December 10-12, 2017
Dec 10 00:56 Edina respects free speech rights? Dec 10 08:13 Picking Franken's replacement Dec 10 08:49 Democrats' double-edged sword Dec 11 02:12 Durbin's monstrous Franken lie Dec 11 08:59 Trump's economic approval rating Dec 11 16:02 Jim Acosta vs. Sarah Sanders Dec 12 01:41 Refugee resettlement refiguring Dec 12 07:57 Questioning Adam Schiff Dec 12 23:57 The death of moderate Democrats
Prior Months: Jan Feb ~ May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov
Prior Years: 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Edina respects free speech rights?
According to this article , "Edina Public Schools said in an e-mail that it can't comment on litigated topics, but that the district respects student free-speech rights." They issued that statement after students filed a lawsuit after "school leaders revoked the Young Conservatives Club's status as a school-sponsored organization." The school revoked this organization's status because "members of the Young Conservatives Club" spoke out against a protest.
The article noted that school "policy mandates that students respect others who protest." Attorney Erick Kaardal said that policy "violates the Flag Code. Ending the Young Conservatives Club because students spoke out against policies contradicts the free speech guarantee in the First Amendment."
Mr. Kaardal will win this lawsuit for his student clients because they absolutely have the right to protest against protesters. The school's policy of being respectful towards protesters is well-intentioned but unenforceable because anti-protesters don't have to be respectful. As long as the anti-protest protesters aren't violent or advocate violence, they're protected by the First Amendment. The First Amendment states "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble , and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."
This is the constitutional equivalent of safe spaces, which is in keeping with the 'snowflake code'. It's one thing to wish for respect. It's quite another to require it.
As for Edina Public Schools' statement that they respect free speech rights, that's nice PR fluff but it doesn't have much to do with reality.
Posted Sunday, December 10, 2017 12:56 AM
No comments.
Picking Franken's replacement
This AP article all-but-officially says that U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer will pick Al Franken's replacement. If Gov. Dayton's pick is approved by Sen. Schumer, then it's a safe bet that candidate will be Sen. Schumer's shill for the duration of their Senate career.
The article states that "Dayton's initial inclination was to pick Smith, a longtime aide and his second-in-command since 2015, to serve as a placeholder until next year's election, a Democratic official told The Associated Press. The official requested anonymity because the official was not authorized to discuss private deliberations surrounding the appointment before Dayton's announcement. The official said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has reached out to Dayton and pressured him to instead appoint someone who can use the opportunity as a running start for a 2018 campaign."
Suddenly, Lt. Gov. Smith is interested in running for re-election if appointed. It essentially cuts Minnesotans out of the process. Shouldn't Minnesotans, not a partisan New Yorker, pick Sen. Franken's replacement? The people should have a say. Franken's replacement shouldn't be picked by Minnesota's royal family, then rubberstamped by the people. Picking Lt. Gov. Flint-Smith, or anyone that will run for re-election, hints that we're just rubberstamps.
This Strib article contains this wishful thinking:
Joe Davis, the executive director of the DFL-aligned Alliance for a Better Minnesota, said a second Senate race will further nationalize the Minnesota election, which can only help the DFL chain Republican candidates to a historically unpopular president. 'It's a chance to put not just one but two checks on Trump's Washington,' Davis said, referring to the special election as well as DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar's re-election. DFLers hope that anti-Trump fervor will trickle down the ballot to the governor's race and legislative contests.
There's a better chance that blue collar voters will get out to vote to nullify Gov. Dayton's rubberstamp appointment. Then there's this:
State Sen. Karin Housley, R-St. Mary's Point, said she is mulling the race and will make a decision early this week. Sen. Julie Rosen, R-Vernon Center, said she remains focused on a potential run for governor and has no interest in the U.S. Senate. State Sen. Michelle Benson, R-Ham Lake, said she is talking it over with family this weekend.
This isn't a statement of preference. It's just a statement that Karin Housley would be a fantastic candidate. She's a skilled legislator. It doesn't hurt that she's married to NHL Hall of Famer Phil Housley. Her fundraising ability would be a positive, too. Michelle Benson would be an attractive candidate, too. She knows health care inside and out. She's a reliable conservative, as is Sen. Housley.
