Tag: politics

TRUMP “SHOW” TRIAL – WHY WE SHOULD ALL BE WORRIED

In my view, it’s important to understand that the Trump “show” trial in NYC is not just about Trump’s guilt or innocence of the crimes for which he is on trial. In a sense, we are all on trial. If the government can prosecute Trump in the manner in which this trial is being conducted it can do so to any of us. I’ll explain below.

Most of us realize that the charges are “trumped up,” (pun intended). Most of us realize that the main purpose of the trial is to keep Trump bottled up in the courtroom to hinder his ability to campaign. It is voter suppression of the highest order. If he is convicted and imprisoned that would be the frosting on the cake for the Dems. More on that later.

In following the pretrial proceedings, I feel like a fell asleep and woke up in Soviet Russia circa 1930. “Show trials” with a predetermined outcome were common in that era, and they still are in totalitarian regimes all over the world. Lavrenty Beria, the most notorious and most ruthless head of Russia’s secret police under Joseph Stalin, no slouch himself when it came to ruthlessness, was fond of saying “show me the man, and I’ll show you the crime.” That catchy statement epitomized the manner in which Stalin and Beria operated. In my opinion Alvin Bragg, the NYC DA, is a “Beria-wannabe,” even though he probably doesn’t have the foggiest notion of who Beria was.

Why do I say that? Bragg campaigned on a promise to “get Trump.” (Show me the man.) He has spent his entire tenure as DA hunting for a crime to prosecute, all the while ignoring real crimes in NYC. The best “crime” he could find was an eight-year-old misdemeanor state crime that had already exceeded the statute of limitations. No matter. Somehow, Bragg managed to bootstrap it into a felonious federal crime. (I’ll show you the crime.) That would have been a neat magic trick worthy of Harry Houdini if it weren’t of highly questionable legality.

It is important to note that both Bragg’s predecessor, Cyrus Vance, and the Justice Department, neither of which is a fan of Trump’s by the way, had declined to prosecute for various reasons. But that has not deterred Bragg from fulfilling his campaign promise. He is akin to the fictitious Ahab pursuing the big white whale in Herman Melville’s novel Moby Dick.

I don’t want to get embroiled in a debate on the merits of the case, or whether or not Trump is guilty or innocent. There is a bigger, more serious issue in play here.

Of course, I am not an attorney, and I will not pretend to be one. Put aside the fact that you may hate Trump personally. That is irrelevant. Under that pesky document known as the Constitution everyone is entitled to a fair trial regardless of the crime. Certain aspects of this case bother me, and they should bother you as well. Most independent observers realize that they are depriving Trump of a fair trial and the voters to decide our next president in a free and fair election. For example:

  1. The case is primarily about politics, which is just plain wrong. That is not how our legal system is supposed to work. The timing of the trial during an election campaign is highly suspect.
  2. The venue is NYC which is as “blue” as it gets. In 2020 Trump got some 15% of the vote there. Most New Yorkers hate Trump for whatever reason. It is highly doubtful that he can get a fair-minded jury out of that pool. In point of fact, there have already been suspicions regarding the objectivity of a few of the jurors.
  3. Juan Merchan, the judge on the case, is clearly biased. He is an admitted Trump-hater. It appears he was selected for that very reason. Moreover, his daughter is a senior executive at a law firm with close ties to Joe Biden and other high-level Dems. Due to that clear conflict, he should have recused himself.
  4. Merchan has required Trump to be in court physically every day. This requirement could have and should have been waived. The obvious ramification of this ruling is to preclude Trump from campaigning.
  5. Merchan has issued a gag order against Trump, but not against any other parties including the prosecution and potential witnesses. This has likely tainted the jury pool, the chosen jurors and public opinion.

Conclusion

The state’s obvious goal is to deny Trump a fair trial, secure a wrongful conviction, hinder his campaigning, and steal the upcoming election. This is a new form of voter suppression. As I said, this is an attempt to deprive the public from determining our next president. A few fair-minded commentators such as Alan Dershowitz and Stephen A. Smith, lifetime Dems and not Trump supporters, have criticized this strategy. They want to see the Dems beat him fair and square, not this way. Furthermore, many legal scholars, such as Dershowitz and Greg Jarrett have opined that any conviction would likely be overturned on appeal after the election. Bragg and his cohorts won’t care. They probably even expect a reversal. They probably know that Trump’s not guilty of the crime for which he is on trial. But at that point, the damage will have been done.

A “show trial” such as this is not supposed to happen in the US. As I said above, “show trials” have long been a characteristic of countries ruled by dictators. In the US we have the protection of the Bill of Rights. The Constitution mandates that the accused is presumed to be innocent until proven guilty. Trump’s rights have been trampled. He has already been tried and convicted by the state and the media. The infamous Salem Witch Trials of the 17th century were more equitable than this trial.

