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FINAL SUBSCRIPTION DRIVE OF 2018 – WEEK TWO

OUR FIRST WEEK WAS REASONABLY GOOD, BUT WE'RE STILL FAR FROM OUR GOAL.  PLEASE CONSIDER SUBSCRIBING OR DONATING.  IN THE STYLE OF THE TIME, YOU'LL FEEL WONDERFUL ABOUT YOURSELF.

This week we launch the final subscription drive of the year.  We depend on subscriptions and donations to keep going.  We lean heavily on them to cover the rising costs of research, modernizing of technology, and renting the bandwith to stay on the internet. 

We have a superb, self-selected readership that is both mature and sane.  In our almost 11 years of posting we have expelled only one subscriber, and we got an apology from his wife. 

As a subscriber or donator you will receive our twice-a-week emailed page called The Angel's Corner, which contains our Forum.  You may submit posts to the Forum of any reasonable length and on any subject you choose.  It is our most popular feature.   But the most important reason to subscribe or donate is to keep Urgent Agenda coming to you. 

To participate, simply go to the right-hand column, opposite this appeal. You'll see SUBSCRIPTIONS.  You may subscribe or donate using PayPal or any of the other methods listed.  We especially recommend SENDINC, as it has proved so popular with our members.  Instructions are given.  If you wish to use regular mail, send me an email at comments@urgentagenda.com, and I'll give you the address of our armed bunker.

I hope you join us.

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

NOVEMBER 19,  2018

SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – AT 11:55 P.M. ET:

AMERICAN VOTERS ACTING SILLY – FROM RASMUSSEN:  Michelle Obama has been making the rounds promoting her new book, prompting buzz about a potential presidential run, which she has vehemently denied. But with the midterms over and the focus on 2020, voters think she’d stand a chance.  A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that, in a hypothetical matchup, 50% of all Likely U.S. Voters would vote for Obama over President Trump. Forty-three percent (43%) would vote instead for Trump’s reelection.  By comparison, a survey in January found TV personality Oprah Winfrey beating Trump 48% to 38% in a hypothetical 2020 matchup. Last month, Democratic fan favorite Senator Elizabeth Warren just barely edged out Trump 46% to 44% in a hypothetical matchup.  I assume these numbers would change dramatically if any of these characters actually ran, and had to prove themselves.

A GOOD STATEMENT – FROM CNN:  The founder of the Women's March is calling for the movement's current co-chairs to step down for allowing bigotry into their mission.  Teresa Shook, a lawyer and educator who founded the Women's March movement, accused the group's current co-chairs -- Bob Bland, Tamika Mallory, Linda Sarsour and Carmen Perez -- of associating with bigoted outside groups and tarnishing the Women's March's initial goals in a post on her Facebook page Monday.  The co-chairs "have steered the Movement away from its true course. I have waited, hoping they would right the ship," Shook wrote. "But they have not. In opposition to our Unity Principles, they have allowed anti-Semitism, anti-LBGTQIA sentiment and hateful, racist rhetoric to become a part of the platform by their refusal to separate themselves from groups that espouse these racist, hateful beliefs."  "I call for the current Co-Chairs to step down and to let others lead who can restore faith in the Movement and its original intent," Shook added. "I stand in Solidarity with all the Sister March Organizations, to bring the Movement back to its authentic purpose."  A great statement, but I doubt if the leftist, bigoted fanatics will step aside. 

GLOBAL WARMING NEWS – FROM THE WEATHER CHANNEL:   Another blast of cold air is expected to bring one of the coldest Thanksgivings on record for some Northeast cities.  A strong area of high pressure from the Arctic Circle will descend southward across Canada and into the Northeast, sending temperatures plummeting toward levels more common on New Year's Day, not Thanksgiving Day.  For some Northeast cities, high temperatures on Thanksgiving could be close to the coldest on record no matter what day of the month the holiday was celebrated (e.g. Nov. 22, Nov. 24, Nov. 26, etc.)...Low temperatures Thanksgiving morning and Black Friday will likely be 15 to 25 degrees below average for late November.  Al Gore could not be reached for comment.

November 19, 2018       Permalink

UNFORCED ERROR – AT 5:30 P.M. ET:  That is President Trump's ridiculous dispute with retired Navy Admiral William McRaven, who commanded the SEAL forces that killed Osama bin Laden.  It is a dispute the president can't win.

McRaven has a distinguished military record.  He has the support of a good part of the defense establishment.  He has also been harshly critical of the president, and has made statements about Mr. Trump that are over the top.  But what the public sees right now is the admiral's bin Laden raid, and all those medals.  The details are insignificant.  It is not a dispute the president needs.   Calling McRaven a Hillary Clinton fan, which may be true, is petty and beneath the presidency.  The president should put this behind him.

That being said, former military officers, if they make political statements, become fair game.  We do not have, nor should we have, a separate military class.  If you don't believe that, I give you two words – Douglas MacArthur.  MacArthur, a hero of both World War I and World War II, commanded UN forces in Korea after North Korea invaded South Korea in June of 1950.  But he became increasingly vocal about his disagreements with President Truman over strategy in the Far East, and Truman finally fired him.

