previous blogs. The US has access to massive amounts of oil and gas in the ground and offshore. We have enough to not only supply our needs but also much of the world’s. There is a plethora of positive ramifications of this action, such as restoring energy independence, adding good paying jobs, and reducing the price of oil and the rate of inflation, in general, to name just a few of the obvious ones. Additionally, it would confer upon us the ability to impair the economies of Iran and Russia who currently are making fortunes from oil. An ancillary benefit would be to severely diminish Iran’s ability to fund terrorism and Russia’s ability to continue to prosecute its war with Ukraine. You may recall that by the end of Trump’s first term Iran was virtually bankrupt.
  4. Pardon some January 6 prisoners. There are some 1,500 protesters who were convicted of crimes related to January 6. Most of the convictions were for non-violent crimes (or maybe even bogus crimes). Trump has pledged to direct the DOJ to review these on a case-by-case basis.
  5. End the Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Hamas Wars and secure the return of the hostages. Trump will employ his influence, strength, toughness, persistence and powers of persuasion. Don’t bet against him.
  6. Terminate the electric vehicle mandate and curtail excessive Green New Deal policies. Many of these are unworkable, unpopular and of dubious benefit.
  7. Ban transgender individuals from competing against women in sports. These policies constitute wokeism run amok. They are extremely inappropriate and dangerous and only favored by a small sliver of voters.

Conclusion

I expect the Trump Administration to hit the ground running. His designated cabinet members and other members of his Administration have already commenced working on their respective programs and policies. Congressional hearings on his proposed Cabinet members have already begun. Some will sail through; others will face some difficulties. Legitimate questioning is appropriate. Lies, innuendo and besmirchment are not.

Yes, the voters gave Trump a strong mandate, but governing is not always easy. In order to fully implement his program, he will have to deal with Congress. Many senators and congressmen will have their own agendas and can be contentious, and the GOP only has slim majorities, especially in the House. The voters will not be patient. They will expect tangible results quickly.

According to former Speaker-of-the-House Newt Gingrich, some of Trump’s policies, such as the continuation of the so-called Trump Tax Cuts, must be approved by mid-2025 in order to have an impact on the economy by the 2026 midterm elections. If the voters do not perceive improvement by then it could be problematic for the GOP to retain its control. History shows that the ruling party often loses many seats in the midterm elections. All in all, 2025 figures to be a very interesting year.

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GREENLAND

In the last few months there has been a profusion of news with respect to Greenland. In particular, Donald Trump has been signaling that the US is interested in purchasing it from Denmark. Is he serious, or is this just another example of Trump speaking off the cuff to get a reaction? Why the sudden interest in an island that had always flown under the radar? I wondered about it myself. Read on for the answers.

Heretofore, most Americans have had only a passing interest in Greenland. They may know it is an island located in the North Atlantic near Iceland, but that is about it.

My research has disclosed that Greenland has actually had an interesting and colorful history. Below please find a brief summary as well as some information that will explain the sudden interest in the island. Please be advised that the following has been gleaned from various media sources except where otherwise noted:

  1. Greenland is the largest island in the world. It is surrounded by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Greenland Sea to the east, the North Atlantic Ocean to the southeast and the Davis Straits to the southwest. Roughly 3/4 of the land is covered by a permanent sheet of ice, the only one in the world other than the one that covers Antarctica.
  2. With a population of some 57,000 over approximately 836,330 square miles it is the world’s least densely populated area. The weather can be harsh; the population is highly concentrated along the more moderate southwest coast.
  3. Generally, Greenlanders are well educated. Children are required to attend a minimum of ten years of primary school. Secondary schools offer both a pre-university and a work education program. Many students may then enroll in a university either on the island or in Denmark.
  4. The literacy rate is 100%.
  5. Most residents speak both Danish and West Greenlandic Kalaallisut, which is actually the official language of the island. Some 12% speak Danish as their primary language.
  6. The most common religion is Protestant.
  7. Greenland has the highest suicide rate of any country in the world.
  8. Greenland has a small, but significant music culture. The drum is the traditional musical instrument. Years ago, people would commonly engage in drum dances for entertainment, to settle disputes, to conjure up spirits or to while away the long winter nights.
  9. Greenlanders engage in a wide variety of sports including skiing, fishing, ice climbing, rock climbing and even golf, however, the national sport is handball.
  10. Greenland was named by the Norse explorer, Erik the Red, who, along with his father and his thralls (slaves and workers), was exiled there from Iceland as punishment for a crime committed by the father. Given the inhospitable climate the name may appear to be a misnomer, but supposedly Erik chose that name purposely in a vain attempt to attract settlers.
  11. It is an autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark. Despite its geographic location as part of North America, since 986 it has been associated more closely associated with Europe, particularly Denmark and Norway, both politically and socially. The populace are citizens of the European Union.
  12. Its capital, which is also its largest city, is Nuuk, which is pronounced “nook.” Nuuk is located on the southwestern coast of the island, which, as I said, is where most of the population resides. It is also the cultural and administrative center of the island. The name translates into “Cape” in the Greenlandic language due to its location near the outlet for the enormous Nuup Kangerlua Fjord – the world’s second-largest fjord system.
  13. Greenland has been inhabited by a variety of peoples and cultures. According to archaeological findings the earliest settlers emigrated from present-day Canada around 2,500 BC settling primarily along the west and south coasts. The Norse arrived in the 10th century from nearby Iceland followed by the Inuit in the 13th century. Inuit is another name for the indigenous people of the Arctic area.
  14. The early Norse settlements thrived for a while, but most of them vanished during the 14th and early 15th centuries most likely due to malnutrition, disease, marauders from Europe, and the climate turning significantly colder.
  15. Around 1000 the Thules began to migrate eastward from Alaska and Canada. They began to arrive in Greenland around 1300. The Thules were responsible for various technological advances that improved everyday life including dog sleds and toggling harpoons. Present-day Greenlanders are the genetic descendants of the Thules.
  16. Dano-Norwegian explorers began arriving in the early 17th century (the two countries were united between 1380 and 1814). When they separated, Greenland became a territory of Denmark’s as it remains today.
  17. When the US purchased Alaska from Russia in 1867 it also explored the possibility of purchasing Greenland from Denmark, but nothing came of it. In 1946 the US renewed its interest in the island. It offered Denmark $100 million, but it refused to sell. The governments of Denmark and Greenland have been reiterating that Greenland is not for sale, but as we know Trump can be very persistent and persuasive. In a more conciliatory vein, recently Denmark’s foreign minister said that Denmark is “open to a dialogue with the Americans on how we can possibly cooperate even more closely than we do to ensure that the American ambitions are fulfilled.”
  18. The relationship between Denmark and Greenland is somewhat complicated. Denmark granted home rule to Greenland in 2008, however it has retained control of monetary policy, citizenship and foreign affairs.
  19. Both Denmark and the US maintain various military bases on Greenland.Greenland has an abundant supply of many vital and valuable minerals such as copper, uranium, tungsten and nickel to name a few. In the last several decades much of the permafrost has been melting resulting in easier access to these resources. This has attracted the attention of Russia and China as well as the US. who are now recognizing the value of the island.

Greenland has significant quantities of valuable natural resources including oil, gas, copper, and “rare earth” minerals. Rare earth minerals include a group of 17 metals that are essential for items such as batteries for electric vehicles, electronics, cell phones and even weapons of mass destruction. In conjunction with the melting of the permafrost these resources have become more accessible. Every country needs them; few countries have enough.

For example, consider lithium. Lithium is a key component in batteries for electric vehicles and energy storage.  China and Chile are both major players in the lithium industry. In 2023, Chile possessed an estimated 9.3 million metric tons of lithium reserves, which was more than one-third of the world’s total. China has been importing significant quantities of lithium from Chile. According to available data, primarily due to its dominance in lithium refining and processing China controls a significant portion of the global lithium market, holding between 60% and 80% of the world’s lithium chemical production capacity, despite only having around 8% of the world’s lithium reserves,

China has been focusing on the production of rare earth minerals since the 1980s. According to the International Energy Agency currently it controls 87% of the global rare earth refining capacity. On the other hand, the US possesses and controls minimal amounts of these minerals. In particular, we are heavily dependent on China for lithium. In the second quarter of 2024, China supplied 82% of the lithium-ion batteries imported to the US.  Obviously, this dependence on a potential enemy is an alarming and untenable situation and cannot be allowed to stand. Indeed, China has already signaled the possibility of restricting the export of critical minerals and associated technologies prospectively.

Greenland’s importance is enhanced by its strategic location. It is the gateway to the Arctic Circle. It is fewer than 2,000 miles from Eastern Canada, and a little over 3,000 miles to the US. It would be very dangerous for the US to allow Russia or China to gain a foothold there. President-elect Trump and many others have recognized this. He noted with some concern that Chinese and Russian ships have been cruising around the island. Trump response is that “we need Greenland for [national] security purposes.” Hence his comments regarding Greenland.

Conclusion

Trump has a history of saying outrageous things just to gauge public reactions. However, in this case I believe he is serious. It is interesting that Donald Trump, Jr. recently visited the island where he was greeted warmly by the citizenry.

I don’t think Trump will go so far as to authorize military action to take it as he has hinted, at least not at this time, but the Danes should be mindful of the possibility prospectively, especially if they cozy up to the Russians or the Chinese. In any event, if nothing else, his pronouncements have sent a message to Denmark that we are closely monitoring their governance of the island and to China and Russia that we will not tolerate their intrusion into it.

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JIMMY CARTER

Former President Jimmy Carter passed away on Sunday, December 29 at the age of 100. He was the longest-living president. He served as the 39th president of the US serving from 1976 – 1980. His single term was not without controversy, but this is neither the time nor the place to critique and criticize his tenure. Rather, it is a time to evaluate his life and accomplishments positively and respectfully.