To their credit most voters realize this, especially those who have been bullied by the authorities (e.g. “driving while Black”). They see right through this strategy. Consequently, the Dems’ strategy has backfired. The polls show Trump is more popular than ever. For example, according to The Hill and Emerson College national polls Trump is ahead of Biden by three points. More importantly Trump is maintaining small margins in most of the swing states that will really decide the election. Once again, the average voter is showing we are not as dumb as the so-called elites think we are.

In the beginning I said there was a bigger issue here than just this trial. The issue is if the state can prosecute Trump just because it doesn’t agree with his politics, if it can trample on his constitutionally guaranteed civil rights, it can do so to anyone. Even if the accused is innocent, it costs a substantial amount of money to defend oneself, and very few of us have the financial resources that Trump has. As I said, in a sense we are all on trial here.

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I’M NOT VOTING FOR TRUMP

Thanks to loyal reader, David, for providing the idea and much of the information for the following blog.

I am not voting for Donald Trump, the man, in the 2024 presidential election. I don’t hate the man as many others do. I don’t know him. I have never met him, but based on what I have seen and observed over the years it is likely that if I did get to know him, I wouldn’t like him personally. He would not be my choice for a dinner companion or any other type of social encounter. He can be abrasive, rude, abrupt, and arrogant. Over the years he has had a plethora of clashes with many people including, subordinates, business associates, and the media, among others. These types of qualities do not exactly endear him to many people on a personal level. No, I would not vote for Trump, the man.

However, I AM going to vote for the following policies and, by extension, the man who I deem best able to enact them.

  1. Support and defend the Constitution, especially the first and second amendments.
  2. Secure and defend our borders against illegals who we have no idea who they are, where they came from, and their intent. Contrary to what the Dems and the media tell you most of them are NOT asylum-seekers. Many of them are from countries that are our enemies and/or sponsor terrorism and comprise the dregs of society from those countries – criminals, terrorists and other undesirables.
  3. Finish the border wall, reinstitute the “remain in Mexico” policy and deport illegal aliens that break our laws. Until and unless they become citizens they are guests in our country, and they should act as such.
  4. Crack down on the importing of illegal, deadly drugs, such as fentanyl, which are killing tens of thousands of us.
  5. Crack down on the Mexican cartels who essentially control the Mexican government and act with impunity on both sides of the southern border.
  6. Terminate human trafficking and other human rights violations.
  7. Crack down on sanctuary states and cities.
  8. Be the president of all the people, not just some of the people.
  9. Do away with the runaway wokeism and other inane and misguided far-left policies that have been plaguing our country and tearing apart our social fabric.
  10. Stop treating illegal aliens better than our own citizens.
  11. End censorship of differences of opinion, especially on social media.
  12. Restore the traditional justice system. Make the Justice Department treat everyone equally under the law regardless of social status, economic wealth, color, religion, or political persuasion.
  13. Make us feel safe again by refunding the police, ending “no-bail” laws, and demanding that local DAs actually prosecute crimes and judges sentence the guilty to prison.
  14. Appoint judges and SC justices that will follow the constitution.
  15. Resume drilling for oil and gas in order to restore our energy independence and eliminate our dependence on our enemies.
  16. Replace the current administration’s “America last” policy with an “America first” policy.
  17. Stand up to the leaders of foreign countries who are threatening us (e.g. Russia, China, and Iran), disrespecting us and taking advantage of us (e.g. NATO allies and Mexico).
  18. Reinstitute unwavering support for Israel, our sole reliable ally in the critical, dangerous and mercurial Middle East.
  19. Protect our critical industries by equalizing tariffs and preventing the export of jobs and manufacturing.
  20. Support our military and our veterans.
  21. Crack down on the anti-Semites and antisemitism that is running rampant in our schools and in our society, in general.
  22. Reverse the US’s current downward spiral and make us proud to be an American again.
  23. Secure the future of America for our children and grandchildren.

CONCLUSION

These are tall orders. They will not be easy to accomplish, particularly since the entrenched powers in Congress and government will resist by any means possible to safeguard their turf.

Of all the candidates which one is most capable of accomplishing the foregoing? We know the answer, because he did it already in his first term. The policies he has been espousing are precisely the ones we need and want now. Biden and his administration have had their chance, and they have f**ked it up royally.

In a recent poll people were asked to name the most significant accomplishment of the Biden administration. What was the winner? Was it the economy? No. Was it the border? No. Was it crime? No. The winner was “nothing.” That’s right, “nothing.” So, if you voted for him in 2020 are you happy with the result, or do you have buyer’s remorse?