We deserve better than Franken, who is described by Salena Zito as being prominent because "of his previous life." Ms. Zito added that "there was a lot of noise, but according to research done by the Twin Cities Pioneer Press, his home state newspaper, his legislative career was weak. Of Franken's 141 pieces of legislation (85 bills, 47 amendments, and nine resolutions) none became law." Finally, there's this truth:
Americans don't just want members of Congress to be decent people, they also want them to actually do things that benefit them, their communities, and the country; what they don't want is someone who solely uses their elected offices as a springboard to more power (it was the worst kept secret in Democratic circles that Franken was considering a run for president in 2020).
Parting question: is Tina Flint-Smith another reliable vote and political nobody? I remember when Minnesota's senators were difference-makers.
Posted Sunday, December 10, 2017 8:13 AM
Comment 1 by eric z at 10-Dec-17 08:26 AM
You guys should run Pete Hegseth. A Trumpian like few others. Bloviating Pete.
It will be a placeholder that Dayton names, one making a Sherman statement, with both Dems and Repubs then lined up, hoping. I'd like Ellison in the seat, but he's black, and a Muslim, and your base would react negatively, with a more than normal vigor, to GOTV. A shame, but how it would be.
Democrats' double-edged sword
Salena Zito's column picks apart Sen. Franken while exposing the Democrats' weakness. First, it can't help Sen. Franken's ego if he read Ms. Zito say "His prominence in the Senate was pretty reflective of his previous life. There was a lot of noise, but according to research done by the Twin Cities Pioneer Press, his home state newspaper, his legislative career was weak. Of Franken's 141 pieces of legislation (85 bills, 47 amendments, and nine resolutions) none became law ."
For all of the things written by the Twin Cities media about Franken rolling up his sleeves and going to work, his legacy will be that he was a pervert without any consequential legislative accomplishments. It'll be interesting to see how Franken's protectorate will spin that. Later in the article, Ms. Zito wrote "Americans don't just want members of Congress to be decent people, they also want them to actually do things that benefit them, their communities, and the country; what they don't want is someone who solely uses their elected offices as a springboard to more power (it was the worst kept secret in Democratic circles that Franken was considering a run for president in 2020). In short, voters want their members of Congress to do something."
When Democratic senators finally abandoned him this past Wednesday, they established a dangerous double-edged sword that they'll be judged by. Matt Lewis' article highlights the Democrats' predicament:
Sen. Al Franken's ouster Thursday was a necessary step in order to brand the Democratic Party as the "good" party, and to cast sexual abuse as a Republican problem. We know this because: they admit it. "This is a requirement to be able to look at [women] with a straight face and say we're the party that cares about them," Guy Cecil, who heads the liberal Priorities USA and previously served as executive director of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, told Politico. "As long as Republicans don't do that, there's a very sharp contrast to be drawn."
The thing is that this strategy won't work if Democrats don't live up to their lofty rhetoric. Frankly, it's impossible for the Democrats to live up to their words.
Friday night on Almanac, DFL Party Chair Ken Martin said "you can say whatever you want about the Democratic Party but we're taking these things head-on because we believe we have to rise to a higher standard so that everyone else has to rise to a higher standard" before setting the bar too high when he said that the DFL "has a very zero-tolerance policy." Perhaps, that's why they immediately insisted on Franken's resignation ... after the eighth accuser came forward.
[Video no longer available]
With all due respect, Chairman Martin, that's spin, not truth. Let's see the DFL live up to those standards before lecturing Republicans.
Posted Sunday, December 10, 2017 8:49 AM
Comment 1 by eric z at 10-Dec-17 10:12 AM
Who is Brian Fallon, what is his history, is there any connection to Ken Martin - and where is Fallon now? Also, after the GOP got both houses of the legislature on Martin's watch, is it time for the DFL to bury rather than to praise? Nelson Rockefeller ran in the party where he belonged and the DFL does not need any Rockefeller GOP-lite anymore, moving forward. Tina Smith has to see herself as placeholder quality and/or standing out as without having ever been elected to anything by popular vote anywhere, or tears will be shed. Mark Dayton is on a razor's edge. How he moves will interest the entire nation.
Response 1.1 by Gary Gross at 11-Dec-17 12:15 AM
Eric, I don't know if there's a connection between Fallon & Martin. I know, though, that Fallon was Hillary's chief spinmeister to the press. Actually, I'm pretty certain that it won't matter who's the DFL chair if the DFL doesn't develop a better sales pitch to blue collar workers. The DFL has been too anti-pipeline & anti-mining to connect with those voters. Frankly, those voters won't return to the DFL locally or the DNC nationwide until they're willing to tell the environmental activists to take a hike.