James Earl Carter was born in Plains, GA on October 1, 1924. His father owned a grocery store, and his mother was a registered nurse. As a child, he was ambitious. He began working in the store at the age of ten. His favorite childhood pursuits were following the Atlanta Braves baseball team and listening to political radio programs. In addition, he became deeply religious. As an adult he became a born-again Christian.

Upon his graduation from high school Carter entered the US Naval Academy in 1943. He graduated in 1946 and commenced a career in the Navy. Also in 1946 he married Rosalynn Smith. The marriage endured for 77 years until Rosalynn’s death in 2023 and produced four children.

Carter may have made a career in the Navy were it not for his father’s untimely death in 1953. As a result, he resigned his commission and returned to Plains where he proceeded to manage the family’s peanut farm and care for his mother who was ill.

In 1962 Carter entered politics by running for the US Senate. At the time Georgia was a strongly conservative state with powerful and well-entrenched segregationist and racial influences. Nevertheless, despite his relatively liberal views and policies he won the election. In 1966 he ran for governor, but he was defeated by Lester Maddox, an avowed segregationist and overt racist. Maddox’s views, though abhorrent in today’s world, were in tune with those of many white Georgians at the time.

GA governors were only allowed to serve one term, so in 1970 Carter was able to run again. This time he moderated some of his liberal views, and he won. As governor Carter established himself as a “centrist reformer.” After completing his one term he set his sights on the presidency.

Although he was a Washington outsider and began his campaign with little or no name recognition, he won the 1976 Democrat nomination and faced President Gerald Ford in the election. Although Ford was the incumbent he had not been elected. He had been the VP when President Nixon was forced to resign due to the Watergate Scandal. (A bit of trivia: Ford is the only person to have served as both President and VP without having been elected to either office.) Ford had some baggage mainly as a result of his controversial pardon of the disgraced Nixon. This was deeply unpopular with much of the electorate, but in retrospect it was probably the right decision as it enabled the country to move on.

The country was ready for a change, and Carter appeared to be the right candidate at the right time. At first, he had a sizable lead over Ford, but it steadily narrowed as Election Day approached. In fact, in the final days before the election, several polls showed that Ford had tied Carter, and one Gallop poll found that he was slightly ahead.  

Most analysts conceded that Carter was going to win the popular vote, but the outcome of the electoral vote was uncertain. Ultimately, Carter won, receiving 297 electoral votes and 50.1% of the popular vote. Carter’s victory was partly attributed to his overwhelming support among black voters.

Carter was inaugurated as the 39th president of the US on January 20, 1977. His presidency was characterized by controversy. He was an outsider who resisted conforming to DC’s ways of operating. For instance, he avoided phone calls from members of Congress and, at times, verbally insulted them. Moreover, he was often unwilling to return political favors. Predictably, this resulted in a rift between the White House and Congress and hampered the former’s ability to succeed in getting desired legislation passed.

Furthermore, some of his policies and actions were unpopular and unsuccessful. For example, one of his first acts was to issue an executive order declaring unconditional amnesty for Vietnam War draft evaders. This was to fulfil a campaign promise, but it was very controversial. In addition, during his tenure the country suffered through an economic malaise characterized by persistently high inflation, an average unemployment rate of 6.6% according to the BLS, double-digit interest rates, and an energy crisis instigated by a consortium of oil producers called OPEC. These conditions resulted in a steep and seemingly never-ending recession, which the Carter Administration appeared to be unable to resolve.

Then, the final straw occurred on November 4, 1979, when a group of Iranian students, called the Muslim Students Followers of the Imam’s Line seized control of the US embassy in Tehran.  Fifty-two American diplomats and citizens were held hostage for the next 444 days. Carter was unable to resolve this matter either. Diplomacy failed. Finally, on April 24, 1980 Carter authorized a rescue mission to try to free the hostages. The mission failed, leaving eight American servicemen dead and two aircraft destroyed. This entire incident made Carter appear weak and ineffectual. The hostages remained in captivity until Ronald Reagan took office on January 20, 1981.

On the positive side, Carter succeeded in calming various conflicts around the world. For example, he negotiated the SALT II nuclear arms reduction treaty with Russia and returned the Panama Canal to Panama. His most significant accomplishment, however, was negotiating the landmark Camp David Accords with Israel’s Prime Minister Menachim Begin and Egypt’s President Anwar Sadat. This resulted in Egypt formally recognizing Israel, and the creation of an elected government in the West Bank and Gaza and served to reduce tensions in the ME.

In 1980 he ran for a second term. He had to rebuff a serious primary challenge from Senator Ted Kennedy. Although he was re-nominated, the support of the liberal wing of the Party in the election was tepid at best. He was soundly defeated in the election by the charismatic Ronald Reagan. Reagan’s historic campaign slogan “are you better off today than you were four years ago” strongly resonated with the voters. Carter suffered a humiliating defeat carrying only six states plus DC. He was the first elected incumbent president to lose a reelection bid since Herbert Hoover lost to FDR in 1932.

