Welcome to the official blog for Dr. Nicholas L. Waddy, political commentator, historian, patriot, novelist, and wise man extraordinaire! Here you will find Dr. Waddy's latest musings on the political scene, as well as links to published articles, tv/radio appearances, and more...
Friends, I wish you health, happiness, glamour, glory, victory, sweet vengeance, and oodles of self-indulgence in 2024! This coming year will be a wild ride, as we all know, and I'm thankful that I have YOU as my faithful companions as we face the unknown together. God bless each and every one of you!!!
Friends, you've no doubt heard that another state -- Maine -- has ejected DJT from the Republican presidential primary ballot. Well, the dastrdly Dems are far from unanimous in this matter, but this development nonetheless raises the stakes and makes it ever more critical that SCOTUS should weigh in and save us from this imperious meddling in the democratic process.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-67842012
A good friend of mine (no, not you, the other one) has written an article that sets this effort to purge the 2024 ballot of Donald Trump in its proper context. For more than a century now, "progressives" have been telling us that the law, the nature of government, and even the U.S. Constitution need to "change with the times". They've propounded a theory of "legal realism" that posits that, at any given time, the law and the Constitution mean whatever "society" needs them to mean, and who decides that? Well, the enlightened ones, of course, i.e. progressives! This is yet another way in which the Left magically conjures the objective out of the subjective, and deifies itself in the process. All this must be resisted vigorously and seen for what it is: a play for power of breathtaking audacity and limitless scope.
https://thespectator.com/topic/keep-trump-off-ballot-colorado-michigan/
Speaking of the courts, it looks like Israel's highest court is about to issue a ruling slapping down the Netanyahu government and declaring that it and it alone rules the State of Israel. Lefists are overjoyed. Conservatives are more than a little dazed. First, Hamas hits Israel, and Israel's government, below the belt, and when and how and where it was least expected. That, apparently, did serious damage to the public's confidence in Prime Minister Netanyahu and his conservative allies. Now, the high court is poised to finish off Netanyahu and friends, and to remind them how little power they truly have. Netanyahu could choose to defy the court, of course, and provoke a constitutional crisis -- but would he have the guts for it, especially as his country prosecutes a war against Hamas? We shall see.
Finally, kudos to Finland, which is preparing to inaugurate a secure storage facility for spent nuclear fuel. No one has been eager to house nuclear waste, lo these many decades since the hiccups known as Three Mile Island, Chernobyl, and Fukushima, but the fact is that nuclear energy is among the cleanest sources of power available, and mankind would be foolish to believe that it can overcome its dependence on fossil fuels without making wide use of nuclear energy. Finland's bold step forward makes nuclear power generation a little easier and more practical, and may even give this troubled industry a long-term future. Let's hope so.
Friends, no U.S. president did more to expand the powers and scope of the federal government than Franklin Delano Roosevelt. His power grab was also especially dangerous in that it effectively ballooned the authority of the presidency itself. The Supreme Court stood up to FDR, for a while, but it was bullied into submission and, with the retirement of a number of conservative justices, ceased to be a major obstacle to FDR's New Deal policies. Thankfully, his plan to pack the court was unsuccessful, but that's one of the few victories against Roosevelt's megalomania that conservatives and constitutionalists ever won. Later, Democratic presidents like LBJ and Barack Obama would build on the questionable achievements of FDR and make the federal government even more instrusive and authoritarian.
This, of course, is just one of the historical themes that Brian O'Neil and I discuss on this week's Newsmaker Show. We also ponder the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979, and the chaos in Eastern Europe in the wake of WWI.
In terms of current events, Brian and I tackle the Colorado Supreme Court's high-handed and ideologically-driven ruling that removed Donald Trump from the presidential primary ballot in that state, and the horrific consequences that could follow if SCOTUS does not rapidly slap down this anti-democratic outrage. We also discuss the fantasy that Russia could invade Western Europe (or Poland, for that matter), the state of the U.S. defense budget, the biggest stories of 2023, and the future of Harvard President Claudine Gay and the state of (left-wing) academia as an institution.
All that in less than 25 minutes??? I wouldn't believe it myself if I hadn't been integrally involved in taping the show!
https://wlea.net/newsmaker-december-27-2023-dr-nick-waddy/
***
There's lots of other news today. For instance, here's a story about a project to help conservatives identify alternatives to putting money in the pockets of woke corporations. It's easy to say, "No Target for me!" or "Sayonara, Bud Light!", but how do you go about picking new companies to do business with? This might be part of the solution.
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2023/12/27/boycotting-woke-worked-publicsq-shows-what-next/
Personally, I was never that impressed by Vivek Ramaswamy, who, in my view, is more smarmy than swamy, but it looks like his upstart campaign is now in a death spiral. My take is that he was never a serious candidate for president anyway. A vote for Ramaswamy is, in effect, a vote for Trump, because it keeps the ranks of the Trump alternatives in the GOP divided, which effectively helps Trump win.
The Michigan Supreme Court has given Trump a "win", in that it has kept him on the presidential primary ballot, but that doesn't mean necessarily that he would be on the presidential ballot itself in the fall. Bottom line: there is NO SUBSTITUTE for U.S. Supreme Court intervention in this matter.
