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OCTOBER 23,  2022

BRITAIN HAS A NEW P.M., LOVES AMERICA, HAS A HOUSE IN SANTA MONICA – FROM THE WASHINGTON POST: 

It is a nice coincidence that Rishi Sunak has won the leadership of the Conservative Party, and hence the prime ministership, on the most important day of Diwali, the “festival of light” celebrated by Hindus, along with Sikhs, Jains and some Buddhists. Diwali supposedly marks the triumph of “light over darkness, good over evil, knowledge over ignorance.” It is also associated with wealth and prosperity. In February 2020, Sunak took his oath of office as chancellor of the exchequer holding a copy of the Bhagavad Gita and celebrated Diwali by putting lights outside his official residence at Number 11 Downing Street. He will now be the first Hindu to become UK prime minister. His time in office will hinge on his ability to deliver a reasonable measure of prosperity to a country that is in dire economic straits.

Sunak has a fighting chance of restoring order to the Conservative Party and the UK government. Certainly better than Penny Mordaunt, who dropped out of the race at the very last moment. While popular, she is relatively inexperienced, having only served for a few months in the cabinet as defense secretary. We don’t have to recite the resume of Boris Johnson, a one-man wrecking ball. Perfectly turned out in a suit and narrow tie, Sunak cuts a commanding presence compared to Johnson. Fitting the two men into Max Weber’s equation, Sunak is “ethic of responsibility” made flesh while Johnson is his “ethic of irresponsibility.”

In many ways, Sunak is a completely conventional British prime minister. He was educated at Winchester College (where he was head boy or “Sen. Co. Prae” in the idiosyncratic language of that institution) followed by Lincoln College, Oxford where he read PPE (that is, received a degree in philosophy, politics and economics, the staple subject or aspiring politicians and civil servants). He is inordinately fond of football. If the naughtiest thing that Theresa May did while growing up was to run through a field of wheat, the naughtiest thing that Sunak did as a schoolboy was to smuggle a handheld television into the school so that he did not miss any key Euro 96 matches. On his 18th birthday, he received a card signed by the entire squad of his favorite team, Southampton, a gift that became one of his most prized possessions.

COMMENT:  Read the whole thing.  Fascinating.  He will have to wait a while for us to have a Republican president, but the two will get on famously.

October 23, 2022       Permalink

THE RUSSKIES ARE BACK – FROM FOX: 

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin spoke with his Russian counterpart for the second time in three days on Sunday as Moscow claims that Ukraine is planning to use a "dirty" bomb.

"Secretary Austin rejected any pretext for Russian escalation and reaffirmed the value of continued communication amid Russia’s unlawful and unjustified war against Ukraine," a Pentagon readout of Sunday's call said.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu also spoke to defense officials from Britain, France and Turkey over the weekend to voice concerns about "possible Ukrainian provocations involving a ‘dirty bomb,’" which is an explosive that is designed to spread radioactive material over a large area.

The U.S., France, and the United Kingdom issued a joint statement on Sunday evening saying that they "remain committed to continue supporting Ukraine’s efforts to defend its territory for as long as it takes."

"Our countries made clear that we all reject Russia’s transparently false allegations that Ukraine is preparing to use a dirty bomb on its own territory," the countries said in a joint statement. "The world would see through any attempt to use this allegation as a pretext for escalation. We further reject any pretext for escalation by Russia."

U.K. Defense Minister Ben Wallace "refuted" claims that Ukraine was planning actions to escalate the war with the help of Western countries, British officials said.

A readout from the French Ministry of Defense said that the situation in Ukraine "is rapidly deteriorating" and "trending towards further uncontrolled escalation."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the "world should react in the toughest possible way" to any escalations by the Russian side. 

"When today the Russian minister of defense organizes a phone carousel and calls foreign ministers with stories about the so-called 'dirty' nuclear bomb, everyone understands everything well," Zelenskyy said in a video address.

"If Russia calls and says that Ukraine is allegedly preparing something, it means one thing: Russia has already prepared all this."

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba called the "dirty bomb" claims "as absurd as they are dangerous," writing that "Russians often accuse others of what they plan themselves."

