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

JANUARY 25,  2016

SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – AT 11:57 P.M. ET: 

SOUR NATION – From Glenn Harlan Reynolds at USA Today:   According to a recent Associated Press poll, the public lacks confidence in government. And by “lacks confidence,” I mean “really lacks confidence.” Specifically, “More than 6 in 10 respondents expressed only slight confidence — or none at all — that the federal government can make progress on the problems facing the nation in 2016.”  And this isn’t just Republicans in a sour mood after seven years of Obama. As the AP noted, “Perhaps most vexing for the dozen or so candidates vying to succeed President Barack Obama, the poll indicates widespread skepticism about the government's ability to solve problems, with no significant difference in the outlook between Republicans and Democrats.”  Maybe people are wising up.  Of course, when kids get to college they'll learn that government is the answer to every problem.  It will take them until 50 to unlearn that.

NO CREDIT – From CNBC:  Have you made mistakes regarding your credit in the past? That could haunt you ... for a long time.  A whopping 68 percent of Americans make at least one major financial mistake, or "credit fumble," before turning 30, leading to a negative mark on their credit report, according to a Credit Karma survey.  These mistakes include overspending on credit cards, missing payments, defaulting on a loan or having an account sent into collections, the survey found.  The greater the offense, the longer it will reflect on your credit report, said Bethy Hardeman, chief consumer advocate at Credit Karma. In fact, it usually takes consumers seven to 10 years to erase negative marks from their credit, thanks to the Fair Credit Reporting Act.  That 68 percent figure is awful.  Either young people are horribly squeezed by the Obama economy, or they're grossly irresponsible.  Parenting is involved. 

WE HOPE – From Daily Caller:   Chairman of the Benghazi Select Committee Trey Gowdy says the results of the Committee will be “eye-opening” and “surprising.”  Appearing on the Hugh Hewitt Show on Monday, Hewitt asked Gowdy, “Do you believe the question has been asked and answered adequately, yet, as to whether or not assets were proximate and available that night to come to the assistance to the people under attack in Benghazi?”  “Hugh, I will tell you this. When we issue our report, and hopefully, it is coming sooner rather than later, I think that part of our investigation is going to be the most eye-opening, the most surprising, and frankly, will dwarf the other two tranches of Benghazi in terms of what we have been able to find,” Gowdy claimed.  That better be correct because Gowdy and his committee flopped big time in their open hearing, which was long, boring, and seemingly aimless.  We'll give Gowdy a second chance to get it right.

January 25,  2016     Permalink

WE ARE WARNED – AT 10:28 A.M. ET:  A chilling new ISIS video shows the Paris terrorists committing other atrocities before they launched their Paris horror show.  From Fox:

PARIS – New video released by the Islamic State group on Sunday shows the extremists who carried out the Nov. 13 attacks in Paris committing atrocities in IS-controlled territory while plotting the slaughter in the French capital that left 130 people dead and hundreds injured. The group also threatened to attack Britain.

The 17-minute video shows the extent of the planning that went into the multiple attacks in Paris, which French authorities have said from the beginning was planned in Syria. The video was provided online by the SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors jihadi websites.

All nine militants seen in the video died in the Paris attacks or their aftermath. Seven of the attackers — four from Belgium and three from France — spoke fluent French. The two others — identified by their noms de guerre as Iraqis — spoke in Arabic.

Seven of the militants, including a 20-year-old who was the youngest of the group, were filmed standing behind bound captives, described as "apostates," who were either beheaded or shot.

"Soon on the Champs-Elysées," says Samy Amimour, who was raised in a Paris suburb near the French national stadium, as he holds a captive's head aloft.

The Nov. 13 attacks targeted a packed concert hall, a restaurant and cafe, and a soccer match at the national stadium.

COMMENT:  ISIS is the most sophisticated terror operation we've seen yet, and the most audacious.  We must never assume that they're stupid because they're evil.  The people who ran the Nazi legal system were among the best lawyers in Germany. 

This video was clearly released as a warning to us that ISIS will strike again.  And it will.  And we will need a real president next time to deal with the threat.  We may not get one this November.

January 25, 2016       Permalink

TRUMP TRIUMPHS – AT 9:56 A.M. ET:  Like him or not, Donald Trump is on a roll.   The man has a political knack.  He fights and fights back.  He's all over his opponents.  I don't favor his nomination, but I cannot deny his effectiveness.

Right now he's fighting off a major challenge from Ted Cruz, and it seems to be working.  From Fox: 

With just over a week until the first 2016 election contest, Donald Trump takes the lead in Iowa -- and maintains his big advantage in New Hampshire.

That’s according to the latest round of Fox News state polls on the Republican presidential nomination contest.