Did you know that the U.S. economy can be summed up in just two words: "All good"! That's Joe Biden's assessment. For some reason, the media isn't reporting news about the economy quite that succinctly and simplistically...but no doubt they'll fall in line as we get closer to the main event.
https://nypost.com/2023/12/25/news/biden-scolds-media-on-economy-start-reporting-it-the-right-way/
Who will control the House of Representatives after the 2024 elections? The results may well hinge not on public opinion, but on a number of active court cases affecting redistricting. Aren't we way past redistricting, you say? Wasn't that completed right after the 2020 census? Nope. The Democratic Party philosophy is, as always, that you keep voting, or keep redrawing electoral boundaries, until you get the results you want.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/redistricting-states-house-congress-control/
Many Republicans and Trumpers argue that the criminal charges against Donald Trump have actually helped him and improved his popularity. Among Republicans, that's certainly true. The bigger question, though, is, once Trump's trials get underway, and once he's convicted of one or more felonies (which is highly probable, given the judges and the venues involved), how will the public perceive him? Will his legend grow, or will he pay a political price? No one knows for sure, but the polls say that being a convicted felon isn't a selling point -- and this, of course, is exactly what the dastardly Dems are banking on. We can't discount the possibility that their evil machinations will be crowned with success...
https://dnyuz.com/2023/12/26/a-trump-conviction-could-cost-him-enough-voters-to-tip-the-election/
Friends, as we approach New Year's Eve and the official start of 2024, a lot of people are reflecting on the state of American democracy, Western Civilization, our popular culture, our economy, etc. So, naturally, am I.
What were the top stories of 2023, according to Yours Truly? I believe the main development that imperils our freedoms and our way of life is the redoubled efforts by the establishment to restrict and control speech, and to stage-manage the democratic process itself. Here I'm thinking about the full court press by the powers-that-be against Elon Musk and Twitter, the major federal case that is examining whether the U.S. government can coordinate with social media companies to silence dissent, and the campaign of lawfare against Donald Trump, the likely GOP presidential nominee in 2024, as well as other conservatives -- up to and including the efforts to purge the ballot itself of every candidate except Joe Biden. All these developments threaten the very foundations of our pluralistic democratic/constitutional system. They bear watching, to say the very least!
Another major story that I think many people missed is India's new status as the world's most populous country, combined, as it has been, with major political, social, and especially economic setbacks for Red China. As Russia and China and arguably the United States falter, countries like India will loom much larger in the future than they do now.
Another theme that has caught the attention of many in 2023 is the rise of artificial intelligence. Some are excited about these developments, some are terrified, and some are just confused. All these reactions are understandable. What's certain, though, is that we're only seeing the very beginnings of A.I.'s transformative impact.
What do YOU think were the most important stories of 2023? I would love to get your perspective.
Friends, as this CNN article points out, the recent stumbles at Ivy League institutions have given Republicans and Trumpers an opening, and needless to say conservatives are making the most of it. In addition, the esteem in which academia, and "the experts" more broadly, are held has been in terminal decline for a while now. Be all that as it may, I don't see any sign that the business model of elite higher education, which is as much about leveraging government grants and corporate cash as it is about attracting students and tuition dollars, is seriously under threat. In fact, the lesson of recent history is that elite institutions are as strong as ever, and as contemptuous of dissent, especially from conservatives, as ever, too. Academia remains a deeply problematic institution from the perspective of patriots and conservatives, and it would take truly herculean efforts by future Republican legislators, governors, and presidents to wrestle it back into respectability. Good luck to anyone who's trying, I say!
Here are two able summaries of where we stand vis-a-vis the evidence against the Biden "crime family". The key, as always, is tying Joe Biden to the clearly unethical, but not necessarily illegal, schemes of his close relations. We shall see if that can be managed.
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2023/12/22/top-5-revelations-from-biden-family-probe-in-2023/
Friends, this week's Newsmaker Show covers a lot of ground, as per usual, starting with the Boston Tea Party of 1773, cruising through the unraveling of Operation Barbarossa on the Eastern Front in WWII, and arriving, right on schedule, at the present day, and the death throes of American democracy. What a long, strange trip it's been!
In terms of current events, Brian and I discuss the decline of American "hard power" globally juxtaposed against the incredible popularity of our popular culture abroad; the strange aberations that we're seeing in the polls, vis-a-vis the views of America's youth versus the rest of us; the tired analogies between Trump and Hitler; the electoral fortunes of RFK, Jr.; and the sad fate of Rudy Giuliani, the canary in the coal mine when it comes to progressive "lawfare".
When we get to This Day in History, we hash over Adolf Hitler's decision to take personal command of the German military in late 1941, and to insist that it hold its ground in the face of Soviet counterattacks; the "opening" of the Berlin Wall (to Western visitors) in 1963; and the legacy of the Boston Tea Party, in the light of the Left's strident condemnation of "insurrection".
Boy! What a diverse set of topics. Arguably, they've got just one thing in common: you NEED to hear what I have to say on each and every one of them!
https://wlea.net/newsmaker-december-20-2023-dr-nick-waddy/
***
In other news, you may have heard that the Colorado Supreme Court decided, by a vote of 4 to 3, that DJT is an insurrectionist (bastard), and he therefore cannot appear on the presidential ballot in the Centennial State. Well! This is the first time that a state has struck Trump's name off the ballot, based on his (alleged) ineligibility under the the 14th Amendment. Needless to say, Trump has never been charged with, or convicted of, "insurrection", or indeed any crime related to the events of January 6th, but no matter: the Dems long ago concluded that Trump is automatically guilty of everything, so, that being so, the Colorado Supremes did what they had to do. One assumes that the Supreme Court of the United States will have something to say about this, and quickly, too, because otherwise the 2024 presidential election could turn into an even greater mess than it already is.
https://thespectator.com/topic/trump-off-the-ballot-colorado-court/
https://news.yahoo.com/trump-cases-thrust-supreme-court-194911468.html
https://twitter.com/ccadelago/status/1737538069505745356
Finally, my home state of New York is once again leading the way...to perdition. Governor Kathy Hochul has signed a bill initiating a process that may lead to slavery reparations. On what basis? Reparations for whom? How much will it cost? Your guess is as good as mine. My hope is that this dreadful bill is just virtue signaling, and that even this benighted state wouldn't be foolish enough to go down the reparations rabbit hole. We shall see. (Note, as well, the grossly condescending, biased nature of the CBS report, which does not even consider the immense complications in meting out "reparations". Why would it, though? Opposition to "racial justice" is simply unthinkable!)
