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Wednesday, January 31, 2018

Disconnect



Friends, if you want to know what's wrong with America, consider these two stories, both related to President Trump's sterling State of the Union speech.  The first documents the strongly positive reaction by those who viewed the speech, including many Democrats and Independents.  The second chronicles the sad story of the Washington Post's initially neutral headline about the State of the Union, to which liberals reacted with rage and incomprehension...and then the WaPo changed the headline to suit its neurotically Trump-hating readership.  What's wrong with this picture?  I trust you can figure it out!

http://www.businessinsider.com/polls-trump-approval-state-of-the-union-speech-loved-2018-1

http://thefederalist.com/2018/01/31/washington-post-changes-front-page-liberals-lose-it-on-twitter/#.WnHdON4gUoc.twitter

Friday, January 26, 2018

Keeping the U.S. On Top



TGIF!  You may recall that a while back I wrote an article about Qualcomm, and its dangerous tendency to rate chumminess with the People's Republic of China as more important than keeping U.S. technology secrets under lock and key.  This is a much bigger problem than Qualcomm: sadly, capitalism and national security do not always mix, since many corporations are far more interested in making money than they are in protecting the American people.  Under President Obama, moreover, standing up to countries like China, which are continuously trying to acquire our sensitive technology, was not a priority.  Now, happily, there are signs of progress, as the U.S. government, with President Trump in the lead, moves to protect our position as a technological powerhouse.  Keep it up, Mr. President -- and let's keep the pressure on Congress to follow his example.

Read more about it here, in Independent Journal Review, which I thank for publishing one of my articles for the first time:

https://ijr.com/opinion/2018/01/267306-qualcomm-and-china-why-u-s-technology-secrets-need-maximum-protection/

Wednesday, January 24, 2018

Shutdown Scorecard: Trump (and America) 1, Democrats 0



Friends, the defeat of the Democratic shutdown came as a very pleasant surprise to me -- and may be one of the best things to happen to America since Trump's victory in November 2016.  Why do I say that?  Democrats have been threatening a shutdown ever since, trying to extort concessions from Republicans, who control both Houses of Congress.  Now that their shutdown gambit has failed, they may have no choice but to COMPROMISE.  Astounding, no?  Congress might start getting things done!

Read my analysis of the shutdown here, coming soon to a newspaper or news website near you...

Democrats' Shutdown Fever Finally Breaks

Every shutdown in living memory, except the most recent one, has had one thing in common: Republicans got the blame. Of course, technically, no shutdown is ever the fault of only one side. A shutdown is caused by a failure to reach agreement, and both sides need to play their part to make that happen. Why, then, have shutdowns redounded so reliably to the advantage of Democrats, and to the disadvantage of Republicans? The answer is simple: the public's interpretation of every shutdown is sifted through the biases of the mainstream media, and the media invariably sees Republicans as the bad actors in every political drama. Thus, when Washington goes to war, it is, according to the press, belligerent conservatives who have blood on their hands.

The miracle is that, in the recent shutdown battle, this historical pattern was broken. It was the Democrats who sought a shutdown, believing that more Trumpian “chaos” would surely pad their already sizable lead in the polls – but it was Democrats who blinked, ending the shutdown in its early days, believing that to continue it would be dangerous to their political fortunes. Why? What explains this turnaround, which is frustrating leftist true-believers to no end? They wanted a twilight-of-the-gods showdown with the demon Trump, but instead they got...a promise that their chief goal, a DACA fix, will be, well, considered. Not surprisingly, this anticlimax has brought many leftists to the brink of apoplexy.

The explanation appears to be that the Democrats misjudged the zeal of the American people for protecting illegal immigrants from the consequences of their (illegal) actions. Yes, Americans want to see young immigrants who were protected by President Obama's DACA program allowed to stay in this country, but they see no need to shut down the government to obtain a resolution of the issue post haste. (Witness the poll published by CNN over the weekend, which showed that by 56-34% Americans think it is more important to keep the government open than to save the “Dreamers”.) The Democrats seem to have believed that their political position was so strong that they could insist that the DACA problem be resolved without any concessions on their part. No wall, no beefed up enforcement of illegal immigration laws, no budget adjustments in the Republicans' favor – just give us our DACA fix, said Democrats, or else! The “or else” was, of course, a shutdown, that Democrats assumed would wound Republicans.

