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Title: The Patriot Post Digest 2-14-2017 Post by: nChrist on February 18, 2017, 02:31:58 AM ________________________________________ The Patriot Post Digest 2-14-2017 From The Federalist Patriot Free Email Subscription (http://patriotpost.us/subscription/new) ________________________________________ Mid-Day Digest Feb. 14, 2017 IN TODAY’S EDITION Out like Flynn — Trump’s national security advisor falls on his sword. Trump flushes Obama’s transgender decree for public schools. Time to begin undoing the last eight years of regulatory mischief. Daily Features: Top Headlines, Cartoons, Columnists and Short Cuts. THE FOUNDATION “The whole art of government consists in the art of being honest. Only aim to do your duty, and mankind will give you credit where you fail.” —Thomas Jefferson (1774) TOP RIGHT HOOKS Flynn Takes One for the Team1 Last night, after several days of growing controversy2 over a pre-inauguration conversation with the Russian ambassador, National Security Advisor Michael Flynn handed in his letter of resignation, which Donald Trump accepted. Keith Kellogg will assume the duties of interim national security advisor while Trump seeks a permanent replacement. Flynn stated in his resignation letter, “Unfortunately, because of the fast pace of events, I inadvertently briefed the vice president-elect and others with incomplete information regarding my phone calls with the Russian ambassador. I have sincerely apologized to the president and the vice president, and they have accepted my apology.” And thus ends the strangely scandalous non-scandal. As Charles Krauthammer opined, “What strikes me is how bizarre the whole story is. This is a cover-up without a crime. The idea that it was illegal is preposterous. When I hear Nancy Pelosi get all upset about this and how in the grip of the Russians this shows us to be, this is an absurdity. But then you ask yourself, ‘Well then why did he lie about it?’ Even internally in talking to the vice president. And that shows a tremendous lapse of judgment. And a sort of a lack of trustworthiness.” It would be easy to assume that Democrat and mainstream media pressure fueled this decision, but when has Trump ever kowtowed to them? In all likelihood this decision came about as a result of the rumored brewing internal conflict within the White House. Flynn may have reasoned that falling on his sword was best for the administration, recognizing that his publicly perceived compromised status would be exploited ad nauseam by the Democrats and Leftmedia no matter the issue. Whatever the main reason may have been, there is no question this whole episode is a setback for Trump. Trump Flushes Obama’s Bathroom Decree3 Score another victory against Barack Obama’s executive overreach. As the inevitable advance of the homosexual agenda moved toward the “T” of “LGBT,” Obama jumped in the fray, reinterpreting Title IX to include “gender identity” and ordering4 public schools to, for example, allow so-called transgender boys to use girls' locker rooms. In no time, 13 states sued to stop Obama’s tranny decree5. By summer’s end, those states had prevailed, and a federal judge blocked the order. Now there’s better news still: Donald Trump’s attorney general, Jeff Sessions, announced that the administration will not defend Obama’s order, thus stopping the case in its tracks before the scheduled appeal later this week. We hope the Trump administration’s next action is to rescind the order altogether and be done with this bathroom nonsense. After all, the science is settled6 — boys and girls are different. Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Counsel Gary McCaleb put it this way: “This is good news for the privacy, safety, and dignity of young students across America. The Obama Administration radically distorted a federal law that was intended to equalize educational opportunities for women and misused the law to place members of the opposite sex into students' private facilities. The Trump Administration took the first steps to end that error. It is only common sense to ensure privacy for all students by keeping boys out of girls' locker rooms and vice versa, and school officials shouldn’t have to fear losing crucial federal funding when they protect all students' privacy. Respecting the real differences between boys and girls is right, because that protects the privacy, safety, and dignity of all students.” Top Headlines7 Trump has fewest cabinet secretaries confirmed since George Washington. (The Daily Signal8.) Mnuchin, Shulkin confirmed by Senate