My advice is to ignore the bloviators and spin doctors in the media and elsewhere. Your decision in 2024 should come down to the answer to one simple question. There is no deep analysis needed. “Are you better off today than you were in 2020?”

So, don’t vote for Trump, the man. Hold your nose, swallow your pride, ignore your personal feelings, and vote for Trump’s policies. Ignore what he says. Ignore his character flaws. Focus on his policies. He succeeded before. He can do so again.

Your children and grandchildren will thank you.

–

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CHUCK SCHUMER – POLITICAL CHAMELEON

Chuck Schumer has been a strong supporter of Israel for all of his nearly 50-year career in public service – until last week. Now, I sense that his formerly strong support of Israel has waned. Furthermore, he has not been as supportive of American Jews as he should be in light of the recent plethora of antisemitic incidents in our schools and in general. He has not condemned, criticized, or even commented. His silence has been most disappointing as he is in a unique position. Many Jews feel he should be more outspoken. What has caused this seminal change? See below for my opinion.

In my view, Chuck Schumer is the consummate politician, and I don’t mean that as a compliment. He epitomizes what I always say about politicians: their best abilities are to get elected and to get re-elected. He sees the seismic shift in the Dem Party to the left on major issues, plus away from Israel, and toward antisemitism that we all see, and he is reacting to it. Sure, he could stick to his guns and resist the trend. He could continue to espouse unwavering support for Israel, but the politician in him won’t permit him to do it. His overriding instinct of preserving his Senate seat against a possible primary challenge in 2028 won’t permit it (even though four years is a lifetime in politics). Moreover, his desire to maintain his Majority Leadership position in the Senate won’t permit it. And so, we have “THE SPEECH.”

Schumer began his political career in the NY State assembly in 1975. In 1981 he was elected to the House of Representatives. In 1998 he was elected to the US Senate. Currently, he is serving his 5th term, which makes him the longest-serving senator ever from NY. He has worked his way up to the very influential post of Senate Majority Leader.

For most of his career Schumer has been a staunch and outspoken supporter of Israel. This was understandable since he is Jewish, and he has represented a heavily Jewish constituency.

For instance:

  1. In 1994, Schumer joined the Anti-Defamation League and the American Jewish Congress in a campaign to petition the IRS to revoke the tax-exempt status of the Palestinian-American charity the Holy Land Foundation, which by the time it was shut down in 2001 was the largest Muslim charity in the US.
  2. In June 2010, while speaking at an Orthodox Union event in Washington D.C., Schumer expressed support for Israel’s blockade of the Gaza Strip, which was then a controversial topic.  He buttressed his position by denoting statistics to demonstrate that the Palestinian citizens of the West Bank were experiencing “economic prosperity”, crediting this to their government’s cooperation with the Israeli government on combating various terrorist groups.
  3. When the Palestinian citizens of the Gaza Strip voted to be governed by Hamas he advocated for Israel to “strangle them economically until they see that’s not the way to go,” while also stating that Israel should continue providing “humanitarian aid” to Palestinian civilians.
  4. He has steadfastly supported Israel in its various conflicts involving others in Gaza and elsewhere. He defended the Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip in 2007 as being justified not only because it kept weapons out of the Palestinian territory, but also because it showed the Palestinians living there that “when there’s some moderation and cooperation, they can have an economic advancement.”
  5. In May 2017, Schumer co-sponsored the Israel Anti-Boycott Act, Senate Bill 720, which made it a federal crime, punishable by a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment, for Americans to encourage or participate in boycotts against Israel and Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories if protesting actions by the Israeli government.
  6. In May 2018, Schumer praised Trump for opening the U.S. embassy in Jerusalem, saying, “I sponsored legislation to do this two decades ago, and I applaud President Trump for doing it.”
  7. In the past he has frequently criticized the Palestinians for opposing a Jewish state or even a two-state solution, although presently he appears to be supporting the Biden Administration’s party line of a two-state solution.
  8. Schumer was a co-sponsor of a Senate resolution expressing objection to the UN Security Council Resolution 2334, which condemned Israeli settlement-building in the occupied Palestinian territories as a violation of international law.

The US and Israel have been strong allies since Israel’s inception. Some of you students of history may recall that the US under President Harry Truman was the first country to recognize the State of Israel a mere eleven hours after it declared its independence. Over the years through Administration after Administration both Republican and Democrat, both liberal and conservative, the US and Israel have forged and maintained a symbiotic relationship that has worked out very well for both countries. The US has realized that Israel is its only reliable ally in the dangerous, mercurial and strategically critical Middle East, and Israel has realized that the US is its only staunch and powerful defender in an otherwise very hostile world.

Unfortunately, it appears clear to me that the US’s support has grown tepid in the last few years. It began in the Obama Administration, and the trend has accelerated under the Biden Administration. Both Biden and his administration have exhibited anti-Israel and pro-Iran and Hamas attitudes, particularly with respect to the aftermath of the October 7 terrorist attacks. More on that later.