You're right that Gov. Dayton has the nation's spotlight on him. When that happens, he usually falters. I wouldn't expect a positive outcome.
Durbin's monstrous Franken lie
Sen. Durbin would have us believe that the call for Sen. Franken's resignation wasn't a political calculation . Durbin said "I can tell you it was a painful process because of our personal friendships and relationships with Al and his family. There was no political calculation in here. It was just a painful moment when we made a decision, moved forward on the Democratic side."
Spare me. The next time that Democrats make a decision where partisan advantage isn't the primary consideration will be the first time. The biggest reason why people have rejected Democrats is because they're seen as caring most about partisanship. They aren't seen as caring about people first. At a time when populism dominates, it isn't surprising that partisanship is devalued.
Here's the transcript of John Dickerson's discussion with Sen. Durbin:
DICKERSON: Let's -- a final question on this, Senator. There's a criticism that Al Franken was pressured, not because of the specific facts of the case, but Democrats wanted to look good in comparison to Republicans. What is your response?
DURBIN: I can tell you, it was a painful process because of our personal friendships and relationships with Al and his family. There was no political calculation in here. It was just a painful moment when we made a decision, moved forward on the Democratic side. I hope the Republicans will face that reality as well.
Here's the video of that exchange:
[Video no longer available]
Posted Monday, December 11, 2017 2:12 AM
Comment 1 by eric z at 11-Dec-17 08:14 AM
What resonates with blue collar people? How about, "Tax the Rich?" Or, "If you liked what Trump SAID, look at the corporatist millionaire/billionaire cabinet Pence picked, with actions speaking louder than words?"
The weeping and hand wringing Franken experienced from his own party, that question, it is not as if he was a Wall Street crook, which would have been a serious breach of law, despite none going to jail.
High crimes and treason goes beyond a pat on the butt.
Any thoughts to share about Roy Moore? And candor?
Response 1.1 by Gary Gross at 11-Dec-17 03:58 PM
Mostly, blue collar voters want jobs. They don't care about the push for a $15/hr. minimum wage. They aren't jealous of rich people, either. Blue collar workers have never gotten hired by a poor person. The DFL's belief that people hate corporatists & billionaires is stupidity. They've never gotten hired by a socialist, either.
Billionaires actually hire people & grow the economy. That helps workers save for retirement, put their kids through college, pay their bills & put a roof over their family's heads. They don't give a shit about global warming hoaxes or LGBTQ rights.
If you actually listened to people, you'd understand that. Since it's apparent that you haven't listened, it's easy to understand why you haven't figured that out.
Comment 2 by JerryE9 at 11-Dec-17 02:46 PM
Durbin just gave away the game when he says, "I hope the Republicans..." Exactly! Doing the right thing should be because YOU want to do right, not trying to shame somebody else into doing what YOU think is right but advantages you.
Trump's economic approval rating
Lefties keep saying that President Trump won't be re-elected because he isn't popular. I'd argue that these leftists are missing the point of why he's well on his way of getting re-elected. This WSJ article highlights the fact that President Trump "is getting significantly higher marks in one important area: his handling of the economy."
After a decade of national economic drought, people are thirsty for prosperity. They don't care that much about his most outlandish tweets, much to CNN's chagrin. (They're annoyed by them but that isn't a game-changer.) CNN can run one false exclusive after another and it won't matter.
What the leftie dishonest media haven't figured out yet is that they hired him to drain the swamp and get the economy humming again. If he gets those things right, he's their hero. The reason why the Democrats don't get the same treatment is because they didn't deliver on the economy. Much like 1992, the people have spoken. With a loud, strong voice, they've said that their highest priority is " It's the economy, stupid ."
With the U.S. unemployment rate holding at a 17-year low, hiring strong and the stock market hitting regular records, Mr. Trump is getting stronger reviews from the public on the economy, with 42% approving and 37% disapproving, according to the most recent Wall Street Journal/NBC News survey, conducted in late October.
That stands in stark contrast to his overall approval rating, which dropped last week to 32%, the lowest point of his 11-month presidency, according to a Pew Research Center poll. His disapproval rating of 68% in the same survey was also a new high.
President Trump's economic policies are filling up people's 401(k)s, which has led to consumer confidences soaring to a 17-year high. Meanwhile, the unemployment rate is at a 17-year low.
[Video no longer available]
The other thing that people aren't factoring in is that his approval rating will improve when he signs the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act into law. The other message that the American people are sending is that they don't have to get a chill running up their leg as long as they trust their president to keep his promises to improve their lives.
