Thursday, December 22, 2016
Saturday, November 5, 2016
The Cloud Minders
On Tuesday, Americans – some citizens, some not; some alive, some not -- will for the first time in thirty-six years, go to the polls and not have to choose between Pete (a Democrat Globalist) or Repeat (a Republican Globalist). For the first time since 1980, the voters will have the opportunity to elect a president who is not part of the ruling elite, a president who promises to put America and Americans first, a president who does not represent the cloud minders who live on Stratos (1).
The election of 2016 was supposed to be a repeat of Bush versus Clinton where, whomever won, America would have continued her steady march toward Globalism as verbalized by Bush pere’s “New World Order”, Bill Clinton’s signing of NAFTA, Bush fils's "nation building" and the temporarily stalled TPP backed by Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton (before she was against it). Why the leaders of our nation are intent upon eliminating the poverty of the citizens of other nations at the expense of the living standards of our own citizens is a subject for another discussion.
Tuesday’s election might have been even more interesting had the Democratic Party’s apparatus not managed to overcome their own voter rebellion. A Trump versus Sanders election might have convinced the ruling elite that the American people no longer are willing to accept the crony capitalism of the last three decades, that while those who backed Senator Sanders do not understand that Socialism doesn't work, they do understand that what we're doing doesn't work either.
In 1980, though it pleases the establishment Republicans to forget, the ruling elite were as opposed to Washington outsider, Ronald Reagan, as they are to Donald Trump today. And with the same response. In 1980, establishment Republican Illinois Senator, John Anderson, ran as an Independent (2). In 2016, it is Evan McMullin (3) who is carrying the standard of those who would rather see a Globalist Democrat in the White House than a Nationalist Republican.
In 1980, the shills and shrills warned the voters that Ronald Reagan was a racist, sexist, homophobic pig, a dangerous lunatic, who, if elected, would start a war with Russia. This year, the same shills and shrills claim Donald Trump is a racist, sexist, homophobic pig and dangerous lunatic who won't start a war with Russia.
Growltiger isn't quite sure when and how it happened, but Russia is now the bogeyman. To be fair, Mitt Romney signaled this pending shift in Russia's status in 2012 when he claimed Russia was our biggest threat. At the time President Obama made light of the comment, but now, four years later, the Democrats are singing the same song: The Russians are coming, the Russians are coming. Meanwhile, men and women loyal to Islamic Jihad bomb Bostonians at their Marathon, shoot up nightclubs in Paris, run over men, women and children on the Promenade in Nice, gun down revelers at a Christmas party in San Bernadino and open fire on gays in a nightclub in Orlando.
For those who believe Fox News is not doing all it can to elect Hillary Clinton, the following link shows a behind-the-scenes glimpse of NeverTrumper, Brit Hume, who, unaware the camera is on him and his mic is hot, collapses in a fury when a guest goes off the rails by claiming a vote for Third Party, McMullin, is a waste of a vote.
"Wrap him up, wrap him" Hume fumes at his producer. Then, realizing the camera is recording the temper tantrum, Hume composes his face and tries to look as though he didn't just rip off the mask he wears to conceal the ugly face of a media establishmentarian working to maintain the status quo which has so enriched them and theirs. https://theconservativetreehouse.com/2016/11/04/brit-hume-fumes-when-nc-vote-futility-for-evan-mcmullin-is-exposed-on-air/comment-page-3/#comment-3189789.
The point is not for Mr. McMullin to win--that is impossible--the point is to deny Donald Trump the win. Keep in mind, Mr. Hume works for Fox News and Fox News as well as the Wall Street Journal is owned by NewsCorp, one of the six corporations which control 91% of the information the American people receive via media. Then ask yourself whether what you know about Donald Trump is the truth or the result of desperate corporations and special interests frantically working to maintain the status quo.
Donald Trump's candidacy could not have happened had Mr. Trump not been independently wealthy and, therefore, able to self fund his campaign for the Republican nomination. Any other Republican who espoused Mr. Trump’s America first policies would have seen his funding cut off by those who prosper from Globalism and wish to see it continued. The same holds true for the general election. Mr. Trump has little, if any, backing from SuperPacs, Wall Street, major corporations, mainstream media (including Fox News) or any other special interest. Ninety-nine percent (99.01% to be exact) of Mr. Trump’s contributions come from small donations averaging $50.46. That, dear readers, is American professional, middle and working classes digging into their relatively empty pockets for perhaps one last chance at electing a president who speaks to them and for them, a president who will put the interests of Main Street over those of Wall Street, the interests of the unemployed factory worker over the hedge fund operator, the interests of the overworked physician or nurse over the interests of the insurance executive heading up the corporation for which they work, the interests of the legal immigrant over the interests of an illegal immigrant who sneaked across the border or overstayed his/her visa, the interests of American citizens over the interests of the citizens of China or Mexico or Vietnam.
The Democrats, special interests, Wall Street, Hollywood, major corporations and the media, including Fox News, have all thrown everything--including the kitchen sink– at Donald Trump, and he is still standing. That is a victory unto itself.
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(1) The Cloud Minders is a Star Trek episode in which the starship Enterprise races against time to acquire plague-fighting minerals from a planet in the midst of a civil uprising against a grievous social class disparity where the elite live in a magnificent city built on a cloud (Stratos) and the rest of the inhabitants live in grinding poverty and violence on the planet surface.
(2) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_presidential_election,_1980
(3) https://www.evanmcmullin.com/
The election of 2016 was supposed to be a repeat of Bush versus Clinton where, whomever won, America would have continued her steady march toward Globalism as verbalized by Bush pere’s “New World Order”, Bill Clinton’s signing of NAFTA, Bush fils's "nation building" and the temporarily stalled TPP backed by Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton (before she was against it). Why the leaders of our nation are intent upon eliminating the poverty of the citizens of other nations at the expense of the living standards of our own citizens is a subject for another discussion.
Tuesday’s election might have been even more interesting had the Democratic Party’s apparatus not managed to overcome their own voter rebellion. A Trump versus Sanders election might have convinced the ruling elite that the American people no longer are willing to accept the crony capitalism of the last three decades, that while those who backed Senator Sanders do not understand that Socialism doesn't work, they do understand that what we're doing doesn't work either.
In 1980, though it pleases the establishment Republicans to forget, the ruling elite were as opposed to Washington outsider, Ronald Reagan, as they are to Donald Trump today. And with the same response. In 1980, establishment Republican Illinois Senator, John Anderson, ran as an Independent (2). In 2016, it is Evan McMullin (3) who is carrying the standard of those who would rather see a Globalist Democrat in the White House than a Nationalist Republican.
In 1980, the shills and shrills warned the voters that Ronald Reagan was a racist, sexist, homophobic pig, a dangerous lunatic, who, if elected, would start a war with Russia. This year, the same shills and shrills claim Donald Trump is a racist, sexist, homophobic pig and dangerous lunatic who won't start a war with Russia.
Growltiger isn't quite sure when and how it happened, but Russia is now the bogeyman. To be fair, Mitt Romney signaled this pending shift in Russia's status in 2012 when he claimed Russia was our biggest threat. At the time President Obama made light of the comment, but now, four years later, the Democrats are singing the same song: The Russians are coming, the Russians are coming. Meanwhile, men and women loyal to Islamic Jihad bomb Bostonians at their Marathon, shoot up nightclubs in Paris, run over men, women and children on the Promenade in Nice, gun down revelers at a Christmas party in San Bernadino and open fire on gays in a nightclub in Orlando.
For those who believe Fox News is not doing all it can to elect Hillary Clinton, the following link shows a behind-the-scenes glimpse of NeverTrumper, Brit Hume, who, unaware the camera is on him and his mic is hot, collapses in a fury when a guest goes off the rails by claiming a vote for Third Party, McMullin, is a waste of a vote.