Prime Minister Netanyahu has long had a contentious relationship with certain US presidential administrations. Most notably, I recall President Obama declined to invite him to the White House during his 2015 visit to the US in March 2015 to address Congress. Obama’s excuse was that it was policy not to meet so close to an election, but many interpreted it as a snub.

The Netanyahu-US relationship has deteriorated significantly following Hamas’ terror attack of October 7. Briefly, the Biden Administration has been pressuring Israel to exercise “restraint.” It has been pressuring Israel not to retaliate militarily. It favors negotiation and cease fires. It has been trying to balance its policy between the anti-Israel far left wing of the Dem Party and the majority of the rest of the country. Based on the polls I have seen it is not succeeding, and there is much concern. Many people in the US, particularly Jews, have interpreted the foregoing as anti-Israel and antisemitic. Israel has been adamantly pursuing a strong military response. Its attitude is that Hamas will continue to attack prospectively unless and until it is totally wiped out. It resents what it perceives as US interference.

Hence, we got “The Speech.” Essentially, Schumer threatened Israel. He said, in part, that “it’s become clear to me that the Netanyahu coalition[‘s reaction to Hamas’ October 7 terrorist attack] no longer fits the needs of Israel. … If Netanyahu won’t step down and continues to pursue dangerous and inflammatory policies that test existing US standards for assistance [the US will be forced to] play a more active role in shaping Israeli policy by using our leverage.” President Biden doubled down by calling it a “good speech” that had been cleared in advance by his staff.

The speech was interpreted by many as blatant and inappropriate interference in the elections of a sovereign nation and a clear threat. “Do what we want or else.”

Reaction was immediate and fiercely critical. Benny Ganz, Israeli’s opposition leader stated “Israel is a strong democracy, and only its citizens will determine its leadership and future.” Former PM Naftali Bennett, no fan of Netanyahu’s, stated “we are an independent nation, not a “banana republic.” In the US Mitch McConnell, Senate Minority Leader, called the speech “unprecedented,” and Speaker of the House Mike Johnson called it “just plain wrong.”

CONCLUSION

I would characterize it in stronger terms as a “sell-out” and “antisemitic.” In my experience such outrageous, blatant interference of a nation’s self-governance should be limited to dictatorships with massive human rights violations, not a staunch and reliable ally. Furthermore, every nation has a right, even an obligation to its citizens to defend itself in a manner in which it sees fit. Think what our reaction would have been if after the Japanese sneak attack of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 or the terror attacks on 9/11 if the world had urged us to stand down and not retaliate with force. Why should Israel be any different? Because it’s a Jewish state? You decide.

So why did Schumer give that speech? It was especially odd especially given his past support of Israel. Only he knows for sure, but I think he wanted to ingratiate himself with the members of the far-left wing of the Dem party, many of whom have expressed clearly antisemitic opinions. They are small but vociferous, and they have been pressuring the Biden Administration to scale back its support of Israel. They are particularly influential with the election looming. I don’t think Schumer is antisemitic, but, as I said, he is a political chameleon, and he perceives the trend of his party is to offer only tepid support to Israel in its fight with Hamas.

I seriously doubt that Israel will allow itself to be bullied by the US or anyone else, so it remains to be seen if the US will follow through on its threat.

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2024 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION – TRUMP VS BIDEN

Trump and Biden are now the presumptive nominees of their respective political parties. Although anything can happen in politics in all likelihood they will become the official nominees at their respective party’s conventions this summer.

In my view, the 2024 presidential election will be extremely contentious. The campaign will include a surfeit of obfuscations, exaggerations and lies, even more so than usual. It is virtually axiomatic that all politicians are guilty of the above to some degree. We all know this. We don’t like it, but we accept it. A politician who tells the absolute truth all the time, like Jim Carrey’s character in the movie Liar, Liar, would never get elected.

That said, I maintain that voters should ignore all the bloviations, exaggerations and promises by the candidates and reported by the media. After a while, it all becomes so much “white noise” anyway. Promises are meaningless. Most of them never come to pass anyway. Rather than listening to what they say or promise focus on what they’ve done or haven’t done. You will find that that will clarify matters.

We can do this because in 2024 we have a very rare situation. Both candidates have actually served a term as president. Therefore, we don’t have to guess. We don’t have to predict. We can see what they’ve each done or not done as president. According to Wikipedia, Trump is only the 7th former president to run again after having left office, the first to do so since Herbert Hoover in 1940. (Only one of the previous six won – Grover Cleveland.)

