July 18-20, 2020

Jul 18 06:48 Minneapolis is getting highlighted nationally for all the wrong reasons
Jul 18 13:35 The presidential campaign begins
Jul 18 16:53 MSM, Antifa's, BLM's useful idiots?
Jul 18 20:22 Typical Democrat respect for the police: Nancy Pelosi assisting Antifa

Jul 19 05:04 The Democrats' assault on patriotism
Jul 19 08:03 Newt Gingrich, part history teacher, part patriot, part constitutionalist

Jul 20 06:52 Dan Wolgamott's dishonest spin
Jul 20 12:36 Highlighting the Dems' symbolism, Mark Cuban vs. Herschel Walker

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Prior Years: 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

Minneapolis is getting highlighted nationally for all the wrong reasons

This post , along with tweets from President Trump's campaign, are highlighting Minneapolis for all the wrong reasons. Frankly, I don't care if crime keeps skyrocketing out of control in Minneapolis. They elected a mayor and a city council of idiot activists. It isn't surprising that things are spiraling hopelessly out-of-control.

This isn't just predictable. It was predicted. Before the previous mayoral election, Minneapolis mayoral candidate Ray Dehn called for officers to be disarmed . Dehn didn't win but while he was running, he said "We must divest resources, disarm officers, and dismantle the inherent violence of our criminal justice system."

What's heartbreaking is the testimony given by Officer Rich Walker to the Minnesota State Senate. Here's one clip of Officer Walker's testimony:


Here's more of Officer Walker's heartbreaking testimony:


Powderhorn Park used to feature a neighborhood setting where families could hang out. Now it features open air drug sales, rampant prostitution, gun violence and sexual assaults. That's just in one park.

That's just part of what's heartbreaking. Another part of what's heartbreaking is that DFL politicians, from US senators Klobuchar and Smith, to DFL congresscritters like Omar, Phillips and Craig, to state legislators to Minneapolis City Council members to Minneapolis Park Board members, haven't listened to the people. They've listened to the special interests exclusively. They've mistaken nonprofits and activists for citizens.

People attending the hearing said that Officer Walker's testimony was "powerful." I don't doubt that. I just wish it didn't fall on deaf ears in Minneapolis.

Posted Saturday, July 18, 2020 6:48 AM

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The presidential campaign begins

Kim Strassel's Potomac Watch column nails it in terms of the presidential campaign. She wrote "The headlines of late proceed from the premise that Joe Biden is on a glide path to the White House. Stories highlight polls showing President Trump losing key swing states, even GOP strongholds. Texas is in play! Georgia is at risk! Journalists explain that Mr. Biden is banking money, while the Trump campaign's leadership team is in chaos. They feature congressional race trackers, who rate more Republicans as vulnerable. All that's left is for Jill Biden to pick the curtains."

Let's stop this stupidity this instant. Joe Biden is proposing to destroy the fossil fuel economy but fossil fuel-rich Texas is in play? That's a joke and then some. This article says it all: "Biden's liberal climate policies feared by unions in Pennsylvania."

If Biden's climate change policies worry union bosses in Pennsylvania, which Trump won by 44,000 votes, what's the likelihood that Trump's in danger of losing Texas, which he won by 807,000 votes? Does Trump have an enthusiasm problem in Texas? I wouldn't bet on it.

Mr. Biden is promising to delete the jobs of millions of Americans - at a time of soaring unemployment. A study by the National Ocean Industries Association finds that a ban on offshore drilling alone would cost 200,000 jobs, damaging regional economies. Mr. Biden would overrun the nation with solar panels, wind turbines and charging stations. Basic consumer choice would disappear for vehicles, dishwashers, even homes. The Justice Department would become a weapon against businessmen who run afoul of fast-changing progressive standards.

That will be a huge issue in battleground states this fall. It won't be the biggest issue, though. Riots and "Defund the Police" will be the biggest issue. COVID will be important, just not as important as Defund. People have worries about COVID but they've learned to live with the risk. They're frightened about the riots and Defund the Police. Outside elderly neighborhoods, COVID isn't that big of a worry.

Every neighborhood is threatened by Defund the Police. Either that or they know someone who's threatened by defunding police departments. Further, Joe Biden is on the wrong side of the Defund issue. Yes, Chris Wallace, Biden did say that he's for defunding the police:
[Video no longer available]
Hint: redirecting money away from police departments is defunding. It's just using a different word. The effect is still the same.

The Trump White House used the week to lay out a competing vision. At a UPS facility in Georgia Wednesday, the president announced a "top-to-bottom overhaul" of the federal environmental review process, which stands in the way of nearly every infrastructure project in the country. Transformation of that permitting regime would clear the way for new highways, ports, bridges, pipelines and tunnels. That would create millions of jobs, attract more business to America and make the country more competitive. "Biden wants to massively re-regulate the energy economy," Mr. Trump said, drawing the contrast. "We want to get things built."

