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SEPTEMBER 28,  2017

SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – AT 11:53 P.M. ET:

SOME PROGRESS – FROM CNN:  Some Green Bay Packers fans followed quarterback Aaron Rodgers' request and locked arms Thursday night during the National Anthem before a game against the Chicago Bears.  The teams' fans put aside the bitter rivalry and linked arms, too, as the Packers and Bears players stood and locked arms during the National Anthem.  At least knees weren't involved.  I still prefer the traditional hand over the heart, but we're making progress in getting back to civility.  Maybe the NFL and its teams are starting to understand the cost of insulting the American people.

DENMARK GETS SERIOUS – FROM THE LOCAL:  Starting Friday, armed soldiers from the Danish Armed Forces (Forsvaret) will replace police officers at both Denmark’s southern border to Germany and at potential terror targets in Copenhagen.  According to the Danish National Police (Rigspolitiet) and Copenhagen Police, 160 soldiers will patrol the border and take over guard duties at Jewish institutions including the Great Synagogue in central Copenhagen.   The synagogue has been under constant police protection since a Danish-born terrorist of Palestinian descent shot and killed 37-year-old Dan Uzan, a volunteer security guard, outside the building in February 2015. The gunman, Omar El-Hussein, had earlier in the night opened fire with an automatic rifle outside a cultural centre hosting a free speech event, killing 55-year-old Finn Nørgaard and injuring police officers.  There are signs that both Denmark and Norway, traditionally very liberal and open, are getting much more serious about terrorism, and that would be good.

SOME PEOPLE ARE JUST NUTS – FROM THE WASHINGTON POST:   One of Melania Trump's favorite books is Dr. Seuss's "Oh, the Places You'll Go!," which she read with her son, Barron, "over and over" when he was younger.  The first lady, who is increasingly carving out a public profile for herself, chose the classic children's book and nine other Dr. Seuss titles to send to an elementary school in Cambridge, Mass., in celebration of "National Read a Book Day."  But a librarian at Cambridgeport School refused to accept the gift, criticizing Trump administration education policies and images in the books.  Seuss's illustrations are "steeped in racist propaganda, caricatures, and harmful stereotypes," librarian Liz Phipps Soeiro wrote in a letter to Trump on Tuesday.  Look, it's Cambridge, Massachusetts.  You can't expect adults.

September 28, 2017       Permalink

PROGRESS ON THE KOREAN FRONT – AT 1:23 P.M. ET:  We have to believe that President Trump had a great deal to do with this.  From Daily Mail: 

China has ordered North Korean companies in the country to shut down by January as it applies UN sanctions imposed following Pyongyang's sixth nuclear test.

The commerce ministry in Beijing said today the companies, including joint ventures with Chinese firms, have 120 days to close from the date the United Nations resolution was adopted on September 12.

The UN Security Council voted unanimously to boost sanctions on North Korea, banning its textile exports and capping fuel supplies.

The UN action was triggered by North Korea's sixth and largest nuclear test this month. 
It was the ninth Security Council sanctions resolution over North Korea's ballistic missile and nuclear programs since 2006. 

China's application of UN sanctions is particularly biting for North Korea. 

Beijing is Pyongyang's main ally and trading partner, responsible for around 90 percent of the hermit nation's commerce.

COMMENT:  Obama never even asked for anything like this.  Trump got it.

September 28, 2017       Permalink

ONCE A GREAT UNIVERSITY – AT 11:54 A.M. ET:   This is pretty incredible.  It comes from Harvard, which seems to degrade itself regularly.  From Daily Caller: 

Harvard University’s Task Force on Inclusion and Belonging advised the university to avoid “over-reliance on indicators of excellence that systematically favor historically dominant groups” in a report released Monday.

Can you believe that?  I guess those Vietnamese boat people, who were fished out of the ocean and brought to these shores, and whose kids went to the tops of their classes, were historically dominant.  Otherwise, how could the kids learn?

The report, published by the 46-person task force, also suggested that the university create a center revolving around either inclusion and belonging or identity, politics, and culture, according to The Washington Free Beacon.

The task force advocates for “inclusive excellence,” saying “the goal of recruitment, promotion, and retention will be to maximize excellence and diversity simultaneously.” The report does not advise which concept Harvard should favor if excellence and diversity are ever at odds.

Diversity will triumph.  Every time.  This is all about left-wing politics.  It has nothing to do with education.

The task force recommends that Harvard “use public art and symbols to bring 21st century Harvard into visibility in public spaces and shared experiences.”

