Filed under: Bureaucracy, Crime, Domestic Policy, History, Italy, Latin America, Politics, South America | Tags: Chicago Mayor Lightfooot, Disappearing Columbus, He Landed in the Bahamas
With all the statues being torn down or defaced, the most popular one to be tackled seems to be Columbus. I’m not sure just what it is about poor old Columbus that creates such ire, but he seems to be especially enticing for the statue-destruction bunch. Chicago just had some pretty violent demonstrations in an attempt to pull the poor old fellow down, and Mayor Lightfoot had it taken down with a crane in the middle of the night.
Columbus haters seem to think that his discovery of the Americas was some sort of predecessor to the slave trade, although the Americas weren’t exactly a pristine paradise before his arrival. I looked up pictures of Columbus statues to see what was so offensive, but he is mostly engaged in pointing!. Land Ho! I assume.
Charles Mann’s book 1491 takes on what the Americas were like before the fated arrival. In 1491 there were probably more people living in the Americas than in Europe. Tenochtitlan, the Aztec capitol had more population than any European capitol of the period. That city had running water, beautiful botanical gardens and immaculately clean streets. Europeans arrived in a hemisphere already massively “landscaped” by human beings. And if you want to talk civilizations, you have to start by defining just what is meant by “civilization”.
I have the impression that Columbus statues were being attacked long before George Floyd was killed, but I have never really understood than animus against Columbus. Italian Americans regard Columbus as one of their heroes, and are apt to turn out to try to protect the statues.
Filed under: Bureaucracy, Canada, Capitalism, China, Cuba, Domestic Policy, Economics, Education, Europe, European Union, Islam, Israel, Latin America, Law, National Security, South America, The United States, United Kingdom | Tags: A Government That Works, Between Angry and Bloody, The Americas
Politics. Many of our friendly nations are currently embroiled in politics. Our Democrats are trying for a do-over of the previous election, because they simply cannot get over the fact that they lost the 2016 election to the hated Trump. Just why they hate President Trump so much remains a mystery, because he is doing a remarkable job of getting the economy back on track, which is what we elected him to do.
Canada is not entirely happy with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, but he is going to keep his job and form a minority government. His Liberals are again the largest party, but have lost their parliamentary majority.
The British have a Prime Minister in Boris Johnson, but are embroiled in Brexit. From what I can tell, the people want out of the European Union, but the Parliament does not. The battle goes on, and on. Back in 2007, Valery Giscard d’Estaing was writing a Constitution for the European Union, and briefly looked at the American Constitution, but couldn’t handle all those freedoms, and rejected it outright as an example. Unfortunate.
The Israelis are having a crisis of sorts because Prime Minister Netanyahu could not form a government because of the (weird to Americans) way the Israeli government is formed. The Prime Minister gets elected, I think, and then has to create a government by getting all the other parties to agree to what he comes up with, or something like that. We all get accustomed to our own form of government and do not understand any other countries’ politics, which usually is just as complex as ours, and often more so.
South America is a mess, but since we don’t speak their languages, we don’t pay all that much attention. Odd, but I don’t know how many Americans could name the countries of South America on an unlabeled map. And of course, we always call ourselves “Americans” which undoubtedly annoys the citizens of Central and South, who are just as much “Americans” as we are.
Hong Kong and China are getting bloody. China is Communist, which works only for those at the top, and until they are overthrown. We have enough world history about what works and what does not to teach us all – how to go about doing government. The most passionate are always the least-informed, and sure that they have a better idea.
Apparently our colleges and universities are graduating a new class, sure that the answer to the problem of the rich is Socialism or Communism. They are, of course, tutored by professors who discover that there are successful entrepreneurs who without the qualification of a PhD in something or other receive enormous salaries and benefits for keeping a corporation healthy and thriving. No Fair! If you wondered why a college education costs so much today, there you go.
President Trump is beginning to move governmental agencies out of the “swamp” and closer to the people they are supposed to be serving. Thus the Farm Bureau is moving to farming country which is excellent, but those who are being moved from cosmopolitan D.C. to farm country are not happy. I think it’s a great idea.
Filed under: Blogging, Bureaucracy, Capitalism, Democrat Corruption, Domestic Policy, Economy, Education, Foreign Polidy, Freedom, Immigration, Israel, Latin America, Mexico, Middle East, Progressives, Regulation, The Constitution, The United States, Unemployment | Tags: Explaining The Politics, Trump's Accomplishments, Victor Davis Hanson
This was first posted in May, this year. I think it’s time to review it once again, because there is so much here and it is so valuable. Please watch the whole thing, you’ll be glad you did. It’s a long conversation, but you can spread it out over several days if need be.
