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I appeared on Silvio Canto Jr's talk show from Dallas.  It's here.

NOVEMBER 22-24-25,  2022

WE PUBLISH EVERY DAY, BUT YOU'LL NOTICE THAT IT'S LIGHTER OVER THE THANKSGIVING WEEKEND:  Congress is out of town, but plotting hard.  The "lame duck" session starts soon, and the Biden administration will try to get as much major, radical legislation through before losing control of the House in January. 

At the same time, we're still not thoroughly sure who'll be the next speaker of the House.   The GOP establishment wants Kevin McCarthy, and I'm assuming he'll eventually get the job.  But there are determined conservatives on the GOP side who don't care for him, and may demand much in return for their support.  There are even suggestions that the Republicans pick someone from outside the House.  You don't have to be a member to be speaker.  That's weird, but it's true.

Even Donald Trump has been mentioned as a possible speaker, but he'd hardly be a compromise candidate, and I doubt he'd take it.  But Lee Zeldin of New York might.  There's buzz.  If, for the first time, someone were to be chosen from outside the House, that person would immediately become a viable presidential candidate.

Even though it's holiday time, the legal system drags on.  But a new case casts light on what may well be one of the hottest political and legal issues of the coming years – charges that universities discriminate against whites and Asians.  Things are coming to a boil.  Asian Americans are the fastest growing minority, and there is no doubt they're treating badly in too many places that should know better.  From College Fix: 

Twelve Oklahoma universities have been hit with a federal civil rights complaint for their participation in a STEM program that excludes white, Asian and Middle Eastern students.
Do No Harm, a nonprofit group fighting wokeness in healthcare, filed the complaints due to the universities’ participation in the Oklahoma Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation Program. The complaints have been filed with the Department of Education, but it does not mean an investigation will necessarily take place.

Senior Fellow Mark Perry, a frequent filer of Title IX sex and Title VI race complaints, filed them. Perry shared a copy of the complaint with The Fix. He said the 12 complaints are in the “evaluation stage” and have been acknowledged by the DOE.

Students “[m]ust identify as an underrepresented minority from the following groups African American, Hispanic, Native American, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander,” according to one brochure.

The goal of this program is “increasing the number of students from under-represented populations who receive degrees in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics…disciplines.”

The complaint accused these colleges of discrimination on the basis of race via adoption of the STEM program. The program is funded with money from the National Science Foundation, which lists all 12 universities on its grant award.

The leader of Do No Harm, former University of Pennsylvania medical school chair Dr. Stanley Goldfarb, told The College Fix via email recently that this program was illegal due to its exclusion of Middle Eastern and white students.

He wrote:

Oklahoma universities created a specific program called the OK-LSAMP program to ‘increase recruitment, enrollment, and retention of minority students in STEM programs’. They specifically exclude white students, students from middle eastern countries, and Asian students. This program is proudly announced on University websites but it is illegal to engage in such discrimination based on race.

“It just shows how a focus on diversity as an overriding value leads to discriminatory activities,” Goldfarb said, when asked why these two groups were excluded. “It may be based on good intentions but the long-term result of such activities is to produce resentment, divisiveness and diminishes the achievements of minority students who can thrive without such discrimination.”

The Do No Harm chair also told The Fix this kind of discrimination has been well-documented in many other fields apart from STEM.

COMMENT:  Watch for more suits like this.  There's one before the Supreme Court right now, brought by Asian students against Harvard.   And it won't stop at the college level.  There's a national parents' revolt going on against school districts throughout the country.  Expect some disputes to go right into the courtroom.  Millions of Americans are weary of selective discrimination. 

November 25, 2022       Permalink

FRIDAY MORNING:  Thanksgiving is over.  I've noticed that the anti-Thanksgiving forces appeared more muted than in previous years.   I have no way to interpret this, but some credible commentators say that wokism is starting to weaken in American life.  We've seen a parents' revolt that literally flipped Virginia from purple to red, and we saw dramatic conservative victories in recent school board elections across the country. 

And don't forget the midterms.  Although Republicans are disappointed in the outcome, they did take the House of Representatives, which means they'll run the committees that can either approve or block legislation.  In addition, while there was no national "red wave," some local waves appeared awfully red to me.  In New York, under the leadership of the Republican gubernatorial campaign of Lee Zeldin, four Democratic House seats were flipped Republican.

And five million more people nationally voted Republican than Democratic.  That is a dramatic figure, ignored for some reason by our heroic press. 

The election result was, when looked at carefully, more impressive for our side than we'd originally thought.  Shouting "I'm woke" doesn't seem quite as much fun as before. 

