The Patriot Post Digest 11-3-2016

________________________________________
The Patriot Post Digest 11-3-2016
From The Federalist Patriot
Free Email Subscription
________________________________________

Mid-Day Digest

Nov. 3, 2016

IN TODAY’S EDITION

Behind Obama’s continued meddling in the FBI’s probe of Hillary Clinton.
Democrats keep exploiting the black vote while blacks suffer — especially in DC.
Obama plans a great student loan heist.
Nobody “cares” about the environment like ecofascist protesters.
And more news, policy and opinion.

THE FOUNDATION

“As riches increase and accumulate in few hands, as luxury prevails in society, virtue will be in a greater degree considered as only a graceful appendage of wealth, and the tendency of things will be to depart from the republican standard.” —Alexander Hamilton (1788.)

TOP RIGHT HOOKS

Exploiting the Black Vote1

The Urban Institute released a report on the comparable wealth status of the different racial groups in the Washington, DC, region, and what they found is striking — the wealth of white households is 81 times greater than that of black households. The net worth of white DC area households in 2013 and 2014 was $284,000, while that of black households was just $3,500. (No, that’s not a misprint.) It should be noted that the elected leadership in the DC area has long been dominated by Democrats, as is voter registration.

Meanwhile, on the national election front, early voting tallies reveal that the black vote for Hillary Clinton has been lagging. Barack Obama, who has been out stumping for Clinton, said yesterday, “The African-American [vote] right now is not as solid as it needs to be.” This is a sharp contrast to four years ago, when enthusiasm among black voters was 25% higher than it is for Clinton this election. Why the significant drop in support for the Democrat candidate? Maybe the better question should be, why do a majority of blacks still vote Democrat2? And as Donald Trump asked blacks, “What do you have to lose?” in voting for him. Sadly, many blacks have been enslaved to a mindset of perpetual victimhood. And Democrats are the masters who continue to preach the message that salvation can be found only through them, even as they continue to promote government programs that lead only to greater dependency. But don’t worry; Democrats will come calling for votes every election cycle.

The Great Student Loan Heist3

Another week, another instance of the Obama administration — more specifically the Department of Education — circumventing Congress to enact an agenda. The latest example pertains to higher education and the rules surrounding the repaying of student loans. National Review’s Preston Cooper summarizes the problem4:

This week, the Obama administration issued a finalized regulation that will allow the Department of Education (DOE) to cancel the debt of students who claim that their colleges have made a “substantial misrepresentation,” such as false or misleading statistics on promotional materials. The DOE can then recover any forgiven balance from the colleges themselves — a major, possibly fatal, financial burden for institutions.

Cooper calls this “another installment in a long saga of government officials using student-aid programs to wield influence over American higher education. Whoever writes the checks makes the rule, and the DOE uses its power to advance an agenda far beyond merely ensuring that taxpayers' money is put to good use.” An example of how things could go haywire:

For instance, Arizona Law School advertises that its graduates' unemployment rate is 2.8 percent. As my Manhattan Institute colleague Max Eden pointed out in US News & World Report in August, the share of Arizona Law graduates without jobs — when you include those not looking for work — is actually 9.7 percent. Reasonable people would conclude that Arizona Law is nonetheless well within its rights to advertise the 2.8 percent figure, since by definition unemployed people must be looking for work. But the Department of Education could easily cite this “misrepresentation” as an excuse to punish Arizona Law and cancel the debt of students. Further, in deciding which “misrepresentation” claims pass muster, the DOE opens the door to selective enforcement and raises the specter of witch hunts against colleges that fall out of political favor.

As we’ve previously written, the larger problem is guaranteed access to federal money for education, which puts taxpayers on the hook. Guaranteed access means every education entity public or private is going to do whatever’s necessary to get a slice of the pie. Nowhere does the Constitution enumerate such a federal power or individual right to the fruits of someone else’s labor. Americans now owe $1.3 trillion in student debt5, of which $1 trillion is held by the federal government. The DOE’s latest power play will inevitably lead to even broader centralization.