"Wrap him up, wrap him" Hume fumes at his producer. Then, realizing the camera is recording the temper tantrum, Hume composes his face and tries to look as though he didn't just rip off the mask he wears to conceal the ugly face of a media establishmentarian working to maintain the status quo which has so enriched them and theirs. https://theconservativetreehouse.com/2016/11/04/brit-hume-fumes-when-nc-vote-futility-for-evan-mcmullin-is-exposed-on-air/comment-page-3/#comment-3189789.
The point is not for Mr. McMullin to win--that is impossible--the point is to deny Donald Trump the win. Keep in mind, Mr. Hume works for Fox News and Fox News as well as the Wall Street Journal is owned by NewsCorp, one of the six corporations which control 91% of the information the American people receive via media. Then ask yourself whether what you know about Donald Trump is the truth or the result of desperate corporations and special interests frantically working to maintain the status quo.
Donald Trump's candidacy could not have happened had Mr. Trump not been independently wealthy and, therefore, able to self fund his campaign for the Republican nomination. Any other Republican who espoused Mr. Trump’s America first policies would have seen his funding cut off by those who prosper from Globalism and wish to see it continued. The same holds true for the general election. Mr. Trump has little, if any, backing from SuperPacs, Wall Street, major corporations, mainstream media (including Fox News) or any other special interest. Ninety-nine percent (99.01% to be exact) of Mr. Trump’s contributions come from small donations averaging $50.46. That, dear readers, is American professional, middle and working classes digging into their relatively empty pockets for perhaps one last chance at electing a president who speaks to them and for them, a president who will put the interests of Main Street over those of Wall Street, the interests of the unemployed factory worker over the hedge fund operator, the interests of the overworked physician or nurse over the interests of the insurance executive heading up the corporation for which they work, the interests of the legal immigrant over the interests of an illegal immigrant who sneaked across the border or overstayed his/her visa, the interests of American citizens over the interests of the citizens of China or Mexico or Vietnam.
The Democrats, special interests, Wall Street, Hollywood, major corporations and the media, including Fox News, have all thrown everything--including the kitchen sink– at Donald Trump, and he is still standing. That is a victory unto itself.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) The Cloud Minders is a Star Trek episode in which the starship Enterprise races against time to acquire plague-fighting minerals from a planet in the midst of a civil uprising against a grievous social class disparity where the elite live in a magnificent city built on a cloud (Stratos) and the rest of the inhabitants live in grinding poverty and violence on the planet surface.
(2) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_presidential_election,_1980
(3) https://www.evanmcmullin.com/
Friday, May 6, 2016
It's My Party and I'll Cry if I Want to
When a spoiled brat throws himself down, holds his breath and starts wailing and kicking his feet, the only thing a mother can do is just "keep calm and carry on". Let the little darling turn blue and bang his head on the floor if he wants to. He won't really hurt himself. He simply wants his way. *
It's embarrassing when the tiny tyrant throws a temper tantrum in public, something the little monster well knows. Strangers stare, people tsk and fingers point. But the fact is, there really is nothing Mama can do. If she gives in, he'll only get worse, and eventually the little tyrant becomes a dictator. Nor can she cajole him into behaving. Whispering sweet nothings will only make him scream louder. He wants his way, and nothing short of getting it is going to suffice. It might be a candy bar he wants, or a new toy. He's going to scream until he gets it.
Mama can always haul the brat bodily out of the store, of course, but that generally causes even more disruption as she tries to navigate crowded aisles with a kicking, screaming, red-faced, bucking bronco in her arms. So the best thing to do is ignore the little beast and let him wail and kick. Eventually he'll stop.
Right now, the Republican political establishmentarians, used to voters doing what they're told, are throwing one humongous temper tantrum for all the world to see. Papa Bush and his darlings, Georgie Pie and Jebbie Pooh, are holding their breath and refusing to attend the Republican convention because we the people wouldn't give Jebbie Pooh the prize. (God only knows how they'd have behaved had President Putin or President Xi Jinping wounded Jebbie Pooh's tender feelings by denying him something he thought he rightfully deserved).
The Bushies aren't alone in their immature ridiculousness. Failed former Republican presidential candidate, Little Lord Fauntleromney is likewise pitching a fit. He's so mad at scary Donald that he's stomping his feet and spitting. Little Paulie Ryan is slightly better behaved. He just stuck out his bottom lip and refused to take a step. If Daddy Preibus wants him to move, Daddy Preibus is going to have to pick him up and carry him bodily out to the car. Their fellow preschoolers, Georgie Will, Billy Kristol and Charlie Krauthammer are all in a snit, too. They wanted Jebbie to get the prize, and if they can't get their way, they're going to go play with Hillary.
As Leslie Gore used to sing:
"It's my party, and I'll cry if I want to,
"Cry if I want to, cry if I want to,
"You would cry too, if it happened to you."
On a more serious note, the aberrant behavior of entrenched Republican politicians and their mouth pieces in the punditry class and the media toward Donald Trump and the voters who chose him is no laughing matter.
While Mr. Trump does indeed have rough edges which he will need to smooth out, Republican voters have clearly indicated they are opposed to what some see as an alliance between Democrats and Republicans which they call "the Establishment" or sometimes "the UniParty" which puts the interests of the world first and America last.
In giving Mr. Trump such overwhelming support, Republican voters have fiercely rejected the Establishment's (UniParty's) Budget-Busting, Trade-Deficit, Crony Capitalistic, One-World, New World Order, Globalist, Open Borders, Amnesty to all and Perpetual War-Mongering represented by the Bushes, Mitt Romney and many Establishment politicians who represent the entrenched interests of Washington, DC and the rest of the world over the American people and the country which has given the world so much of its blood and treasure.
Nor should the Democrats celebrate the disarray in the Republican Party. The continuing popularity of Senator Bernie Sanders indicates Democrat primary voters are just as fed up with the status quo which has governed this country (some say into the ground) over the past three decades (with, in this writer's opinion, a brief interlude during the years Bill Clinton was president and Newt Gingrich the Speaker of the House).
Senator Sanders's supporters are too young to know Socialism doesn't work. They are not too young to know that the crony-capitalism of the past three decades doesn't either.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It's embarrassing when the tiny tyrant throws a temper tantrum in public, something the little monster well knows. Strangers stare, people tsk and fingers point. But the fact is, there really is nothing Mama can do. If she gives in, he'll only get worse, and eventually the little tyrant becomes a dictator. Nor can she cajole him into behaving. Whispering sweet nothings will only make him scream louder. He wants his way, and nothing short of getting it is going to suffice. It might be a candy bar he wants, or a new toy. He's going to scream until he gets it.
Mama can always haul the brat bodily out of the store, of course, but that generally causes even more disruption as she tries to navigate crowded aisles with a kicking, screaming, red-faced, bucking bronco in her arms. So the best thing to do is ignore the little beast and let him wail and kick. Eventually he'll stop.
Right now, the Republican political establishmentarians, used to voters doing what they're told, are throwing one humongous temper tantrum for all the world to see. Papa Bush and his darlings, Georgie Pie and Jebbie Pooh, are holding their breath and refusing to attend the Republican convention because we the people wouldn't give Jebbie Pooh the prize. (God only knows how they'd have behaved had President Putin or President Xi Jinping wounded Jebbie Pooh's tender feelings by denying him something he thought he rightfully deserved).