In other words, President Trump wants to make life better faster. Biden wants to listen to AOC's and Bernie's socialist instructions. That's the fast-track to a lost decade.

We lost a decade of economic growth during the Obama administration. We'd experience worse economic growth during a Biden-Sanders-AOC administration. In fact, we'd likely experience a major recession during a Biden-AOC-Sanders administration.

Posted Saturday, July 18, 2020 1:35 PM

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MSM, Antifa's, BLM's useful idiots?

Nick Arama's article essentially reaches the same conclusion I reached in this article . We both think that 'peaceful protesters' are being used by Antifa and BLM rioters as human shields. Aramis writes "This may have been a protest at one point. But now these 'protests' are just covers for the riots. This was a full-on planned assault on the police, not protest that got out of hand . Planned attack. And planned attempt to rip down the statue."

Let's ask this important question. Why is it that each riot was preceded by a peaceful protest? Let's ask another question. Why does the MSM start each article talking about a peaceful protest? Why have we seen article after article about an evening starting off with peaceful protests that turn into riots just before midnight? I may have been born at night but it wasn't last night. I'm not that gullible.

These articles are as implausible as Susan Rice's Benghazi story that the Libya riots were started by a Youtube video. These 'peaceful protest' articles are as plausible as this testimony:
[Video no longer available]
I agree with Nick on this, too:

It's about time media start reporting the reality of it, that these are criminal attacks. They could have killed cops with what they did, who knows how many were injured because of this.

These aren't peaceful protesters that the police attacked. They were rioters throwing projectiles at the police. They were rioters who wanted to tear down a statue:


Words matter. I've been blogging for 16 years. I know the difference between rioters and protesters. It's easy to differentiate between the 2. Rioters are violent. Protesters aren't. Another way to differentiate between rioters and protesters is by listening to protesters talking into a megaphone, saying "This is a peaceful protest. This is not the way":


Posted Saturday, July 18, 2020 4:53 PM

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Typical Democrat respect for the police: Nancy Pelosi assisting Antifa

It's disgusting to see the Speaker of the US House of Representatives make disgusting statements about the officers of the Portland Police Department, aka PPD. She's a vile and disgusting woman who should be thrown out of the People's House. This week, Ms. Pelosi made an intentionally misleading statement in one of her tweets when she said "Unidentified stormtroopers. Unmarked cars. Kidnapping protesters and causing severe injuries in response to graffiti. These are not the actions of a democratic republic. @DHSgov's actions in Portland undermine its mission. Trump & his stormtroopers must be stopped."

The most powerful Democrat in the House then added more intentional deception, saying "First Amendment speech should never be met with one-sided violence from federal agents acting as Trump's secret police, especially when unidentified. This is disgraceful behavior we would expect from a banana republic - not the government of the United States."

The First Amendment doesn't protect unpeaceful protests. This Portland Police Department tells a different story than the fiction that Ms. Pelosi told:


Here's the text of the First Amendment :

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.

People throwing projectiles at police isn't the portrait of people peaceably assembling. Ms. Pelosi knows that but she doesn't care about details like that. Thank God for Ted Cruz's response to Ms. Pelosi's intentionally weaponized, deceptive statements:


Dan Crenshaw and Andy Ngo added this information:


This is what PPD reported about the arrests :

17 people charged with "interfering with a police officer
1 person charged with "Assaulting a Public Safety Officer"
31 year old Timothy Swales: Interfering with a Peace Officer, Reckless Endangering, Elude (Vehicle), Elude (Foot), Reckless Driving, Hit and Run

Ms. Pelosi omitted more than a few important details. That's typical of her. She has an occasional relationship with the truth. Robby Starbuck captures things perfectly with this tweet:


Posted Saturday, July 18, 2020 8:22 PM

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The Democrats' assault on patriotism

Anyone that thinks that today's Democrats are similar to Hubert Humphrey's Democrats or Daniel Patrick Moynihan's Democrats is kidding themselves. Today's Democrats aren't even like Paul Wellstone's Democrats. Democrats took a terrible trip when Harry Reid and Ms. Pelosi won leadership positions in the Senate and House respectively in 2006.

Since then, they've governed from a my-way-or-the-highway philosophy. In 2008, Al Franken joined the Senate. Discourse sunk even lower. During Sonia Sotomayor's confirmation hearing, Franken struck up a conversation with Sotomayor about Perry Mason. We were so enlightened by the exchange:
[Video no longer available]
The point is that Democrats aren't about making America better. They're about changing the US into something it isn't. When Biden says that he wants to transform the US, just like his boss said, that isn't what a patriot would say. That's what a hater would say. If you thought that the US was founded on great principles and that we've helped dozens of nations achieve liberty or helped them through natural disasters. you don't think that the US needs a transformation. It needs some changes. It doesn't need a transformation.