The report also advises the university to amend certain segments of its statement of values, changing “leadership” to “inclusive leadership” and adding a commitment to “inclusive excellence” to community members’ commitments to education and scholarship. “Responsibility for cultivating the bonds and bridges that enable all to grow with and learn from one another” is appended in a bullet-point segment of the statement.

COMMENT:  What is horrible here is how this cheats young people, depriving them of the real challenge of excellence.  What is also horrible is the construction of a vast excuse machine to explain failure and mediocrity. 

What Harvard is doing will influence other universities.  It is part of the decline of our civilization.

September 28, 2017       Permalink

GOOD ECONOMIC NEWS – AT 11:38 A.M. ET:  The American economy is growing by an even faster rate than previously estimated.  From CNBC: 

The U.S. economy grew a bit faster than previously estimated in the second quarter, recording its quickest pace in more than two years, but the momentum probably slowed in the third quarter as Hurricanes Harvey and Irma temporarily curbed activity.

Gross domestic product increased at a 3.1 percent annual rate in the April-June period, the Commerce Department said in its third estimate on Thursday. The upward revision from the 3.0 percent rate of growth reported last month reflected a slightly faster pace of inventory investment.

Growth last quarter was the quickest since the first quarter of 2015 and followed a 1.2 percent pace in the January-March period. Economists had expected that the second-quarter GDP growth rate would be unrevised at 3.0 percent.

Harvey, which struck Texas, has been blamed for much of the decline in retail sales, industrial production, homebuilding and home sales in August. Further weakness is anticipated in September after Irma slammed into Florida early this month.

Rebuilding is, however, expected to boost GDP growth in the fourth quarter and in early 2018.

Estimates for the growth rate in the July-September period are just above 2.2 percent.

However, they could be raised after another report from the Commerce Department on Thursday showed a decline in the goods trade deficit in August as well as large increases in both retail and wholesale inventories.

COMMENT:  A tax cut, which we're now promised by the Trump administration, could boost the economy further and, very critical, add psychological confidence. 

We're making progress.

September 28,  2017     Permalink

SEPTEMBER 27,  2017

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

MAJOR AUTOMOTIVE NEWS – FROM CNN:   Washington (CNN) Saudi Arabia is easing restrictions on women driving, finally allowing almost half its population to get behind the wheel.
A royal decree has been issued that will allow women in the country to drive, the Saudi Foreign ministry said Tuesday on its official Twitter account.  A committee has been formed to implement the ruling and it will present recommendations within 30 days. Then the government will have until June 24, 2018, to implement the new decree.  "This is a historic big day in our kingdom," Prince Khaled bin Salman, Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the US, said Tuesday in a briefing with reporters.  Can you believe, in this day and age, that this is news?

IMPORTANT CRIME NEWS – FROM THE SMOKING GUN:  A gunman “dressed as a Coca-Cola bottle” yesterday robbed a Kentucky restaurant, police report.  Investigators say that the suspect stuck up a Rally’s restaurant in Henderson just before 7 AM Monday. The robber, armed with a handgun, stole over $500 from the closed eatery, which was only staffed by a manager (who was not injured during the robbery).  The Henderson Police Department described the robber as a white male who fled the crime scene in a gray minivan driven by another white male.  The gunman’s Coca-Cola outfit may have been some kind of Halloween costume, said a police spokesperson who added that investigators are attempting to access surveillance footage that may have recorded the suspect.  Anyone with information about the robbery is asked to call the local Crime Stoppers organization.  Just be on the lookout for someone dressed as a Coca-Cola bottle.  If he's dressed as a Pepsi bottle, he's just a wannabe.

AN IMPORTANT CLARIFICATION – FROM THE WRAP:  It doesn’t look like any NFL players will be disciplined for kneeling or locking arms in protest during the playing of the National Anthem. But First Amendment experts say most employees can be fired from many jobs for exercising their freedom of speech.  Federal law does not protect workers in the private sector — only government employees.  “There is no federal law protecting against discrimination or retaliation for political activity” at private companies, Paula Brantner, a senior adviser at Workplace Fairness, told TheWrap. “A lot of people think they have First Amendment rights, but those only apply to government employees.”  There was a time when most journalists knew this – it was basic professional knowledge – but no more.  I'm glad someone finally explained the law.

September 27, 2017       Permalink

A CHANGE ON THE GRIDIRON? – AT 11:31 A.M. ET:   After all the hoopla about "taking a knee," there are some reports of a change of heart at some football teams.  We hope, but can't guarantee.  From CBS in Boston: 

BOSTON (CBS) — Just one week after many members of the Patriots kneeled during the national anthem, a new report indicates that they will all stand together as a team next time out.