Posted Monday, December 11, 2017 8:59 AM
No comments.
Jim Acosta vs. Sarah Sanders
CNN's Jim Acosta took a verbal beating from White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee-Sanders during this afternoon's daily press briefing. It started when Acosta said that "journalists make honest mistakes That doesn't make them fake news." Ns. Huckabee-Sanders jumped in at that point, saying "When journalists make honest mistakes, they should own up to them." Later, Ms. Huckabee-Sanders said that sometimes, journalists own up to their mistakes but that they haven't done that recently.
One of the mistakes that they haven't owned up to is CNN's WikiLeaks story . In that instance, CNN Capitol Hill Correspondent Manu Raju reported that "Donald Trump Jr. had turned over to investigators with the House Intelligence Committee an email from a man named Mike Erickson which provided a link to a batch of DNC documents along with a decryption key." In that instance, Raju said that the email was dated Sept. 4, 2016. It turned out that the email was dated Sept. 14, 2016.
CNN's Raju said that, because it was dated Sept. 4, 2016, that proved that the Trump campaign had gotten the email well in advance of WikiLeaks' public release of those emails on Sept. 13, 2016. Brian Stelter, the host of CNN's Reliable Sources program, stated that Raju wouldn't be suspended because he'd followed CNN's proper vetting procedure:
[Video no longer available]
Stelter said that despite the fact that the "Washington Post first reported that the email from Erickson was dated Sept. 14, 2016 and not Sept. 4, 2016. The Daily Caller obtained and published a copy of the email soon after." CNN breathlessly pushed this as a monumental break in the Trump-Russia collusion story. It died a slow, painful death.
That brings us to today. Frankly, I thought Sarah let Acosta off easy in this exchange:
[Video no longer available]
By the time the briefing was finished, Acosta looked like a whipped puppy. That's because Acosta tried portraying CNN as an honest news organization. That's a fight he'll lose every time.
Posted Monday, December 11, 2017 4:02 PM
No comments.
Refugee resettlement refiguring
This article provides proof that President Trump would implement an America-first refugee policy. According to the article, Michelle Eberhard, who leads refugee services at Arrive Ministries, is quoted as saying "In my office, I am prepared for a big cut. I would be really surprised if we get even close to that 45,000 number nationally."
Later in the article, it says "Lutheran Social Service projects placing 200 people in the Twin Cities and 225 in St. Cloud. With 24 arrivals so far and roughly a dozen more expected in coming months, hitting that target is in question, but the agency says it remains optimistic . Advocates and resettlement officials decry the changes, which they say mean vulnerable people as well as family members already settled here will face longer waits and uncertainty."
It's important to ask the question of why Lutheran Social Services, aka LSS, is optimistic of settling more refugees. The simple truth is that LSS gets paid lots of money to settle people in the United States. That money is required to help them pay the exorbitant salaries of their executives.
Also, "About 1,620 refugees came to Minnesota during the federal fiscal year, which ended Sept. 30, down more than 40 percent from the previous year. Comparing calendar year numbers is even starker: By the end of 2017, fewer than 950 refugees will have arrived in Minnesota, compared with more than 3,000 in 2016."
Chain migration must end. It doesn't make sense to not base migration on what's best for the United States, not the refugees. This information is troubling:
The new guidelines also suspended the so-called "follow-to-join" program, which allows refugees resettled within the past two years to sponsor spouses and unmarried children. Officials here do not know exactly what share of refugees arrive in Minnesota through the program, which the administration said raised concerns because relatives undergo less extensive vetting . But family reunification dominates resettlement in the state.
Why should DHS accept as fact who is and isn't family?
[Video no longer available]
It's justifiable to question a program that doesn't want to answer the public's questions.
Posted Tuesday, December 12, 2017 1:41 AM
Comment 1 by Hudson at 12-Dec-17 08:38 AM
Hello from Hudson, WI. I am seeing your blog for the first time. I am very impressed with your wonderful site. We are under siege in Hudson much like your state. I find much more activist information in MN than I do in Wisconsin. Do you happen to have any activist names........blogs.......websites, etc. in WI? We are right across the river from MN and a lot of the same problems you have, we are having. Our group Citizens 4 St. Croix Valley fought the dumping of refugees in our town........"26 Syrian refugee families." The LSS decided that there was too much opposition and not public transportation and not enough low income housing. Now, of course, there is a group of liberals lambasting the city and county councils to bring in more "diversity", public transportation and low income housing. The lambasting is coming from a large group of lgbtqia people. Including the lgbtqia club from Hudson high school. Oy! We use Ann Corcoran's blog a lot in our fb page and website. I am thankful to find your information and I thank you for sharing your wonderful resources. We wish you well. We follow your journey closely as we relate very well to your battles. Please do not post my name.......I have already had my car keyed and cannot afford another expense. Thank you.........and God Bless America.