Historians have ranked Carter’s presidency as below average, although generally he was viewed as “sincere, honest and well-meaning and “a man of high moral principles.”

On the other hand, Carter’s post-presidency was considerably more successful primarily due to his diplomacy skills. He proved to be a very successful mediator and became a strong advocate for human rights. Various presidents appointed him as a special envoy to mediate disputes regarding (1) Egypt, Israel and the PLO, (2) Northern Ireland and England, (3) North Korea, (4) Taiwan, (5) Venezuela, (6) and (7) whites and blacks in South Africa, among others.

Carter was the recipient of many awards including, among many others, the American Academy of Achievement‘s Golden Plate Award, an honorary membership of Phi Beta Kappa, the United Nations Prize in the Field of Human Rights, given in honor of human rights achievements, the Hoover Medal, recognizing engineers who have contributed to global causes, three Grammy Awards (10 nominations) for the Best Spoken Word, and most of all the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of his “decades of untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.”

In 1982 he founded the Carter Center, a non-profit organization whose goals were to advance human rights and alleviate human suffering. One of its accomplishments, working in conjunction with WHO was to eradicate Guinea worm disease. Perhaps, he is best known for the Habitat for Humanity program, which was committed to providing housing for the disadvantaged and the Carter Presidential Center, which promoted human rights, which he conceived and developed.

Carter had a variety of hobbies and interests including fly fishing woodworking, cycling, tennis, painting and skiing. Additionally, he and Rosalynn were close personal friends of Elvis.

The Carters, who were already the longest-wed presidential couple, celebrated their 77th wedding anniversary on July 7, 2023. In a 2019 interview with People he said that he never expected to live as long as he had and that the best explanation for his longevity was a good marriage.  

In recent years Carter’s health began to deteriorate. He was suffering from a variety of ailments. He entered hospice care six months before celebrating his 99th birthday at his home. Rosalynn joined him a few days before her passing.

As I said, Carter died at his home in Plains, Georgia, on December 29, 2024, at the age of 100. Following his passing tributes and messages of condolence poured in from all corners, including from all four living former presidents. President Biden characterized him as “an extraordinary leader.” Former President Bill Clinton noted he was “guided by his faith and praised him for “working tirelessly for a better world.” Barack Obama denoted that [Carter] taught all of us what it means to live a life of grace, dignity, justice, and peace.” George W. Bush praised him as a “man of deeply held convictions… loyal to his family, his community, and his country.”

The Biden administration has announced plans to hold an official state funeral and a day of mourning for him on January 9, 2025. Rest in peace President Carter.

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BIDEN ADMINISTRATION’S EXTENSIVE CORRUPTION EXPOSED

Like an erupting volcano the extent of Biden’s corruption and influence-peddling has exploded into public cognizance. We now realize that the Biden Family’s various scandalous activities were far more extensive than many of us suspected. They were akin to what one might see in a third-world country run by an autocratic government.

According to the Congressional Committee on Oversight and Accountability since 2009 Biden and his cohorts in crime have received an estimated $20 million from “foreign entities,” including China, Russia, Ukraine and Romania. This timeline includes his tenure as VP in the Obama Administration as well as his own administration. Therefore, it suggests that Obama may have been complicit in some manner.

Much of the credit for exposing the corruption is attributable to a transparency lawsuit filed by the America First Legal Foundation on September 8, 2022 against the National Archives and Records Administration. It was spearheaded by Stephen Miller, soon to be a senior advisor in the Trump Administration. The purpose was to force NARA to release photographs and other information in its possession with respect to the Biden Family’s dealings with China and other foreign entities.

The lawsuit took two years to adjudicate. The judgment required NARA to make this information available to the public by October 23, 2024, but Biden’s and Obama’s lawyers managed to delay its release until after the election. Their obvious intent was to boost Harris’ chance of winning, but as we know, Trump won anyway. This information has now been released and reported by multiple media sources.

Briefly, it provides conclusive proof of the following:

  1. Biden lied when he repeatedly denied having discussed Hunter’s various business dealings with individuals and companies that represented China and other countries with him. He lied to the media; he lied to the public; and most importantly, he lied to Congress. His denials were absurd. They strained credulity, but many people believed them.
  2. We were supposed to believe that Joe accompanied Hunter on a 26-hour round trip plane ride to China and back and never once discussed the purpose of the trip, the meetings attended, the attendees, and the money Hunter received from a certain Chinese bank. At the time the matter never gained any traction with the mainstream media, but now it’s all become obvious.
  3. NARA had copious evidence in the form of photographs of those meetings, including pictures of the Bidens with Chinese president Xi and BHR Partners CEO Jonathan Li that it had purposely failed to release to the public.
  4. This evidence supports the sworn testimony of Tony Bobulinski and others, which Biden’s allies had tried to discredit.
  5. Now, there is no doubt that Joe was up to his neck in it. There is no doubt that he was, in fact, “the big guy.”
  6. One of the more significant deals that Biden facilitated was BHR’s purchase of a cobalt mine from a consortium of US and Canadian companies. It just so happens that cobalt is a key component of batteries in electric vehicles, which the Administration has been pressuring US car manufacturers to produce and consumers to buy. As a result of that deal China stands to control much of that market.
  7. It’s now easier to understand the motivation for Hunter’s extensive pardon.
  8. These revelations lend much credence to the bombshell about Hunter’s laptop first reported by the NY Post prior to the 2020 presidential election. You may recall that the Dems, their allies in the media, the DOJ, the FBI and others succeeding in suppressing the story about the laptop and the information on it. The goal was to facilitate Biden’s election. In my opinion this played a major role.