as treasury and VA chiefs. (UPI9) Defense leaders agree: U.S. military readiness is at a dangerous low. (The Daily Signal10) Trump’s orders bring “new day” for law enforcement. (LifeZette11) Sanctuary cities cave in face of Trump’s funding threats. (Fox News12) There are 140 student languages in a suburban Georgia school district. (EAG News13) Taxes collection record of $1,084,840,000,000 through January; $7,133 per worker; but not enough to keep up with deficit spending of $156,939,000,000. (CNS News14) DOJ: TSA workers smuggled 20 tons of cocaine into the U.S. (Washington Examiner15) St. Louis passes a bill to become abortion sanctuary city. (Washington Free Beacon16) Celeb Meryl Streep doubles down on harsh criticism of Trump — sad! (Fox News17) Valentine’s: Much more than a Hallmark holiday. (FaithZette18.) Policy: A plan to repeal and replace ObamaCare. (The Heritage Foundation19) For more, visit Patriot Headline Report20. Don’t Miss Patriot Humor Check out Racist Definition21. If you’d like to receive Patriot Humor by email, update your subscription here22. Publisher’s Note: Ann and I first met Cal and Ray Thomas in 1993 over casual conversation between dinner tables. We became fast friends, and in the years since, we have visited many times. When we met, Cal was the most widely syndicated columnist in the nation, but he and Ray were as kind and plain spoken as a neighbor you have known your entire life. This weekend, Cal sent a note that Ray “has just gone to her real home to be with her Lord and Savior. Our great hope is we shall see each other again. Thank you God for your love and mercy.” This morning he published a fitting Valentine’s Day tribute23 to Ray. Please pray for their large family through this loss. Title: The Patriot Post Digest 2-14-2017 Post by: nChrist on February 18, 2017, 02:32:59 AM ________________________________________ The Patriot Post Digest 2-14-2017 From The Federalist Patriot Free Email Subscription (http://patriotpost.us/subscription/new) ________________________________________ FEATURED RIGHT ANALYSIS The Great Regulatory Rollback of 201724 By Lewis Morris Donald Trump ran for president on a promise to rein in government regulation, which under the Obama administration grew to crippling proportions. There were 3,853 new rules added to the regulatory state in 2016 alone. Trump never said it would be easy. The regulatory stranglehold that federal agencies have on businesses in this country has choked the nation’s growth, leaving our nation in economic doldrums for close to a decade. The U.S. economy25 hasn’t topped 3% annual growth since 2005, and the historic post-World War II average is 3.3%. Since his inauguration, Trump has been ambitious in keeping his promise to roll back regulations. One action that demonstrated his intentions is a January 30 executive order26 requiring agencies to offset the cost of significant new regulations by eliminating existing regulations or reducing their impact. The House of Representatives is invigorated by the drive to shrink government reach. They have dusted off the Congressional Review Act, a 1996 law that allows lawmakers to nullify regulations within 60 days of enactment. The House has nullified eight new federal rules and has its eyes on dozens more, many that were snuck in during the final days of Obama’s presidency. The automotive sector is looking to be freed of some of its regulatory bonds, chiefly fuel efficiency standards that are threatening thousands of jobs. The heads of 18 automakers asked Trump in a letter27 late last week to review fuel efficiency standards that were locked in by the Obama administration through 2025. Tighter fuel regulations handed down by the EPA in 2012 called for a midterm review in April 2018. In November, after Hillary Clinton lost the election, the EPA decided to move up the midterm review, requiring the American automotive fleet to reach 50 miles per gallon by 2025. The EPA claims that the rule will save $1.7 trillion in fuel costs over the life of the current automotive fleet. However, with gas close to $2 a gallon instead of $4, fuel mileage is a reduced concern for most Americans. And automakers are concerned that the rule will cause great harm to the industry during that term, threatening production and jobs. If the EPA’s so concerned about fuel mileage, how about getting rid of the ethanol boondoggle28. Trump aims to upset the hold that federal agencies have had on business, and his regulatory rollback is being compared to the one that took place during Ronald Reagan’s administration. The Left has long used the federal