A league source told CSNNE’s Gary Tanguay on Tuesday that all Patriots players will stand during the national anthem before next Sunday’s game against the Carolina Panthers at Gillette Stadium. Many stood and interlocked their arms during the anthem last Sunday before the game against the Texans, while a large portion kneeled.

Teams across the league had similar demonstrations last Sunday, which were mostly a response to controversial comments made by President Donald Trump about NFL players who sit or kneel during the national anthem. The president described such players as ‘sons of bitches’ during a rally in Alabama last Friday, also declaring that they should be fired for doing so.

COMMENT:  There are reports out of Dallas that the Cowboys will also be united next weekend.  We have no detailed reports of the discussions that have been going on, but it's clear that the political demonstrations on the field during the anthem did not go down well with a majority of Americans, and that financial losses can be expected. 

It would be better if the NFL got back to football, solved some of its other problems, and started building audience once more.  It would also be better if ESPN got off the politics kick.  People don't tune in to a sports program to hear a political lecture.

We have enough politics.  Play ball.

September 27, 2017       Permalink

OBAMACARE GETTING UNPOPULAR AGAIN – AT 10:43 A.M. ET:   Now that repeal of Obamacare is temporarily off the table, the program is becoming unpopular again with the American people.  From IBD: 

Republicans should have read the latest ObamaCare polls before deciding to give up on repeal.

Public support for the law has dropped sharply, while most like the idea of giving states greater control over health care.

On Monday, the latest attempt to repeal and replace ObamaCare hit a wall after Maine Sen. Susan Collins came out against the Cassidy-Graham bill, joining John McCain and Rand Paul. The bill would have turned ObamaCare's subsidies into block grants, and given states wide latitude on how to regulate health insurance.

Democrats — and newly minted health care expert Jimmy Kimmel — cheered. But with repeal more or less off the table, the public's mood about ObamaCare has soured considerably.

A monthly Kaiser Family Foundation poll found that just 46% say they have a favorable view of the law — down from 52% a month ago. ObamaCare's unfavorability rating shot up from 39% in August to 44%.

According to Kaiser, "the decline in favorability is across all groups, including Democrats, independents and Republicans."

The survey was taken after the previous Senate repeal attempt failed, but before the current one collapsed.

What could cause the sudden shift in public opinion? Maybe it's because liberal activists and the media have stopped propagandizing the public about how great ObamaCare is, and now people are starting to once again notice its fatal flaws.

Namely: the lack of choice and the exploding premiums that are pricing millions of middle-class families out of the insurance market.

COMMENT:  Obamacare will only get worse because it's running out of money.  It was poorly designed from the start.

However, the GOP botched repeal.  It had seven years to come up with an alternative, and didn't.  The Republicans in Congress failed, and they know it.  They now move on to tax reform, and they've got to get this right.  Americans must receive, and feel, a tax cut for 2018.  It would be great to make it retroactive to 2017.   If Republicans can't get this done, they will be goners next November.

September 27, 2017       Permalink

CLOSE ONE FOR THE SECRETARY – AT 9:52 A.M. ET:  Secretary of Defense James Mattis was the apparent target of a Taliban attack during his visit to Afghanistan.  From Daily Mail:

US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis was the intended target of a rocket attack near an Afghanistan airport on Wednesday, according to the Taliban.

At least five Afghan civilians were wounded when up to 40 rockets, including 29 rocket-propelled grenades, were fired toward Kabul international airport after Mattis touched down.
Mattis condemned the attack as a 'criminal act by terrorists', adding that it was a 'classic definition of what the Taliban are up to here now'. 

The Taliban claimed responsibility and its spokesman, Zabiullah Mujahid, tweeted that Mattis's plane had been the target of the attack.

The volley of missiles struck near the military section of the airport, said Afghan interior ministry spokesman Najib Danish.

Danish said Afghan security forces surrounded an area where where they suspected the rockets might have been fired. 

'A search operation is underway in the area by police units,' he said. 

Special forces troops brought the attack under control and three of the people involved were all killed, according to Danish.

The attack came hours after Mattis arrived in the Afghan capital - the first member of Donald Trump's cabinet to visit the war-torn country since his pledge to stay the course in America's longest war.

COMMENT:   This reminds us that we are at war, and that the war can endanger even officials at the highest level. 

September 27,  2017     Permalink