The Bushies aren't alone in their immature ridiculousness. Failed former Republican presidential candidate, Little Lord Fauntleromney is likewise pitching a fit. He's so mad at scary Donald that he's stomping his feet and spitting. Little Paulie Ryan is slightly better behaved. He just stuck out his bottom lip and refused to take a step. If Daddy Preibus wants him to move, Daddy Preibus is going to have to pick him up and carry him bodily out to the car. Their fellow preschoolers, Georgie Will, Billy Kristol and Charlie Krauthammer are all in a snit, too. They wanted Jebbie to get the prize, and if they can't get their way, they're going to go play with Hillary.
As Leslie Gore used to sing:
"It's my party, and I'll cry if I want to,
"Cry if I want to, cry if I want to,
"You would cry too, if it happened to you."
On a more serious note, the aberrant behavior of entrenched Republican politicians and their mouth pieces in the punditry class and the media toward Donald Trump and the voters who chose him is no laughing matter.
While Mr. Trump does indeed have rough edges which he will need to smooth out, Republican voters have clearly indicated they are opposed to what some see as an alliance between Democrats and Republicans which they call "the Establishment" or sometimes "the UniParty" which puts the interests of the world first and America last.
In giving Mr. Trump such overwhelming support, Republican voters have fiercely rejected the Establishment's (UniParty's) Budget-Busting, Trade-Deficit, Crony Capitalistic, One-World, New World Order, Globalist, Open Borders, Amnesty to all and Perpetual War-Mongering represented by the Bushes, Mitt Romney and many Establishment politicians who represent the entrenched interests of Washington, DC and the rest of the world over the American people and the country which has given the world so much of its blood and treasure.
Nor should the Democrats celebrate the disarray in the Republican Party. The continuing popularity of Senator Bernie Sanders indicates Democrat primary voters are just as fed up with the status quo which has governed this country (some say into the ground) over the past three decades (with, in this writer's opinion, a brief interlude during the years Bill Clinton was president and Newt Gingrich the Speaker of the House).
Senator Sanders's supporters are too young to know Socialism doesn't work. They are not too young to know that the crony-capitalism of the past three decades doesn't either.
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Friday, March 4, 2016
Acute Distress
On Thursday, March 3, the day of the final (perhaps*) Republican debate before voters go to the polls on March 15, former Governor of Massachusetts, Mitt Romney, dropped trou and mooned every citizen who voted for and/or supports Donald Trump. Governor Romney's speech was designed to soften up Mr. Trump so that the Fox News moderators could administer the coup d'grace before it's too late.
Whether this unholy alliance achieved the desired result remains to be seen, but if they failed, there is always the possibility of establishment Republicans joining forces with establishment Democrats to deliver the White House to Hillary Clinton.
The people who have given Mr. Trump their votes don't know what they're doing, intoned Governor Romney, the same failed candidate who savaged Newt Gingrich in the 2012 Republican primaries but who refused to utter a negative comment against President Barack Obama during the presidential campaign.
That Governor Romney would attack the front runner of his own party and not be disavowed by the RNC doesn't make sense unless one looks at the political situation as if it were a less sanguine Game of Thrones. For twenty-eight years, control of theIron Throne White House has passed back and forth between House Democrat and House Republican: Bush-Clinton-Bush-ClintonObama. Twenty sixteen was supposed to be a return to normal, another Bush - Clinton duel. But as Robert Burns so keenly observed, the best laid schemes of mice and men (and establishment politicians) gang aft a-gley. Donald Trump unexpectedly showed up just as had Barack Obama in 2008. Once again, the old order was in disarray. Barack Obama turned out not to upset the established order of things, but Donald Trump is a total outsider, so cannot be counted on to go along to get along.
By those lights, Governor Romney's whine (sic) wasn't made from the sour grapes of a failed candidate, but rather a failed candidate being sent out to destroy a candidate who threatens to upset the status quo that has been in place for nearly three decades, a status quo of borders open to third world immigrants who keep wages artificially low, a status quo of trade deals which advantage the emerging markets which return a higher rate of investment to the rentiers, a status quo of a country rapidly becoming bilingual, a status quo of perpetual war in the Middle East which benefits the military-industrial complex, a status quo of a declining middle class and expanding income inequality where students leave college with debt they cannot ever hope to repay, a status quo where mothers and fathers are terrified that an illness will bankrupt them, a status quo where people under 30 do not understand Socialism does not work but do understand that neither does Crony Capitalism.
The current strategy is to try to deny Mr. Trump the crucial number of delegates for an outright win so that the king makers can broker the Republican convention and bestow the nomination on a candidate who can be bought. They might well succeed, but what might actually be going on is a political party in acute distress, a political party that were it a patient in an ICU would be said to be in the throes of Cheyne-Stokes Respiration** and just about ready to take its final agonal breath.***
Like Don Quixote and Sancho Panza, Governor Romney and Fox News marched out on March 3rd to take down the Donald J. Trump windmill, but they just well might have taken down the Republican Party in the process.
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*In an effort to deprive Donald Trump of the nomination, the RNC is adding debates like people add salt to popcorn, so if Fox didn't accomplish what it set out to do, who knows whether another four or five debates won't be added?
** An abnormal breathing pattern which ranges from very shallow breaths to alternating periods of apnea and deep, rapid breathing.
***Agonal respiration is an abnormal pattern of breathing characterized by gasping, labored breaths accompanied by strange vocalizations and spasmodic muscular jerks. Jerks as used here should not to be confused with a term which best applies to Governor Romney in this instance.
Whether this unholy alliance achieved the desired result remains to be seen, but if they failed, there is always the possibility of establishment Republicans joining forces with establishment Democrats to deliver the White House to Hillary Clinton.
The people who have given Mr. Trump their votes don't know what they're doing, intoned Governor Romney, the same failed candidate who savaged Newt Gingrich in the 2012 Republican primaries but who refused to utter a negative comment against President Barack Obama during the presidential campaign.
That Governor Romney would attack the front runner of his own party and not be disavowed by the RNC doesn't make sense unless one looks at the political situation as if it were a less sanguine Game of Thrones. For twenty-eight years, control of the
By those lights, Governor Romney's whine (sic) wasn't made from the sour grapes of a failed candidate, but rather a failed candidate being sent out to destroy a candidate who threatens to upset the status quo that has been in place for nearly three decades, a status quo of borders open to third world immigrants who keep wages artificially low, a status quo of trade deals which advantage the emerging markets which return a higher rate of investment to the rentiers, a status quo of a country rapidly becoming bilingual, a status quo of perpetual war in the Middle East which benefits the military-industrial complex, a status quo of a declining middle class and expanding income inequality where students leave college with debt they cannot ever hope to repay, a status quo where mothers and fathers are terrified that an illness will bankrupt them, a status quo where people under 30 do not understand Socialism does not work but do understand that neither does Crony Capitalism.
The current strategy is to try to deny Mr. Trump the crucial number of delegates for an outright win so that the king makers can broker the Republican convention and bestow the nomination on a candidate who can be bought. They might well succeed, but what might actually be going on is a political party in acute distress, a political party that were it a patient in an ICU would be said to be in the throes of Cheyne-Stokes Respiration** and just about ready to take its final agonal breath.***
Like Don Quixote and Sancho Panza, Governor Romney and Fox News marched out on March 3rd to take down the Donald J. Trump windmill, but they just well might have taken down the Republican Party in the process.
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*In an effort to deprive Donald Trump of the nomination, the RNC is adding debates like people add salt to popcorn, so if Fox didn't accomplish what it set out to do, who knows whether another four or five debates won't be added?
** An abnormal breathing pattern which ranges from very shallow breaths to alternating periods of apnea and deep, rapid breathing.
***Agonal respiration is an abnormal pattern of breathing characterized by gasping, labored breaths accompanied by strange vocalizations and spasmodic muscular jerks. Jerks as used here should not to be confused with a term which best applies to Governor Romney in this instance.