The firing stunned America.  MacArthur returned home, not only as a hero, but as a martyr – the man who stood up to the unpopular president.  He was invited to address a joint session of Congress.  A Republican from Missouri, Dewey Short, pointed to the five-star general during the speech and said, "That's God up there."  Many Americans felt the same way.

Problem was, this god was selling a message that, once Americans understood it, they did not buy.  It was a message calling for expanded conflict. 

MacArthur wanted very much to be president, and fully expected that he might be drafted by the Republican Party in 1952.  But, at the party convention, he got one delegate vote.  The American people, in the fullness of time, had rejected him. 

I sense, and it is only my own speculation, that MacRaven sees himself in political office, and has thus become very assertive in his opposition to Mr. Trump.  If that is the case, he should recall the MacArthur example.  A military officer is thanked for his service, which is sincerely appreciated, but judged as a political figure once he enters the arena. 

Move on, Mr. President.   Don't pick unnecessary fights.  And be careful, Admiral.  Recall the old French proverb that the graveyards of the world are filled with indispensable men. 

November 19, 2018       Permalink

SELLING THE PRESIDENCY – AT 2:22 P.M. ET:  That's what it is.  The presidency provides a kind of franchise, and it's being sold before our eyes.  Oh wait.  This is Barack Obama, come to save us.  He isn't selling the presidency.  Why, he's only engaged in well-deserved personal revenue enhancement.  Thoroughly ethical.  Perfectly okay.  From Fox: 

The cash keeps rolling in for Barack and Michelle Obama.

And it may not be long before they’re billionaires.

The New York Post reported the Obama's are on their way to becoming a billion-dollar brand, amid highly lucrative deals for books, speeches and Antefix videos.

The latest example of cashing in comes with the former first lady’s new memoir, “Becoming,” which was released last week and was part of a $65 million book advance for both of the Obama's

The Obama's in 2017 inked the $65 million deal after leaving the White House for books written by both the former president and first lady. It is the highest amount ever paid for a presidential memoir.
According to the New York Post, the former first lady also could make millions from appearances on her 10-city tour as she promotes her autobiography.

The paper reported that Michelle Obama can command $225,000 for other paid speeches. The former president makes $400,000 per speech.

Obama, as a former president, also receives a $207,800 annual presidential pension.

COMMENT:  Can you just imagine if a Republican were cashing in this way?  CNN would be on it 24 hours a day.

But this is Barack, so it's okay.

You'd think the man would have the decency to give back his presidential pension, or contribute all of it to Wounded Warriors.

November 19, 2018       Permalink

TRUMP STRONG – AT 11:08 A.M. ET:  Despite some pretty obvious verbal gaffes and miscues – like not going to Arlington on Veterans Day – President Trump continues to rise in the polls.  I have no idea why, and we can't pin it to a particular act.  But maybe there's a bit of a backlash to the reality that the nutty Dems will control the House.  From the Rasmussen daily tracker: 

The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Monday shows that 50% of Likely U.S. Voters approve of President Trump’s job performance. Forty-nine percent (49%) disapprove. 

The latest figures include 36% who Strongly Approve of the way Trump is performing and 41% who Strongly Disapprove. This gives him a Presidential Approval Index rating of -5.

COMMENT:  So far so good.  The 2020 race has begun.  The calendar is about to change.  During 2019 we will see the emergence of the Democratic field of thousands, and maybe one or two primary challengers for the president.

November 19,  2018     Permalink 

NOVEMBER 18,  2018

SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – AT 11:55 P.M. ET: 

THE EMBARRASSMENT DOES IT AGAIN – FROM DAILYWIRE:  Democratic Socialist Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez revealed this weekend that she has no idea what the three branches of the U.S. government are during a conference call with prospective far-left political candidates.  "If we work our butts off to make sure that we take back all three chambers of Congress — uh, rather, all three chambers of government: the presidency, the Senate, and the House," Ocasio-Cortez said on Saturday while on a call with Justice Democrats.  The three branches, not chambers, of the U.S. government, are the executive, legislative, and judicial.  But that's her "narrative."  Who are we oppressors to challenge her?  This is what white supremacy is all about.

SOMETHING ELSE TO WORRY ABOUT – FROM CNS:  A report in the Christian Post contends that the number of witches (and Wiccans) has dramatically increased since the 1990s, to the degree that there may be at least 1.5 million witches in the United States, which is higher than the 1.4 million mainline Presbyterians.  "[T]he practice of witchcraft has grown significantly in recent decades; those who identify as witches has risen concurrently with the rise of the 'witch aesthetic,'" reported the Christian Post in October, citing data from Quartz, a Trinity College study, and the Pew Research Center.  Between 1990 and 2008, the number of Wiccans in the United States grew from 8,000 to 340,000, according to three religious surveys conducted by Trinity College in Connecticut. In addition, the Pew Research Center reported in 2014 that 0.4% of the population -- 1 to 1.5 million Americans -- "identify as Wicca or Pagan."  Anyone who's ever watched Elizabeth Warren or Kamala Harris speak in the Senate knows that this story is true.