If you're a patriot, you think that the US is great, though it isn't perfect. Patriots think that the US is constantly changing, sometimes for the better, sometimes not. We're constantly a work in progress.

Far left Democrats think that slavery is the lasting mark against the US. It isn't. That's like thinking that a student who didn't understand math at first is forever destined for poor grades. That's like saying the student can't get tutoring that changes everything. One day, the final piece of the puzzle drops into place and the struggling student starts acing tests.

Today's Democrats apparently think that anyone white is a racist. They talk about white privilege and implicit bias. The only thing we can do is constantly ask for forgiveness for something that's beyond our control.

Today's Democrat leadership aren't patriots. They're liars. Check out this joint statement from Ms. Pelosi and Rep. Earl Blumenauer:
As our nation mourns the loss of our colleague and beloved civil rights leader John Lewis, we are again reminded of the immense power of peaceful protest in the fight against racial injustice and police brutality. Yet time and time again, the Trump Administration shows its lack of respect for the dignity and First Amendment rights of all Americans.

Last month, the Administration tear-gassed peaceful protestors in Washington, D.C. Now, videos show them kidnapping protestors in unmarked cars in Portland, all with the goal of inflaming tensions for their own gain. While Portland is the President's current target, any city could be next.

We live in a democracy, not a banana republic. We will not tolerate the use of Oregonians, Washingtonians, or any other Americans, as props in President Trump's political games. The House is committed to moving swiftly to curb these egregious abuses of power immediately.

What a pile of BS. Predictably, Ms. Pelosi intentionally left out a few important details. She intentionally omitted the fact that the rioting in Portland had gone on for 40 days prior to President Trump's action. Pelosi intentionally omitted the fact that this wasn't a peaceful protest, which are protected by the First Amendment. They were full-fledged pre-planned riots. Dozens of arrests were made, with virtually each arrestee getting charged with interfering with the police. Does that sound like it falls within the protections of the First Amendment, which permits people to peaceably assemble.
[Video no longer available]
Riots aren't protected by the First Amendment. Portland police declared a riot when Democrat protesters attacked a building housing the police officers' union. So much for Democrats supporting working families.

The next time that Ms. Pelosi wants to lecture us about the First Amendment, she should commit to telling the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Intentionally omitting important details of a story is lying. Lying for partisan gain isn't patriotism. It's the opposite of patriotism.

Posted Sunday, July 19, 2020 6:59 AM

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Newt Gingrich, part history teacher, part patriot, part constitutionalist

While testifying to the House Committee on Administration, Newt Gingrich showed that he's still part history teacher, part patriot and part constitutionalist. It isn't surprising to me that his list of accomplishments as Speaker is lengthy and impressive. Speaker Gingrich is still one of the most impressive intellects of our time.

During Speaker Gingrich's testimony , Speaker Gingrich started with a lesson on the Constitution, then transitioned to a civics teacher before finishing as a school principal admonishing disobedient students. Specifically, I want to focus on Speaker Gingrich's role of admonishing Congress.

Specifically, Speaker Gingrich called out Congress essentially for being elitists and wimps:

Our national anthem says we are 'the land of the free and the home of the brave.' Our Founding Fathers risked their lives, fortunes and sacred honor to defend freedom. The Civil War generation lost 630,000 Americans fighting for the Union and to end slavery. The Greatest Generation went across the planet risking its lives to defeat Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan. By the way, through all these events, Congress met in person.

Now, we are told that our members of the House are too precious to risk their lives by coming to Washington.

To these members I would say: If freedom isn't worth the risk, quit the Congress. Someone with more courage will replace you in a special election. The emotion driving the proposal for remote voting is an expression of a kind of cowardice I would never have expected to see in America.

Ms. Pelosi, like Democrat governors Whitmer, Walz, Pritzker and Inslee, likes being in total control. The thought that Democrats voted to vote from their districts isn't surprising, though it is wimpy. Across the way on Capitol Hill, the Senate is meeting regularly and getting lots of things done. They're confirming judges and holding Intelligence Committee and Judiciary Committee hearings. The Democrat House has gotten things done but only after getting dragged kicking and screaming to do their job.

We are asking children and teachers to go back to school, but House members can't come to Washington. We are asking truckers to crisscross the country bringing us food and supplies, but their representatives have to hide in fear and vote electronically to avoid risk.

We have young men and women risking their lives all across the planet to protect freedom, but their elected leaders can't risk being in a room with immediate access to doctors and remarkably little risk of anything bad happening.