I and many others have long suspected that Joe’s soft treatment of China and other countries was due to the money and other favors that these countries had bestowed upon members of his family and him. Quite simply, he was compromised and corrupted. On many occasions he did not act in the best interests of the US. I have mentioned in previous blogs that I thought his corruption might even have risen to the level of treason.

That, however, is not the worst of it. It has become apparent that Biden also corrupted VP Harris, members of his staff, notably Merrick Garland, Tony Blinken and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, institutions such as the FBI and the DOJ, and possibly others that we are unaware of at this time. We would never have known the extent of the corruption had Trump not won the election. Now we see why the Dems were so desperate to thwart his candidacy.

CONCLUSION

In my opinion, we have merely scratched the surface of this scandal. There is so much more to be disclosed. For example, are members of Congress and other officials involved? How about the infamous Chinese spy balloon that Biden allowed to crisscross the entire country before taking action? Why has China been allowed to buy up huge swaths of US farmland and property in the US adjacent to military bases? Let’s expose the whole story about other controversies such as the source of the COVID pandemic and the investigation of the January 6 incident.

This has the potential to become the worst scandal in American history. It is incumbent upon the Trump Administration to get to the bottom of this corruption. Appoint a special counsel. Direct the new Attorney General to investigate. I know Trump will be busy implementing his agenda, but this is important also.

As I’ve surmised in previous blogs, before leaving office Joe Biden will likely issue full-scale pardons to many others including, among others, himself and other members of his family. However, their crimes are now in the public domain for all to see. They may escape criminal prosecution, but they cannot and will not escape the judgment of history.

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BIDEN’S FAREWELL GIFT TO AMERICA

President Biden is getting into the Christmas Holiday spirit. I have discussed his shortcomings in vivid detail in various previous blogs, and there is no need to regurgitate them all now. Between his woke, DEI, biased, ill-advised, divisive and fatuous policies, his gaslighting and his family’s corruption and possibly treasonous activities he is sure to be remembered as arguably the worst, most destructive president in history.

However, that is not enough for Biden. Oh, no. On his way out the door he has determined to give Americans a special parting Christmas gift, a figurative “middle finger,” to remember him by, a great big “lump of coal for their Christmas stocking,” the icing on the cake, the cherry on the top of the sundae.

To what am I referring? Glad you asked. Biden has decided to pardon dozens of death row inmates in federal prisons. Yes, presidential pardons are a time-honored right of outgoing presidents, and occasionally there are one or two that raise eyebrows, such as Bill Clinton’s pardon of Marc Rich. But Biden has taken the tradition to a new low. It was bad enough that he pardoned his son, Hunter, however that was expected by everyone except the Kool-Aide drinkers. In that vein, I expect him to pardon other family members as well as himself before he departs. Again, not shocking.

However, Biden’s decision to pardon and/or commute the sentences of some 37 of the 40 inmates currently on death row in federal prisons is beyond the pale. This is on top of the 1,500 pardons he recently issued in one day. These inmates have committed the most heinous of violent crimes, including rape and mass murder. Their victims have included women, children and police officers in the performance of their duties. Moreover, many, if not most, of them are illegal aliens, who should not even be in the country. Biden’s lax immigration policies allowed them to enter the country illegally, sometimes several times, and now he has chosen to pardon them or commute their sentences.

In my opinion, there is no justification for this. These criminals were convicted by a jury of their peers as required by the Constitution. This is a complete disregard for the feelings of the families of the victims who had no foreknowledge of this action and who now feel like they have been victimized twice. It is another instance of putting the rights of illegal aliens before those of US citizens. With the stroke of a pen Biden has overridden the US criminal justice system. Whose is a threat to democracy now?

Why did he do it? Has he completely lost his mind? Is he even cognizant of his action? It should be noted that according to the latest CBS poll 53% of Americans are in favor of the death penalty. Yet, according to multiple media reports Biden was influenced by a small but influential group of “progressive lawmakers and criminal justice activists” who had been pressuring him to take this action. The Biden Administration had issued a moratorium on executions of prisoners on death row in federal prisons, and apparently, it was feared that Trump would reinstitute them when he took office.

CONCLUSION

Biden’s approval ratings have continued to decline since the election. The latest polls put it anywhere from the mid-40s to a low of 34% reported by the poll conducted by the Marquette Law School. Pollster Mark Penn, Chairman of the Interactive Inc has opined that Biden’s recent actions have severely damaged his legacy. I concur. It almost seems like he doesn’t care about it or is oblivious to it.