But, while being thankful for much, we also must recognize the vast challenges that lie ahead.  Yesterday was Thanksgiving in America, but nowhere else.  (I think we Americans sometimes have trouble realizing that.)  We face some of the deadliest challenges we've faced since the end of the Cold War, under Ronald Reagan, and we are not prepared for them, mentally or politically.

The war in Ukraine has grown bitter again, and the Russian forces that have failed thus far to capture Ukraine are now finding their mark in successful blows against the Ukrainian power grid.  What will we do?  Will we let Ukraine die?  Make some kind of deal with Russia that will give Russia a good return on its Ukrainian investment?

Iran is seeing the greatest people's revolt since 2009, but the United States, under the influence of the Obama crowd in Washington, seems uninterested in supporting it.  At the same time, our appeasement policies are allowing Iran to forge ahead with the development of long-range missiles and nuclear warheads that can reach the United States.  Iran is also supplying Russia with missiles to use in Ukraine.   

And China's influence grows because there's no one to stop it.  If our policies continue, more and more nations will see the United States in decline, and China in the ascendant.  Its navy is already larger than ours. Our aircraft carriers in the Pacific are vulnerable.

We will soon welcome 2023.  We will be wise to recall the old Chinese curse:  "May you live in interesting times."  Our times are very interesting. 

A POSITIVE NOTE FOR THANKSGIVING EVE – THE MOVEMENT OF AMERICA'S HISPANIC POPULATION TO THE RIGHT, A MOVEMENT THAT WILL PLAY A LARGE ROLE IN THE SAVING OF OUR COUNTRY.  FROM FOX:

We’ve just finished one of the most contentious midterm elections in memory. As president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, I can tell you this: while all politics is local, all elections are about our tomorrows. They shape the type of future you want for yourself and your family. Any political party that respects those values and speaks to those aspirations will win. From crime to the cost of living, the future is on the ballot.  

This is especially true for Americans of Latin descent, whose votes now play a decisive role in our politics. Vision matters. Policies mean more than personality. And results speak louder than words. Last week’s results in Florida were strong, but they were not a surprise. Last year, I was blessed to be re-elected with nearly 80% of the vote as were many other Republicans by large margins. For Latinos in Florida, these results were not tied to any candidate or personality. They were a referendum on the future, a ratification of policy choices made since 2017. They were about results.  

The Latino shift over to Republicans is not a function of one messianic leader or political phenom: it started with good policy and has been sustained by real results. It’s built around three simple principles: keep people safe, keep taxes low and keep everyone moving forward. It is embodied by Miami’s success; and it can be replicated nationally if Republicans, and all elected officials, learn the lessons we learned about building an inclusive conservative majority in Miami.   

First, Latinos are Americans. And we are proud to be Americans. We are not tacos; we are not Latinx; and we are not a monolithic bloc. Latinos have been a part of the American story since Admiral Bernardo de Gálvez aided the American revolutionaries. Our Latin surnames adorn every war memorial since our founding. We are a growing community of Americans, whose history is intertwined with American life and culture yet reflects a diversity of experiences. The experiences of many Mexican Americans and Puerto Ricans vary significantly from the experiences of Colombian, Venezuelan, Nicaraguan or Cuban Americans. Each experience is rich, each is unique, but all of us are bound by a shared set of values and aspirations.  

Democrats have bought into the cultural Marxist belief that every person of Latin descent is part of a one-dimensional oppressed group who thinks, votes and acts in the same way. This is factually wrong and morally repugnant. We share the same hopes and concerns as other Americans, and we honor our heritage in the same way Irish Americans and Italian Americans honor their heritage. We walk in the same footsteps of past groups that overcame bigotry to secure a place in American life.   

Moreover, the recent, artificial creation and ideological imposition of "Latinx" — which has no historical reference, grammatical meaning or practical use by Latinos — was offensive and ignorant. Latinos are engaged, educated citizens, and we care about crime, the economy and safety just like any other American. We see the border crisis as a consequence of a larger failure of economic engagement, civic involvement and strong American leadership in the Americas.  

We know that the failed left-wing regimes of Latin America are largely responsible for that crisis; but we also know America needs to wake up and to lead with strength, wisdom and courage. Ronald Reagan was the last American president who understood that Latinos add to our ability to lead in the larger Americas region. We should align our supply chain with our neighbors in the Americas, not China. 

We should build an Americas economic zone that boosts American exports to our neighbors and American jobs at home while allowing our neighbors to trade with us, modernize their economies and expand their middle class. This shared prosperity deters these left-wing movements and secures our economy. We must also actively support pro-democracy movements within our American neighborhood before promoting it on the other side of the world. Latinos are Americans first, last and always because we know that America is at its best when it leads like America. 