Trump bests Ted Cruz in Iowa and now receives 34 percent support among Republican caucus-goers. Trump was at 23 percent in the Fox News Poll two weeks ago (January 4-7).

Cruz is second with 23 percent -- down a touch from 27 percent. Marco Rubio comes in third with 12 percent, down from 15 percent. No others garner double-digit support.

Among caucus-goers who identify as “very” conservative, Cruz was up by 18 points over Trump earlier this month. Now they each receive about a third among this group (Cruz 34 percent vs. Trump 33 percent).

There’s been a similar shift among white evangelical Christians. Cruz’s 14-point advantage is now down to a 2-point edge.

COMMENT:  Cruz has been hurt by Trump's questioning of Cruz's legal eligibility to be president.  Also, Trump has changed his speaking style somewhat, something that's been noted by several analysts.  He's trying to sound more like a presidential candidate and less like a political thug.  When he speaks calmly, and without rancor, he can be effective.

January 25, 2016       Permalink 

PERRY FOR CRUZ – AT 8:45 A.M. ET:  Former Texas Governor Rick Perry, himself a onetime presidential candidate, has endorsed Ted Cruz for president.  Cruz is, of course, a Texas senator.  From the Washington Examiner:

Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry has endorsed Sen. Ted Cruz for president.

"It's a great privilege to endorse Ted Cruz," Perry said on Fox News Monday morning of his home state senator, adding that he has "really gotten to know" Cruz over the past few months.

He's "probably one of the best listeners I've ever been engaged with on the political front," Perry said. "I am convinced from day one that this very committed conservative will be ready from day one to be commander and chief."

Perry also called Cruz a "principled conservative," who will stand up for an issue even if it isn't the popular one and has not compromised his views over time.

COMMENT:  Will the endorsement mean anything?  Endorsements usually don't.  But, if I were a candidate, I'd rather have endorsements than not have them.  Perry might have some influence in the Southwest, and with his extensive network of political pros.  He was, at one time, the longest-serving governor, and had a good record in Texas.

January 25,  2016     Permalink

JANUARY 24,  2016

SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – AT 11:54 P.M. ET:

SAME OLD STORY – Of course we have to be sensitive to civil liberties, but we also may have to inconvenience ourselves to prevent innocents from being murdered.  In France, sadly, there's already a backlash over tough measures introduced after the recent attacks.  From AFP:  When a state of emergency was imposed in France after the November attacks, numb and terror-weary citizens welcomed the show of force.  But a sense of creeping unease over civil liberties has turned to outright opposition in many quarters as French President Francois Hollande indicated this week he would seek to renew the measure for another three months.  The state of emergency was imposed after gunmen and suicide bombers attacked a string of Parisian cafes and restaurants, a concert hall and football stadium, leaving 130 dead and hundreds injured on November 13.  It has led to over 2,500 police raids and hundreds of arrests under emergency policing powers that government wants written into the constitution.  As Johnny Carson used to say, "How quickly they forget."  Obviously, government power can be used excessively, but I'm willing to bet that many of the "civil libertarians" raising a fuss in France are old leftists doing their usual thing, and "understanding" the terrorists.

AMERICA 2016 – From Fox:   A Minnesota youth basketball team has been ejected from a league for being too good and now the coach, parents and players are crying foul.  The Rogers Area Youth Basketball Association girls high school team was forced to the sidelines by the Northwest Suburban Basketball League -- and it’s all because the team is 3-0, Fox 9 reported Saturday.  “We found out Friday at lunchtime that we’re not going to be allowed because according to the league our girls were too talented,” coach Jason Hanauska told the station.   RAYBA sent parents a letter that said the main reason for the league's decision was because other teams in the league “do not want to play RAYBA due to the skill level.”   What a comment on the standards being taught to young people today.  If you lose and feel badly about it, just complain and the winning team will be kicked out.  After all, shouldn't everyone be a winner?

WILL BRITAIN WALK? – From London's Express:   Support for a British exit from the 28-nation European Union has hardened significantly, according to research.  The “Brexit” boost follows terrorist attacks in France, the sex attacks scandal in Germany and the EU-wide migrant crisis.  A new opinion poll gives the “out” campaign a sensational six per cent lead.  Polling firm Survation found that the number of voters who want the UK to cut ties with Brussels is at the highest level for more than two decades.  The poll – showing 53 per cent of voters in favour of quitting the EU against 47 per cent wanting to stay in – delighted campaigners for an EU exit last night.  It comes as David Cameron is thought to be preparing to hold his promised in-out referendum this summer.  This is an important story.  The EU has become a burdensome, sometimes frightening bureaucracy, usually leftist in its orientation, and almost unaccountable.  It represents the opposite of the American ideal that government should be small, and close to the people.  If Britain walks, it may well mean the end of the EU's hold on Europe.