COMMENT:  We have an election in two weeks, and we're focused on it.  But we must not avert our eyes from the war in Ukraine, the largest European land war since World War II.  We can get sucked into a situation for which we're not prepared and which might not ha

ve the full backing of the American people.

October 23, 2022       Permalink

OCTOBER 21-22,  2022

A VICTORY FOR COMMON SENSE:  WHETHER WE ARE RELIGIOUS OR NOT, WE MUST RECOGNIZE THAT FREEDOM OF RELIGION IS OUR FIRST FREEDOM, FROM FOX: 

A California court ruled in favor of a Christian baker Friday following a years-long legal battle after she refused to bake a custom cake for a lesbian wedding in 2017, citing her religious beliefs.

"We applaud the court for this decision," Thomas More Society Special Counsel Charles LiMandri said in a statement. "The freedom to practice one’s religion is enshrined in the First Amendment, and the United States Supreme Court has long upheld the freedom of artistic expression."

Cathy Miller, a cake designer who owns the popular Tastries bakery in Bakersfield, California, won what her lawyers at the Thomas More Society called "a First Amendment victory" when Judge Eric Bradshaw of the Superior Court of California in Kern County ruled against California's Department of Fair Housing and Employment, which had brought the lawsuit against her.

Miller was subject to multiple lawsuits after she referred a lesbian couple to another baker when they requested a cake for their wedding. Because of her Christian belief that marriage is between one man and one woman, Miller declined to design a custom cake for their ceremony, believing it would be tantamount to a tacit affirmation.

In an interview with KERO in 2017, Miller said, "Here at Tastries, we love everyone. My husband and I are Christians, and we know that God created everyone, and He created everyone equal, so it's not that we don't like people of certain groups, there is just certain things that violate my conscience."

California's Department of Fair Housing and Employment subsequently filed legal action against Miller's business under the Unruh Civil Rights Act, an expansive 1959 state law aimed at protecting consumers from discrimination by businesses on the basis of race, ethnicity or religion.

Paul Jonna, Thomas More Society special counsel who also served as one of Miller's lawyers, noted in a statement that there was "a certain irony" in his client's case, given "that a law intended to protect individuals from religious discrimination was used to discriminate against Cathy for her religious beliefs."

Noting that Miller's beliefs regarding marriage are mainstream Christian teachings, Jonna alleged that attorneys for the state harassed his client.

COMMENT:  These are sad cases.  No one comes out happy.  But the Court decided correctly.  We have, as a nation, always tried to accommodate religious beliefs, and must continue to do so, as long as no one is actually hurt or placed in danger.  A victory for our Bill of Rights.

October 21-22, 2022       Permalink

HE PROBABLY STILL HAS THE GARAGE KEY:  BORIS JOHNSON, THAT IS.  FROM CNN: 

Boris Johnson flew back into London on Saturday morning, perhaps hoping his arrival at Gatwick Airport would mark the beginning of a triumphant return to 10 Downing Street.

Johnson, who was ousted as prime minister in July over a series of scandals, arrived in the UK from his Caribbean holiday intending to join the race to replace Liz Truss as premier, Britain’s PA Media news agency reported allies as saying.

Johnson told UK trade minister James Duddridge that he was “up for it,” PA reported. He indicated he will run in the leadership contest despite the fact that he is still under parliamentary investigation over allegations he lied to lawmakers.

Truss resigned on Thursday, just six weeks into her disastrous term that pitched Britain deep into political and economic turmoil. Her successor will be the fifth PM to lead the country since it voted for Brexit in 2016.

Former Home Secretary Priti Patel on Saturday became one of the most high-profile supporters of Johnson in his quest to become PM. “Boris has the mandate to deliver our elected manifesto and a proven track record getting the big decisions right,” she said in a tweet.

Truss resigned on Thursday, just six weeks into her disastrous term that pitched Britain deep into political and economic turmoil. Her successor will be the fifth PM to lead the country since it voted for Brexit in 2016.

Former Home Secretary Priti Patel on Saturday became on of the highest-profile supporters of Johnson in his quest to become PM. “Boris has the mandate to deliver our elected manifesto and a proven track record getting the big decisions right,” she said in a tweet.