Friends, there's lots of election-related news today! For one thing, the New York Times is clutching its pearls because a number of polls, including its own, are showing that young voters are drifting Trumpward. That's big, big news, because in 2020 and 2022 Republicans lost by wide margins with voters under 30. Does Trump need to win over Gen Z to reassume the presidency? Heck, no! He only needs to narrow his margins of defeat. It looks like that's very achievable. This article speculates that the reason for youngsters' disdain for Joe Biden could be the Israel-Hamas war, and Gen Z's sympathies for the Palestinians. I seriously doubt that, mainly because I don't think Middle Eastern affairs is a top-tier issue in this country (and, if it is now, it won't be if you wait five seconds).
Politico, no friend of Donald Trump, is speculating that, even if DJT is convicted in one or more of his numerous election year trials, it might not significantly change his electoral fortunes. No kidding! Nothing that's happened in the last eight years has significantly changed the American people's views on Trump, if we're to be entirely honest with one another. Either you love him, or you hate him, and "unfolding developments" have little to do with it.
Will private funding of election offices and get-out-the-vote efforts turn the tide in 2024, as they almost certainly did in 2020? That's doubtful, because many states have criminalized what Mark Zuckerberg and his cronies did to help Joe Biden win, i.e. hand out "grants", extremely selectively, to boost turnout in blue areas. This doesn't mean the danger of election outsourcing has entirely been eliminated, however.
https://thespectator.com/topic/zucked-up-private-election-fundings-new-form/
And the Wall Street Journal is asking an obvious question: if many voters don't want Trump or Biden in 2024, then shouldn't this be a banner year for third party candidates...like RFK, Jr.? It could be, but it's still unlikely he can do anything other than play the role of spoiler.
Leaving the 2024 aside, here's a pretty fair analysis of our fiscal predicament that comes from a leftist media platform -- color me shocked! I agree with most of the assumptions here, including the key one: we will hit a fiscal wall someday, but no one really knows when...
https://www.vox.com/money/2023/12/18/24001984/us-budget-deficit-2023-debt-tax-revenue-interest-rates
Finally, here's an article that, while it paints with a broad brush, still makes a very profound point: U.S. power, measured according to objective economic, political, or military factors, has been declining for a long time. Presumably, it will continue to do so. At the same time, our cultural influence is probably at an all-time high. This is especially true if one is considering global popular culture. Do we benefit from the fact that the whole world is watching our shows, and wearing our clothes, and listening to our (i.e. Taylor Swift's) music? You bet we do! There's money to be made from these cultural exports, and we get the enjoyment of watching decadence infect our rivals almost as severely as it infects us... On the other hand, the culture that we're exporting is almost uniformly garbage, and both we and our customers know it. Ergo, this cultural dominance could be short-lived, and there's certainly no guarantee that it will breed respect for America, as a country, and a great danger that it could instill contempt instead.
Friends, today I bring you the result of a very interesting Harvard-Harris poll. Now, as always, the nature of the questions asked can skew the result, and a small sample size (especially for the different age cohorts) means we should take that result with an extra large grain of salt, BUT it appears that different generations of Americans have a wildly different perspective on the Israel-Hamas conflict, and who's committing "genocide" against whom. Now, I don't have an agenda to push here myself. Frankly, depending on whether you bombard people with images of Israeli suffering, or Arab suffering, it's pretty easy to build a narrative that favors one side or the other. It's a complex and long-running conflict, open to many interpretations. The fact is, though, that young Americans have such a different take on it than their elders that we really have to question how this came to be. The article blames TikTok...without evidence, of course. Personally, I think the worldview of youngsters is unlikely to be preprogrammed by Chinese app developers. It's a rich tapestry, but Hollywood, the K-12 public education system and higher ed, and the mainstream media all must play a part. What's interesting is that, on this issue, youngsters are way out of step with the American establishment (right?), but on others they fall slavishly in line. Go figure. I would also like to point out that a substantial number of Americans, in effect, support the expulsion of Palestinians from Palestine, or Jews from Israel, and in either case that would be ethnic cleansing, at best, and genocide, at worst. So...maybe we don't object to genocide as much as we thought?
Friends, a friend of mine has written this excellent retrospective on the Boston Tea Party, which occurred 250 years ago today. He argues, in effect, that "mobs", provided they do their business in an orderly fashion (whatever that may mean), have a legitimate place in the democratic process, especially when governments trample on the people's rights. He strains to emphasize the fact that the Boston tea partiers represented the body politic rather than a "faction", although I rather suspect that every mob would claim as much. I personally think the question of the legitimacy of the use of violence in a democratic, or pseudo-democratic, context is an open question. The easy thing is to say "I'm against violence", but the truth is that no one really is -- not in all circumstances. The question is: when does tyranny become onerous enough to trigger righteous (and violent) indignation? Secondarily, when does violence do any good to the cause that the "mob" is trying to advocate -- and when does it backfire? These are tough issues to sort through, but maybe this article will give you a start.
Of course, the real crime of the tea partiers, I think you would agree, was the fact that they dressed like Native Americans. That's cultural appropriation!!! Disgusting. I'm calling HR right now!
Finally, strange as it may seem, our nation's fate, and DJT's as well, may hinge on who manages to get on the presidential ballot in 2024. Trump himself may struggle to do so, in some parts of the country, but lesser candidates, like Kennedy, West, and Stein, certainly will. Their success, or lack thereof, will determine the constellation of choices that the American people have -- unless, of course, significant numbers of people choose to use the write-in process, which is always a lot to ask of the average voter. Pay close attention to the efforts of third-party candidates to gain ballot access -- and to the efforts of Democrats to deny them this right. It's a much bigger story than you might think.
Friends, don't miss my latest article, which exposes one of the machinations that Big Pharma regularly employs to boost its already absurdly high profit margins: "patent trolling". And of course many in Congress are turning a blind eye.
https://www.wnd.com/2023/12/big-pharmas-patent-trolling-abuse/
Check out this article about Hungary's and Viktor Orban's increasingly bold opposition to aid for Ukraine. Their main argument? Ukraine doesn't belong in the EU or NATO, and, given its miserable performance on the battlefield, it might be time to reconsider these wildly unrealistic objectives. Ya think???