Thursday, March 3, 2016
De Bait
This week’s debate/Trump bash will take place tonight in Detroit, Michigan. In an effort to be fair and balanced and allow more people access to the debate, Fox has assigned Donald Trump a spot on the corner of Trumbull and Lincoln Streets. (See the twenty-five most dangerous neighborhoods in America (1).)
The other three candidates and the moderators will be at the Fox Theatre at 2211 Woodward Avenue, but good luck with getting tickets. The Republican Party has received 21,000 requests, but only 50 tickets will be available to the public (2).
Mr. Trump’s supporters are urged to join him at the corner of Trumball and Lincoln.
Rather than wait until tomorrow, Growltiger will save her dear readers the agony of watching yet another Republican slugfest, so going by what has gone before, here is her premature report on tonight's debate.
According to Fox's political pundits, Marco Rubio won, just as he has won all the debates except the one in New Hampshire where no amount of time in the spin cycle could dry him off.
John Kasich came in second, Ted Cruz third.
Donald Trump was terrible. He shouldn’t be allowed to participate because:
Dr. Ben Carson wasn’t there. Dr. Ben paused his campaign. Not that it matters. In the previous 35 debates, the moderators didn’t ask him any questions anyway. Especially not about health care.
Speaking of the moderators. Fox News couldn’t get the Pope, Hillary Clinton or El Chapo, so they settled for Bret Baier, Megyn Kelly and Chris Wallace.
The Fox fox and her two cohorts worked all week with Fox News’s vice president of News and Washington managing editor, Bill Sammons, to come up with questions tohelp the political establishment, king-makers, big donors, conservative pundits destroy Donald Trump help voters decide. That Mr. Sammons’s daughter, Brooke Sammons, is Marco Rubio’s press secretary has nothing to do with Fox News’s neutrality. Only the most cynical of readers will wonder whether Senator Rubio had any inkling of the questions that would be asked beforehand.
After all, as Mark Twain says, "If voting made any difference they wouldn't let us do it."
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(1) http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/02/most-dangerous-neighborhoods-america-detroit_n_3187931.html
(2)Tickets
(3) http://www.diamondandsilkinc.com/
The other three candidates and the moderators will be at the Fox Theatre at 2211 Woodward Avenue, but good luck with getting tickets. The Republican Party has received 21,000 requests, but only 50 tickets will be available to the public (2).
Mr. Trump’s supporters are urged to join him at the corner of Trumball and Lincoln.
Rather than wait until tomorrow, Growltiger will save her dear readers the agony of watching yet another Republican slugfest, so going by what has gone before, here is her premature report on tonight's debate.
According to Fox's political pundits, Marco Rubio won, just as he has won all the debates except the one in New Hampshire where no amount of time in the spin cycle could dry him off.
John Kasich came in second, Ted Cruz third.
Donald Trump was terrible. He shouldn’t be allowed to participate because:
- He runs with scissors.
- He has small hands. (One of Marco Rubio’s brilliant jokes).
- He isn’t a conservative.
- He donated money to Democrats in the past.
- He may have done business with the Mafia in New York, something no businessman in New York ever does or has done.
- He didn't personally check out every person with whom he did business down to his/her third cousin once removed.
- He doesn’t properly vet the people attending his rallies and white supremacists might sneak in.
- He doesn’t have enough African-Americans at his rallies. Diamond and Silk don’t count. (3)
- David Duke did not endorse him but that doesn’t matter because Trump has not disavowed David Duke in every sentence he speaks.
- Thirty-five years ago a sub-contractor on the Trump Tower hired illegal (Polish) immigrants.
- He won’t release his tax returns. Being under IRS audit is no excuse.
- He might not be as rich as he says.
- He's too rich.
- He will build a wall which will make Mexico mad and cut down on illegal immigration.
- He won’t build a wall; he’s lying about that.
- He’s been married three times.
- He said Planned Parenthood does good things for impoverished women. Being against abortion isn’t good enough.
- He’d be neutral in negotiating a peace deal between Israel and Palestine which means he doesn’t like Jews even though his daughter is one.
Dr. Ben Carson wasn’t there. Dr. Ben paused his campaign. Not that it matters. In the previous 35 debates, the moderators didn’t ask him any questions anyway. Especially not about health care.
Speaking of the moderators. Fox News couldn’t get the Pope, Hillary Clinton or El Chapo, so they settled for Bret Baier, Megyn Kelly and Chris Wallace.
The Fox fox and her two cohorts worked all week with Fox News’s vice president of News and Washington managing editor, Bill Sammons, to come up with questions to
After all, as Mark Twain says, "If voting made any difference they wouldn't let us do it."
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(1) http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/02/most-dangerous-neighborhoods-america-detroit_n_3187931.html
(2)Tickets
(3) http://www.diamondandsilkinc.com/
Tuesday, February 9, 2016
Eine Kleine Nachtmusik
Your curious cat stumbled onto an interesting interview which at an hour and a half long is probably too long for most of her followers.
The host and author Diana West discuss the hysterical rage the conservative and Republican establishment is directing not only at Donald Trump but at those who support him. The degree of toxicity directed at Mr. Trump and his supporters has forced many Trump supporters into what Ms. West refers to as “The Trump Closet”. An example is a friend who lives and works in Washington, DC who is a closet Trump supporter but keeps silent for fear if s/he came out, s/he would lose his/her job. (Ms. West is paranoid enough about her friend that she refuses to divulge the friend's gender).
Ms. West and the host observed the sheer, unbridled terror the Trump candidacy has had on establishment Republicans, "conservative" pundits and consultants, K Street lobbyists, the donor class who contribute to the political campaigns of he Republican establishment and most especially the neocons who demand that candidates be pro unfettered immigration, free trade even at the expense of America's workers and pro-internationalism. They see the unabashedly pro-American and anti-illegal immigration Trump as an existential threat to their carefully constructed “new world order”. They believe government power as a way to remake humanity, to remake the globe, and in so doing according to Ms. West allow the immigration equivalent of a new Los Angeles every three years.
Republican politicians like Benjamin Strasse of Nebraska are campaigning openly to "Stop Trump". Anyone with a functioning neuron has to wonder why. They claim Mr. Trump at the top of the Republican ticket will cause the GOP to lose their majorities. They claim Mr. Trump will drive away Hispanics and Independents. What they don't say is that Romney won the Independent vote, that Hispanics prefer big government 3:1 and that Romney could have gotten 73% of the Hispanic vote, and still would have lost.
Mr. Trump, who once belonged to the donor class, has crashed the Establishment Party, and that is where the rage and invective from the right is coming from. She predicts it will only get worse, and posits that even if Mr. Trump loses the nomination, he will never be forgiven for ripping off the masks of pundits and politicians who have deceived and are deceiving the American people. One of the more interesting quotes that came out of the interview was on the subject of whether Europe is "committing suicide". No, the host observed, "governments (of Europe) are murdering their own countries." The fear is that the same thing is happening in America.
Below are a few excerpts from the dictionary Ms. West has compiled of quotes directed at Donald Trump (2) by "conservatives" demeaning Mr. Trump for being a crude vulgarian. Growltiger wonders how many of her readers have formed their opinion based upon the reports of these pundits.
The host and author Diana West discuss the hysterical rage the conservative and Republican establishment is directing not only at Donald Trump but at those who support him. The degree of toxicity directed at Mr. Trump and his supporters has forced many Trump supporters into what Ms. West refers to as “The Trump Closet”. An example is a friend who lives and works in Washington, DC who is a closet Trump supporter but keeps silent for fear if s/he came out, s/he would lose his/her job. (Ms. West is paranoid enough about her friend that she refuses to divulge the friend's gender).