Filed under: Bureaucracy, Domestic Policy, Immigration, Latin America, Mexico, National Security, Regulation, The United States | Tags: Keeping Promises, Migrant Caravans, President Donald Trump
Early on, President Trump promised voters that he was going to build a wall at the Southern Border, and Mexico was going to pay for it. Well, of course that promptly hit the fan! You know how much outrage that bit provoked. But the really hot weather of high summer is over, as we move into fall, and it’s time for the caravans again.
And guess what? President Donald Trump is building a wall at the Southern Border, and Mexico is helping to pay for it. Caravans of Central American migrants are forming up in Honduras and Guatemala to start their annual mass migration north in hopes of reaching the border of the United States. The very first group of the season, more than 2,000 strong, didn’t make it very far. They were stopped by Mexican federal troops, with more than half of them being detained.
Some 2,000 migrants from various nations — including Central American and African countries, Haiti and Cuba — set off on foot in the predawn hours from the southern Mexican city of Tapachula…
On Saturday, the northbound caravan met a phalanx of Mexican authorities, including National Guard and federal police units along the highway at a point about 25 miles north of Tapachula. The enforcement presence prompted almost half the caravan members — including many women and children — to surrender to Mexican immigration authorities.
This is the result of the deal that the White House cut with Mexico. We are happy to have productive trade deals with them, and provide them with aid, but we need their cooperation in matters of immigration enforcement. This can become the new norm.
Those in the half of the caravan that wasn’t detained, some scattered to look for a new way north, but many returned to their countries of origin. If the word gets out in Guatemala and Honduras that caravans can no longer travel freely all the way to the American border, fewer will sign up. Hopefully some are being informed about how to go about fixing their own countries.
And perhaps we can clear some of the backlog in our immigration courts. Thank you, AMLO.
Filed under: Bureaucracy, Capitalism, China, Democrat Corruption, Domestic Policy, Economics, Energy, Environment, Europe, European Union, Foreign Policy, Free Markets, Freedom, Intelligence, Latin America, Law, Media Bias, Mexico, National Security, News, Politics, Taxes, The United States | Tags: A Made-Up Mystery, A Strange Mythical Trump, The Democrats' Trump
Excellent article at American Greatness (amgreatness.com). Victor Davis Hanson explores the strange mythical Trump that Democrats have devised for themselves in order to explain the horrors of the last election. They have completely lost contact with reality.
Candidate Trump never really wanted to be president. His entire amateurish and buffoonish candidacy was designed only to enhance his brand. Once he was unexpectedly elected, Trump was more shocked than anyone, and quickly sought to maximize his profits from the Oval Office. Thus, followed the constant progressive evocation of the Emoluments Clause of the Constitution to prevent chronic Trump profiteering.
In reality, the Trump empire reportedly has declined by nearly $1 billion in net value, aside from the tens of millions of his own money that Trump spent on the 2016 campaign. Trump’s business interests are the most thoroughly investigated of any recent president in memory. Obama and the Clintons made millions from their presidencies; Trump may well end up losing billions.
Hanson takes a hard look at the strange mysterious Trump creation that Democrats have lodged in their minds. We were right all along. They have completely allowed their emotions to run away with them and the result is remarkably foolish and bears little resemblance to reality. Do read the whole thing. You’ll enjoy it.
Filed under: Bureaucracy, Capitalism, Democrat Corruption, Domestic Policy, Economy, Immigration, Latin America, Law, Mexico, National Security, Politics, Taxes, The United States | Tags: 5.800 Fake Families, Illegal Immigration, Pity the Little Children
We have an interesting disconnect here. Illegal immigration is a major concern for the American people, according to polls. Democrats, uniformly, seem to believe in open borders, Sanctuary Cities and states, and seem to believe that AOC’s (always on camera) description of “concentration camps” for kids is quite accurate, or even if not accurate, — useful. They believe that ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) is a terrorist organization and should be abolished. Democrats feature pictures of children in cages, left from the Obama administration as propaganda to show how awful the Border Patrol and anyone who dares to oppose illegal immigrants just flowing over the border is. This suggests that they believe the American people outside the hallowed halls of the nation’s capitol are so stupid they will believe any propaganda the Democrats choose to present.