In any event his administration has been implementing policies that are contrary to the will of the people. For example, everyone knows that the American people have given Trump a mandate to, among other things, cut federal spending and finish the border wall. Yet, Biden has been in a rush to spend as much unspent money as possible to thwart the former action and has been selling off unused border wall parts for pennies on the dollar to force the Trump Administration to repurchase new parts. Either he is being spiteful and doesn’t care, or he is oblivious.

It’s been pretty clear that over the last several months, if not longer, that Biden has been the PINO (President in Name Only). He has been nowhere to be found. Now, suddenly he has awoken from his hibernation and is going out in a blaze of shame. History will not be kind to Joe Biden.

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IRAN’S COMEUPPANCE

What are the three words that Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khomenei, and the rest of its leadership group dread more than any other? Repeat after me: it’s “drill, baby, drill.”

In 2020 Iran was on the brink of bankruptcy. The US’s fossil fuel production and exportation and Trump’s sanctions were strangling its economy. But then, the Biden Administration’s ill-advised policy of restricting US fossil fuel production coupled with relaxing sanctions and cash payments enabled Iran to flourish financially. In addition, it provided Iran with the means to finance its nuclear program and provide funding and other means of support to various terrorist groups, such as Hamas and Hezbollah. Trump’s re-election will change all that. Iran’s leadership is cognizant of that, and therefore it is, or should be, very, very concerned. More on that below.

Trump has made no secret of his intent. He has long been a strong supporter of the US fossil fuels industry. He has been repeating his mantra of “drill, baby, drill” for months. It has become one of the cornerstones of his campaign. This will also include building new refineries, power plants, and reactors and reopening the Keystone Pipeline. In conjunction with increasing production he maintains that his policy will “slash red tape” and reverse many restrictions and regulations regarding US carbon emissions.

The US has more oil reserves than any other country, and it has the ability to become the number one producer and exporter of oil and gas. The Green New Deal advocates will squawk, but Trump’s landslide election victory has given him the power to proceed. That was his approach during his first term, and it worked as I noted above. Even more concerning to Iran is that Trump has the reputation of saying what he means and meaning what he says.

Multiple media sources have reported that Trump will initiate his fossil fuel policy within a few days of his inauguration. The people elected him for that purpose, and he will be only too eager to follow through. The likelihood is that Trump fossil fuel policy will exert maximum pressure on Iran (as well as other fossil producing countries).

According to Reuters Trump is prepared to enact a “wide-ranging energy plan” to explore and drill for oil and gas, including off the coast of the US and on federal lands, for both domestic use and export. For example, according to Bloomberg.com Trump has advised that his administration will be “ready within seconds” to do so.

Newsweek and Montana’s Livingston Enterprise reported that Mike Dunleavy, Alaska’s governor, has been urging Trump to commence exploring for fossil fuels in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. This would be very controversial. The potential economic benefits would be substantial as the lands sits on an estimated 7 -12 billion barrels of oil. On the other hand, the ANWR is an ecosystem that supports some 700 species of plants and animals. Various environmental groups have long been opposed to developing this area. Their opposition has been supported by a goodly portion of Congress.

In my view Trump’s fossil fuel policy will yield various benefits:

  1. He has claimed his policies will reduce energy prices “in half within 12 months,” which, in turn, will reduce inflation. Exaggeration? Hyperbole? Perhaps, but I wouldn’t bet against it.
  2. It will exert maximum pressure on Iran (as well as other fossil producing countries) to be more flexible in their relations with the US.
  3. Trump will likely exert pressure on Iran to (1) curb its support of terrorist organizations, (2) curtail its development of a nuclear weapon, and (3) and tone down its hostility toward Israel.
  4. Similarly, Russia’s oil revenue would be reduced and with it its influence over our European allies who are presently overly dependent on Russia for their oil. Furthermore, the loss of revenue would impair its ability to fund its war with Ukraine, which might make it more amenable to negotiating a settlement.
  5. It will roll back much of the wasteful and inflationary Green New Deal. He has vowed to “rescind all unspent funds.” Despite its many flaws and wasteful provisions, the GND has many supporters even some among the GOP, so the expectation is that he will direct his staff and allies in Congress to “use a scalpel rather than a sledgehammer” in effecting cuts.
  6. Trump will likely take a hard look at electric vehicles. They have their supporters and detractors, but there is no need to make them mandatory as the Dems want to do.

CONCLUSION

Trump’s overall energy policy is supported by a clear majority of Americans. For the reasons cited above its implementation will benefit the country economically, politically, militarily, geopolitically, and security-wise. Some parts of it will be implemented on Day 1; other parts will take a few weeks or months; still other parts will take longer or may be blocked entirely. However, we can be confident that Trump will follow through to the best of his ability. He has his strong mandate. He will not be deterred.

He will make America united again. He will make America strong again. He will make America respected again. He will make America safe again. Most importantly, he will make America great again.