The Left’s Pipeline Problem6

The Colonial Pipeline runs 5,500 miles from Houston to New Jersey and carries over 100 million gallons of fuel a day, so it’s significant that it recently experienced shutdowns due to both necessary maintenance and accidents. The Colonial Pipeline was completed in the 1960s. Over 60% of the U.S.’s active pipelines were constructed before 1970. Concerns have been growing over the problem of America’s aging pipelines and the potential for massive economic and social impact should they fail.

But the building of new pipelines has become increasingly difficult due to vigorous opposition from both landowners and ecofascist groups. Case in point are the recent protests at the construction site of the Dakota Access Pipeline — a pipeline that finally received the go ahead after years of researching, negotiating and court cases. Environmental extremists and Native American groups have successfully slowed construction with protests that at times have been violent and destructive. On Tuesday, Barack Obama decided to weigh in on the issue, even as his Justice Department has been unwilling to support local law enforcement in dealing with the protesters' lawlessness. Obama suggested, “I think that right now the Army Corps is examining whether there are ways to reroute” the pipeline. Wrong; the Army Corps of engineers already concluded that the current route is the best, but Obama seems to think he knows there is a better possible route.

It’s ironic that Obama touts the need to upgrade America’s aging infrastructure and yet when that very necessary infrastructure is something that doesn’t fit his leftist ideology he either ignores or denounces it. Look at his decision to kill the Keystone Pipeline project.

Don’t Miss Alexander’s Column

Read The Clinton’s Napalm Factory7. The renewed FBI investigation may proves to be a “December surprise” for Hillary Clinton — and the rest of the nation.

If you’d like to receive Alexander’s Column by email, update your subscription here8.

We Depend on You

Fellow Patriots, as we continue to stand on the front lines of the battle to restore constitutional limits on the central government, your Patriot Post editors and staff humbly request your support for our mission9. Since 1996, your generosity and commitment have made it possible to offer The Patriot Post without a subscription fee to military personnel, students and those with limited means. We continue to hold the line on our budget — it’s not going up. We hope you’ll consider making a donation9 today. From each of us here, our sincerest thanks for your support. —Nate Jackson, Managing Editor

BEST OF RIGHT OPINION

Victor Davis Hanson: Has Clinton Topped Nixon?10
Ken Blackwell: Hillary Clinton’s Dream Is America’s Nightmare11
Veronique de Rugy: The Panderer in Chief and the ‘War on the American Farmer’12

For more, visit Right Opinion13.

TOP HEADLINES

Clinton Foundation Indictment Is ‘Likely’14
DOJ Gave Clinton Camp ‘Heads Up’ on Email Investigation15
Top Dem Donor: Blacks ‘F— in the Head’16 No Brexit Without Parliament Approval, Court Rules17

For more, visit Patriot Headline Report18.

FEATURED RIGHT ANALYSIS
Behind Obama’s Continued Interference in the Clinton Probe19

By Allyne Caan

If there’s one person for whom blindness is a prerequisite, it’s Lady Justice. But Barack Obama is yet again trying to strip her of her blindfold while putting his thumb on the scales she holds. The latest case in point is FBI Director James Comey’s recent decision to reopen the investigation20 into Hillary Clinton’s private email server.

________________________________________
The Patriot Post Digest 11-3-2016
From The Federalist Patriot
Free Email Subscription
________________________________________

Recall that earlier this year Obama stuck his presidential nose in the investigation21 (while fervently denying doing so), promising “there is no political influence in any investigation conducted by the Justice Department, or the FBI.” In almost the next breath, he said, “I continue to believe that [Hillary Clinton] has not jeopardized America’s national security.” In other words, “Department of Justice, don’t you dare contradict me and charge Hillary.”

As we all know, in July, Comey chose not to recommend charges22.

That was then. This is now.

Among the newest revelations is that U.S. intelligence is 99% sure at least five foreign intelligences agencies hacked Hillary’s server. That jeopardized national security, contrary to Obama’s claim.