On Tuesday, Mark Morgan, Acting Commissioner of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) told a Senate Committee that 5,800 “fake families” have been discovered trying to enter the U.S. illegally this year.
“Our laws prevent us from holding people more than 20 days and because we can’t get the information we’re probably releasing them even sooner than that in many cases, correct?” Chairman Ron Johnson (R-Wisc.) asked Morgan during a Senate Homeland Security hearing on the border crisis.
“With respect to family units, since March of this year, United States Border Patrol has been releasing family units directly so in some cases they’re being released in under 48 hours into the interior of the United States,” Morgan said.
Johnson replied, “Because it really doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to try and find facilities to hold them for 20 days with this overwhelming flow so instead of border patrol turning them over to ICE for a more thorough vetting process and then ICE releasing them, border patrol is doing it directly?”
Democrats are anxious to make all things about the border an emotional affair, you are supposed to pity the poor children, care for the poor adults who just want to get into the country to make more money than they can make at home. Children are separated from their “parents” because the law does not allow children to be detained with their parents. They are required to be cared for separately, and they are well cared for.
The Border Patrol began testing DNA on April 30. They really don’t have time to determine if children are with their real parents or are victims of human trafficking.
AOC’s visit to the border and weeping photograph over an empty parking lot on the other side of the chain link fence, and her claims of “concentration camps” are meant to elicit pity and emotion. Congress needs to change some bad laws to help the Border Patrol deal with a monumental problem, but Democrats find the current situation much more useful.
ADDENDUM: Elizabeth Warren apparently claimed last night that there are “cages of babies” being held at the U.S.-Mexico border – despite there being no evidence whatsoever, no photos, no confirmation from others.
“What we can’t do is not live our values,” Warren said. “I’ve been down to the border, I have seen the mothers, I have seen the cages of babies. We must be a country that every day lives our values. And that means we cannot make it a crime when somebody comes here.”
While visiting a federal immigration facility in Los Fresnos, Texas, Warren spoke about adult border crossers being held in detention without the children they arrived with but did not mention seeing cages of babies.
They keep explaining and explaining that the law requires that children cannot be put in detention with their parents. They are place in non-detention facilities, treated well, taken to parks and entertained. If Democrats want children to remain with their (?) parents, they will have to change the law which they refuse to do. All pictures of children in cages are from the Obama administration, which did put them in cages.
Filed under: Bureaucracy, Crime, Domestic Policy, Economy, Immigration, Latin America, Law, National Security, Politics, The United States | Tags: A Splendid Day, Secure Borders, Trump Wins Again
The Wall is going to be built. Those who are attempting to apply for asylum will have to apply in the first country they come to, not trek across several countries to get to the U.S. Border. And that is Guatemala. And Trump has made a deal with Guatemala. Would be immigrants from Central America who have not applied to Guatemala for amnesty can be shipped right back.
The biggest blow will be to the open borders Democrats. We know why they want open borders, but President Trump is on the right side with this one and today is a major positive step.
Filed under: Blogging, Bureaucracy, Cool Site of the Day, Crime, Democrat Corruption, Domestic Policy, Economy, Free Speech, Freedom, Heartwarming, History, Humor, Immigration, Latin America, Law, Media Bias, Mexico, National Security, News, Politics, Regulation, The United States | Tags: A Friendly Conversation, A Judicial Watch Special, Invite Some Insiders In
This amazing video from Judicial Watch was like sitting down with a bunch of well-informed insiders and getting answers to most of the questions I had, and some I hadn’t thought of. Judicial Watch is a wonderful organization that works hard at forcing the federal government to fulfill their requirement to be reasonably transparent. They sue. They take one department after another to court to get the information that is being withheld. I would love to see a list of the things that we know about only because Judicial Watch has been on the case.
We have just had an attempted coup, with one of our political parties attempting to get rid of a president they are afraid of, that they don’t like, because he’s on to them. He knows how crooked they are and wants to know why they are attacking every good thing he is trying to do for the country and the American people.
It’s fairly long, but broken up in modest segments so you can stop conveniently should you wish. But do watch it. You will be a better informed citizen.