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-67725570
Finally, poor Rudy Giuliani has been hit with a massive bill for "damages" arising from his alleged defamation of two Georgia poll workers. The judgement greatly exceeds what Giuliani would be able to pay, which, as I predicted, means that the Left, and its creatures in the justice system, are essentially trying to win an economic victory over free speech and democracy itself. If Giuliani owes $148 million for his "lies" about the 2020 election, then how much must Donald Trump owe? For that matter, what about the Republican Party? Why not sue it into the ground? Hey, maybe I should stop giving the lefties bright ideas...
Friends, there's more than one way to undermine our constitutional rights and destroy the concept of free speech, as the dastardly Dems prove each and every day. For instance, with regard to Rudy Giuliani, once one of America's most respected politicians, the Dems and their media allies have proven adept at obliterating his credibility through mockery. Score one for Team Blue! Not content with bulldozing Rudy's reputation, however, the Left is trying an even more promising tack: suing him into oblivion. Specifically, two Georgia election workers are suing Giuliani for defamation, and there's every prospect that he'll end up in the poorhouse as a result. As I opine on this week's Newsmaker Show, why is it that the falsehoods purveyed by conservatives are punishable by civil and criminal law, but the falsehoods spread by leftists are...rewarded with Pulitzers, promotions, and big cash payouts? Part of the reason, no doubt, is because it generally doesn't occur to Republicans and conservatives to criminalize dissent. Well, that's admirable restraint, I suppose, but when we're done being noble there may be no democracy and no pluralism and no free speech left...
In addition to Rudy's travails, Brian and I discuss the standoff between Congressional Republicans and the White House over border security and funding for Ukraine, the prospects for a Biden impeachment, the exposure of American higher ed to accusations of anti-Semitism and political bias, and the viability (or lack thereof) of Nikki Haley's presidential campaign.
When we turn our attention to This Day in History, we recall the Dems' herculean efforts to contest the 2000 election, and to undermine the presidency of George W. Bush in its early days. We also cover the devastating fallout from the U.S. decision to invade Iraq in 2003.
Man! What a topical lineup
(insofar as it contains many topics). I would listen in, if I were
you... Of course, if I were you, I wouldn't be me, so that assurance
may be of limited value.
https://wlea.net/newsmaker-december-13-2023-dr-nick-waddy/
***
When you're done imbibing my out-of-this-world insights, check out what Newt Gingrich has to say on the subject of the Nixon-era origins of modern leftism:
https://spectator.org/the-1972-insurrection-when-the-left-took-over/
And kudos to the House of Representatives, which did its duty today and authorized a formal impeachment inquiry of President Joe Biden. Among other things, this move probably guarantees that Biden will be the Democratic nominee -- more good news!!!
Friends, you've heard all about Hunter Biden's dirty dealings. What you may not know is that virtually the entire Biden family is in on the grift. Check out how Sara Biden, a mere Biden in-law, has supported her lavish lifestyle over the years. It's a case study in cronyism and corruption, if you ask me. I report -- you decide!
Speaking of which, the House of Representatives is inching ever closer to authorizing a formal impeachment inquiry against "the Big Guy". I hope the vote goes well, because impeachment really will be a game-changer. Joe Biden merits the scrutiny -- that's for sure -- and, whatever the impeachment odyssey achieves, it will certainly add to Americans' doubts about the character, judgement, and general presidential fitness of Sleepy Joe. The Dems say the American people will rally around their "Dear Leader", but I scoff! I mean, Republicans will, in effect, only be telling the voters what they already know: that Joe Biden is a self-interested career politician whose entire family has been cashing in on his "reputation" (such as it is) and his access to the halls of power for decades. The Bidens don't just seem like venal, puffed up a**holes -- they really are!
https://rollcall.com/2023/12/11/johnson-sets-up-formal-impeachment-vote-mccarthy-never-sought/
Friends, seldom do you get two polls in two days that show...exactly the same thing, but that's what just happened. Both the Emerson and Wall Street Journal polls show Trump four points ahead in a one-on-one matchup with Joe Biden, and six points ahead in a field with five or more candidates. Now, one has to wonder what Sleepy Joe makes of those kind of numbers... Is he reading the polls? Can he read? Is he still alive? Assuming the answer to any of these questions is "yes", then you'd think that he, or the people around him, would be pretty worried, but one doesn't get the sense that that's the case. Maybe the assumption is that Trump's awfulness will, uhh, trump all other concerns? If so, that seems more than a little naive. I mean, the establishment has been explaining to the American people for eight years now why DJT is a totally unacceptable choice as their leader, but his favorables and unfavorables have barely budged. Will 91 felony charges and multiple trials (and presumably numerous convictions) change all that? I wouldn't bet on it.
https://s.wsj.net/public/resources/documents/WSJ_Poll_Dec_2023.pdf
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/other/trump_favorableunfavorable-5493.html
Finally, apropos of this week's Newsmaker Show, it looks like there's strong support among Democrats for tearing down statues of George Washington, which really shouldn't surprise us. It's not majority support -- yet -- but we can expect the most avant garde of deep blue cities to begin dethroning the Father of Our Country soon enough. I suppose an alternative would be to graft some breasts onto the "Sage of Mount Vernon" and pretend he was trans-before-it-was-cool. That might earn him some social credit...
Friends, today you're in for a treat! Special guest star John Stengel, a.k.a. Jack, a frequent contributor of sage observations to this blog, has offered to deploy his unparalleled wisdom in the form of a full-length editorial...and we gladly accept! The subject is the connection between the modern Left and anti-Semitism. Jack's punctuation and spacing are a little eccentric, but that's because technology continually conspires against him. We're grateful that he fights the good fight against his computer (and the Left) each and every day...