In addition to their misjudgment of the public mood, Democrats were felled by several other factors. In an age of constant media panic about President Trump's alleged depredations/insanities, the fact of the matter is that a little ole shutdown hardly seems as arresting as may once have been the case. The main effect of a government shutdown is to deny government workers their paychecks – an eventuality that can hardly irk most anti-government conservatives. Most remarkable is the fact that the liberal media utterly failed to incite bogus fears that Social Security checks would not be mailed; Medicaid and Medicare recipients would die in the streets; and airliners would fall out of the skies, for lack of air traffic controllers. Instead, the impression that most Americans seem to have received about the shutdown is one startlingly similar to the truth: that it was all cheap political theater, staged by liberals who were unwilling to negotiate in good faith. Indeed, the fact that the shutdown was planned, executed, and briefly cherished by activists on the far left is undeniable. This is evidenced by the fact that, in the final analysis, it was only aspiring Democratic Presidential candidates who refused to vote to end it. They know where their bread is buttered, and they would not dream of angering the leftist horde that has been demanding that no quarter should be given in the struggle against Trump and his minions. The miracle, I repeat, is that the American people were ever permitted to perceive this obvious truth. The left's propaganda machine has never faltered so badly.

The upshot of the failed shutdown is this: Republicans not only “won” this round in American politics, but they may have gone a long way to permanently removing government shutdowns from the list of potential weapons in the arsenal of the party out of power. Republicans proved in this instance, after all, that, even with the connivance of a cooperative mainstream media establishment, Democrats were unable to make audacious and unilateral demands, shut down the government until they were met, and ultimately prevail. They proved, in fact, quite the opposite: that the Democrats are not united; that the longer a shutdown lasts, the more dangerous and unpredictable its effects may become; and, finally, that blaming Donald J. Trump for everything bad that happens will only get you so far in life.

With, we hope, the danger of future shutdowns receding, the truth is that Democrats are now in a remarkably weak position legislatively, and there is thus hope that they will show a new willingness to make deals with Republicans. Quite a few Democrats, especially the 10 (!) Senators running for reelection in states that Trump won, are clearly prepared to negotiate. With any luck, this will drive an even greater wedge between these moderate Democrats and the leftist ideologues and activists who dominate the party's grassroots. Conservatives can sit back and enjoy the resulting spectacle of a bitter, bruising battle for the Democratic nomination for President in 2020.

It couldn't have happened to a nicer party.

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

BREAKING NEWS: You can find this article at TownHall.com.

Tuesday, January 23, 2018

Trump vs Evil Washing Machines? Oh Yes. Victory is Assured.



Some of you may recall that, months ago, I wrote about the need to impose tariffs on imported washing machines.  Samsung and LG have been dumping these machines in the U.S., trying to destroy their American-based competitors.  Here is the original article:

http://dailycaller.com/2017/10/11/amazingly-samsung-and-lg-are-as-bad-as-the-nfl/

Now the Trump administration is taking action.  Tariffs have been imposed to protect U.S. producers of solar panels and washing machines, who are being illegally harmed by unfair foreign competition.

http://thehill.com/policy/finance/370193-trump-slaps-tariffs-on-imported-washing-machines-solar-panel-technology

 This is not just a good idea, in and of itself, but it also sends a strong message to Canada and Mexico that they should take the U.S. seriously as we renegotiate the terms of NAFTA.  It also puts China on notice: the conciliatory line that the Trump administration has taken thus far, to motivate the Chinese to put pressure on North Korea, may not last forever.  Here here!  Let's not allow foreign governments and companies to take advantage of us.  Free and fair trade, yes, but when governments keep U.S. exports out, and maneuver to flood the U.S. market with subsidized foreign goods, it's time to say: NO MORE!  Well done, Mr. President.  This is a good first step.

Sunday, January 21, 2018

A Waddyisright Expose!



Friends, I've written before about the nuisance lawsuits that environmental radicals and leftist politicians have launched against energy companies.  Now we have evidence of how little credence even these radicals and politicians ascribe to their own claims.  I'm grateful to TownHall for publishing this important article:

https://townhall.com/columnists/nicholaswaddy/2018/01/20/the-smoking-gun-liberals-only-believe-in-climate-change-catastrophe-when-it-suits-them-n2435868

Thursday, January 18, 2018

It's getting interesting!