January 24,  2016     Permalink

SICKNESS – AT 12:10 P.M. ET:  ISIS has actually put out a guide for how young recruits should inform their families about their decision to join the fanatical group.  One thing about ISIS – they're vulgar extremists, but they're capable.  Do not underestimate them.  From PJ Media, quoting the new guide:   

"One thing which every Muh?jir will eventually face will be informing one’s parents about one’s hijrah," Hussain said. "Depending on how close you are with your parents will affect how hard this will be, both for you and for them. Generally speaking the father-daughter relationship is the strongest bond as every father sees his daughter as his little angel, so sisters need to pay heed to how to go about in informing their parents of their whereabouts."

"No doubt when you break the news to your parents, it will shatter their hearts, especially since it will be a shock for them. You may have had the time to get over it as you knew you would part from them since the day you made your intention to move out, however the initial impact it will have upon one’s parents will not be the same."

Hussain stresses that ISIS recruits need to be careful not to let the cat out of the bag until they've arrived in their new home.

"The only exception to this rule will be to those who you fully trust and will be helping you out either financially or any other way," he said. "Prior to leaving the house, you will have your last look at your parents’ face, so cherish that moment as you will always remember this once you are here."

COMMENT:  Just read that, then contemplate what it's really about.  It's about young people going off to become murderers and terrorists.  Not exactly going off to join a college fraternity or sorority.

January 24, 2016       Permalink

MARCO RISING? – AT 11:30 A.M. ET:  It's hard to see how Marco Rubio can win the Republican nomination.  Trump is dominating the field and no one can break him.  "Stop Trump" movements spring up, and are promptly ignored. 

And yet Rubio, who I still think would be the most electable nominee, shows pockets of strength upon which he can possibly build, assuming Trump falters.  From Powerline: 

The Minnesota Poll on the 2016 presidential race is out, and its results will be shocking to some. On the Republican side, opinion is split: Marco Rubio leads with 23% and Ted Cruz is second with 21%. But in a general election matchup, Rubio wallops Clinton by nine points, 49-40.

It’s no fluke: 52% of Minnesotans disapprove of Hillary, so she is eminently beatable here. Cruz tops Clinton by two points, which I assume is within the margin of error. Rubio’s wide margin over Clinton reflects the fact that he is carries young voters (18-34) by 46%-38% and runs even among women (44%-45%).

This year, Minnesota will matter in the presidential race for the first time in a long while, as its caucuses are scheduled for March 1. Rubio says he will make a major effort to carry the state, and other candidates presumably will do likewise.

From the Minneapolis Star-Tribune:

“A lot of people are looking at Rubio right now to see if he emerges,” said Joseph Peschek, a political scientist at Hamline University in St. Paul. “A lot of Republican voters aren’t sure who to support, and I think they will be watching Iowa and New Hampshire and the early contests to see who shakes out.”

The poll suggests that Rubio has wide appeal among Republicans seeking an alternative to Trump and Cruz who could win over independents in the general election.

COMMENT:  I have to believe that this election year will still be filled with surprises.  The results of the FBI investigation into Hillary Clinton could change history.  Trump could eventually wear out his welcome, although he has emerged as a better strategist than any other candidate competing for the GOP nomination, and time is running out for the other contenders.

January 24, 2016       Permalink   

MORE IRANIAN GOOD WILL – AT 10:53 A.M. ET:  Once again the Iranian leaders show how the nuclear agreement has turned them into old softies, filled with kindness.  From the Times of Israel:

Meeting with the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Navy unit that took 10 US sailors captive when they strayed into Iranian waters on January 12, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei hailed the “courage” and “strong faith” of the unit, semi-state Iranian news site Fars reported on Sunday.

“You did an excellent job,” Khamenei told them. “Certainly, it was the divine job that sent the Americans straying into our territorial waters only to be promptly captured with their hands behind their heads.”

Iranian political and military leaders have repeatedly castigated the US over the incident, gloating about ostensible American panic, cowardice and lack of professionalism. The incident coincided with the lifting of international sanctions on Iran in the wake of last summer’s nuclear deal, but Khamenei and other senior Iranian figures have repeatedly emphasized that the deal does not mark a warming of Iran’s attitude to the United States. On Saturday, at a meeting with the visiting Chinese President Xi Jinping, Khamenei remarked: “Americans pursue such (a) dishonest approach to all issues.”

COMMENT:  Some say we've been played for suckers.  I don't think so.  I think Obama did exactly what he wanted to do – weaken America and strengthen Iran.  The picture of those American sailors kneeling, with their hands behind their heads, shocked most Americans.  It didn't shock the leftist in the White House.

January 24,  2016     Permalink