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Wednesday, May 30, 2018

More Grist for the Mill



Friends, President Trump's attitude towards China has been somewhat ambiguous of late, and perhaps purposefully so.  He wants to send the message that we can and will have a positive relationship with the Chinese, but he also wants to keep the pressure on China's government, so that, when we strike a deal, it will be the best possible deal, from the U.S. perspective.  Put simply, he wants to be tough, and yet he also wants to be conciliatory.  As he walks this tightrope, his key advisors are pulling him in opposite directions.  This article will give you some insight into where we stand.  My hope is that President Trump will ultimately go to the mat with the Chinese and force them to make major concessions.  As the saying goes, sometimes you have to be cruel to be kind, and I believe in the long run our relationship with China will be much stronger if we set the right tone now and prove to them that we will not be pushed around any longer...

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/29/business/white-house-moves-ahead-with-tough-trade-measures-on-china.html

The second article I would like to recommend is about the consistent liberal/mainstream media bias on race.  Not only do leftists feel entitled to be blisteringly racist themselves (hating white people is just common sense, after all), but they also report the news about race in very selective ways.  In a nutshell, if a story about race supports the narrative of the evils of white racism, then it gets blanket coverage.  If it doesn't, it will often be swept under the rug.  In this way, and in so many others, we are poorly served by the journalistic community.

https://townhall.com/columnists/bernardgoldberg/2018/05/29/the-racism-liberals-dont-recognize--their-own-n2484478

Saturday, May 26, 2018

Is Trump Trumping Kim?



Friends, don't believe everything you read or hear -- in my humble opinion, we are still on track for an historic meeting between President Trump and Kim Jong-un, and for peace on the Korean Peninsula.  Read all about it in my latest article:

https://amgreatness.com/2018/05/26/trump-will-get-a-deal-done-with-north-korea/

Friday, May 25, 2018

Spies-R-Us



Friends, did the Obama administration/the CIA/the FBI/theDOJ conspire to frame the Trump administration for colluding with Russia?  Did they gin up a FISA warrant, a dossier, and an FBI investigation so that they could use them all as an "October surprise" to stymie the Trump campaign?  Maybe.  Or maybe they all hate Trump so much that they find it hard to imagine that he's NOT in bed with Putin.  Certainly, when it comes to Trump, the Left's faculties of critical thought seem to have deserted them...  All this and much, much more was discussed in my latest interview on WLEA's Newsmaker program with Brian O'Neil.  Check it out!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgDqWKYRMtg&feature=youtu.be

Tuesday, May 22, 2018

Why Employers Continue to Hire Illegal Immigrants -- In a Nutshell



Friends, for once, the Washington Post isn't 100% wrong.  This article neatly summarizes the reasons why President Trump, the Republican Party, and many state governments have not enthusiastically embraced the country's E-Verify system for preventing the employment of illegal aliens.  As you will see, only 10% of employers even use the system -- and virtually no businesses are ever punished for hiring illegals.  The conspiracy of silence is alive and well.  As the article points out, as the unemployment rate declines, the temptation to hire illegals -- and to ignore federal labor and immigration laws -- increases.  I suggest that this is a major test for how serious President Trump and Republicans are about cracking down on illegal immigration.  If we choose to give employers a pass, then we can justly be accused of a lack of seriousness, or even of dishonesty...  Let's commit to complete border security, national sovereignty, the rule of law, and a zero tolerance policy on illegal immigration, shall we? 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/trump-is-very-weak-on-this-one-popular-way-to-curb-illegal-immigration/2018/05/22/adf5f85e-399b-11e8-acd5-35eac230e514_story.html?utm_term=.8b79290abf45

Monday, May 21, 2018

Demography is Destiny



Friends, once upon a time the American dream was more than just home ownership and material success: it also involved marriage and child-rearing.  Today, Americans wait longer than ever to get married, and many people never do.  Meanwhile, our birth rate is reaching record lows, and increasingly people of means and education choose not to have children at all.  I recommend the following article to you, which discusses the social/cultural/political problem that this demographic slump represents.  A society that cannot even be bothered to reproduce itself is a unique problem in history.  Immigration can soften the blow, yes, but it is by no means a comprehensive answer to the predicament.  My opinion is that we should stop castigating "family values," stop beating up on men and suggesting that they are the enemy of womankind, and rediscover and respect the institution of marriage.  What's your view?