Comment 2 by John Palmer at 12-Dec-17 11:43 AM
At last weeks Lutheran Social Services quarterly meeting it was announced that they expect no more than 5 primary resettlements will happen in central Minnesota during the first three months of the federal fiscal year (Oct.-DEc.).
Questioning Adam Schiff
James Freeman's article does something that MSNBC and CNN haven't done. Specifically, Mr. Freeman questioned the integrity of Mr. Schiff's alleged information. I use the word alleged advisedly. Frequently, Mr. Schiff has hinted that he's seen information that proves that there's been collusion between President Trump's team and Russia. Never has he provided that proof.
Appearing on Meet the Press Daily, Schiff "was asked by Chuck Todd" "whether or not he only has a circumstantial case." Schiff replied "Actually no, Chuck. I can tell you that the case is more than that and I can't go into the particulars, but there is more than circumstantial evidence now."
Freeman later notes that "nearly nine months later, he's still going on talk shows and making accusations. He's still declining to back them up. And he's still finding friendly news organizations to broadcast his claims, even though by this time a fact-free Schiff accusation of collusion with Russians can hardly be considered news." When Jake Tapper asked for evidence, Schiff dodged until Tapper asked him point blank:
TAPPER: Do you know of any instance where the Russians said, we're going to do it this way, we're going to do it through WikiLeaks, we're going to do it through DCLeaks, this is how we're going to get this information out there?
SCHIFF: I can't comment. That's an issue that we have been investigating. And I don't want to comment at this point or not what the state of that evidence is.
That's tough. Schiff's credibility is sinking fast. We should nickname him 'The Gossip Guy' because he's more full of gossip than actual verifiable information. Honestly, I don't trust Schiff. It's put-up-or-shut-up time as far as I'm concerned. This article explains why I don't trust him.
Posted Tuesday, December 12, 2017 7:57 AM
Comment 1 by eric z at 13-Dec-17 09:02 AM
Who is Adam Schiff? Why should we care about him?
Response 1.1 by Gary Gross at 13-Dec-17 01:24 PM
He's the Ranking Member on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. He's a very big deal in terms of national security.
The death of moderate Democrats
The notion of moderation and reasonableness within the Democratic Party died this afternoon when 48 Democrats and independents voted against cloture to proceed to a final vote on Judge Don Willett. Less than a week ago, the American Bar Association, aka the ABA, gave Judge Willett a "Fully Qualified" rating, their highest rating.
That means so-called Democrat moderates Heidi Heitkamp, Joe Manchin, Joe Donnelly, Jon Tester, Mark Warner, Tim Kaine, Bill Nelson and Bob Casey voted to prevent a fully qualified judge from getting a seat on the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. Despite these Democrats' immoderation, Willett will be confirmed. When he is, he will be part of a record class of judicial confirmations in a president's first year. As good as that is, what's most impressive is the quality of these judges.
If 'moderate' Democrats vote the same way on every Trump-appointed judge as Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, where's proof that the term moderate is anything more than an election ploy? It's like the term Blue Dog Democrat. It sounds nice but they're only Blue Dogs until Nancy Pelosi needs them to vote like Keith Ellison.
Republicans should hammer these Democrats for voting against this fully qualified judge:
They voted in lockstep against this highly qualified justice, too:
Originally posted Tuesday, December 12, 2017, revised 13-Dec 3:51 AM
Comment 1 by eric z at 13-Dec-17 09:00 AM
A premature obit. Also, name seven moderate Republicans, or is it a graveyard shift your party's engineered?
And -
Brietbart and Trump knew all along
http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/12/13/donald-trump-deck-was-stacked-against-roy-moore/
Response 1.1 by Gary Gross at 13-Dec-17 01:29 PM
Here's a partial list of moderate Republicans: Pat Toomey, Susan Collins, John McCain, Lindsey Graham, John Hoeven, Deb Fisher, Cory Gardner, Rob Portman, Shelly Moore-Capito, Richard Shelby, John Bozeman, Thad Cochran, Roger Wicker and Roy Blunt. As I said, that's a partial list.