Friends, Democrats and Republicans are in the midst of a colossal game of chicken in Washington, D.C.  Both sides say they're potentially willing to shut down the government, if they don't get their way re: spending priorities, DACA, the Wall, etc.  In fact, neither side is sure it wants to take that risk.  Republicans are particularly exposed: they know that the media will surely blame THEM (and Trump, most of all) if a shutdown occurs.  My two cents: fortune favors the brave, and we can't let Democrats push us around forever.  Nor can we we pass endless continuing resolutions, putting off all the tough decisions for another day.  What do you think?  Should we shut down the government, and force Democrats into line?  I'd love to hear your views...

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2018/01/18/washingtons-dare-game.html

Sunday, January 14, 2018

Rural America and Trump: A Winning Combination



Friends, Donald Trump couldn't have won the Presidency without the enthusiastic support of rural Americans.  Likewise, rural America needs and relies on President Trump to make economic and social progress in the years ahead.  Check out my latest article, which appears in the Daily Caller.  I argue that the alliance between Trump and rural residents is already bearing fruit.

http://dailycaller.com/2018/01/14/rural-america-is-winning-with-trump/

Wednesday, January 10, 2018

The "Prince of Darkness" Targets Your Pension



Hold on to your hats, New York retirees, because you're about to be flabbergasted by the political games New York Governor Andrew Cuomo wants to play with your pensions.  Liberals love "divestment," and the latest craze is the divestment of state pension funds from any company involved in the production of fossil fuels.  Of course, if one follows this logic all the way, and we eliminate all investments in state pension funds that could potentially offend leftists, well, all we may be left with is stock in minority-owned bakers who specialize in gay weddings...  Read on, and find out exactly what Cuomo has in mind.  Remember, this guy is angling to be your next President, so the stakes couldn't be higher!

https://townhall.com/columnists/nicholaswaddy/2018/01/10/your-pension-isnt-safe-from-ny-governor-andrew-cuomo-n2432091

Monday, January 8, 2018

Tom Steyer Alert



Friends, as I've said before, it's important to keep track of the activities of men like Tom Steyer, the California billionaire who is funding impeachment ads against President Trump.  Perhaps in recognition that the effort to impeach Trump is flailing, Steyer is now devoting vast resources to the 2018 mid-term elections, with a goal of taking control of the House of Representatives for Democrats.  (This could, of course, be a tactical move, since only the House can impeach anyone, and Democratic control of the chamber would vastly increase the chances that a Trump impeachment vote would happen.)  All of this underscores how vital an election the mid-term contest will be.  We can, I feel sure, keep the House AND expand our majority in the Senate, but we need to keep our eyes on the ball...  Read on to learn more about Steyer's strategy for the mid-term, and his decision not to run for office himself, for now:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2018/01/08/tom-steyer-will-plow-30-million-into-midterms-but-wont-run-for-office-in-2018/?utm_term=.4a5304c91ace

Sunday, January 7, 2018

End the Plague of "Sanctuary Cities"



Hi, friends.  Those of you who have been following this blog for the duration may know that eons ago I published an article about how to defeat so-called sanctuary cities, which refuse to cooperate with federal efforts to deport criminal illegal aliens.  The gist of the piece is this: threatening federal funding of such cities is not enough.  The law specifies that those who harbor illegal aliens can be punished with jail time, and if you ask me a lot of Democratic politicians fit the bill!  Here is the article:

http://www.thelcn.com/lcn03/restoring-the-rule-of-law-a-plan-for-treating-defiant-sanctuary-cities-20170203

I was pleased to see that recently the Acting Director of ICE echoed my sentiments:

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/acting-ice-director-wants-politicians-in-sanctuary-cities-charged-with-crimes/

Frankly, I think such a move would be in the interests of the Democratic Party, which is in serious danger of creating the impression that it prioritizes criminals' rights over the rights of law-abiding citizens.  Let's end this sanctuary city nonsense once and for all, shall we?

Thursday, January 4, 2018

Fortune Favors the...Republican



Friends, if you follow politics as obsessively as I do, you know that control of Virginia's House of Delegates has been hanging in the balance, as various recounts were completed, based on the November 2017 election.  It came down to a race that was recently declared a tie.  A tie, by Virginia law, is resolved by a drawing of lots.  As you'll see below, the Republican candidate, David Yancey, thus won the race!  The curious thing is...I was supremely confident that Republicans would keep control of the House of Delegates, when I learned that this was the method used to break a tie.  Surely luck, a.k.a. Divine Providence, would favor the good guys, no?  My faith was rewarded, and David Yancey won!  You can't argue with results, eh?

https://www.yahoo.com/news/name-drawn-bowl-determine-election-095243085.html