Ms. West and the host observed the sheer, unbridled terror the Trump candidacy has had on establishment Republicans, "conservative" pundits and consultants, K Street lobbyists, the donor class who contribute to the political campaigns of he Republican establishment and most especially the neocons who demand that candidates be pro unfettered immigration, free trade even at the expense of America's workers and pro-internationalism. They see the unabashedly pro-American and anti-illegal immigration Trump as an existential threat to their carefully constructed “new world order”. They believe government power as a way to remake humanity, to remake the globe, and in so doing according to Ms. West allow the immigration equivalent of a new Los Angeles every three years.
Republican politicians like Benjamin Strasse of Nebraska are campaigning openly to "Stop Trump". Anyone with a functioning neuron has to wonder why. They claim Mr. Trump at the top of the Republican ticket will cause the GOP to lose their majorities. They claim Mr. Trump will drive away Hispanics and Independents. What they don't say is that Romney won the Independent vote, that Hispanics prefer big government 3:1 and that Romney could have gotten 73% of the Hispanic vote, and still would have lost.
Mr. Trump, who once belonged to the donor class, has crashed the Establishment Party, and that is where the rage and invective from the right is coming from. She predicts it will only get worse, and posits that even if Mr. Trump loses the nomination, he will never be forgiven for ripping off the masks of pundits and politicians who have deceived and are deceiving the American people. One of the more interesting quotes that came out of the interview was on the subject of whether Europe is "committing suicide". No, the host observed, "governments (of Europe) are murdering their own countries." The fear is that the same thing is happening in America.
Below are a few excerpts from the dictionary Ms. West has compiled of quotes directed at Donald Trump (2) by "conservatives" demeaning Mr. Trump for being a crude vulgarian. Growltiger wonders how many of her readers have formed their opinion based upon the reports of these pundits.
- GOP strategist, Rick Wilson, in a quote directed at Ann Coulter which is too vulgar for Growltiger to include in her blog.
- A quote from Jonah Goldberg which is the particularly crude word for a bodily function that children refer to as Number 1.
- A quote from one of Scott Walker’s strategists which doesn’t use Mr. Goldberg’s word, but uses a word usually descriptive of men one does not like that is not acceptable in polite society and begins with a p.
- Trump is "a reality-television grotesque with his plastic-surgery-disaster wife." National Review's Kevin Williamson . Bonus: Williamson deplores Trump for "ungallant behavior".
- "Witless Ape Rides Escalator" -- This is the headline for National Review's very first report by Kevin Williamson on Donald Trump's 2016 presidential run.
- "Turning to Donald Trump to solve the problems in Washington is like turning to an ape to fix a broken refrigerator." -- Stephen Hayes, Fox News & Weekly Standard, August 8, 2015
- "If by now you don’t find Donald Trump appalling, you’re appalling." Bret Stephens, Wall Street Journal, Aug. 31, 2015
- The donor class "are still going to have to go out and put a bullet in Donald Trump. And that’s a fact.” -- Republican consultant Rick Wilson on MSNBC
- "The clown site of the Internet beclowns itself yet again." Commentary editor John Podhoretz tweeting @ Breitbart News report on Trump rapping critic George Will for failing to disclose his Will's wife worked for then-presidential candidate Scott Walker.
- "Fact-checking Donald Trump is like picking up after a dog with diarrhea." Stephen Hayes, Weekly Standard, on Fox News . (At least Mr. Hayes used the word diarrhea. Perhaps it was because he was on television. In a written article, Mr. Hayes used the same word Mr. Goldberg used above which Growltiger, while certainly no prude, shows her own snobbishness by consigning anyone who uses it to incredibly low social status.)
- "Trump’s Immigration Plan Is Hardcore Porn For Nativists," August 19, 2015 -- headline over article by David Harsanyi at The Federalist. It opens: Donald Trump is porn for nativists. Now, a person can derive much political self-gratification from wishful thinking, but remember porn isn’t real. So enjoy daydreaming about mass deportations and visualizing the repeal of birthright citizenship, but don’t let yourself get desensitized to reality....
- Trump "is soiling the robe of conservatism and dragging it through the dust." Bill Kristol, editor, Weekly Standard, on why he "loathes" Donald Trump.
- "The gross thing is, you can kind of imagine a Trump sex tape." -- Kevin Williamson, National Review correspondent, director of the William F. Buckley fellowship program in political journalism, New Criterion theatre critic.
- "Trump’s fans—not all, but enough—aren’t turned on by softcore white papers authored by Jeff Sessions, they want the hard stuff. " David Harsanyi, The Federalist
- Trump's policies are "a parade of semi-sophisticated policies that act as bathroom deodorizer to mask the stench of this candidacy." Bret Stephens, Wall Street Journal
- "Finally, this thing [Trump's candidacy] cannot be cut off at the head. An insurgency needs its supply lines cut." -- Noah Rothman, Commentary assistant online editor, referring, it would seem, to free press/free citizens not sufficiently hostile enough to Trump.
- "By the way, I knew Andrew Breitbart. Andrew Breitbart was a friend of mine. He would vomit over what you've done to his name." Commentary editor John Podhoretz, tweeting @ Breibart report on Trump rapping Trump critic Will not disclosing wife's ties to Walker campaign.
And these are the "classy" folks who call out Donald Trump for being crude. Growltiger's readers can decide for themselves whether crudeness lies more in an unacceptable word like damn or hell or whether it lies in descriptions like those above applied to human beings or whether it's downright creepy for so many sexual allusions to be included in writing about a political candidate.
For those who wish to read the entire dictionary, it can be found at:
Those who have the time to listen to the entire interview can find it at:
Sunday, February 7, 2016
In Moderation
Growltiger did not watch the Democrats' last debate. Since she won't be voting in the Democrat primary, she doesn't need to evaluate the candidates. But she does have an opinion. Right or wrong, Senator Sanders believes what he's saying. Right or wrong, Secretary Clinton says what she needs to say to get elected. And like Donald Trump's candidacy, Senator Sanders's candidacy is the clarion call of an electorate fed up with the professional political establishment that has developed into a ruling political class which the people believe rightly or wrongly represent only the interests of Wall Street and Washington.
The same questions were asked that have been asked in all the other debates and will be asked in all the future debates. The difference was in what happened before the debate as outlined below and the professionalism of the moderators which stood out in stark contrast to the moderators of previous debates with the exception of Fox Business.
David Muir and Martha Radditz were professional and courteous while at the same time kept control, asked difficult questions and corrected the record when necessary. (When Senator Cruz blamed CNN misreporting Ben Carson's dropping out for his campaign having deceived Iowa caucus goers, Ms. Radditz quietly interjected that CNN corrected its false report within one minute.) As an added bonus, Ms. Radditz was dressed in proper business attire and did not look like she was going to a cocktail party.
The classiest moment of the debate occurred before the first question was asked, when the applause for Governor Christie drowned out the announcers calling out Dr. Carson's name. Not having heard his name, the retired neurosurgeon stood in the wings and looked confused when the announcer called for Senator Cruz. (Perhaps he thought the Cruz campaign had convinced ABC he had dropped out).
Senator Cruz looked surprised, but pushed around Dr. Carson and took the stage. The announcer, still not realizing Dr. Carson had not taken the stage then called Mr. Trump's name. Unlike Senator Cruz who was taken unawares, Mr. Trump had forewarning. Instead of taking the stage, he walked over to Dr. Carson and stood beside him. They had a brief, unrecorded, conversation which one supposes Mr. Trump explained what had happened. The announcer, still unaware of the mix-up called for Senator Rubio and Governors Bush and Kasich. Rather than pausing and remaining with Mr. Trump and Dr. Carson, the Senator and Governors Bush and Kasich took their places.
