It’s Wednesday, April 1st, 2020…but first, we offer a number of random but inspired interrogatories in the midst of the passing pandemic:
(1). Who knew the Wuhan Virus would target so many “celebrities” we wouldn’t know if we tripped over them?
(2). As The Boss wondered, is anyone in the Administration considering withholding interest on federal debt held by China until we recoup the costs incurred by their virus?
(3). Now that we’ve established over-the-top responses as the normal reaction to a born-in-Beijing pandemic, what’s to prevent Xi Jinping from pulling a similar stunt again? After all, with 1.408 billion subjects, it’s not like he doesn’t have the lives to give…let alone the willingness to sacrifice them.
(4). As G. Trevor observed, why does the MSM NEVER refer to Ben Carson, M.D. as DOCTOR Ben Carson, but Jill Biden, PhD is ALWAYS DOCTOR Jill Biden?!? After all, while the latter received a Doctor of Education in educational leadership from the University of Delaware (Whoa!) in 2007 at age 55 (her dissertation was Student Retention at the Community College: Meeting Students’ Needs), all the former did was become director of pediatric neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins at the age of 33, and in 1987 perform an unprecedented procedure which successfully separated 7-month-old occipital craniopagus twins in Germany.
Hells bells, in terms of qualifications, “Dr.” Jill isn’t fit to carry Dr. Ben’s jock strap. Which is evidently more than her husband carries when swimming while she’s away.
(5). Do those suggesting the DNC initiate a last-minute jettison of Joe in favor of Fredo’s older brother A-hole really not remember his prior unpardonable sin:
Yeah; good luck selling THAT in Pennsylvania.
(6). When will someone take the time to explain why we seem willing to enervate our economy and rack up record debt for THIS particular pathogen (hat tip to Balls Cotton for the graphic)…
…given the 2009 H1N1 Swine Flu pandemic claimed upwards of 575,000 worldwide (over 12,400 in the U.S.) during its 18-month run?
(7). As Jeff Foutch relates, did The Dear MisleaderREALLY attempt to link the Wuhan Flu to the junk science of anthropogenic warming?!?
Just wondering.
Now, here’s The Gouge!
In a follow-up to this past Monday’s entry regarding the fate of Robert Levinson, we lead off the first edition of the month with an item from NRO we hoped was an April Fools joke, but as Jonathan Tobin quickly revealed, is true, as we learn…
“Steve Mnuchin’s recent besting of Mike Pompeo on whether to waive sanctions on Iran’s nuclear program raises questions about the Trump administration’s resolve vis-à-vis Iran.
This week marked the end of a 60-day waiver on U.S. sanctions against European, Russian, and Chinese companies operating at Iran’s civilian nuclear plants. But despite the strenuous objections of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, the State Department announced that it will renew the waivers. The statement emphasized President Trump’s commitment to preventing Iran from ever obtaining a nuclear weapon, and it speaks of renewing restrictions.
But this is deceptive because the restrictions (and the United States has repeatedly granted exemptions to them, for all companies helping the Iranian nuclear program) are a mechanism for allowing continued business activity that would otherwise be illegal under America’s sanctions on virtually all business with or in Iran. In essence, renewing the restrictions — which the U.S. then waives — is a way to preserve one last element of Obama’s nuclear deal, from which the United States has withdrawn in all other respects.
…In an administration known for its infighting and diversity of views, a skirmish over an issue such as Iran sanctions is hardly unusual. But with Mnuchin’s view on sanctions apparently winning the day, it’s clear that he has President Donald Trump’s ear on the issue.
…Why is Mnuchin pushing for yet another extension of the waivers?
In July of last year, the Treasury Department said it required the extensions so it could gauge the impact of the sanctions on the nations that continue to use the waivers to do business with Iran and to work with its nuclear program. At that time, a “senior administration official” told the Washington Post that the goal was still to end the waivers but that Trump had sided with Mnuchin over Pompeo on the question because of the Treasury’s “legitimate concerns” about the effect of the sanctions on other nations.
But several months later, it appears that Mnuchin is seeking to change the administration’s basic purpose in dealing with Iran. Rather than replacing Obama’s terrible deal, the administration would bow to European and Russian pressure to maintain it in place. Mnuchin is apparently more interested in good relations with the international community than in using American economic power to roll back the alarming gains Iran has made in the Middle East — gains made as a result of Obama’s misguided attempt to bring about a rapprochement with Tehran.
This is a huge mistake…
…The timing for this decision is also particularly tragic because it comes just after a public acknowledgement that Robert Levinson, a retired American intelligence operative kidnapped by the IRGC in 2007, died while in Iranian custody.
…Hostility to Obama’s Iran dealhas been a core foreign-policy position for Trump since he began his presidential campaign in 2015. Trump agreed with Pompeo on the need to withdraw the United States from the pact; he saw the impact of the sanctions on Iran’s ability to fund terrorism. But the president is apparently letting Mnuchin have his way on a waiver that would prop up Iran. Such a waiver would hurt rather than help Iran’s coronavirus victims and all those suffering under the regime’s rule.