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A TIME FOR OPTIMISM

On November 4, 2024 America was at a crossroads. It could choose one of two paths. It could either continue on the same divisive, destructive path, or it could opt for a new path toward resurrection and a return to greatness and glory.

On November 5, 2024 the voters chose the correct path. They spoke loudly, clearly, and decisively. They declared that they had had enough of the divisiveness; they had had enough of the unfettered wokeism and DEI; they had had enough of the corruption, and possibly treason, that had characterized the Biden Administration; they had had enough of the lying and gaslighting; they had had enough of a biased judicial system that was applied based on one’s political beliefs rather than the rule of law; they had had enough of a weaponized FBI that targeted people based on politics; they had had enough of a President who rarely put in a full day’s work, was inaccessible, and who often fumbled, stumbled and bumbled his way through the day; they had had enough of being demeaned, disparaged and vilified by so-called elites who thought they were superior and knew what was best for them; they had had enough of an Administration that treated criminals and illegal aliens better that its citizens; they had had enough of a ruinous economy characterized by runaway spending and persistent and pervasive inflation; they had had enough of open borders that allowed millions of illegal aliens, criminals and terrorists and copious amounts of murderous drugs to enter the country; they had had enough of the lack of respect for America around the world among both our allies and our enemies; they had had enough of America being perceived as weak and in decline; they had had enough of a government that put America last instead of first; they had had enough of being called racists, fascists, deplorables, stupid and “Hitler” by Dems because they favored traditional values and policies; and most of all they had had enough of the despondency regarding the future America that their children and grandchildren would be inheriting.

Voters wanted a complete reset. They wanted a president who would be the antithesis of Biden/Harris. They perceived, correctly, that Donald Trump would be that person. After all, he had already been that person during his previous term.

As we know, voters elected Trump president in a massive landslide. He garnered 312 electoral votes, won the popular vote, won all seven swing states, made significant inroads into traditionally Democrat voting groups such as Blacks and Hispanics, and provided the coattails to enable the GOP to retain control of the House and win the Senate.

Trump will not be inaugurated as the 47th president until January 20, but he has not been waiting to organize his presidency and influence policy. As I reported in an earlier blog he has “hit the ground running.” In just five weeks he has nominated most of his cabinet and key advisors; he has become the person to whom world leaders have looked to formulate policy; he has already met with many of them and will likely continue to do so; he has become the person that journalists have sought out for interviews; several key world leaders and business moguls have made the pilgrimage to Mar-a-Lago to curry favor and “kiss the ring;” and, most surprisingly, the media has been significantly less hostile (partly due to Trump’s friendly relationship with Jeff Bezos and Patrick Soon-Shiong, owners of the Washington Post and NY Times, respectively). At this point, the world views him as the de facto president.

Trump has already accomplished more in this transitional period than any other president-elect I can recall. For example, Mexico has already agreed to help control illegal immigration by keeping caravans of illegals in Mexico; Canada has agreed to improve controls over the illegal migrants crossing over our northern border; sanctuary jurisdictions have been put on notice; plans are being developed to commence the deportation of criminal and other undesirable illegal aliens on Day 1; and the DOGE Department is already hard at work.

There is a significant difference from 2017. In 2017 Trump was an upstart, an outsider, an interloper. He was not expected to be elected. The DC establishment and their allies in the media were shocked, indignant and irate. They hated and mistrusted him. They did everything they could to undermine his presidency both legally and illegally. Now, the opposite is true. He is widely viewed as the great hope for America and the free world. Everyone wants to be his friend. No one wants to get on his bad side.

The strong feeling is that on Day 1 he will begin to undo the damaging policies of the Biden Administration. He will reinstitute strong, unwavering support for Israel, our only reliable ally in the volatile and strategically critical ME. He will address the issue of antisemitism in our schools and in the country as a whole. His administration will be more open, accessible, honest, and trustworthy. He will commence to secure the border, drill for oil, begin deportations, and reimpose sanctions on Iran, among many other actions. His policies will be designed to unify rather than divide. Personally, I can’t wait for January 20.

CONCLUSION

Various post-election polls have demonstrated a continuing divisiveness among the electorate. For example, according to the latest Politico poll 64% of those who voted for Trump are “very optimistic” about the future, whereas 65% of those who voted for Harris are “very pessimistic.” Based on the last four years this is not really that surprising. My expectation is that as people become exposed to the Trump Administration many of the pessimists will become optimists. According to a Schoen Cooperman/GW University poll a 40% plurality of Americans feel that, unlike the previous Administration the Trump Administration will “get things done.”

In my view there is much reason for optimism. Our allies are reassured; and our enemies are fearful. Everyone knows that Trump says what he means and means what he says. There is a new sheriff intown.

I am reminded of the old tune associated with FDR’s election victory in 1932, which symbolized America’s hope to emerge from the depths of the Great Depression, “Happy Days Are Here Again.”

Trump will be the president of ALL Americans. He will unite rather than divide.

Trump will give Americans hope again; Trump will make America strong again: Trump will make America respected again; Trump will make America safe again; and Trump will make America great again.