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2018/05/20/heres-why-it-matters-that-americans-are-having-fewer-children-than-ever-before.html

Sunday, May 20, 2018

The Future of the Electoral College



Friends, I recommend this very interesting article about the electoral college, and whether or not Republicans can rely on winning it, even if we lose the popular vote.

https://amgreatness.com/2018/05/20/the-trump-coalition-and-the-electoral-college/

Now, personally I support the electoral college.  I do so partly because I support states' rights, and the college gives states an important role in selecting the President.  I also wish we would go back to allowing state legislatures to pick U.S. Senators, but that's a battle for another day...  Now, the gist of this article is the idea that, if Republicans increasingly rely on the electoral college to win Presidential elections, but steadily lose support in the popular vote, the legitimacy of Republican rule will be questioned.  I disagree, and for one overpowering reason: Trump-haters hate Trump, yes, and the Left hates the Republican Party, but frankly the fact that Trump won the electoral college and lost the popular vote is THE LEAST OF THEIR CONCERNS.  Collusion, emoluments, strippers -- you name it, they'll take any excuse to criticize, delegitimize, and hopefully destroy President Trump.  Increasingly, this kind of bare knuckles politics is common in the trenches too -- at the level of House, Senate, and even state and local elections.  To put it simply, more and more often, the two parties and their adherents have no respect for one another or for the "process".  They want to WIN, and they don't care how they do it.  Thus, in my opinion, just as it's unlikely for any real change in the electoral college to occur, it's also beside the point.  American politics has gotten ugly, and it will stay that way, unless and until the media environment, which stokes these animosities, changes.  In short, OF COURSE the legitimacy of Republican rule will be questioned.  Get used to it, because it will happen regardless of who wins the popular vote and/or the electoral college.

My belief is that the electoral college does, in fact, benefit Republicans, and it is likely to help our candidates win Presidential elections, just as the two-Senators-per-state formulation is likely to help us keep control of the Senate.  We could move to a system more oriented towards the popular vote, yes, but since this would only help the Left, which I do not see as devoted either to democracy or the U.S. Constitution, I don't believe this would be sensible or proper.  I say, therefore, keep the electoral college in place, and keep the presidency, the Senate, the House, most governorships, most state legislatures, and above all most judgeships, in safe, Republican hands.  The alternative is...bleak, to put it mildly.

Saturday, May 19, 2018

Elon Musk's Latest Space Fantasy



Friends, I've written before about the American-Canadian-South African tech titan Elon Musk.  He has some great ideas, and he has some not-so-great ideas.  This article is about his "Starlink" project, which aims to provide global satellite-based broadband internet access.  Sounds nifty, right?  Perhaps not so nifty when you consider the technical challenges and expense -- and, I don't know about you, but I already have good internet access.  A few thousand more satellites floating in space won't change that.

https://townhall.com/columnists/nicholaswaddy/2018/05/19/elon-musk-needs-to-dial-down-on-his-galactic-ambitions-n2482081

Thursday, May 17, 2018

Too Many Companies are in the Business of Breaking the Law



Friends, my latest article, coming soon to The Daily Caller in a more abbreviated form, takes on one of the most bedeviling issues related to illegal immigration.  Millions of illegals are working for a living in this country, despite numerous laws that are designed to make hiring illegal aliens impossible.  To solve this problem, we need an entirely new, and much more aggressive, approach to punishing employers who violate our immigration and labor laws.  Are you with me?  If we can eliminate the "job magnet" for illegal immigrants, I believe much of the problem will solve itself.  The illegals will simply stay home.

The Battle Over Illegal Immigration Will Be Won or Lost with Employers

Recently, ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) has stepped up its enforcement of U.S. immigration laws. More and more raids are targeting illegal immigrants, especially dangerous criminals, and sometimes these raids occur in the illegals' workplaces, much to the chagrin of “sanctuary” mayors and governors, who feel that these hapless “immigrants” are being terrorized. However, the fact is that these raids are still few and far between. Even with more vigorous enforcement of our immigration laws, and even with increased deportations of criminal illegal immigrants, the number of illegals in the U.S. has barely budged, and illegal aliens continue to stream into the country. Businesses also continue to employ around 8 million illegals. 