The best way to analyze this election is to ask yourself that age-old question – are you are better off today under Biden’s presidency than you were four years ago under Trump’s. For example, is your quality of life better or not? Do you have more money or not? Are you able to provide for your family better or not? Regardless of what the government says, in your personal experience are prices of the necessities you buy, chiefly food, gas and shelter, higher or not? Has inflation impacted you or not? Do you feel crime is on the rise or not? Do you personally feel safer or not? Do you think the world is safer or not? Are you more or less satisfied with the US’s relationship with our friends, notably Israel, and our enemies? Do you feel the justice system is more equitable or not? Are your children’s and grandchildren’s schools educating them better or not? If you are Jewish do you feel the level of antisemitism is greater, lesser, or the same? If you are Black do you feel opportunities are better, lesser or the same? If you are a legal immigrant are you happy with special treatment of the flood of illegal immigrants that have entered the country or not? These are just some of the questions you should ponder. Your answers will make it obvious for whom to vote.

Don’t pay any attention to real or perceived personality flaws. They are largely subjective anyway. Like I said, follow your objective analysis. If you feel you and the country are better off under Biden than you were under Trump vote for Biden regardless of his cognitive status and legal issues. On the other hand, if you feel you and the country were better off under Trump then vote for him regardless of his abrasive personality and legal issues.

CONCLUSION

In my opinion, the answer to all of those comparisons strongly favor Trump. Do I like him on a personal level? I don’t know him. Never met him. But if I were to know him personally, I probably wouldn’t like him. But I say so what? Who cares? We’re not voting for senior class president. It’s not a popularity contest. We’re not going to “hang out” together. We don’t have to like him. We just have to think that he will improve things. Moreover, if you know your history you know that many of our best and most popular presidents had serious physical and/or personality flaws that were hidden from the public. Today, due to the internet and social media virtually nothing is hidden.

Furthermore, let’s not ignore the empirical evidence. We saw what Trump did as president pre-Covid. The economy was booming. Unemployment was at record lows for all ethnic and gender groups. We were energy independent for the first time in over 70 years. There were no wars. Our enemies feared and respected us. Our border was secure. Yes, some people were put off by his mean tweets and abrasive personality. Well, strap on your “big boy pants,” hold your nose and deal with it!

On the other hand, Biden’s record speaks for itself. His supporters perceive him as a nice old man. Many of them choose to ignore his cognitive decline and his nefarious, if not treasonous, activities. They voted for him in 2020 and will likely do so again. My question to them is how is that decision working out for you? I repeat, focus on what the candidates do or don’t do, not what they say or promise.

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BIDEN’S SOTU ADDDRESS – ONE MAN’S OPINION

The following blog constitutes my assessment of President Biden’s 2024 SOTU address.

  1. To no surprise, based on the post-address media coverage, generally, one’s opinion and analysis of the SOTU depends on whether one is a Biden supporter or a Trump supporter.
  2. Biden’s supporters have been ebullient over the fact that his delivery was mostly devoid of any of the fumbling, stumbling and bumbling, which have characterized his public appearances over the last few years. I concede that this was true for the most part, but I would add that that was a very low bar to hurdle, akin to a high jumper clearing a two-foot bar.
  3. Like many observers I was struck by his tone. He came across as strident, almost shouting and lecturing. I found that very odd and off-putting. It was not typical of him at all. It was like he had drunk several cups of coffee or red bull or ingested some other kind of stimulant.
  4. In my experience, Presidents use the SOTU address to try to unify the electorate. It is their rare chance to address the entire electorate, to highlight their past accomplishments, present their vision for the future, and make the case that they are the person to lead us there. Yes, they want to present their record in the best possible light, but more importantly they want to heal, or at least alleviate any fractions between the two parties. Their message is conciliatory rather than contentious.
  5. Biden, on the other hand, did not do that. His address was more akin to a campaign speech. He played to his base rather than the broad electorate. I understand that he wanted to shore up his support on the left, but nonetheless I think that was a mistake. Every presidential candidate knows one has to appeal to the middle in order to win.
  6. He doubled down on his policies, which are largely unpopular.
  7. In the process he lied and exaggerated repeatedly. The most egregious were with respect to the border and the economy. For example, after spending three years telling us the border was secure, which was an obvious lie, he maintained that Congress had to pass a bi-partisan bill, which he supports, to fix it. He blamed Trump and the GOP for Congress’ inaction. He conveniently ignored the fact that (a) the border fiasco is entirely due to his policies and (b) he can resolve the problem on his own by issuing executive orders, which is how he caused it in the first place. Regarding the economy he tried to convince us inflation was the lowest in decades when anyone who has bought food, filled their gas tank or tried to buy or rent a home knows from personal experience that is a lie. All he did was demonstrate that he is out of touch with Americans’ daily lives and problems.
  8. He claims he supports Israel, but his actions speak to the contrary. For example, he continued to insist Israel must stand down, and he continued to advocate a two-state solution, which neither Israel nor Hamas wants. Furthermore, the proposed port in southern Gaza he is supporting is ill-advised. Humanitarian aid sounds good, but there is no guarantee the aid would get to the people for whom it is intended.
  9. He continued to exhibit absolutely no compassion for those Americans who have been victims of crimes committed by illegal immigrants. Also, he refused to honor Laken Reilly, or even say her name until he was shamed into it. And after he was, he proceeded to mispronounce her name as Lincoln Reilly, twice, even though he had her name written on a card right in front of him. He compounded his error the next day when he apologized for using the term “illegals,” saying he should have referred to them as “undocumented,” which is a “wishy-washy” characterization favored by the far left. He did not apologize to the Reilly family for mispronouncing Laken’s name, and to my knowledge he still hasn’t.
  10. He did not address the botched withdrawal from Afghanistan or the names of those Americans who were killed as a result.
  11. He still has not addressed the rampant anti-Semitism in our schools and in our society in general.
  12. He continued to offer no meaningful solution to the rampant crime wave in our cities and the coddling of criminals.
  13. He continually tried to portray Trump as soft on Russia and being subservient to Putin when, in reality it is he who has demonstrated those characteristics.
  14. He basically ignored his and his family’s corrupt dealings with Russia, China and other enemy states.