Filed under: Bureaucracy, Capitalism, Democrat Corruption, Domestic Policy, Economy, Foreign Policy, Latin America, Law, Media Bias, Mexico, Politics, Regulation, The United States | Tags: Keep Government In Line, Mean What You Say!, Speaking Clearly
President Donald Trump explained to the state of Mexico that the current situation at our southern border was unsustainable, and explained carefully that we can back up our request for a little help with more intrusive power if forced to do so. Of course, the Media immediately had the vapors, and talking heads in the media and in Congress claimed that a Trade War was completely unacceptable and a financial danger to our nation. Mexico, on the other hand, recognized hardball, promptly said of course they’d be glad to help out, and started doing so.
There is a clique of sorts in our nation’s capitol that believes firmly in the superior quality of the people in government. They are clearly smarter and better informed than the rest of the nation, because they are selected to rule over the rest of us. Wrong.
The rest of us recognize that we need a government to represent us as a nation, and every 4 years we pick someone to be in charge, and they, in turn, get to pick a lot of people to do the work. If they do a decent job of it for four years, we’re apt to keep them on rather than trade them in on a new model. The change over is always awkward as we figure out what the new person is all about. The clique prefers that we only elect those who are familiar with the Washington Cabal, and understand its ways with experience as an insider or at least a governor or a military officer. If the Founders had meant that, they would have said so. The Constitution attempts to restrain the federal bureaucracy, because the founders understood clearly that governments are the enemy, being inclined to want not just control, but way more control than should be allowed. It is the job of the people to keep them in line, and throw them out when they fail to grasp their correct role.
Filed under: Bureaucracy, Immigration, Latin America, Law, Mexico, Politics, Regulation | Tags: A Little Cooperation!, Mexico Sends Delegation, Solving the Border Crisis
The American people are concerned about illegal immigration, and our porous borders. Media personalities announce that if Trump doesn’t get control of the border, he’s toast. The Democrat run House refuses to consider repairing our current amnesty regulations. Democrat candidates offer empathy and compassion in varying degrees ranging from Beto’s suggestion that they should all be made citizens as soon as they cross the border, to a lot of blather about how we are a nation of immigrants, (no, we’re a nation of citizens) and the usual little children in cages bit (Obama administration photos), pleas for help from the Border Patrol, and reports of illegal children being recycled back across the border to be a family with another group of illegal border crossers to apply for asylum.
President Trump announced that he was going to stick Mexico with some heavy tariffs if they don’t help out with the problem. Mexico has been opening gates to Central American countries, offering buses or trucks to move migrants rapidly to our border, providing food and water. Mexican President ‘Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador “Amlo” says that America is for migrants, which seems to mean send them on to the U.S. Well, tariffs! Business community gasps. Media does their expected thing, calling everyone a racist.
Mexico is sending a big delegation to talk about the border. President Trump said “Problem is we have been “talking” for 25 years. We want action, not talk. They could solve the Border Crisis in one day if they so desired. Otherwise our companies and jobs are coming back to the USA.!”
In the 12 months up to October 2019, Mexico’s territory is expected to serve as the delivery route for roughly 800,000 Latin American migrants who will damage Americans’ blue-collar wages, neighborhoods, and schools. Right now, in Mexico, there’s roughly 100,000 people trying to move up to the U.S. border.
Many Democrats say the United States is a “nation of immigrants” — not of Americans. Democrats also prefer to portray the job-seeking economic migrants as needy refugees fleeing crime and fame, even though many of the migrants clearly state they are migrating to get U.S. jobs and to get their kids into U.S. classrooms….
Each year, roughly four million young Americans join the workforce after graduating from high school or university.
But the federal government then imports about 1.1 million legal immigrants and refreshes a resident population of roughly 1.5 million white-collar visa workers — including approximately one million H-1B workers — and approximately 500,000 blue-collar visa workers.
The government also prints out more than one million work permits for foreigners, tolerates about eight million illegal workers, and does not punish companies for employing the hundreds of thousands of illegal migrants who sneak across the border or overstay their legal visas each year.
Inflating the labor supply helps economic growth for investors, for employers do not have to compete for workers by offering higher wages and improved working conditions. it moves investment and wealth to the coastal cities, raises rents and housing costs, shrinks real estate values in the Midwest, and rewards investors for creating low-tech, labor intensive workplaces.
Sanctuary cities attract illegals who will then be counted in the census. Democrats believe that ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) is evil, which makes things difficult. It is simply a sister organization to the Border Patrol. They call anyone who objects to illegal immigration “racist,”but that’s just their usual theme. You will notice that there are seldom large numbers of illegals in Schumer or Pelosi’s neighborhoods.
American Elephants 