The left's massive,reflexively instantaneous, well arranged assault on Israel after Oct.7 necessitates this question:is the left essentially antisemitic? In his 2004 book,Unholy Alliance: Radical Islam and the American Left,David Horowitz, a courageous and painstakingly documented author, described an American leftist resolution of common cause with that profoundly Jew hating force. He suggests an American left bereft of meaning after the fall of its communist gods.Eric Hoffer, in his book The True Believer, theorized that those so named were always compelled to find a cause upon which to shower fanatic devotion.Perhaps they found in radical Islam a new inammorata suffused with their customary loathing of America. Antiamerican leftists' passionate and reckless identification with a radical Islam which would slaughter them with dispatch, appears to have survived since Horowitz identified it.In his book his book Horowitz refers to the American radical group International Answer's expression of "solidarity" with Palestinian terrorists. Some post Oct.7 huge demonstrations of support for Hamas were organized by . . . yes, International Answer or a successor humbly termed Answer. This is not a spontaneous surge of righteous anger by people of good will who grudgingly countenance murderous animus toward Israel and Jews. It was held ready for instant reaction. We know the antiamerican left is forever determined to "fundamentally transform" (ehh, destroy!) our perfidious country.Why not attack Jewish people, whose high civilization graces and strengthens the US? Surely, antipathetic envy of Jewish relative well being, the product of positive and constructive Jewish standards,traditions and faith, have been historically long proven rationalizations for unprecedented physical, "legal" and doctrinal violence toward Jews. Israel, "an island of civilization in a sea of barbarism" provides radical Islam and its obsequious leftist apologists, consequent aid and comfort in their anguis. The left is quick to level the charge of "microaggression" for even unintended "politically incorrect" words or perceived attitudes. But the gross macroaggressions of Oct7 and the mass celebrations of Hamas' cause and their virulent unmistakeable antisemitism are casually dismissed in as many words by such as the President of Harvard before Congress. She later blamed "confusion". The "Squad's” reflexive clamor for a ceasefire motivated only by immediacy, with contempt for Israel's existential concerns, stands exemplary of far leftist sympathy for and foolish detached empathy with radical Islamist savages. Recent accounts of rape of Jewish women and children by Hamas raiders brought forth a majestic pronunciamento from Hillary on the unacceptability of rape as a weapon. But she is plausibly held to have expectorated on a colleague as a "f---ing Jew". One can imagine her muttering "unless its against a Jew" after her oh so impassioned warning. A perky little rhyme expressing that wish is said to be widely circulating in smart far left circles. And major leftist womens' groups have been silent, deafeningly so. The disgraceful leftist hold on the American academy being manifest, is it any surprise that some of our most exalted campuses have welcomed detestable and cowardly antisemitic outrages. Well, if it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck and stinks like the furthest depths of very hell where antisemitism reposes then... I know there are people of good will on the left but they are done consummate wrong by the Jew hating monsters they countenance in their midst.
-- Jack
Friends, it didn't come as a complete surprise when the House of Representatives expelled George Santos from its ranks last week, but it is more than a little troubling, given the fact that his trial hasn't even begun. The disturbing precedent this precipitate action sets is one of the topics that Brian and I cover on this week's Newsmaker Show. Others include: DJT's ongoing strength in the polls, the life and legacy of Henry Kissinger, the fallout from the DeSantis-Newsom debate, the looming (?) impeachment of Joe Biden, and the escalating establishment crusade against Elon Musk and Twitter.
When we turn to This Day in History, we talk about the many violations of democratic norms throughout American history, including in the case of the (coerced) passage of the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments, the birth of the Irish Free State, the alarming tumult in America in the late 1960s, and the cultural significance of the Washington Monument.
That's right: even the Father of Our Country advises you to tune in to this week's Newsmaker Show! Under the circumstances, it would be positively un-American to refuse...
Friends, as our border collapses, as our government (such as it is) drowns in red ink, and as our senile president taunts our most powerful enemies without any coherent plan to defeat them, Time magazine has drawn the only logical conclusion: Taylor Swift, vapid pop star, is the foremost among us, and is the lodestar that will lead us out of the abyss. Uh huh. Sure she will. Now, I don't mean to demonize Taylor and her legions of adoring "Swifties". She makes some passable music, yes. Be that as it may, her political opinions are of the most ordinary and hackneyed type, by Hollywood/pop icon standards: she hates Trump and loves abortions. Way to go out on a limb, Taylor! The focus of her "art", however, is the vicissitudes of romantic love and and the challenges of self-realization. In other words, Swift sings about her feelings, and that, presumably, is why her fans find her so relatable -- because they too are egomaniacs who believe that the whole world should revolve around their inner turmoil. Well! Count me among those are who are unimpressed by Swiftism and puzzled by its ability to saturate so much of our popular culture. Hey, at least Time didn't have the temerity to name Joe Biden as their Man of the Year, and to sing the praises of Bidenomics. I don't suppose that would have sold many magazines, would it?
Friends, so far I've watched about half of the DeSantis-Newsom debate, and I have to say that I'm beginning to understand why the Republican base never fell in love with DeSantis, and why Democrats are gaga for Gavin. Is Newsom perfect? Heck no. He presides over a wreck of a once-great state, but the truth is that the truth doesn't matter much when you've got a winning smile and an answer for everything. Newsom is quick on his feet and easily put DeSantis on the defensive. I agree with the article below that Newsom would be an immensely more competitive and electable candidate than Joe Biden...and so I hope he remains on the sidelines!
In other news, the House of Representatives pulled the trigger and expelled George Santos. Santos was, by all accounts, an ethical trainwreck, but the fact remains that his fellow Republicans did not let his trial play out, or even begin, before they decided to eject him to unburden themselves of a political liability. I predict Democrats will win his seat, and plenty more calls to expel "unethical" Republicans will ensue.