CONCLUSION

In summary, I think Biden did very little to repair his image or expand his support base. I think he will continue to lose support among Hispanics and Blacks, which will not augur well for his chances for re-election.

It will interesting and illuminating to see what the post-address polls show.

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FECKLESS JOE AND THE STATE OF THE UNION

Tonight, President Biden will deliver the annual State of the Union address before a joint session of Congress, members of the Cabinet (except for one “designated survivor), and the justices of the Supreme Court. The SOTU is required by the US Constitution, Article 2, Section 3, Clause 1, which states that the president shall periodically “give to the Congress information of the SOTU and recommend to their consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient.”

George Washington delivered the initial SOTU to a joint session of Congress on January 8, 1790. For most of the next 100 or so years presidents fulfilled the constitutional requirement merely by submitting a written report to Congress. Then, in 1913 Woodrow Wilson commenced the current practice of delivering the SOTU in person. Later, with the advent of television and streaming the address has been delivered live throughout the entire country and much of the world.

Traditionally, the president uses this opportunity to review his administration’s accomplishments, outline what he hopes to achieve prospectively, and foster unity among the voters. In this case, however, I wouldn’t count on it. As I have written many times I cannot think of any positive accomplishments by the Biden administration. Moreover, I doubt that he will be able to achieve any in the remainder of his (hopefully only) term. Finally, the notion that he will unify the country, or even try to, is a joke. On the contrary, thus far his administration has done everything to demonize and criticize Republicans and, in particular, Trump and his supporters.

Those of you who have been paying attention over the last three years are cognizant of the following Biden lowlights, and I apologize for wasting your time by repeating them here, but for those of you who have been drinking the Dem Kool-Aid below please find a brief summary:

  1. Opened the border to virtually anyone who wants to enter the US. Millions have entered in the last three years. We don’t even know the identity of these people, how many there are, where they’re from or their intentions. What we do know is they done significant damage to our country economically, politically, criminally, and socially. And that doesn’t even address the real threat of terrorism they present. The negative ramifications of this action are incalculable and will be long-lasting.
  2. Suspended the production of oil and gas. Succinctly put, this took us from energy independence to energy dependence and in the process damaged our economy. Additionally, it has propped up the economies of many of our enemies, such as Russia and Iran. As a result, Russia has used its oil revenue to prosecute the war against Ukraine, and Iran has been able to finance terrorist activities in the Middle East and elsewhere.
  3. Created massive inflation through profligate spending. Don’t believe the government’s publicized inflation numbers. Anyone who has bought groceries, filled up their car’s gas tank, or tried to buy or rent a home knows they don’t reflect reality. We’re being gaslit.
  4. The evidence of his and his family’s corruption continues to grow. It’s getting to the point where only his most ardent supporters can deny their guilt of corruption and maybe even treason. In my view, he has been the classic “Manchurian candidate.”
  5. There are wars and conflicts all over the world. His weakness has encouraged Russia to invade Ukraine, Arab terrorists to attack Israel in the most heinous fashion, and China’s saber-rattling vis a vis Taiwan. The botched exit from Afghanistan was a disastrous embarrassment and caused the loss of hundreds of American lives. Furthermore, his tepid support of Israel should make every Jew very uncomfortable.
  6. The rise of crime due to the proliferation of “no bail” laws and woke DA’s reluctance to prosecute crimes has made all of us unsafe.
  7. He has done nothing to curb the very disturbing rise of anti-Semitism in the country and indeed the entire world. He has not taken any action, not condemned it, not even spoken out. I am not saying Biden is an anti-Semite, but his lack of support for Israel and Jews makes one wonder. Based on the foregoing, it is beyond me how any self-respecting Jew could vote for him.

