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America is in the midst of a critical election year, possibly the most critical in the nation's recent history.  Urgent Agenda will be there seven days a week, not only keeping you up to date, but selecting the articles and quotes that get to the heart of what you want to read, and must read. 

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MAY 10, 2022

SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – OVERNIGHT: 

NEW YORK CITY, OR THE WILD WEST?  FROM THE NEW YORK POST:   An NYPD cop was shot in the arm Tuesday night during an exchange of gunfire with a suspect who was freed ahead of a sentencing date connected to a past gun bust.  The shootout unfolded after Officer Dennis Vargas, who works for the Bronx Borough public safety team, and his partner spotted the suspect walking near 3rd Avenue and Claremont Parkway at around 10:45 p.m., according to Chief of Detectives James Essig.  After Vargas, 32, and his partner, who were in uniform, exited their unmarked car, the suspect, identified as Rameek Smith, 25, fled on foot, officials said.  The two cops gave chase and after a block-and-a-half pursuit, Smith turned around on Bathgate Avenue and allegedly fired two shots at the cops, striking Vargas. The officers returned fire, hitting Smith in the head, police and sources said.  Sources said Smith was initially stopped because it appeared he was carrying a weapon.  A 9mm Glock that was reported stolen out of Virginia last June was recovered from the shooting scene, Essig said at a Wednesday morning press conference.  A daily occurrence in very woke New York City.  Not long ago, under the Republican leadership of Rudy Giuliani, New York was the safest large city in the United States.  No more. 

May 10, 2022       Permalink

DRAMATIC INCREASE IN AID TO UKRAINE – OVERNIGHT: I personally favor the aid package, but we must be careful about how deeply we become involved in Ukraine.  What happens if Ukraine starts losing, and American troops are needed?  From Fox: 

The House of Representatives has passed a nearly $40 billion bill that will aid Ukraine in its war with Russia.

The bill, which includes military, economic and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, cleared the chamber 368 to 57. No Democrats opposed the bill.
House approves nearly $40 billion in aid for Ukraine. 

The vote was 368-57. 

All nay votes came from Republicans. 

The bill now goes to the Senate. But the Senate may not vote on the plan until next week.

On Monday, Biden urged the chamber to "immediately" consider his proposed bill as it could provide additional weapons and funds for humanitarian services in Ukraine.
"The plan was substantial in size, because the need is substantial: We must stand by Ukraine as it defends itself from Russian aggression," Biden said Monday. "The need is also urgent: I have nearly exhausted the resources given to me by a bipartisan majority in Congress to support Ukraine’s fighters."

The president said the aid "has been critical to Ukraine's success on the battlefield."

In a unique move, Biden said he did not wish the Ukraine aid to be tied up with any other packages, such as coronavirus relief, or any other agenda items that could prevent its passage.

"We cannot afford delay in this vital war effort," Biden added.

COMMENT:  Who hasn't been inspired by Ukraine's heroic defenders, and sickened by the Russian invasion, with its brutality and indiscriminate killing?  At the same time, we are now an open military ally of Ukraine.  If the Ukrainians lose, it will be a blow to our prestige that dwarfs Afghanistan.  And other allies will question the value of an alliance with the United States.  Putin knows that, and it's entirely possible that he will make the humiliation of this country his prime objective.  Will he use battlefield nuclear weapons?  Will he send the Red Army into other countries, to test us further?  These are no longer academic questions.  America is walking a fine line – to defeat the Russian invasion, yet not fall into a military trap. 

There is a familiar Chinese curse that says, "May you live in interesting times."  We are living in interesting times.

May 10, 2022     Permalink

MAY 9, 2022

FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT – OVERNIGHT:  Taking their cue from the GOP's "contract with America," which clearly helped their party win control of Congress in 1994, House Republicans today are developing their own contract on law and order.  Good move.  From RealClearPolitics: 

Crime is on the rise around the country, the midterm elections are fast approaching, and the largest bloc of House conservatives is preparing a comprehensive package of law-and-order legislation.

The Republican Study Committee, led by Indiana Rep. Jim Banks, has catalogued every GOP argument about crime in the last two years and distilled it into a single memo to lay at the feet of President Biden. The murder rate is up. So are violence against law enforcement, drug seizures, aggravated assault, grand theft auto, and domestic violence.

All of it, as the RSC sees it, is the result of “the left’s crime wave.” The solution then, according to a memo obtained exclusively by RealClearPolitics, is to make federal funding conditional on states’ adoption of “certain pro-law enforcement measures,” or what Banks calls the “Concerned Citizens Bill of Rights.”

The document comes just six months before the midterms, and crime was always going to play a significant role in those contests. Voters fed up with lawlessness made Eric Adams mayor of New York City, and crime continues to upstage more progressive priorities in traditionally liberal contests, like the Los Angeles mayoral race. Even outside of major metropolises, Americans believe crime is getting worse. According to Gallup, a majority (53%) say they personally worry a “great deal” about crime. It now ranks third in their top concerns, behind only inflation and the economy.

Banks and House Republicans argue that the uptick stems from a spate of progressive prosecutors who’ve been bankrolled by liberal money and the Defund the Police movement, which they call “one of the greatest dangers to public safety in our nation’s history.”

Despite Biden’s condemnation of the “defund” rhetoric from his left flank, they still say the president and his party own the carnage that comes from adhering to that philosophy.

“From the White House to liberal state and local governments, there has been a systemic failure to contain crime in America. It stems from the dangerous belief that enforcing the law is somehow morally wrong or even racist. It has paralyzed law enforcement agencies at all levels and created prosecutors who would rather let a dangerous criminal walk out of jail than enforce the law,” the memo reads.

None of this is new. Republicans are always eager to lean into their traditional branding as the party of law and order. For instance, the memo states that “once, again, Democrats have broken a part of our civil society.” But unlike Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, the RSC led by Banks has rejected the idea of just playing the opposition until November. “Crime is at an unacceptable level and Americans are desperate for solutions,” the memo states. “They need to know that Conservatives have a plan to make them safe.”

COMMENT:  Absolutely the right way to go.  Tell the American people precisely what you're going to do.  Spell it out.  It's hard for the Democrats to do the same because any common-sense solutions will be rejected by the radical moonbat wing of their party.  You can't mention prosecution and be a moonbat Dem at the same time.

May 9, 2022     Permalink