When the announcer finally realized Dr. Carson and Mr. Trump were not on the stage, he called their names. Mr. Trump paused, allowing Dr. Carson to take his place with the applause he deserved.
To Growltiger, this small kindness to a fellow competitor showed more class and told more about Donald Trump's character than any answer to any question he might ever give.
As in other debates, Mr. Trump neither helped nor harmed his candidacy. Those who dislike him will continue to dislike him; those who support him will continue to support him. He is not a professional politician, so does not give canned answers nor does he recite a list of his achievements in government. He is, however, an executive, so has more in common with the governors than the senators. His biggest vulnerability is on eminent domain, and in that instance, he would do well to have a canned answer. Eminent domain is a complicated issue, and most people, including the cool cat, equate eminent domain to the Kelo decision and not the Keystone pipeline which also involves the private taking of property.
Governor Christie demolished Senator Rubio by pointing out that the first term senator gives a canned, rehearsed statement with which he responds to any question he's asked at which point Senator Rubio repeated the same canned, rehearsed statement at least four times. If the presidency were not in contention, this would have made excellent farce. At one point, Senator Rubio was gleaming with perspiration, not a good visual for a presidential candidate.
Governor Bush looks presidential and is quite handsome until he opens his mouth. His delivery is halting and he comes across as a bit dim. Governor Kasich had an excellent debate, and had he not come unhinged in two of the previous debates, would be the establishment favorite. Ms. Fiorina was not allowed to participate due to her poll numbers which the tiger cat believes is a mistake and will be used against the eventual Republican nominee should Hillary Clinton win the Democrat nomination.
The one fault Growltiger had with the moderators was that they seemed to forget Dr. Carson was there. Dr. Carson is a good, honest, honorable (and probably the smartest and best educated) of the candidates, but he is too gentle to be president. In his one opportunity to show grit, he failed. When asked about Senator Cruz's campaign's shady political tricks in Iowa, Dr. Carson was accepting of Cruz's apology which brought to mind a letter in the Wall Street Journal letters section when Mitt Romney was running against President Obama. "If he won't fight for himself," the writer asked, "why should we believe he'd fight for us?"
Pundits on both sides of the political spectrum realize there is a great the divide in the country, but few seem to realize the divide is not between the right and the left but rather between the globalists of the established political class and the American people, between the Washington politicians and the people they govern, and that explains the candidacies of Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders and why on trade at least, they have more in common with each other than they do with their respective establishments.
The same questions were asked that have been asked in all the other debates and will be asked in all the future debates. The difference was in what happened before the debate as outlined below and the professionalism of the moderators which stood out in stark contrast to the moderators of previous debates with the exception of Fox Business.
David Muir and Martha Radditz were professional and courteous while at the same time kept control, asked difficult questions and corrected the record when necessary. (When Senator Cruz blamed CNN misreporting Ben Carson's dropping out for his campaign having deceived Iowa caucus goers, Ms. Radditz quietly interjected that CNN corrected its false report within one minute.) As an added bonus, Ms. Radditz was dressed in proper business attire and did not look like she was going to a cocktail party.
The classiest moment of the debate occurred before the first question was asked, when the applause for Governor Christie drowned out the announcers calling out Dr. Carson's name. Not having heard his name, the retired neurosurgeon stood in the wings and looked confused when the announcer called for Senator Cruz. (Perhaps he thought the Cruz campaign had convinced ABC he had dropped out).
Senator Cruz looked surprised, but pushed around Dr. Carson and took the stage. The announcer, still not realizing Dr. Carson had not taken the stage then called Mr. Trump's name. Unlike Senator Cruz who was taken unawares, Mr. Trump had forewarning. Instead of taking the stage, he walked over to Dr. Carson and stood beside him. They had a brief, unrecorded, conversation which one supposes Mr. Trump explained what had happened. The announcer, still unaware of the mix-up called for Senator Rubio and Governors Bush and Kasich. Rather than pausing and remaining with Mr. Trump and Dr. Carson, the Senator and Governors Bush and Kasich took their places.
When the announcer finally realized Dr. Carson and Mr. Trump were not on the stage, he called their names. Mr. Trump paused, allowing Dr. Carson to take his place with the applause he deserved.
To Growltiger, this small kindness to a fellow competitor showed more class and told more about Donald Trump's character than any answer to any question he might ever give.
As in other debates, Mr. Trump neither helped nor harmed his candidacy. Those who dislike him will continue to dislike him; those who support him will continue to support him. He is not a professional politician, so does not give canned answers nor does he recite a list of his achievements in government. He is, however, an executive, so has more in common with the governors than the senators. His biggest vulnerability is on eminent domain, and in that instance, he would do well to have a canned answer. Eminent domain is a complicated issue, and most people, including the cool cat, equate eminent domain to the Kelo decision and not the Keystone pipeline which also involves the private taking of property.
Governor Christie demolished Senator Rubio by pointing out that the first term senator gives a canned, rehearsed statement with which he responds to any question he's asked at which point Senator Rubio repeated the same canned, rehearsed statement at least four times. If the presidency were not in contention, this would have made excellent farce. At one point, Senator Rubio was gleaming with perspiration, not a good visual for a presidential candidate.
Governor Bush looks presidential and is quite handsome until he opens his mouth. His delivery is halting and he comes across as a bit dim. Governor Kasich had an excellent debate, and had he not come unhinged in two of the previous debates, would be the establishment favorite. Ms. Fiorina was not allowed to participate due to her poll numbers which the tiger cat believes is a mistake and will be used against the eventual Republican nominee should Hillary Clinton win the Democrat nomination.
The one fault Growltiger had with the moderators was that they seemed to forget Dr. Carson was there. Dr. Carson is a good, honest, honorable (and probably the smartest and best educated) of the candidates, but he is too gentle to be president. In his one opportunity to show grit, he failed. When asked about Senator Cruz's campaign's shady political tricks in Iowa, Dr. Carson was accepting of Cruz's apology which brought to mind a letter in the Wall Street Journal letters section when Mitt Romney was running against President Obama. "If he won't fight for himself," the writer asked, "why should we believe he'd fight for us?"
Pundits on both sides of the political spectrum realize there is a great the divide in the country, but few seem to realize the divide is not between the right and the left but rather between the globalists of the established political class and the American people, between the Washington politicians and the people they govern, and that explains the candidacies of Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders and why on trade at least, they have more in common with each other than they do with their respective establishments.
Saturday, January 30, 2016
Taking the Bait
Last Thursday night's debate wasn't on the schedule of debates until Donald Trump continued to lead in the Iowa polls. If Mr. Trump were to win Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina it would bode badly for the Washington Establishment Party.
Mr. Trump is famously politically incorrect. He wants the borders closed, says he will build a wall, won't grant amnesty to people who are living in the country illegally, disapproves of America's getting the short end of the stick on trade and would close the USA to Muslim immigration until we can figure out "what the hell is going on." All these are contrary to the Washington Party's platform. The Democratic wing of the Party needs illegals and Muslims to keep them in office, the Washington wing of the Party needs illegals to keep American wages low. Both sides need free trade, one to make billions the other to rail against.
So Fox and the RNC fused craniums and came up with a plan: Another debate. On Fox. A repeat of the first debate with the same three moderators who were supposed to finish off Trump, but didn't.
No one, including this cool cat, can explain why Fox failed in that first debate to take out Trump. He is a businessman, not a politician. The moderators knew what to do. The first question Bret Baier asked was if any of the candidates would not pledge to support the eventual nominee and not run as an independent. He knew before he asked only one hand would go up. Trump already had said he might run as an independent, so if he didn't raise his hand, he could be accused of pandering, and if he did raise his hand, not being loyal. The classic "have you stopped beating your wife?" kind of question. Trump raised his hand.