President Trump, and many Republicans, are apt to focus on the need for a wall on our southern border. Such a wall is indeed a necessity, in order to promote the security and integrity of our border with Mexico. The President should thus insist that Congress funds the wall before the midterm elections, as he has stated he will. 

The problem, though, is that even a wall will not solve the problem of illegal immigration. This is because many illegal immigrants, and possibly most of them, don't hop the border in the first place. They come to the U.S. as tourists, or on student or temporary work visas, and then they never leave. A border wall will do nothing to halt this species of illegal alien.

We should also consider the fact that, once an illegal enters the country, even if he/she is eventually identified by federal authorities, the average wait time for a hearing in our immigration courts is 718 days! This means many illegals are simply released pending a hearing, and, predictably, few of them choose to show up when their day in court arrives. In so many ways, therefore, the traditional immigration enforcement system is hopelessly broken. Merely expanding it won't fix the problem of illegal immigration. A more fundamental change in direction is needed.

As many in ICE realize, the ultimate draw for many illegal immigrants is the ability to work in this country, despite their “undocumented” status. Millions of illegal immigrants work for U.S. companies, large and small, and it is abundantly clear that most of these firms believe they can violate immigration laws and labor laws with impunity. It's easy to see why: very few employers are ever punished for hiring illegals, and very few companies pay fines for doing so, and when such fines are assessed, the amounts involved are laughably small. The result is that America is open for business, vis-a-vis illegal immigrant workers. It has been for decades, and it remains so today.

Why has the problem of illegal immigrant workers been allowed to fester? To Democrats, in essence there is no such thing as an illegal immigrant. There are only “immigrants,” and they can do no wrong. Republican elected officials, though, are equally unlikely to tackle the illegal immigration problem at its source – with employers – because of their pro-business attitudes, and because such workers are cheap and pliable. In fact, illegal immigrant workers are subjected to systematically abusive and exploitative treatment by their employers, which neither party seems to mind. In addition, Republicans are generally afraid that any serious effort to enforce immigration laws will result in accusations of “racism!” The end result is what amounts to a tacit conspiracy in Washington, D.C. to ignore the rampant violation of our country's immigration and labor laws.

I would argue that the presidency of Donald Trump represents the best opportunity our country has had in the last several decades to tackle the problem of illegal immigration energetically and successfully. To do so, however, we cannot afford to target only the illegal immigrants themselves. We also need to target the government agencies, non-governmental organizations, and businesses that facilitate illegal immigration. As I have argued before, this means prosecuting public officials who implement “sanctuary” policies that are designed to obstruct the enforcement of U.S. immigration laws. This should also mean the prosecution of NGOs that exist to harbor and protect illegal immigrants. Where the rubber meets the road, though, is with employers, and here we have much work to do.

Every year, hundreds of workplaces are raided by ICE, and millions of dollars in fines are meted out to employers. Under President Trump, these enforcement actions are multiplying, and more businesses than ever are being “audited,” but given the scale of the private sector economy – and the sheer numbers of illegal immigrants employed – this traditional approach to enforcement simply won't yield significant results. What is needed is a change in the culture of American business. As it stands now, frequently U.S. companies are more afraid of illegal immigration activists picketing or boycotting them if they cooperate with ICE than they are of federal authorities punishing them for violating the law. This is outrageous.

Two simple steps could turn this situation around. First, ICE should reward informants who provide tips about employers who routinely hire illegal immigrants. The flow of intel that this unlocks could be used to prosecute hiring managers who knowingly violate the law or conceal the “undocumented” status of their employees. Such white collar criminals should face serious jail time. This is what federal prisons are for, if you ask me. The mental calculus of hiring managers and HR departments across America would change overnight if this tactic were utilized. Presumably, the use of the federal government's E-Verify system, that aims to detect illegal immigrants and prevent their employment, would skyrocket. Under current law, use of the system is mostly voluntary.