COMMENT:  Please read the rest.  It is an optimistic, inspiring and informed piece by the mayor of Miami.  It has success written all over it.  This is how we grow and win, and show respect for people along the way.  Goodbye 2022, hello 2024.  

November 22-23, 2022       Permalink

AS THEY SAY, YOU CANNOT MAKE IT UP:  The president is in another world.  Or maybe he's just taking orders from Barack or Hillary.  From the New York Post: 

In a pathetic bid to “show results” from the latest global climate-change confab, the Biden administration followed Western Europe’s hysterical lead by signing on to a lunatic “climate reparations” scheme.

It’s beyond outrageous. It won’t even bring any progress in reducing global carbon emissions, the supposed goal of the COP-27 meetings. If it works as promised, it’s just another wealth transfer from wealthy nations to the (largely corrupt) governing class of poor countries.

The just-ended climate talks in Egypt brought few if any new commitments to reduce emissions; too much of the developed world is racing to find new sources of gas, oil and even coal in the energy crisis triggered by Russia’s war on Ukraine.

So, instead, the “we need some progress” crew opted for vows from wealthier countries, supposedly the biggest climate-change offenders, to fork over funds to poorer ones claiming to have suffered “losses and damage” from climate-triggered natural disasters. (The United States had resisted the deal but caved after the European Union signed on.)

World leaders hope to finalize the fine print (i.e., who pays what to whom, and how) over the next year, but America will surely be squeezed for the biggest sums of all. Meanwhile, China — which spews more CO2 than United States and Europe put together — is exempt because UN climate-change rules consider it a “developing” nation.

No matter that Western nations already ship billions to poorer ones, in the form of general economic aid and to promote climate measures. Nor are most of the Third World “climate-caused disasters” clearly that: It’s just that global media, fully on board with the hysteria, refuse to check the favored narrative.

Nor will average citizens of countries that get funds likely ever see a cent of the new aid themselves: The narrative demands ignoring how their kleptocratic leaders behave. These countries count as “victims,” so no questions can be asked.

COMMENT:  Utterly pathetic, but typical of the kind of scheme that Democratic Party operatives admire.  They will all feel so good about themselves.  They'll tell their college alumni magazines about all their fine climate work.  They'll get to sit with the adults at Washington banquets.  Who could ask for anything more?

If you're getting the sense that the United States is run by adolescents, you may well be right.   Unfortunately, they have large expense accounts.

November 22-23, 2022       Permalink

WE RECALL the assassination of President Kennedy on this day in 1963.  It is ironic that Jack Kennedy couldn't get into his own party today.   Even if he could, he'd never be favored – too patriotic, too supportive of a strong national defense, too well versed in English.  Kennedy, with his faults, was of the old school, where presidents were proud of their country and knew its virtues as well as its shortcomings. 

THE FORGOTTEN IRANIANS:  They fight in the streets for the very values we believe in, but they're being largely ignored.  The Iranian revolt continues, and the people in power in Washington make it plain that they just don't care.  Consider this, which should be a major story.  From Reuters:   

Iran‘s World Cup soccer team declined to sing their national anthem before their opening match against England on Monday after many fans back home accused the squad of siding with a violent state crackdown on persistent popular unrest.

Protests demanding the fall of the ruling Shi’ite Muslim theocracy have gripped Iran since the death two months ago of young woman Mahsa Amini after her arrest for flouting the strict Islamic dress code.

Dozens of Iranian public figures, athletes and artists have displayed solidarity with the protesters – but not the national soccer team, until Monday’s match when all team members remained silent when the national anthem was played.

Iranian state television did not show the players lined up for the anthem before the match got under way in Qatar, just across the Gulf from their homeland.

The Iranian squad could not avoid being overshadowed by the anti-government unrest that has rattled Iran‘s Shi’ite Muslim theocracy, while other World Cup teams were squarely focused on their tactics on the pitch.

Ahead of the match, no Iranian player had voiced support for the demonstrations by compatriots from all walks of life, one of the most sustained challenges to the cleric elite since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

“All of us are sad because our people are being killed in Iran but all of us are proud of our team because they did not sing the national anthem – because it’s not our national (anthem), it’s only for the regime,” said an Iranian fan attending the World Cup who asked not to be named.

In the past, the Iranian soccer team was a source of fired up national pride throughout the country. Now, with mass protests, many would prefer it withdrew from the World Cup.

Before travelling to Doha the team met with hardline Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi. Photos of the players with Raisi, one of them bowing in front of him, went viral while the street unrest raged on, drawing an outcry on social media.

“I have mixed feelings. I love football but with all these children, women and men killed in Iran, I think the national team should not play,” university student Elmira, 24, said, speaking by telephone from Tehran before the match.

“It is not Iran‘s team, it is the Islamic Republic’s team.”