Note: Since that night, Jeb Bush and numbers of other Republican Establishmentarians have said they would not support Donald Trump if he is the nominee, but Mr. Baier didn't ask for a show of hands Thursday night. Following Mr. Baier's salvo, Ms. Kelly hit Trump with the war on women broadside. This began the Kelly-Trump war of words.
Following the first debate, Fox's pundits proudly proclaimed that somebody other than Trump had won (as they have in every post-debate since. Thursday night's "winner" was Marco Rubio).
To the Media-Establishment's chagrin, Mr. Trump has continued to lead in popularity and the polls, hence the nuclear option: Another debate, on Fox, featuring the same triumvirate, four days before the Iowa Caucus. The three amigos, foxy Megyn, sober Chris and sweet Bret came loaded for Baier (pun intended). They'd foraged around and scrounged up a Sanders supporting Muslim who didn't want to blow up anybody at the moment (1) and an illegal immigrant who had made good (2) and invited them to ask questions.
Trump being Trump had to see what Fox and the RNC were up to. His difficulty was how to avoid the trap. He got his opportunity when a desperate National Review published a hit piece on Trump and Megyn Kelly invited the editor of National Review onto her show (along with Michael Moore) to take another whack at Trump. Note: National Review published a similar hit piece on Newt Gingrich when he posed a threat to the Washington Party candidate, Mitt Romney, in 2012 (3).
A confident Ms. Kelly tweeted out to @Chris Stirewalt "on 2016 race: This race will look totally different, I promise, on Friday than it does today." #KellyFile #GOP Debate.
Note: Growltiger is befuddled by social media where people blurt out stuff they shouldn't, then are surprised that its public.
Mr. Trump suggested Ms. Kelly wasn't objective so perhaps her bias against him might disqualify her from moderating the debate. Fox denied that Ms. Kelly was biased and stood by her, pointing out that candidates could not select the moderator. Mr. Trump floated the idea that he might skip the debate.
In an attempt to deliver the coup d'grace, Fox put out the following statement: “We learned from a secret back channel that the Ayatollah and Putin both intend to treat Donald Trump unfairly when they meet with him if he becomes president — a nefarious source tells us that Trump has his own secret plan to replace the Cabinet with his Twitter followers to see if he should even go to those meetings." (4, 5).
Another "nefarious source" claims the statement came from Roger Ailes himself.
Trump announced he would not be debating on Thursday night.
On Wednesday evening, Bret Baier interviewed Donald Trump on Special Report, coming close to downright rudeness in his attempt to force Mr. Trump into agreeing to participate in theInquisition debate. Mr. Trump refused to commit one way or the other.
All day Thursday, Trump controlled the news. Would he show up? Would he not show up? With Fox's ratings-hence sales revenue-on the line, Roger Ailes picked up the telephone and called Mrs. Trump and Trump's daughter, Ivanka (6).
In the pre-debate show, the three amigos admitted they'd prepared two sets of questions; one set to use if Mr. Trump showed up, another set if he didn't. This was most curious. Why two sets of questions? If this was not an ambush, why not a single set of questions based upon the issues important to voters? The three amigos did not mention that Fox News's debate executive's daughter, Brooke Sammons, is Marco Rubio's press secretary (7).
The night of the debate, Donald Trump appeared a mile away and held a fund-raiser for veteran's. Six million dollars was contributed which will be distributed to various veteran's groups. The Washington-Mediacomplex cartel claimed Fox did not suffer in the ratings. However, the 13 million who tuned in Thursday night reflects a -48% drop from the 25 million who tuned in to the first debate on September 16. The comparisons the Washington-Media complex give are comparing Fox News's 13 million viewership to Fox Business's 11 million viewership which is comparing pancakes to watermelons. Fox Business is on fewer channels and is not the powerhouse Fox News is. (8)
So who won the Fox News-Donald Trump debate wars? No one knows, and no one can or will know until Tuesday when the results of the Iowa caucus are released. Meanwhile, Growltiger leaves her dear readers with the following exchange between Judy Woodruff and Roger Ailes (9):
(1) Peaceful Sanders Supporter
(2) I got in so let me stay
(3) Eye of Newt
(4) Take That!
(5) And That!
(6) One ringy dingy
(7) Daddy's Little Girl
(8) Pancakes and Watermelons
(9) Suicide
Mr. Trump is famously politically incorrect. He wants the borders closed, says he will build a wall, won't grant amnesty to people who are living in the country illegally, disapproves of America's getting the short end of the stick on trade and would close the USA to Muslim immigration until we can figure out "what the hell is going on." All these are contrary to the Washington Party's platform. The Democratic wing of the Party needs illegals and Muslims to keep them in office, the Washington wing of the Party needs illegals to keep American wages low. Both sides need free trade, one to make billions the other to rail against.
So Fox and the RNC fused craniums and came up with a plan: Another debate. On Fox. A repeat of the first debate with the same three moderators who were supposed to finish off Trump, but didn't.
No one, including this cool cat, can explain why Fox failed in that first debate to take out Trump. He is a businessman, not a politician. The moderators knew what to do. The first question Bret Baier asked was if any of the candidates would not pledge to support the eventual nominee and not run as an independent. He knew before he asked only one hand would go up. Trump already had said he might run as an independent, so if he didn't raise his hand, he could be accused of pandering, and if he did raise his hand, not being loyal. The classic "have you stopped beating your wife?" kind of question. Trump raised his hand.
Note: Since that night, Jeb Bush and numbers of other Republican Establishmentarians have said they would not support Donald Trump if he is the nominee, but Mr. Baier didn't ask for a show of hands Thursday night. Following Mr. Baier's salvo, Ms. Kelly hit Trump with the war on women broadside. This began the Kelly-Trump war of words.
Following the first debate, Fox's pundits proudly proclaimed that somebody other than Trump had won (as they have in every post-debate since. Thursday night's "winner" was Marco Rubio).
To the Media-Establishment's chagrin, Mr. Trump has continued to lead in popularity and the polls, hence the nuclear option: Another debate, on Fox, featuring the same triumvirate, four days before the Iowa Caucus. The three amigos, foxy Megyn, sober Chris and sweet Bret came loaded for Baier (pun intended). They'd foraged around and scrounged up a Sanders supporting Muslim who didn't want to blow up anybody at the moment (1) and an illegal immigrant who had made good (2) and invited them to ask questions.
Trump being Trump had to see what Fox and the RNC were up to. His difficulty was how to avoid the trap. He got his opportunity when a desperate National Review published a hit piece on Trump and Megyn Kelly invited the editor of National Review onto her show (along with Michael Moore) to take another whack at Trump. Note: National Review published a similar hit piece on Newt Gingrich when he posed a threat to the Washington Party candidate, Mitt Romney, in 2012 (3).
A confident Ms. Kelly tweeted out to @Chris Stirewalt "on 2016 race: This race will look totally different, I promise, on Friday than it does today." #KellyFile #GOP Debate.
Note: Growltiger is befuddled by social media where people blurt out stuff they shouldn't, then are surprised that its public.
Mr. Trump suggested Ms. Kelly wasn't objective so perhaps her bias against him might disqualify her from moderating the debate. Fox denied that Ms. Kelly was biased and stood by her, pointing out that candidates could not select the moderator. Mr. Trump floated the idea that he might skip the debate.
In an attempt to deliver the coup d'grace, Fox put out the following statement: “We learned from a secret back channel that the Ayatollah and Putin both intend to treat Donald Trump unfairly when they meet with him if he becomes president — a nefarious source tells us that Trump has his own secret plan to replace the Cabinet with his Twitter followers to see if he should even go to those meetings." (4, 5).