It has taken over three years, but voters are finally catching on. All the polls speak loudly and clearly. Voters are beginning to realize that “the emperor [really] has no clothes.”

  1. According to the latest NY Times-Sienna poll Two-thirds of voters say the country is “heading in the wrong direction.”
  2. The latest CBS News/You-Gov poll has revealed that only one-third of voters think Biden’s presidency has been “excellent” or “good.” Some 61% of voters say he is “too old to be an effective leader.” It’s not just his chronological age. Many people have been lucid and effective well into their 80s. Contrary to what his supporters say, anyone who has seen Biden speak or even move around can readily see he is declining cognitively. It brings to mind the old Groucho Marx joke: “Are you going to believe what I tell you or what you see with your own eyes?”
  3. Despite the Dems’ and their supporters attempts to discredit Trump with bogus claims, even to get him disqualified from the ballot in some states voters are not being fooled. In fact, these false claims have served to boost Trump’s popularity. People are coming to realize that what’s being done to him could easily be done to them. Presently, the latest polls indicate that he leads Biden in every battleground state. This has led to widespread panic among the Dems. Some believe Biden may be replaced on the ticket, possibly at the convention.

CONCLUSION

I believe that tonight’s SOTU speech will be very interesting. I am anxious to see how Biden conducts himself. I’m not interested in what he says so much as how he says it. The pressure is on him to be articulate, cogent, coherent, and lucid. How will he justify his record? Will he attack Trump and his supporters? How many “Pinocchio’s” will he get. Who will deliver the opposition rebuttal, and what will he or she say?

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ANTISEMITISM AMONG YOUNG AMERICANS

The following is my opinion based on a plethora of news reports and personal experience and observation over my lifetime. Of course, you are free to disagree. Unlike the radical left, I welcome dissenting opinions. Unless I time traveled while I was asleep last night and woke up this morning in Soviet Russia or Nazi Germany circa 1935 this is still America, and the Bill of Rights is still in force.

What are the schools teaching our kids? What kind of biased information are they presenting to them as “facts?” These are rhetorical questions. Anyone paying attention has come to realize that the schools have been radicalizing our children. An entire generation of children has been indoctrinated by the radical left. Many of them are being taught to hate America and any Americans who look, think, act and worship differently from them. Moreover, Caucasians are being portrayed as the oppressors of minorities. In some of the more radical school districts this indoctrination is beginning as early as grade school or even pre-school. [Note: I’m not referring to all kids and all schools, just a goodly portion of them.] 

As has been the case for some 5,000 years the focal point of this hate has fallen disproportionately on the Jews. Make no mistake, the criticisms of Israel regarding the Israel-Hamas War are “code” for antisemitism. There is no need to analyze this hate in detail in this blog. Most of you are fully cognizant of the history of Israel and the Jews, and I have discussed the current situation thoroughly in previous blogs regarding antisemitism The issue here is the radicalization of young adults and what it bodes for the future.

Most of us have seen on TV and read about the disturbing and violent protests on our college campuses. In my view, this is primarily the result of the aforementioned bias in America’s education systems. By the time these kids go to college their indoctrination is well and firmly established.

Before the advent of COVID most parents had limited, if any, involvement in or knowledge of the details of their children’s school curricula. Typically, they were busy concentrating on their own lives and trusted the school systems to educate their children. 

Since the advent of Covid and the resultant school shutdowns they have, by necessity, become more involved, and many of them have come to ascertain that their school systems have betrayed that trust. Consequently, there have been frequent well-publicized clashes between parents and school boards. 

This bias is continuing in many, if not most, institutions of higher learning. College is supposed to be a venue where young people are exposed to a variety of ideas and experiences. It is an integral part of the maturing process of children into adults. Unfortunately, this has not always been the case. Often, it has been the opposite. Led by far-left administrators and faculty many schools have been shutting down views and values that are not in accord with their own. This trend has permeated into even our most reputable colleges. It’s enough to make parents question why they should spend hundreds of thousands of dollars or take on massive debt to pay for their child’s college education.