But his possible return to the top job has split opinions within the Conservative Party, with many lawmakers horrified at the prospect of a second Johnson premiership.

Even his former deputy prime minister and foreign secretary, Dominic Raab, told the BBC, “We cannot go backwards,” and pointed out that Johnson faces a probe into the so-called partygate scandal involving illegal gatherings in Downing Street.

The former PM is expected to appear in the next few weeks before the Commons Privileges Committee, which is investigating whether he misled Parliament over the parties, which could potentially see him suspended or expelled as an MP.

COMMENT:  Reminds me of the adventures of a Mr. Trump.  Johnson would at least keep Britain pro-American.  But his Conservative party needs considerable repair before facing the voters again.  It is imperative that the Labour Party, never in love with America, is kept from power.

October 21-22, 2022       Permalink

THIS IS GOOD:  SOMETIMES, PEOPLE ACT DECENTLY.  FROM BREITBART: 

Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, one of the Court’s most strident liberals, praised her conservative colleague, Justice Clarence Thomas, in a lecture at Roosevelt University in Chicago on Thursday evening, noting his unique compassion for others.

Sotomayor was quoted by CNN national political writer Eric Bradner as saying:

"I have disagreed with [Thomas] more than with any other justice. Which means we don’t come together on many cases. And yet I can tell you that I spend time with him, understanding that he is one of the few justices who knows practically everybody in our building. He knows their name, he knows the things about their life, what their family is suffering. He’ll tell me, you know that person’s wife is sick right now, or that person’s child is having difficulty.

"There’s no other justice who does that. I try, but he does it better. He cares about people. Now, he cares on legal interests differently. And he sees those legal issues much differently than I do. I tell people, you know Clarence believes, just like him, because he grew up very, very poor, that everyone is capable of picking themselves up by their bootstraps. I understand that some people can’t reach their bootstraps. That’s a fundamental difference in how we view what the law can or should or does do for people. But I can appreciate him."

Thomas was noted for his friendship with the late liberal icon, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Some Democrats are trying to have him impeached over his wife’s alleged support for efforts to challenge the result of the 2020 presidential election, for which she has been interviewed by the January 6 Committee.

COMMENT:  It is nice to see common courtesy in Washington.  We need more of it.  Justice Thomas is known for his decency, and he has a civilizing effect on the people around him.  Justice Sotomayor shows him respect.  Other liberals, outside the Co

urt, do not, and I hope they live to regret it. 

October 21-22, 2022      Permalink

WILL THE VOTERS SAVE LOS ANGELES?  MAYBE.  IT'S CLOSE.  FROM ABC7:

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- With voting in the Los Angeles mayor's race set to end in less than three weeks, a new poll from the Southern California News Group of likely voters found Rick Caruso and Karen Bass are in a tight race: 39.8% to 36.8%, respectively, which is within the margin of error.

"We are neck and neck, so every vote counts," Caruso said on Wednesday while at a campaign event in Van Nuys.

Meanwhile, the Bass campaign told Eyewitness News: "The $80 million and counting Rick Caruso has spent attacking Congresswoman Bass has moved this race to a dead heat. In these final days, our job is to marshal resources to remind voters that this is a choice between an anti-choice republican billionaire who only looks out for his friends and a pro-choice democrat who's always on the people's side."

"Rick Caruso really held his fire over the summer and is now having a major media and street-level push, and Karen Bass is out in the community and pushing her issues," said Raphe Sonenshein, executive director of the Pat Brown Institute at Cal State Los Angeles.

"But he is able to overwhelm her message to some degree. Bass has a very strong base among Democratic voters who are likely to vote and the real key for Caruso is can he break into that castle. That's where her campaign resides."

COMMENT:   Wouldn't it be grand to flip Los Angeles.  Karen Bass has a radical leftist history, and she swooned over Fidel Castro.  She won't do anything effective for the city because she follows the leftist line closely. 

If Caruso wins, what will the movie stars do?  Will they then actually leave, as they always threaten to do before an election?  Where does Barbra Streisand go? And Jane Fonda?   Will there be an Oscar for best performance as a political dissident?  I really can't wait.

October 21, 2022       Permalink