FOR BETTER OR WORSE – FROM BLOOMBERG:   Living together is become more popular than marriage for young American couples, according to Census Bureau data. Fifteen percent of people in the 25-to-34 age group shared quarters with an unmarried partner this year, up from 12 percent in 2008.  Among those between 18 to 24, cohabitation is more prevalent today than marriage with 9 percent living with an unmarried partner versus 7 percent living with a spouse. Fifty years ago, only 0.1 percent of people between 18 and 24-year and 0.2 percent between 25 and 34 lived with an unmarried partner.  Married couples do have an edge, though. More income.  I make no judgment, but decisions have consequences. 

November 18, 2018      Permalink

BULLETIN – AT 2:14 P.M. ET:  DEMOCRATIC SENATOR BILL NELSON CONCEDES THE SENATE RACE TO REPUBLICAN RICK SCOTT IN FLORIDA.

THE ACOSTA PROBLEM – AT 1:33 P.M. ET:  A federal judge has ordered the White House to return CNN showoff Jim Acosta's press pass, lifted after he engaged in some boorish behavior during a presidential news conference.  But that decision does nothing to settle the issue of proper behavior by reporters at such news conferences, which are not required to be held by the president, but which have become a tradition.  From Michael Goodwin in the New York Post: 

Just because you can doesn’t mean you should. That age-old advice about the distinction between freedom and wisdom came to mind as I read the ruling that requires the White House to reissue media credentials to CNN blowhard Jim Acosta.

Federal Judge Timothy Kelly said Acosta must be allowed to return because there was no due process in the decision to suspend him. Kelly, appointed by President Trump, emphasized he wasn’t ruling on the merits of the suspension or Acosta’s behavior, only the process.

“I have not determined that the First Amendment was violated here,” he wrote, adding that the White House has no obligation to call on Acosta for questions.

While the outcome is a setback for Trump, it is also sensible and points the way forward. The president responded by saying his team will draw up rules requiring “decorum” and standards of behavior, and predicts ultimate victory.

Actually, he’s already won something bigger than the case at hand. He’s established the principle that a press pass is not a license to lecture and hector the president while refusing to yield the microphone, all of which Acosta did.

The principle is so obvious it shouldn’t need to be clarified, but written rules are necessary because Acosta abused his privilege. Now the details of the rules must be spelled out to cover any future cases.

But there won’t be any future cases — if the press corps get its act together. The White House Correspondents’ Association must find the courage to police the bad apples in its ranks instead of waiting for the government to act, then running to the courts for protection.

COMMENT:  Well said.  The president can decline to hold press conferences, or restrict them to periodic meetings with four or five reporters standing around the Oval Office desk.  My own sense is that mass news conferences have outlived their usefulness, and produce almost no news.  But if they're held, there must be formal rules, and discipline for "journalists" who break them.

November 18, 2018       Permalink

ON THE BRINK IN FLORIDA – AT 12:50 P.M. ET:  The Senate race in Florida will, barring more Democratic lawyers riding in on horseback, conclude today, with a victory for Republican Governor Rick Scott.  If all goes as assumed, that means that the GOP will add two senators to the US Senate, making the confirmation of judges more secure.  From NPR: 

After two recounts and a deluge of lawsuits and loaded political rhetoric, the 12-day election marathon in Florida seems to be nearing its close.

Official results were due to Secretary of State Ken Detzner's office from all of Florida's 67 counties at noon on Sunday. About an hour before that deadline, Broward County, which has been one of two counties at the epicenter of the state's recount drama, announced that it had completed its recount and submitted the results.

The Democratic nominee for governor, Andrew Gillum, conceded Saturday night, and all eyes are on Democratic incumbent Sen. Bill Nelson. He trails the Republican nominee, current Gov. Rick Scott, by more than 12,000 votes, and the results of last week's machine recount slightly widened the margin in that race.

Because the margin between Nelson and Scott was less than a quarter of a percentage point after that first recount, state law mandated a hand count of ballots that a machine could not make a clear reading on, either because the race was left blank or because there were other markings that made the ballot unclear.

The results turned in by county election officials on Sunday will reflect those recounted totals, as well as ballots received from military and overseas voters. As long as ballots from abroad were postmarked before Nov. 6, they will be counted if they were received by county officials by Friday.

A federal judge has denied a number of lawsuits filed by Nelson in an effort to put a dent in the deficit. They included a request to count vote-by-mail domestic ballots that were received after Election Day and a request to nullify a state law that requires voters to use the same marking method for different races across their ballots.

The Scott campaign has been calling daily on Nelson to concede. In a show of confidence, Scott attended an orientation in Washington last week for incoming senators.

In a statement issued Sunday, the Scott campaign said Nelson has a choice: "Be remembered as the statesman who graciously conceded after 42-years of public service ... or be remembered as the sore loser who refused to face the people he served."

COMMENT:  One hopes that Florida, one of the four most populous states in the Union, will modernize its voting procedures by 2020, an election in which the state will play a critical role.  I am not hopeful.

November 18,  2018     Permalink