For example, most of us have seen all or part of the recent sworn testimonies given by the presidents of Harvard, MIT and Pennsylvania Universities before Congress. Although antisemitism has long existed on many, if not most, college campuses to some degree these universities have become the lightning rods of the issue. The aforementioned presidents all refused to condemn antisemitism, evaded the question of whether or not the antisemitism on their respective campuses (including calls for genocide of Jews) violated their schools’ codes of conduct, and failed to express support for Jewish students, many of whom are extremely fearful of the hostile environment to which they are being subjected on a daily basis. Those responses have provoked a severe backlash from many donors, alumni, and politicians, predominantly Republicans. The presidents came across as arrogant, pompous, supercilious, and condescending. Penn’s president resigned; as of yet, the others have not. Noted Harvard alum and former Harvard Law School professor Alan Dershowitz was particularly vehement in his condemnation of Harvard’s board for failing to terminate President Gay.

Gay has come under increased fire in another area. Recently, the NY Post disclosed that she has been accused of multiple instances of plagiarism. It actually used the term “serial plagiarism” to describe her actions. It further denoted that the school was cognizant of these accusations and had been conducting a secret investigation into the matter. The story has since been picked up by various other media outlets, and it has even attracted the attention of Congress. According to the Post a bipartisan group of Congresspersons has introduced a resolution demanding Gay resign or be fired. The House Committee on Education and the Workforce has added these charges to its current investigation of antisemitism. In the wake of all this pressure and negative press why hasn’t Gay been fired? Good question. It’s just speculation on my part, but perhaps, it is because she is a black female, and the stuffed shirts at “Hahvid” are afraid of a lawsuit. Incidentally, on a humorous note, read Gay’s fatuous justification of her response or lack thereof: “We [Harvard] embrace a commitment to free expression – even views that are objectionable, offensive [and] hateful [unless] that speech crosses into conduct that violates our policies against bullying and harassment. That speech did not cross that barrier.” Huh? Calling for genocide is as hateful as it gets, and in her opinion that did not meet Harvard’s standards for hateful speech?! Wow! I rest my case.

CONCLUSION

A recent Harvard/Harris poll disclosed some extremely distressing news regarding antisemitism among 18-24-year-olds. Some of the results were inconsistent, even contradictory, but the general gist concurs with what I believe most of us have observed to be true. For example:

  1. Although a majority of respondents still expressed support for Israel the 18-24-year-old age group was the only demographic group that did not. It should be noted that support for Israel grew stronger among the older age groups reaching its highest level in the 65+ group.
  2. Approximately 60% of the overall respondents advocated a two-state solution, although both Israel and Hamas have repeatedly rejected that idea.
  3. Some 2/3 of the 18-24 group thought that Jews, as a class, are oppressors. In the interest of being fair and balanced I should denote that one publication, The Volokh Conspiracy, went so far as to state that “we should not give much weight to that question” as it “is poorly worded and at odds with other data.” But it was the only dissenter I found, and also the other age groups were not misled by the wording.
  4. Approximately 60% of the 18-24s thought Hamas’ attack of Israel was justified based on Palestinians’ grievances even though it was widely viewed as genocide. The Times of Israel interpreted that as the 18-24 group endorsing genocide of Jews, but I wouldn’t go that far. I would view it as one of many inconsistencies.
  5. Some 64% of the 18-24s stated a cease fire should be contingent upon the release of all hostages and Hamas being booted from power, but 67% of the 18-24s were in favor of an unconditional agreement that would retain the status quo.
  6. 63% of the 18-24s conceded that antisemitism is prevalent on college campuses. Another inconsistency, if not contradiction, was that 53% opined that college students should be allowed to advocate Jewish genocide on campus without punishment even though 70% recognized that such talk constituted “hate speech.”  
  7. As another example of a contradiction, a majority thought Israel should be “ended” and replaced by a Palestinian state or entity such as Hamas. However, 69% opined that Israel does have “the right to exist.” Those statements are mutually exclusive.
  8. And, most disturbing, 20% of the 18-24s thought the Holocaust was a “myth.” This boggles my mind in view of all the eyewitness and photographic evidence of it.
  9. The survey asked who was responsible for antisemitism on campus. The results were all over the place and surprising – has always been present – 24%, students – 20%, left wingers – 18%, school administrations and staff – 11%, foreign funding and student groups – 11%, professors – 7%, and none of the above – 9%.

My original reaction to the survey results were shock, dismay and anger even though I am fully cognizant that widespread antisemitism is and has been omnipresent. Despite the inconsistencies and outright contradictions of some of the answers in my opinion the basic results are accurate. It is clear that 18-24s are more antisemitic than the overall population. I think it is due to a combination of antisemitism, disinterest, ignorance and indoctrination. 

What I have found most glaring is the thought in some areas that Israel should not retaliate with all its might. How ludicrous and idiotic. I should like to remind those morons that in the entire history of the world there has not been one other case where an attacked party has been urged not to retaliate against an aggressor. Can you imagine our response if after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor the world had told us to standdown? Yet, much of the world, including many in the Administration, has done just that. 

Regardless, the result of the above survey is yet another reason to fear for the future of America.

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