Iran’s people deserve sympathy for their suffering from the pandemic. But we should have no sympathy for the regime that oppresses them and that is still working on a dangerous nuclear program. Trump should understand that Mnuchin’s agenda is undermining one of his key foreign-policy objectives, and it’s serving the interests of Democrats, who would surely revive the nuclear deal if they retook the White House.“
WTF do WE care about the impact of sanctions on any nations working WITH Iran on its nuclear program?!?
Sorry, but only a Wall Street-insider like Mnuchin could come up with as twisted a justification as this. And…even sorrier…leave it to the likes of The Donald to buy off on it.
Next up, also courtesy of NRO, Rich Lowry relates why…
“…After all the energy devoted to inflating the Russians into a clear-and-present danger to the workings of America here on our shores, that threat has instead proved to be China, which loosed a virus on the world that has temporarily crashed the American economy and shut down much of American life, including elections.
After we spent months(nay, years!!!)pretending that Trump would somehow be ousted from the presidency by his own party in the Senate, not only is he still the president, all people of good will are rooting for him to perform as ably as he can in this crisis.
After acting as though we had endless time and energy to waste on nonsense because the stakes were so small in what was, until the day before yesterday, a time of peace and prosperity, we have been jolted into a period when our national decisions really matter, and time and resources are of the essence.
In short, the epidemic has put in stark relief the pettiness and absurdity of much that has taken place in our national life since Trump won the presidency.This crisis is the unmistakable punctuation mark on that post-2016 era and the beginning of something new.
How Trump performs now — finally without Mueller or impeachment, artifacts of another time, dogging him — will determine how this time is remembered.“
Frankly…and we’re no knee-jerk supporter of The Donald…we perceive it bodes well for him, not only in the eyes of history; but in the view of voters come November.
In yet another item from NRO, long-time 2nd Amendment advocate Stephen Halbrook wonders…
“…Gun sales already had been skyrocketing from the ever-escalating threats of gun bans coming from Democrat presidential contenders. The fear of societal breakdown stemming from the coronavirus has added to the demand for firearms across the country.
Everyone wants to slow the spread of COVID-19. The various emergency decrees being issued distinguish between essential and non-essential businesses. What could be more essential than protecting yourself and your family from criminal violence, (Just ask the Korean store owners pictured above during the 1992 LA riots!!!)especially when the Bill of Rights declares it to be an essential right that may not be infringed?
Americans should be mindful of the dangers of “emergency” decrees. History tells us that government diktats in response to man-made and natural disasters often lead to unprecedented restrictions on individual liberty that last long after the disasters are forgotten.
Some of the anti-gun decrees now being issued appear to be motivated by the false premise that limiting gun sales will prevent upheaval in the event that the contagion causes mass shortages and desperation. Yet citizens who purchase firearms must pass stringent background checks to ensure that they are mentally stable and have no felony records or other legal barriers to firearm ownership. They are exactly the kinds of armed citizens needed if law and order break down. (Were any non-looting Negros…or looting for that matter…killed during the riots in the aftermath of the misrepresented Rodney King verdict?)
Strong measures must be taken against the spread of the coronavirus. But they must be tailored to accommodate the citizens’ ability to protect their safety in all aspects and to preserve their constitutional rights.“
Is it any wonder prominent Progressives shelter behind walls of armed security?!?
Which brings us, incongruously enough, to The Lighter Side:
Then there’s this meme from our sister-in-law Jackie…
…two more from Balls Cotton…
…and last, but certainly not least, another classic from Speed Mach:
Finally, we’ll it a day with the Now THAT’S Gratitude! segment, courtesy today of an organization which should be excluded from any additional public funding, at least until it’s under new management, as the…
“…The Kennedy Center, which did not return multiple requests for comment prior to publication, defended the recent layoffs and outlined a projected breakdown of its bailout money on Tuesday afternoon. Rutter said in an email to supporters obtained by the Free Beacon that the center plans to spend $12.75 million on employee compensation and another $7.5 million on health benefits. Despite having an endowment of nearly $100 million, the arts organization claims it will run out of funds by July even if it reopens on schedule in May.
“It is imperative that we scale back the entire institution’s personnel costs during this time of closure and dearth of ticket income,” Rutter said…
Rutter had previously defended the cuts, saying in a Saturday statementthat the decision to stop paying musicians “may seem drastic,” but that it was “the only way through this.” She warned then that future layoffs could come.
A veteran orchestra member who requested anonymity said the speed with which the organization has dropped employees gives the impression that leadership misled Congress when it lobbied for the multimillion dollar bailout…”
Ya THINK?!? So, even had the Kennedy Center been thrown the $60 million slush fund allocated to NASA, it still wouldn’t have been enough. How on earth does this money pit continue to function?!?
These clowns obviously thought themselves in the same league as AMTRAK or the USPS, though we have to note at least the latter two actually pay their employees…though likewise, largely with your money.
And we can only conclude the Center’s Progressive political patrons were either aware of the subterfuge, or were too ignorant of its operations to see the hustle for what it was.
Either way, were it up to us, at least for the foreseeable future, it would mean…
After all, ask yourself, were the Kennedy Center to slip into the Potomac tomorrow, how would YOUR life be any different?!?
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