bureaucracy to push its statist agenda onto the American public, making an end run around Congress by using agencies to tap into business directly for their tribute. Now with a business-minded Republican in the White House, that method of meddling with the American economy is not quite as in vogue. MORE ANALYSIS FROM THE PATRIOT POST Judicial Activism in Trump Travel Suspension Case Is Dangerous29 — Looking at the swamp that the federal judiciary has become, particularly the Ninth Circus. Splitting the Ninth Circuit Court?30 — Legislation has been introduced to break up the nation’s largest circuit. Is Snowden Homeward Bound?31 — Be careful what you wish for. The Forfeiture Machine Turns Cops Into Robbers32 — By unfairly seizing property, citizens are stripped of due process. BEST OF RIGHT OPINION Stephen Moore: The Carbon-Tax Scam33 Dennis Prager: Note to the Left: Four Years Ago, Conservatives Were Just as Depressed 34 Mark Hendrickson: Obama’s Shocking, Historically Weak Economic Performance35 For more, visit Right Opinion36. OPINION IN BRIEF Stephen Moore: “I have nothing but respect for former Secretaries of State Jim Baker and George Shultz, but come on, gentlemen: You’ve been snookered. These two esteemed gentlemen are endorsing a tax scam that would be one of the largest income-redistribution schemes in modern times. … The Baker-Shultz plan would impose on America a carbon tax, which would be a tax on American energy consumption. Since energy is a central component of everything that America produces, it would make the cost and thus the price of everything — and I mean everything — produced in America more expensive. It is a tax that only China, India, Mexico and Russia could love. … It is a fairy tale that China and India and other fast-developing nations have any commitment to reducing their fossil fuel use. As Donald Trump would say, they are laughing at America behind our backs. They would be absolutely gleeful about the proposed U.S. carbon tax. Raising the cost of production for U.S. goods and services will transfer more production to China and India. … The Baker-Shultz plan will do nothing to save the planet, but it will surely make America poorer.” SHORT CUTS Insight: “To follow foolish precedents, and wink with both our eyes, is easier than to think.” —William Cowper (1731-1800) For the record: “Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials launched routine ‘targeted enforcement actions’ in half a dozen states. This was not a new ‘crackdown.’ … Similar raids took place during the Obama years. The difference is that this time the criminals won’t be released into our communities.” —Gary Bauer Payback: “Look, I think what’s happening with the Dakota Access pipeline is just plain wrong. … I’m certainly interested in anything we can do to avoid that pipeline destroying the earth and harming Native American people. I think there’s a way we can use our pension fund power in that equation.” —Bill de Blasio Demo-gogues: “We forgot to talk to people. … We didn’t communicate our values to people. When Donald Trump says, ‘I’m going to bring the coal jobs back,’ we know that’s a lie. But people understand that he feels their pain. And our response was: ‘Vote for us because he’s crazy.’ I’ll stipulate to that, but that’s not a message.” —former Labor Secretary Tom Perez You’re not helping: “One of the things that fuels terrorism is the expression in some parts of the world of Islamophobic feelings and Islamophobic policies and Islamophobic hate speeches. This is sometimes the best support that [the Islamic State] can have to make its own propaganda.” —United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres Village Idiots: “If we live through this precarious moment — if [Trump’s] catastrophic instinct to retaliate doesn’t lead us to nuclear winter — we will have much to thank this president for. Because he will have woken us up to how fragile freedom really is. … If you think people were mad when they thought the government was coming after their guns, wait until you see when they try to take away our happiness.” —Meryl Streep Late-night humor: “Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s office recently reported that it gets around 1.5 million calls from constituents per day, but most of them are just people asking him to push up his glasses.” —Seth Meyers Semper Vigilans Fortis Paratus et Fidelis Managing Editor Nate Jackson Join us in daily prayer for our Patriots in uniform — Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen — standing in harm’s way in defense of Liberty, and for their families. |