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TRUMP’S CABINET NOMINATIONS

The Dems and their aiders and abettors in the mainstream media are at it again. They are doing what they do best – criticize, besmirch, denigrate, exaggerate and lie. This has been one of their favorite pastimes for the last several years. They have done it to Donald Trump, his family, his friends, his supporters, his supreme court nominees and now his Cabinet appointees. It’s always the same plan of attack – “anonymous sources,” or “unnamed sources,” or a group of “former officials.” They rarely name names, or if they do it is always disaffected, vindictive, vengeful political enemies whose objectivity is severely marred, such as Mitt Romney, Megan McCain, Liz Chaney, or virtually any Democrat.

In some cases, their tactics were successful, for a while. Eventually, however, those smears have been exposed and discredited. Eventually, the voters caught on as evidenced by Trump’s historic landslide election victory. As I have discussed in previous blogs in the wake of said election the Dems and their allies in the media and elsewhere are in shock and disarray. The Party leaders are blaming everyone but themselves, for example, Biden, Harris, the campaign, even Obama, Clinton and the electorate, itself. As I have said before, by failing to ascertain, accept and correct the cause for their decisive defeat, namely their radically woke policies, they will be doomed to repeat their losses.

Their credibility is at the lowest ebb I can remember. Few people trust anything the mainstream media says anymore. (Not many people trusted politicians to begin with.) The media has failed to fulfill its primary responsibilities to the people, that is to be their watchdog over the government and to report objectively. Left-leaning media outlets, such as CNN, MSNBC, the NY Times, and the Washington Post have been attracting significantly fewer followers.

However, that has not stopped them from attacking some of President-elect Trump’s cabinet nominations. At the present time their favorite target seems to be Pete Hegseth, although Tulsi Gibbet, Kash Pitel, and RFK, Jr. have also received some criticism. It would not be surprising if they targeted others prospectively. The specifics may differ from case to case, but the primary motive in each one is the same. These nominees have promised to “clean house” and promulgate deep reforms, and entrenched “deep staters” are terrified at those prospects.

Pete Hegseth is Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Defense. Pete has been working as a Fox News contributor and a co-host of the popular Fox and Friends news show. He is a combat veteran who has served in Afghanistan and Iraq. He has earned two Bronze Star Medals. For the benefit of the uninitiated, a Bronze Star is awarded to a person who has displayed “heroic or meritorious achievement” in combat.

    Hegseth has expressed a strong commitment to restoring the military to its former level of strength and readiness. He has vowed to weed out the “wokeness” that has infiltrated our military under the current Administration. He has stated that henceforth promotions will be awarded by merit and expertise rather than by DEI, and policy will be dictated by what is in the best interests of the US. Those that disagree with or impede the foregoing will suffer a loss of position and authority and/or be forced to retire. Obviously, this will adversely affect some powerful, well-connected, and well-entrenched people. They are resisting with all their might. Opposition has been and will continue to be fierce.

    For example, NBC News reported that “ten former [co-workers] and Fox News employees claimed that Hegseth co-hosted a weekend show with alcohol on his breath.” Of course, these sources were “anonymous.” The New Yorker reported that according to “anonymous “whistle blowers and former staff at the Veterans for Freedom and Concerned Veterans for America during his tenure from 2007 – 2016 Hegseth was “totally sloshed and fostered a hostile work environment for female staff.” Moreover, while at a strip club he had to be “dragged offstage after trying to join in with the dancers.” These media stories strike me as way too extreme to be credible.

    Hegseth has many strong allies among the military rank and file and his current and former co-workers, including those him know him best such as Will Cain, Jesse Watters, Kayleigh McEnany and Brian Kilmeade. It is no surprise that NBC News failed to contact them regarding the aforementioned story. Cain, who perhaps knows him the best, opines “Pete Hegseth is exactly what the Pentagon needs: a leader who prioritizes strength over optics and results over rhetoric.”

    A key voice in the nomination approval process will be Senator Joni Ernst, a combat veteran and a victim of sexual assault herself. As the 4th ranking Republican in the Senate, she wields much power and influence, especially with respect to military matters. Initially, she seemed to have her doubts regarding Hegseth, but after meeting with him she has signaled her support.

    Finally, let’s not forget the most important supporter of all – President-elect Trump. He is very familiar with the aforementioned smear tactics, and he will not be intimated or deterred by it.

    CONCLUSION

    I strongly concur that Hegseth would make a fine SD. He has extensive combat experience; he is a patriot and a decorated combat hero; he has the support of the miliary rank and file; and the anonymous charges levied against him have no merit. Traditionally, the Senate has recognized that a president-elect is entitled to select Cabinet members that support his political views and beliefs. Generally, it has approved his nominees absent an egregious circumstance. As we have seen, some have encountered opposition for various reasons. However, let’s not forget that Trump has a strong mandate from the people, which should give his critics in the Senate pause.

    I expect that ultimately most of Trump’s choices, including Hegseth, will be approved. I look forward to the improvements that they will bring to both the government and our lives.

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