“They could refuse to take part in the World Cup or even refuse to play if they were forced to go, to show that they are part of the nation, to show solidarity with mothers in Iran whose children were killed by the regime (during protests).”

The activist HRANA news agency said 410 protesters had been killed in the unrest as of Saturday, including 58 minors.

COMMENT:  The Iranian revolt is largely led by women. but our so-called "women's" groups remain silent.  Will someone please report that story and ask some questions?

November 22, 2022       Permalink

NOVEMBER 20-21,  2022

RON SOARS:  Governor DeSantis is making a clear impact on Republican voters.  Trump beware.  From The Hill: 

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) is closing the once-yawning polling gap with former President Trump as he inches closer to a 2024 White House bid.

A new Harvard CAPS-Harris Poll survey shared exclusively with The Hill on Monday put DeSantis’s growing strength into stark relief: Since last month, the Florida governor’s standing in a hypothetical 2024 Republican primary improved by 11 points, bringing him up to 28 percent.

Trump’s support, meanwhile, plummeted 9 points to 46 percent. While he still holds a double-digit lead over DeSantis, the poll marks a drastic shift in the former president’s political strength as he embarks on his third campaign for the White House in six years.

“Month after month DeSantis has been rising and now he is cutting significantly into Trump,” Mark Penn, the co-director of the Harvard CAPS-Harris Poll, said. “If they both run, this will be quite a race and Trump could well lose.”

Trump announced last week that he would once again seek the Republican presidential nod in 2024, making good on something he has been hinting at since he left the White House nearly two years ago.

While he had hoped to launch his campaign from a position of strength, the announcement came at a time when a growing number of Republicans are questioning his influence in the party and whether he’s the right candidate to carry the GOP into the next election.

That’s due, in part, to the outcome of the 2022 midterm elections. The so-called red wave that Republicans had long predicted ultimately failed to materialize. While the GOP clinched a narrow majority in the House, the party failed to recapture control of the Senate, and several high-profile candidates endorsed by Trump lost their races.

Since October, Trump’s overall favorability has fallen 5 percentage points. The latest Harvard CAPS-Harris Poll survey found that 44 percent of voters have a favorable opinion of the former president, while nearly half — 49 percent — view him unfavorably.

COMMENT:  All the polls and stories I've seen point in the same direction – that the former president is losing standing in the Republican Party.  Republicans appear to be looking to the future, not to the past, and Ron DeSantis is a governor who's a proved executive and ferocious vote getter.
The Republican bench is deep, the Democratic bench doesn't exist.

November 20-21, 2022       Permalink

WE MUST STOP THIS:  The purpose of our military is to prevent wars through deterrence, and, if wars break out, to win them.  But that isn't necessarily what our service personnel are being taught.  The truth is shocking, and dangerous to this country.  From Fox: 

The Biden administration has launched extensive diversity and equity initiatives in the military that have popularized elements of critical race theory and gender identity and significantly weakened the U.S. Armed Forces, according to a report obtained exclusively by Fox News Digital.

"Our military’s singular purpose is to ‘provide for the common defense’ of our nation," the report said. "It cannot be turned into a left-wing social experiment. It cannot be used as a cudgel against America itself. And it cannot be paralyzed by fear of offending the sensibilities of Ivy League faculty lounges or progressive pundits.

"The world is a dangerous place, and the Biden administration’s insanity is eroding our greatest source of security in it."

The report from Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, details how the military has allocated resources to root out extremism within its ranks as it promotes predominantly left-wing ideas on race and gender. This includes documentation on how military employees promoted critical race theory and espouse anti-White views.

For example, less than a month after his appointment by President Biden, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin directed commanding officers and supervisors at all levels to schedule a day to discuss extremism. But a report from the Biden administration, "Countering Extremist Activity Working Group," later identified fewer than 100 cases of extremism from the 2.1 million active forces, a rate of .005%.

The report finds that instructors at military academies use "antiracist" approaches to education that direct soldiers to center their understanding of American society on an acknowledgment of its racist past and present, the report said. The Department of Defense, however, has emphasized it does not teach critical race theory and is focused on challenging its military students intellectually and rooting out extremism.

Rubio said these race-based initiatives are a distraction and danger to American security.
"Rather than making the case for American greatness and protecting our nation, the military is parroting woke nonsense," Rubio told Fox News Digital. "It’s dumb, it doesn’t work and it’s dangerous. We need to spend more time thinking about how to counter Chinese aircraft carriers and less time thinking about pronouns."

COMMENT:  This is hard-left infiltration of the American military.  Our whole future as a nation may well rest on removing this stain from our fighting forces.  I hope the new GOP House majority will do its part, and quickly.

November 20, 2022       Permalink