Secondly, the fines assessed on companies violating immigration and labor laws need to be dramatically increased. If one were to add three zeros to the aggregate amount of fines collected by immigration authorities from U.S. businesses every year, one would thus add a serious expense for these companies that would undoubtedly change their attitudes and behavior. We would be hitting these rogue businesses where it hurts: their bottom line. Probably, though, this tactic would require Congress to reform our immigration laws, which, as we have seen, is apparently next to impossible.

Whether an enforcement crackdown of the sort I have proposed will emerge is uncertain. As vigorous as the Trump administration has been when it comes to tracking down and deporting criminal illegal aliens, it has shown remarkable restraint in other respects, and it has shown little appetite for making U.S. companies pay a price for their complicity in illegal immigration. We should not allow our desire to promote economic growth to undermine our dedication to the rule of law, however.

If we want to end illegal immigration once and for all, it's clear that not only illegal immigrants, but also their enablers, need to face justice. ICE understands this. President Trump may not, as yet, but let us hope he will come around.

Dr. Nicholas L. Waddy is an Associate Professor of History at SUNY Alfred and blogs at: www.waddyisright.com.

And here's the published version!  My thanks to The Daily Caller.

http://dailycaller.com/2018/05/20/illegal-immigration-battle-won-or-lost-with-employers/

Wednesday, May 16, 2018

Getting to the Bottom of the "Collusion Delusion"



Friends, don't miss my latest interview on WLEA's Newsmaker program.  Brian O'Neil and I consider Rush Limbaugh's bombshell allegations that members of the Trump campaign were set up by people working for the FBI...not to engage in real "collusion," but merely to talk about "Russian emails" so as to provide a pretext for an investigation, FISA warrants, leaks to the press, etc.  The implication is that the whole "Russian collusion" narrative was cooked by up shadowy figures on the left long before the election happened in November 2016.  If this is true, it's one of history's most successful conspiracies...not in the sense that it succeeded in destroying the Trump campaign or the Trump presidency, but in the sense that it's captivated the world's attention and hoodwinked millions, and possibly billions, of reasonably intelligent people.  Conclusion: the "deep state" knows what it's doing, and no one should underestimate it.

Brian and I also talked about North Korea, illegal immigration, the resurrection of Last Man Standing, and more.  The sound quality is better than ever, and you can listen in right here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mqal7F1OEmM&feature=youtu.be

Tuesday, May 15, 2018

In Defense of the Thin Blue Line



Friends, there are few Americans braver and more essential to our safety and well-being than police officers and other law enforcement officials.  Nonetheless, many on the left think they can malign and even threaten our men in blue with impunity.  Hatred of the police, and violence against police officers, is on the rise.  Part of the blame lies with those who give aid and comfort to police-hating zealots.  Be that as it may, President Trump has stood shoulder-to-shoulder with law enforcement throughout his campaign and his presidency.  How refreshing! 

Do I support an automatic death penalty for those who kill police officers?  No.  I support the rule of law, and fair but severe punishment for anyone who commits a violent crime.  We don't need to make policemen into superheroes, nor do we need to give them special rights or privileges.  All we need to do is support their efforts to enforce the law, obey their lawful instructions, respect their professionalism, and thank them for their service to our nation and to the ideal of justice.  Is that asking so much?  No!

https://www.politico.com/story/2018/05/15/trump-anti-police-prejudice-589034

Friday, May 11, 2018

The American Male: Could He Be Making a Comeback?



Friends, many conservatives will be familiar with the furor that was caused by ABC's cancellation of the sitcom Last Man Standing, starring Tim Allen as a conservative white male who was, shockingly, portrayed as a decent human being.  Fans of the show petitioned for it to be resurrected, and now it has been...by Fox, no less!  This is some rare good news from Hollywood.  Waddyheads across the land will be nodding approvingly.

https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/last-man-standing-resurrected-fox-194553456.html

A Cornucopia of Conservatism!



