Points to Ponder:

"Had Hillary won, everyone would have expected disappointed Trump voters to show a modicum of respect for the electoral results as well as for the historic ceremony of the inauguration, during which former combatants momentarily unite to pay homage to the peaceful transition of power in our democracy. But that was not the reaction of a vast cadre of Democrats shocked by Trump's win. In an abject failure of leadership that may be one of the most disgraceful episodes in the history of the modern Democratic party, Chuck Schumer, who had risen to become the Senate Democratic leader after the retirement of Harry Reid, asserted absolutely no moral authority as the party spun out of control in a nationwide orgy of rage and spite. Nor were there statesmanlike words of caution and restraint from two seasoned politicians whom I have admired for decades and believe should have run for president long ago—Senator Dianne Feinstein and Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi. How do Democrats imagine they can ever expand their electoral support if they go on and on in this self-destructive way, impugning half the nation as vile racists and homophobes?" [Camille Paglia]

Trump To Republican Senators: The House Health-Care Bill Was “Mean”


In response to President Donald Trump at a meeting of Republican Senators throwing the Republicans in the House under the bus for provisions of their bill that he previously agreed to, Jay Cost produced a two thread Twitter rant that read as follows...

Jay Cost ✔ @JayCostTWS
This is one of Trump's greatest failures.
2:29 PM - 13 Jun 2017

Jay Cost ✔ @JayCostTWS
He has no firm and fixed opinions on public policy, nor is he well versed in the details. So he vacillates.
2:29 PM - 13 Jun 2017

Jay Cost ✔ @JayCostTWS
In so doing, he cannot provide guidance to his allies in Congress, nor can he be called upon to broker deals as need be.
5:30 PM - 13 Jun 2017

Jay Cost ✔ @JayCostTWS
Making comments like this are deeply counter-productive. If POTUS is blasting his own party's bill now, who's to say he won't later?
2:30 PM - 13 Jun 2017

Jay Cost ✔ @JayCostTWS
And what happens then to the vulnerable members who supported it, *AT HIS REQUEST*? They're left to twist in the wind, alone.
5:31 PM - 13 Jun 2017

Jay Cost ✔ @JayCostTWS
Why would you stick your neck out for Trump when you have a reasonable fear that he'll be the one to chop it off?
2:31 PM - 13 Jun 2017

Jay Cost ✔ @JayCostTWS
Gee whiz. If only people had warned about this last spring, when there were other Republicans available who knew the basics of governing.
5:32 PM - 13 Jun 2017

Jay Cost ✔ @JayCostTWS
But no no no. We had to have somebody to tear the whole system down. Blah blah blah. Little did they realize that this is impossible.
2:32 PM - 13 Jun 2017

Jay Cost ✔ @JayCostTWS
Our government is indestructible. So when you elect a wrecking ball, you're just going to knock yourself over.
2:33 PM - 13 Jun 2017

Jay Cost ✔ @JayCostTWS
But go on and keep complaining about the #NeverTrumpers. They're the real problem, not the dunce you people insisted on making president.
2:34 PM - 13 Jun 2017

Jay Cost ✔ @JayCostTWS
There is nothing to deal with. Trump is who he is. He doesn't learn lessons. He's not going to change. So we just await the blowback.
2:39 PM - 13 Jun 2017

Jay Cost ✔ @JayCostTWS
I disagree. There's catharsis in a Festivus-style airing of grievances. Also, certain people need to be rebuked so they can't do this again.
2:42 PM - 13 Jun 2017

Jay Cost ✔ @JayCostTWS
Hannity Limbaugh Scarborough Switzerland Sessions Palin Murdoch ... all need to be called out continuously and aggressively.
2:43 PM - 13 Jun 2017

Jay Cost ✔ @JayCostTWS
Hewitt, aka Switzerland, adopted a stance of neutrality during the primaries that was as outwardly pious as it was deeply disingenuous.
2:46 PM - 13 Jun 2017

195 Congressional Democrats file Emoluments Lawsuit against Trump
The odds of this actually succeeding? Maybe 10% at the most!

BREAKING: Bernie Sanders ADMITS Scalise Shooter Worked For His Campaign

Texas Animal Abusers May Face up to a Decade in Prison Thanks to New Law

Points to Ponder:

"But mom, Billy did it too!" [Nearly every political argument these days]

My child arrived just the other day

He came to the world in the usual way
But there were planes to catch and bills to pay
He learned to walk while I was away
And he was talkin' 'fore I knew it, and as he grew
He'd say "I'm gonna be like you dad
You know I'm gonna be like you"

And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin' home dad?
I don't know when, but we'll get together then son
You know we'll have a good time then

My son turned ten just the other day
He said, "Thanks for the ball, Dad, come on let's play
Can you teach me to throw", I said "Not today
I got a lot to do", he said, "That's ok"
And he walked away but his smile never dimmed
And said, "I'm gonna be like him, yeah
You know I'm gonna be like him"

And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin' home son?
I don't know when, but we'll get together then son
You know we'll have a good time then

Well, he came home from college just the other day
So much like a man I just had to say
"Son, I'm proud of you, can you sit for a while?"
He shook his head and said with a smile
"What I'd really like, Dad, is to borrow the car keys
See you later, can I have them please?"

And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin' home son?
I don't know when, but we'll get together then son
You know we'll have a good time then

I've long since retired, my son's moved away
I called him up just the other day
I said, "I'd like to see you if you don't mind"
He said, "I'd love to, Dad, if I can find the time
You see my new job's a hassle and kids have the flu
But it's sure nice talking to you, Dad
It's been sure nice talking to you"

And as I hung up the phone it occurred to me
He'd grown up just like me
My boy was just like me

And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin' home son?
I don't know when, but we'll get together then son
You know we'll have a good time then.

[Harry Chapin Carpenter]

Rest in Peace Daddy!

Blackballing Nat Hentoff

Its a couple years old{1}, but from time to time, its worth revisiting from time to time certain fundamental principles. One of those is simple: the left who claims to be so tolerant and wanting everyone to CoExist and all that crap really is not so tolerant at all. Witness their treatment of the late great Nat Hentoff, a fellow liberal who they went from lionizing to treating like a leper. Why? Because Nat Hentoff was one of my favourite men of the left: a man of principle. Furthermore, he followed where the evidence took him, even if he did not feel comfortable where said evidences took him. For more, read the link above.

And remember: the left is not the tolerant sorts they claim to be but instead are every bit as totalitarian as any of their most feverish imaginations of what folks on the right{2}are like.

Notes:

{1} And Rerum Novarum was suspended when this first came out.

{2} For those who have forgotten (or who never knew): I am not a fan of the left-right categories as a rule and not just because I do not fit comfortably in either one.

As if I needed more reasons to loathe big government and bureaucracies!