IRAN: From Marc Thiessen at WaPo – “When Trump drew his red line — warning Tehran that if it killed even one American, the United States would respond militarily against Iran — the regime never expected him to enforce it. His decision to kill Soleimani clearly stunned Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and left his regime chastened.
“Iran’s retaliation was just as muted as its threats. Tehran could have targeted large, heavily populated U.S. bases across the Persian Gulf, all of which are within range of Iranian missiles. Instead, it fired a handful of missiles at bases in Iraq, in an attack that deliberately did not target American troops. The Iranians warned Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi in advance of the attack — a message they knew he would pass on to the United States. To control the outcome, they carried out the strike themselves, rather than relying on Shiite militia proxies in Iraq, who might accidentally kill an American.”
BORDER: So much win! – Early last month, a U.S. District Court judge barred the Trump administration from using $3.6 billion in military construction funds to pay for the border wall.
This week, a U.S. federal appeals court voted 2-1 to overturn that decision, noting that the U.S. Supreme Court had stayed an injunction in a similar border case.
It is interesting to note that the two Republican presidents (Reagan and Trump) appointed the two judges who halted the block. The dissenting judge is an Obama appointment.
WAR POWERS RESOLUTION: [7:34] – House Minority Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Cali., discusses the House passing a resolution to limit President Trump’s war powers against Iran.
IMPEACHMENT: “I’ll send them when I’m ready.” [11:47] –
Wall Street Journal editorial – “This is a parody of impeachment. House Democrats said they had to rush to vote before Christmas because President Trump poses a clear and present danger, but now the urgency is gone. … [The Constitution] doesn’t say the Senate trial must be held according to the stipulations of the House Speaker. If she were a Republican, the media would be howling at her with derision. But because the impeachment press hates Mr. Trump, it is playing along.”
The Federalist – “For more than a decade, all of Washington’s media corps has advanced the idea that Pelosi is a leader who can do no wrong, a consummate tactician who guided her conference through thick and thin. Perhaps that was true in the past, but since taking back the gavel after the midterms, Pelosi has been trapped by the vibrant progressive wing paired with a rabid donor base that actually guides the priorities of the Democratic House today. Before, she had control – now, just the illusion of it.”
Washington Times – Senate Democrats are breaking with their party leaders over House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s decision to hold on to the articles of impeachment, saying it is time to get President Trump’s trial rolling.
- https://www.wsj.com/articles/impeachment-without-end-11578528635
- https://thefederalist.com/2020/01/09/washington-tries-and-fails-to-defend-nancy-pelosis-failed-impeachment-strategy/
- https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2020/jan/8/senate-democrats-break-pelosi-want-articles-impeac/
- https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/campaigns/send-them-over-dianne-feinstein-tells-pelosi-to-end-delay-over-articles-of-impeachment
SATIRE: Andrew Klavan on the impeachment trial – “After the acquittal, Democrats will be forced to run through the Republicans’ legs while being hit with paddles.” Click to read the rest.
MEDIA: Stephen Daisley’s commentary at Spectator is well worth reading – “The gloriously unhinged progressive pushback against the Babylon Bee. The humor may or may not be to your taste but it’s hardly about to bring the republic crashing down in a slurry of ignorance.”
SMOLLETT UPDATE: [:24] – A judge has ordered Google to turn over a year’s worth of Jussie’s emails, texts, etc.
MELANIA: Melania Trump has been named Palm Beach Atlantic University’s 2020 Woman of Distinction for her charitable leadership with the White House’s “Be Best” initiative. She will be honored at the university’s luncheon on Feb. 19 celebrating women who have made a significant impact on the community.
“Our first lady is an exquisite human being, a magnificent wife and life partner, a superb mother and an outstanding first lady, who represents us brilliantly in the United States and worldwide. Melania is a perfect example of a Woman of Distinction and we are most proud to honor her.” – Eileen Burns, co-chairwoman of the event.
NEW YORK: The so-called “reforms” of the justice system in my state favor criminals, while punishing victims. E.g., anyone accused of anything short of murder would be released on his/her own recognizance with no bail and the prosecutors would be required to turn over to defense attorneys the names and contact information for all witnesses!
The list of offenses for immediate, no bail release stretches on for four pages, and included offenses such as stalking, arson, resisting arrest, money laundering in support of terrorism, rioting, vehicular assault, unlawful imprisonment, negligent homicide, a slew of drug-related charges, and criminal offenses against children, including child abuse, promoting child prostitution, facilitating female genital mutilation, and possessing or promoting a sexual performance by a child.
In other, New York Sucks news … now that the far-far-left Dems running my home state have given driver’s licenses to illegals, they’re moving to automatically voter register everyone who has a driver’s license! ARGHHHHHHHHHHHH!
VIRGINIA: [2:53] – For the first time in 26 years, Democrats control both chambers of the Virginia legislature and the governorship. They are moving quickly to implement a far-far-left progressive agenda related to gun ownership and abortion.
One recent bill would allow minors to obtain birth control and abortions without parental notification. I read about a girl who got a birth control implant inserted by a school nurse, who did not notify the parents or the girl’s primary physician. When the girl had a bad reaction to the drug, her primary didn’t know to consider the implant as a possible cause (which it was).
EUTHANASIA: Organ harvesting from Canadians killed by lethal injection is on the rise in Ontario, leading to the obvious question … what’s to stop someone from being offed because somebody else wants their body parts?
John Smeaton, chief executive of the U.K.-based Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC) says, “We need to acknowledge the unsettling reality that many vulnerable people who have been euthanized without consent, may also have had their organs harvested without explicit consent.”
Alex Schadenberg, executive director of the Canada-based Euthanasia Prevention Coalition, says, “There is growing evidence that coercion plays a substantial role for many vulnerable people with regards to so called physician-assisted death. Conflating this decision with organ donation further complicates the issue of coercion.”
polination.blog 