Friends, be extra thankful, because this week WLEA's Newsmaker program is serving up a veritable cornucopia of Waddy-branded conservatism.  Brian O'Neil and I discuss the Iran nuclear deal, North Korea, disgraced NY Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, Mueller and Cohen, and so much more.  Give it a listen!

https://wlea.net/newsmaker-may-10-2018-dr-nick-waddy/

Tuesday, May 8, 2018

No More Free Rides



Friends, Attorney General Jeff Sessions is announcing a zero tolerance policy for illegal immigration -- that is, he intends to prosecute 100% of those who cross the border illegally, and they will then face punishment for that crime of border-hopping.  In addition, this will mean that parents who illegally cross with their children will be separated from those children.  This is "tough love," but it's a big improvement from the old policy, which said that, if a family shows up at the border, we'll release them into the U.S. population, and even bus them wherever they'd like to go, while we consider their "status".  What a joke!

This new tack is a breath of fresh air, but does Sessions have the moxie to follow through?  Let's keep his feet to the fire, shall we?

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/nationworld/ct-sessions-border-crossers-20180507-story.html

Friday, May 4, 2018

To Parley, or Not to Parley? That is the Question



Friends, the wheels are turning in the White House, and the President's lawyers are debating whether or not to subject him to an interview with Robert Mueller's hit squad. Check out my latest article, in which I analyze all the legal and political ramifications. My bottom line: I think Trump should do an interview, if for no other reason than because it will bring this fiasco to a close sooner rather than later. In said interview, however, Trump should say as little as possible!

https://amgreatness.com/2018/05/04/mr-president-talk-to-mueller-now-or-plead-the-fifth-later/

Thursday, May 3, 2018

Making Government Work...For a Change



Friends, anyone who has worked in government, or with government, knows that the process to gain approval for any major (or minor) construction project can be agonizing.  Many of our environmental laws, in particular, seemed designed to obstruct progress.  They're also designed, in many cases, to enrich the lawyers, activists, and special interests that profit from the need to comply with said laws.  Now, no one is against Planet Earth, despite what the environmentalists want us to believe.  The question is...how do we protect the environment sensibly?  Too often, regulations require builders to spend vast amounts in order to comply with requirements that produce no meaningful environmental benefit whatsoever.  This needs to end.  Long delays in finishing important infrastructure projects are also endangering our economy, and it some cases our safety.  The article below advances some common sense solutions that ought to be incorporated in any infrastructure bill.  As the article points out, President Trump can only do so much.  Congress needs to get in on the act.

https://townhall.com/columnists/billwalton/2018/05/02/taking-action-now-can-save-lives-in-the-future-n2476857

Wednesday, May 2, 2018

All The News That's Fit to Broadcast



Friends, listen in to my latest appearance on the Newsmaker program of WLEA 1480, in which Brian O'Neil and I discuss some very hot topics, including Trump hatred, the Mueller investigation, Watergate, Governor Cuomo's threatening letter to ICE, and gun rights, to name just a few.  To give you some added incentive, the first five listeners get a Nobel Peace Prize (but not if your last name is "Trump")...  Enjoy!

wlea.net/newsmaker-may-2-2018/

Tuesday, May 1, 2018

Et tu, Apu?



Friends, you may or may not have noticed, but the PC culture wars have come to The Simpsons, which I have watched and enjoyed for many years.  Hank Azaria, who voices many of the characters, is under fire for propagating an admittedly stereotypical Indian character named "Apu".  Does Apu make Indian immigrants look ridiculous?  Most assuredly, but the whole point of The Simpsons is to make EVERYONE look ridiculous.  The sad fact is that all too many leftists lack the necessary sense of humor to see what a valuable service to society this sort of satire is.  We need a safety valve, after all, and we need to preserve the ability to think critically, even about cherished institutions and ideas.

The best part of the article below comes at the end, when the author reminds us that PC bullying only works if we allow it to work.  If we self-censor out of fear that the PC police will read us the riot act, or if we back down when they do, it only encourages them.  There are levels of "insensitivity" that all of us should avoid, I'm sure, but let's not throw the baby out with the bath water -- let's maintain our ability to laugh at each other, and at ourselves.

https://pjmedia.com/andrewklavan/the-little-tragedy-of-hank-azaria/