Another "nefarious source" claims the statement came from Roger Ailes himself.
Trump announced he would not be debating on Thursday night.
On Wednesday evening, Bret Baier interviewed Donald Trump on Special Report, coming close to downright rudeness in his attempt to force Mr. Trump into agreeing to participate in the
All day Thursday, Trump controlled the news. Would he show up? Would he not show up? With Fox's ratings-hence sales revenue-on the line, Roger Ailes picked up the telephone and called Mrs. Trump and Trump's daughter, Ivanka (6).
In the pre-debate show, the three amigos admitted they'd prepared two sets of questions; one set to use if Mr. Trump showed up, another set if he didn't. This was most curious. Why two sets of questions? If this was not an ambush, why not a single set of questions based upon the issues important to voters? The three amigos did not mention that Fox News's debate executive's daughter, Brooke Sammons, is Marco Rubio's press secretary (7).
The night of the debate, Donald Trump appeared a mile away and held a fund-raiser for veteran's. Six million dollars was contributed which will be distributed to various veteran's groups. The Washington-Media
So who won the Fox News-Donald Trump debate wars? No one knows, and no one can or will know until Tuesday when the results of the Iowa caucus are released. Meanwhile, Growltiger leaves her dear readers with the following exchange between Judy Woodruff and Roger Ailes (9):
Judy Woodruff: So you're saying the notion of the candidate saying, "I want to run for President because I want to do something for this country," is crazy.
Roger Ailes: Suicide.
(1) Peaceful Sanders Supporter
(2) I got in so let me stay
(3) Eye of Newt
(4) Take That!
(5) And That!
(6) One ringy dingy
(7) Daddy's Little Girl
(8) Pancakes and Watermelons
(9) Suicide
Friday, January 22, 2016
The Party's Over
"It's time to wind up the masquerade
"Just make your mind up, the piper must be paid..."*
Some are questioning whether the Republican Party will survive the tumult of this primary season and end up like the Whigs in the 19th century. But Growltiger wonders whether there has been a Republican Party since the helicopter carrying Ronald Reagan vanished into the distance. In catspeak, that means America's two party system hasn't existed since President George H. W. Bush announced the arrival of the "New World Order" and abandoned the "read my lips, no new taxes" pledge he used to gin up the base in order to win the 1988 election. In short, there is a Democrat wing of the Party and a Republican wing of the Party and most of the time it makes no difference to the establishment in Washington which of the candidates prevails. Other than his problems with the ladies and a plethora of "gates", how differently did Bill Clinton govern than George H. W. Bush?
Like Ronald Reagan, Barack Obama has been a transformative president. Unlike President Reagan, he has done so with little push back. In 2015, with the House and Senate in Republican control, Speaker of the House, Paul Ryan, delivered in the budget everything on President Obama's wish list. Even Minority Leader, Pelosi, couldn't believe the cornucopia of gifts the Republican wing of the Party gave away.
And that, dear reader, explains Donald Trump in a nutshell. We the People finally caught on.
Currently, the Republican wing of the Party is in an uproar. Pundits like George Will, Steven Hayes and Charles Krauthammer weigh in nightly on Fox News to warn the viewers that nominating Mr. Trump would be a disaster for the country. (Running the risk of sounding too catty, Growltiger wonders how? Like crashing the economy? Like destroying America's health care system? Like invading Iraq? Like drawing red lines in the sand? Like taking out Libya? The list could go on, but it would be redundant.) Rich Lowry, editor of National Review, in a last ditch effort to derail the Trump locomotive collected a group of intellectuals to denounce Mr. Trump (published today). Bill Kristol of the Weekly Standard has stated he would vote for the Democratic wing of the Party if Mr. Trump got the Republican nomination.
Lest her dear readers think Growltiger has gotten into the catnip again, below are quotes these same anti-Trump pundits made in 2008 about president-elect, Senator Barack Obama. Viewing the past seven years through the rectrospectoscope, the Growler especially likes what Dr. Krauthammer and Mr. Kudlow had to say.
Richard Lowry:“the only presidential candidate from either party about whom there is a palpable excitement”.
Charles Krauthammer: “Obama would be a president with the political intelligence of a Bill Clinton harnessed to the steely self-discipline of a Vladimir Putin”, who would “bestride the political stage as largely as did Reagan.”
Bill Kristol:“I look forward to Obama’s inauguration with a surprising degree of hope and good cheer.”
Larry Kudlow: “[Obama] loves to deal with both sides of the issue.” “He revels in the back and forth. And he wants to keep the dialogue going with conservatives.”
As Growltiger observed observed earlier in this essay, it's quite possible that the (Republican) Party is over, and has been for twenty-eight years. "So long, and thanks for all the fish." **
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*from the lyrics of "The Party's Over" from "Bells Are Ringing."
**From Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
"Just make your mind up, the piper must be paid..."*
Some are questioning whether the Republican Party will survive the tumult of this primary season and end up like the Whigs in the 19th century. But Growltiger wonders whether there has been a Republican Party since the helicopter carrying Ronald Reagan vanished into the distance. In catspeak, that means America's two party system hasn't existed since President George H. W. Bush announced the arrival of the "New World Order" and abandoned the "read my lips, no new taxes" pledge he used to gin up the base in order to win the 1988 election. In short, there is a Democrat wing of the Party and a Republican wing of the Party and most of the time it makes no difference to the establishment in Washington which of the candidates prevails. Other than his problems with the ladies and a plethora of "gates", how differently did Bill Clinton govern than George H. W. Bush?
Like Ronald Reagan, Barack Obama has been a transformative president. Unlike President Reagan, he has done so with little push back. In 2015, with the House and Senate in Republican control, Speaker of the House, Paul Ryan, delivered in the budget everything on President Obama's wish list. Even Minority Leader, Pelosi, couldn't believe the cornucopia of gifts the Republican wing of the Party gave away.
And that, dear reader, explains Donald Trump in a nutshell. We the People finally caught on.
Currently, the Republican wing of the Party is in an uproar. Pundits like George Will, Steven Hayes and Charles Krauthammer weigh in nightly on Fox News to warn the viewers that nominating Mr. Trump would be a disaster for the country. (Running the risk of sounding too catty, Growltiger wonders how? Like crashing the economy? Like destroying America's health care system? Like invading Iraq? Like drawing red lines in the sand? Like taking out Libya? The list could go on, but it would be redundant.) Rich Lowry, editor of National Review, in a last ditch effort to derail the Trump locomotive collected a group of intellectuals to denounce Mr. Trump (published today). Bill Kristol of the Weekly Standard has stated he would vote for the Democratic wing of the Party if Mr. Trump got the Republican nomination.
Lest her dear readers think Growltiger has gotten into the catnip again, below are quotes these same anti-Trump pundits made in 2008 about president-elect, Senator Barack Obama. Viewing the past seven years through the rectrospectoscope, the Growler especially likes what Dr. Krauthammer and Mr. Kudlow had to say.
Richard Lowry:“the only presidential candidate from either party about whom there is a palpable excitement”.
Charles Krauthammer: “Obama would be a president with the political intelligence of a Bill Clinton harnessed to the steely self-discipline of a Vladimir Putin”, who would “bestride the political stage as largely as did Reagan.”
Bill Kristol:“I look forward to Obama’s inauguration with a surprising degree of hope and good cheer.”
Larry Kudlow: “[Obama] loves to deal with both sides of the issue.” “He revels in the back and forth. And he wants to keep the dialogue going with conservatives.”
As Growltiger observed observed earlier in this essay, it's quite possible that the (Republican) Party is over, and has been for twenty-eight years. "So long, and thanks for all the fish." **
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*from the lyrics of "The Party's Over" from "Bells Are Ringing."
**From Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
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