I am embarrassed for this House that such a proposal could even get to a hearing.

Let's be clear about something. If average citizens can function safely in a Walmart, Congresscritters should be able to figure out a way to function on Capitol Hill. The routine is simple. Wash hands frequently, stay socially distanced, cough into your shirt rather than across a room and finally, don't touch your eyes, nose or mouth with your hands. If the House can't figure that out, then we need a different Speaker and a different (GOP) majority.

Here is Speaker Gingrich's opening statement:
[Video no longer available]

Posted Sunday, July 19, 2020 8:03 AM

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Dan Wolgamott's dishonest spin

Dan Wolgamott is my representative in the Minnesota House of Representatives. Unfortunately, Wolgamott has represented the DFL and Gov. Tim Walz the vast majority of the time. That's why Paul Brandmire is running to replace Wolgamott. When Wolgamott ran for the legislative seat, he told voters that his expertise at "bringing people together" would help him in the legislature. Wolgamott has failed at that.

With the second special session underway, it's time to check into what Wolgamott is working on. According to his e-letter update, "Now is the time to pass a robust jobs and local projects bill to not only create jobs in St. Cloud, but to also update facilities and resources that are a boon for the entire region. In our current House proposal, I fought for the inclusion of local projects like the Municipal Athletic Complex, the NorthStar extension to St. Cloud, the St. Cloud Correctional Facility, the Becker Business District, Foley Wastewater Treatment Facility, and Asset Preservation at St. Cloud State University and St. Cloud Technical Community College. Investments in local resources like these are exactly the type of action needed to help revitalize our economy. When we return to the State Capitol for special sessions, Minnesotans expect us to get the work done, and that's what I'm committed to doing."

That's rubbish. Bonding bills are mostly pork. Extending NorthStar to St. Cloud is a lobbyist's dream but a waste of the taxpayers' money. It's something that will require tons of money to subsidize its operation. It requires millions of dollars to build. Asset preservation at St. Cloud State is normally a good idea but it's a loser this year except if it's used to fix buildings that aren't structurally solid.

The bonding bill is being halted by Kurt Daudt. The bonding bill needs 60% of House members voting for it to pass. It needs 60% of the Senators voting for it to pass, too. Melissa Hortman just notified the House that they'd vote on the bonding bill this week:


There's a strong chance it won't pass. Further, it shouldn't pass, especially if the DFL wants to keep giving Gov. Walz virtually unlimited authority.

Posted Monday, July 20, 2020 6:52 AM

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Highlighting the Dems' symbolism, Mark Cuban vs. Herschel Walker

Last night's Fox News Special, featuring Harris Faulkner, highlighted a major distinction between the Democrats' symbolism vs. President Trump's positive actions . This difference was best highlighted during a heated discussion between Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and retired NFL star Herschel Walker.

During their discussion, things got feisty. "Walker, a known supporter of Trump, challenged the NFL and the NBA's decision to incorporate the phrase 'Black Lives Matters' on their fields and sports jerseys, arguing 'some people may not believe in BLM.'" I'm old enough to remember the USFL. Trump signed Herschel Walker after his junior season.

The Cuban-Walker dispute is about 28:00 into this video:
[Video no longer available]
Right before that is Harris Faulkner's interview with Sean Hannity. That's the best part of the show. But I digress. Back to Cuban-Walker. The NBA is painting Black Lives Matter on the arena floor. That sounds good but it's a divisive statement. Cuban tried justifying it this way:

Herschel, they're not mutually exclusive. Every life matters but when someone is in trouble you address them first. The Black community has had issues and I think, you know, systemic racism has been here for generations and it's not going away unless we do something about it.

That's a cop-out in my estimation. There's a bigger problem within the black community that's been there for a generation or more. Black-on-black crime is killing far more African-Americans each year than police shoot in a decade. It's worse than that though. It's worse than that when little children like Secoriea Turner, an 8-year-old in Atlanta, gets shot while sitting in the back seat of her mom's car. Why don't those lives matter to the activists?

Rather than supporting an organization titled Black Lives Matter, which is a symbolic gesture, why doesn't the NBA start an organization called All Black Lives Matter. Forget about the NFL contributing $250,000,000 over 10 years to address systemic racism. That's ok but it's mostly symbolic. Why haven't the NFL and NBA combined to start a scholarship fund so disadvantaged students can get into private schools?

That would be infinitely more productive than the symbolic gestures that they've involved in now. The NFL and NBA could use their offseasons to teach the importance of keeping families intact. That would have a huge impact, too.

It's time for the NBA and NFL to stop with the symbolic gestures. It's time they started with something substantive.

Posted Monday, July 20, 2020 12:36 PM

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