Friends, Governors Ron DeSantis and Gavin Newsom of Florida and California, respectively, squared off in a televised debate last night. While I haven't watched it (yet), I offer you this analysis:
https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/top-takeaways-real-winner-of-desantis-newsom-debate
What's more, the debate was one of the themes we discussed on this week's Newsmaker Show! Brian and I also dissected the rise of the populist right despite the herculean efforts by the establishment to stifle it, the political impact of current economic turmoil and the IDF-Hamas truce, and the state of the polls.
When we get to This Day in History, Brian and I talk about the impact of arms control talks during the latter stages of the Cold War, as well as the historical significance of the Russo-Finnish War of 1939-40.
Folks, it's YET ANOTHER tour de force! Some would say my sheer analytical excellence is growing tiresome... Couldn't I drop the ball just once or twice? Nah. Not my style. Sorry!
https://wlea.net/newsmaker-november-30-2023-dr-nick-waddy/
Finally, here's a reminder that Henry Kissinger, who passed away Wednesday, wasn't just a master manipulator of geopolitics. He was also the "Playboy of the West Wing"! Gross, right?
Friends, you remember the presidential election of 2020? It seemed like a big deal at the time. Well, today I share with you an article that demonstrates with compelling evidence just how different the political landscape is now, compared to the same point in the 2020 cycle. To make a long story short, Trump was consistently at a polling disadvantage throughout the 2020 campaign. In this cycle, by contrast, he's often been even, and now he's ahead. So, yes, 2024 may be a repeat of 2020, in terms of the candidates headlining it, but the dynamics have shifted significantly, and it behooves the dastardly Dems to figure that out and find some way to respond. Plan A -- to stifle the Trump campaign with adversarial prosecutions -- doesn't seem to be working so well. Ergo, we have to ask, what will the Dems and the Deep State try next? John Nolte claims they might be building up to...assassination! Well, that would be a refreshingly direct approach, but I'm not sure it's their style. Then again, I may be out of touch. The radicalization and polarization of American politics is a progressive condition, after all... Give it a week, or a month, or a year, and we could end up virtually anywhere.
In other news, the much-ballyhooed DeSantis vs. Newsom debate is almost here! The Wall Street Journal has given us a preview -- which is actually more of a retrospective on the records of these two men as governors. It doesn't make for reassuring reading if you're a Newsom supporter... But hey, results are overrated. What Californians want most is to be fed plenty of red meat, i.e. righteous indignation in the form of Trump hatred, "anti-racism", climate activism, and the like. And they're getting exactly what they voted for, time and time again.
Finally, here's an intriguing article about "zombie schools", i.e. public schools that are still open for business despite the fact that virtually no students are left to attend them. This is partly because of declining birth rates, and partly because of the flight of many students (and their parents) from underperforming school districts. What's the solution, according to the Dems? Throw even more money at the worst schools, of course!
Friends, recent developments have me questioning just how firm the establishment's grip on public opinion is these days. You've got the big wins in Argentina and the Netherlands for "far-right" populists, and you've got DJT's steadily improving poll numbers vis-a-vis Joe Biden. The level of popular distrust of establishment narratives is quite extraordinary, when you consider how many advantages the "approved" voices have over the views of dissidents and "deplorables"... My latest article speculates that, as the powers-that-be see their dominance slipping away, they could resort to extreme measures to protect it. Yikes!
https://townhall.com/columnists/nicholaswaddy/2023/11/25/alarm-bells-for-the-establishment-n2631610
Friends, I wish you the most festive and enjoyable of Thanksgivings! I hope you spend lots of quality time with your loved ones, and that you take time to count your blessings, which, if you live in the United States of America, are bountiful indeed! We Americans may not often stop to acknowledge that fact, but today, of all days, we should. I am grateful, above all, for the wonderful people in my life, including...YOU!!! Keep up the good work, amigos. 👍
Friends, today we mark the 60th anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, and, in retrospect, it seems to mark a turning point in so many ways. I have a few articles to share with you: an interview with JFK's mother about the family's reaction to his death, a piece that speculates on how different history might have been had Kennedy avoided the assassin's bullet in November 1963, and an article about RFK, Jr.'s reminisences on his uncle's passing, and his desire for greater transparency from the government about what happened on that fateful day. I hope you find all this analysis interesting. I would love to hear your thoughts!
https://themessenger.com/politics/robert-f-kennedy-jfk-files-biden
Yet another poll shows Trump ahead, and it also shows Trump more ahead when one adds in Kennedy, West, and Stein. It's looking ominous for your side, Sleepy Joe! You might want to call up the DOJ and arrange for a few dozen more indictments?
https://emersoncollegepolling.com/november-2023-national-poll-trump-maintains-lead-over-biden/
Congrats to anti-immigrant conservative Geert Wilders, whose party has emerged as the big winner in Holland's parliamentary election. The most likely outcome, therefore, is that the establishment parties will band together to give him, and the voters, the finger. What else is new?
Finally, are misinformation watchdogs fatally compromised by their financial ties to corporations that are pushing an establishment-approved agenda (and, of course, their own products on consumers)? That is, are the news-checkers essentially corrupt? It may be so, but then again leftists don't need any monetary incentive to trash those who dare to disagree with them, do they? It comes naturally!
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2023/nov/18/big-pharma-financing-newsguards-for-profit-busines/
Friends, Joe Biden recently celebrated his 81st birthday in the White House with a cake festooned with a truly irresponsible number of candles (presumably, 81). My question is: how was climate change impacted by this grossly self-indulgent display??? More to the point, is it wise for President Biden to draw attention to his birthday, when almost everyone agrees that he's steadily sinking into senility? Come to think of it, if he is senile, I suppose he'd be pretty indifferent to the public reaction, wouldn't he? He seems equally indifferent to the polls!
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cz43szWtuww/
In a slightly surprising twist, the Israelis have agreed to a ceasefire with Hamas, in exchange for the release of dozens of hostages. Is this a savvy move on Israel's part, or does it telegraph weakness and indecision? More to the point, will it possible to resume the war, in full force, after this pause? We shall see.
https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-11-21-2023-39f5ae0bdb4e32f0e69115aa43446132
As you know, the establishment and the Deep State are "all in" when it comes to efforts to vilify and ultimately destroy Twitter/X. It is being subjected to levels of (deceptive) scrutiny that no other social media company has to deal with. Musk is responding with a "thermonuclear" lawsuit against his attackers. Will it work? That probably hinges on the venue and the judge...
Finally, along with President Trump, I congratulate the victor in Argentina's presidential election, Javier Milei. Milei is a libertarian bomb-thrower (rhetorically speaking) who favors, among other things, the adoption of the U.S. dollar as Argentina's currency in order to tame inflation. You read that right!!! There's a country out there with inflation much worse than ours, which feels that cleaving to the dollar would bring it financial stability (relatively speaking). As down on the dollar as we Americans appear to be, a lot of people around the world rather like it, and it remains the global reserve currency. Long may it last!
Friends, the decline and fall of objective testing has been confirmed, once again, by New York State's decision to scrap the requirement that students pass Regents exams before they can become high school graduates. Apparently, not everyone passes, and we can't have that! Personally, I can't think of any downside to socially promoting every moron right out of high school and into the workforce. Heck, this raises the question of why we need objective testing as an entrance requirement for, say, law school or medical school -- and why, come to think of it, lawyers and doctors need to demonstrate competence of any kind... Isn't "competence" just another word for white supremacy???
In other news, a Colorado judge has ruled that Donald Trump is an insurrectionist, but he should be allowed to stay on the presidential ballot anyway. Kind of a Pyrrhic victory there, huh? Expect much more to come on this front.
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2023/11/17/colorado-judge-rules-trump-must-appear-ballot/
Finally, the commercial assault on Twitter/X is accelerating, based on vague concerns about "hate speech". Of course, hate speech flourishes all over social media, but don't expect advertizers ever to flee from Google or Facebook. Those platforms at least make all the right noises about hating the haters, except of course the haters who hate conservatives, who are totally cool.
Friends, this week's Newsmaker Show is, as always, a masterful meta-analysis of everything newsworthy, including, in case you missed it, David Cameron's miraculous political resurrection! He's the U.K. P.M. who resigned in the wake of the Brexit vote. Well, now he's back as the current P.M. Rishi Sunak's Foreign Secretary! Talk about unexpected... Sunak is really struggling in the polls, so I guess he figured dusting off a political has-been couldn't do him any harm. Anyway, I always rather liked Cameron, so I hope he acquits himself well. Sadly, he'll probably be a fine mouthpiece for Britain's hawkish stance on Ukraine, but maybe, in due course, even the Tories and David Cameron might have to dial back the bellicosity.
In addition to Sunak's cabinet reshuffle, Brian and I discuss the increasing acrimony between Ron DeSantis and Nikki Haley, the persistent and malignant influence of the establishment media, who may pick up the Trumpian mantle when Trump himself fades away, the recent horseplay between Kevin McCarthy and a Republican backbencher, the demise of Tim Scott as a presidential contender, the chances that a REAL government shutdown is looming, and the stunning success of the Biden Administration in appointing leftist judges.
And, when we get to This Day in History, Brian and I cover the love affair between the Carter Administration and the Shah of Iran, as well as the allegations of a "missile gap" between the United States and the USSR during the late 50s and early 60s.
From Tehran to Number 10, Downing Street, the Newsmaker Show brings YOU the world!
https://wlea.net/newsmaker-november-15-2023-dr-nick-waddy/
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In other news, we're getting our first polls that pitch the 2024 presidential race as a five-way contest! This means Trump, Biden, Kennedy, West, and Jill Stein. So far, Trump looks like he's performing quite strongly in that kind of political environment, and it bears repeating that, in any scenario in which the GOP presidential candidate wins the national popular vote, he probably wins the electoral college in a landslide.
One of the persistent problems that conservatives and Republicans now have in American politics is the fact that we're consistently outspent by the evil leftists. It didn't used to be this way!!! It makes sense, though. The wealthy, the establishment, and corporate interests are now mostly left-leaning. Ergo, why would the GOP ever be able to compete financially with the dastardly Dems? What's more, political kingmakers are getting better and better at translating dollars into votes, via "election education", strategic grants to election authorities, watering holes for "mules", and what not. Losing the money race will increasingly mean just plain losing, and, I don't know about you, but I'm getting tired of losing!
Finally, while some efforts to evict DJT from the presidential ballot have foundered recently, it's just a matter of time before one of them succeeds, and then the stakes will rise immeasurably, and the federal courts will have to consider the question of Trump's eligibility. This battle is a long way from over.
Friends, the domination of American politics by captains of industry and Big Business is nothing new. President Calvin Coolidge more or less wore it as a badge of honor back in the 20s. Well, politicians' reliance on corporate sponsorship and largesse is far greater now than it was then. My latest article, therefore, asks the question: can Speaker Mike Johnson, who appears to be a man of faith and of principle, manage to govern in the national interest, or will he succumb to the temptations of The Swamp? I explore a case study in this classic dilemma.
In other news, Nikki Haley has built up a head of steam lately and is trying to solidify her newfound status as the obvious Republican alternative to Trump. What does it matter, you ask, when Trump is so far ahead? Well, maybe it doesn't. Then again, Trump's legal problems are only beginning, and no one can be absolutely sure that he will survive the full onslaught of our so-called "justice system".
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/campaigns/nikki-haley-ron-desantis-ad-buy-iowa-new-hampshire
Friends, it turns out that the great Commonwealth of Virginia may not be as far gone as the mainstream media has led us to believe in recent days. We've been told that Democrats won a crushing victory in the 2023 elections, capped by the retention of control over the State Senate in Virginia, and their capture of the majority in the state's House of Delegates. Well, what you perhaps haven't been told is that they won these victories by the thinnest of margins, and they did so in a fundamentally blue state. The bottom line is that, if Republicans and Democrats performed nationally in 2024 more or less as they did in Virginia on election night, 2023, then the national Democratic Party would lose control of the White House and the Senate, and the GOP majority in the House would grow apace. Another way of putting it is that the Dems in their current condition can barely win in blue states, and they look very likely to lose in purple ones.
https://amac.us/newsline/elections/not-so-fast-virginia-election-results-should-worry-democrats/
In other news, the U.S. may be on the verge of another credit rating downgrade, and, as usual, the Biden Administration takes no responsibility whatsoever. Our two-party system is largely dysfunctional, it's true, but the biggest fiscal problem we have is overspending, and ole Sleepy Joe is right at the heart of it.
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-credit-rating-outlook-changed-222359030.html
U.S. population growth is almost entirely the result of Third World migration. No surprise there, and there's little reason to think this might change in the years ahead. What does the future look like, therefore? It looks like Los Angeles, Houston, and Miami. Deal with it!
Finally, Elon Musk is once again pondering the future of humanity. Perceptively, he realizes that our collective future won't be characterized by grinding poverty and climate-induced misery, but instead by material abundance, and a declining need for humans to do meaningful, productive work to secure their share of that abundance. There's much talk of a "basic income" to support those who aren't needed as workers, or who aren't fit to work. Don't let the terminology fool you -- in many ways we already have such a "basic income". Theoretically, government programs insure a basic level of sustenance, i.e. access to food, shelter, and health care, regardless of one's circumstances. In that sense, they more or less guarantee a standard of living that, while it may not seem all that enviable, actually represents a better diet, better housing, and better health care than even wealthy and privileged people enjoyed not so long ago. Ergo, I conclude that the future looks bright, materially...but man does not live by bread alone.
Friends, the enigmatic Democratic Senator from West Virginia, Joe Manchin, has announced that he won't run for reelection in 2024. That almost certainly increases the GOP's odds of taking over the Senate, but, simultaneously, it may also increase the Republican Party's odds of seizing back control of the White House. That's because Joe Manchin has long been teasing a possible centrist, "No Labels" run for the presidency. I think it's a great idea! Throw him into the mix with Trump, Biden, Kennedy, West, the Greens, the Libertarians, and who knows who else, and -- voila! -- you've got a recipe for total chaos. And who's Agent of Chaos Numero Uno, who we all know and love? Trump! A thoroughly scrambled presidential field works to Trump's advantage. No doubt about it.
In other news, it's the developing world's dirty little secret that, for all its protestations about climate change, it is, by and large, steadily increasing its use of coal to feed its burgeoning demands for electrical power. So enjoy driving around in that Tesla and, when global temps become sweltering, turn up your A/C and you should be fine.
Finally, I know many conservatives are gung-ho about supporting Israel and its operations against Hamas, but Israel does have a perception problem internationally. There's really no way to root out Hamas without causing a lot of civilian casualties...and in the process global condemnation of Israel will reach a crescendo. Only Israel can decide when it's reached a point of diminishing returns.
Friends, a day after the 2023 elections in places like Virginia, Kentucky, and Ohio, Democrats are extremely chuffed -- and highly anxious. They're confident, but also cowed. What gives? Simply put, they regard the outcomes yesterday as signifying a "blowout" for Team Blue. That's largely true, in the sense that Republicans set themselves some ambitious goals, assuming the weakness of a Democratic Party hobbled by Bidenism, and failed to achieve most of them. The dastardly Dems kept control of the Governor's mansion in Kentucky, they won state constitutional protection for "abortion rights" in Ohio, and they captured control of Virginia's House of Delegates. The Dems outspent us almost everywhere that counted, they out-organized us, and they proved once again that their voters are more motivated and consistent, which certainly has not always been the case. BUT...it's not all good news for those godless pinkos. Consider the recent CNN poll below, which, in a four-way race, has Biden losing to Trump by six points!!! A loss of that magnitude in the national popular vote would be devastating in the electoral college and, in any case, it would put Trump back in the White House, and it doesn't get any more devastating than that, if you're a "progressive". As the Dionne column observes, the Dems' wins yesterday mean that the whole Democratic Party, including Biden, can temporarily breathe a sigh of relief and they can convince themselves that no major adjustments in strategy are needed. In other words, perversely, the Dems' good night in 2023 may have been the best thing that could have happened to the GOP, because it reinforces Democratic complacency and entrenches Sleepy Joe himself in his determination to see the 2024 campaign out and go mano-a-mano with Trump. So, as for me, I lament the fact we lost some winnable races, but our chances of winning the race that matters, in 2024, look better and better -- assuming we can convince conservatives to get off their duffs, that is.
https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2023/11/08/republicans-lost-election-women-00126181
https://www.cnn.com/2023/11/07/politics/cnn-poll-trump-biden-matchup/index.html
In other news, the House has censured Rep. Rashida Tlaib for comments that have been interpreted as anti-Israeli and anti-Semitic. Personally, I can see why some are upset, but, where ambiguity exists in the meaning of political rhetoric, I would say the better course of action is to let the fur fly and ask the voters to sort it out later. Censure is a reasonably meaningless penalty anyway, especially in this day and age, when everyone feels aggrieved and no one ever acknowledges fault, but in addition we have a tendency to read extreme prejudice and/or calls for "violence" into the most innocuous, or at least ambiguous, speech. If Rep. Tlaib directly calls for violence against civilians, or genocide, then have at her, but as long as her remarks are open to interpretation, then I say move on and fight her offensive words with constructive arguments about why she's wrong. If we're not careful, we'll be considering censure motions all the time, since we do so love to be censorious, but what would be the point?
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/rashida-tlaib-censure-vote-rich-mccormick-marjorie-taylor-greene/