After finding a slew of new related emails as part of a separate investigation of former NY Congressman Anthony Weiner’s disturbing sex addiction, Comey has reopened the Clinton email probe. And Obama isn’t happy.

Of course, as an accomplice to Hillary’s crimes23, he has good reason not to be.

You see, one reason Obama was desperate to avoid charges against Clinton is that he would have implicated himself in the process. Despite claiming he learned of Clinton’s use of a private email server “the same time everyone else learned it, through news reports,” it turns out POTUS communicated with Clinton using a pseudonym via that private server. Oops.

Another reason for Obama’s latest interference is that there are reports of a “likely” indictment stemming from the FBI’s separate probe of the Clinton Foundation’s pay-to-play schemes — a probe that has now taken a “very high priority.”

Remember that Most Transparent Administration in History™? Yeah, we don’t either.

Obama would never own up to putting national security at risk, lying to the American people, and trying to obstruct justice, so he’s going after Comey instead.

Commenting on Comey’s decision to disclose to Congress that the FBI is looking into new emails that could be related to the Clinton probe, Obama asserted that he didn’t want to “look like I’m meddling” but noted, “I do think that there is a norm that when there are investigations, we don’t operate on innuendo and we don’t operate on incomplete information and we don’t operate on leaks. We operate based on concrete decisions that are made.”

In other words, “I don’t want to meddle — but I’m going to meddle.”

Obama went on to complain, “When this was investigated thoroughly last time, the conclusion of the FBI, the conclusion of the Justice Department, the conclusion of repeated congressional investigations, was she had made some mistakes but that there wasn’t anything there that was prosecutable.” Well, of course the feds decided not to charge Clinton after Obama pressured them to reach that conclusion.

As for Obama’s reference to “norms” as justification for attacking Comey’s renewed probe, it’s laughable. The “norm” would using a secure government server for classified information. The “norm” would not be for the State Department, upon being alerted by The New York Times of its blockbuster on Clinton’s private server, to first contact Clinton’s campaign to coordinate a response24. The “norm” would be prosecuting a secretary of state after finding her guilty of “gross negligence in handling classified material” — particularly when the law says such negligence is a felony. And as Hot Air’s Allahpundit explains25, the “norm” would be “for the president not to insert himself into a criminal investigation that’s been reopened by suggesting the matter is settled.”

It’s little wonder that likely voters now view Donald Trump26 as more honest and trustworthy than Hillary, 48% to 36%. Back in September, the two were tied on the honesty-meter.

As National Review’s David French wryly observes26, “It turns out that when you spend days and days pitching a fit about being under FBI investigation, you end up reminding people that you’re under FBI investigation.”

And here’s an October “surprise” for you, Hillary: It’s hard to trust a candidate who’s getting lots of attention from a G-Man spotlight.

A final thought: Clinton, Obama and every other Democrat are working furiously to discredit Comey for many reasons, but one may stand out as primary. Winning the election might be the only way Hillary stays out of prison.

MORE ANALYSIS FROM THE PATRIOT POST

Is Politics STILL More Important Than Paralyzed Children?27 — Obama’s immigration policies are endangering children by way of EV-D68.
Revenue Up in Smoke28 — States might think twice about legalizing recreational marijuana use.

OPINION IN BRIEF

Victor Davis Hanson: “At this point, Clinton has trumped former President Richard Nixon’s skullduggery — but without the offset of Nixon’s foreign policy accomplishments. Even before the most recent scandals, Clinton’s campaign had an eerie resemblance to the Nixon playbook. … There remains, however, one disconnect. Nixon covered up misdeeds long enough to be re-elected in a 1972 landslide — only later to resign before his looming impeachment, when even his administration flunkies could no longer mask his past misdeeds. Would an elected President Hillary Clinton eventually meet the same fate? This time around, there is not the same sort of investigative reporting that there was in 1973-1974. Much of the media is backing, rather than investigating, Clinton. Does the death of independent journalism ensure that Clinton’s hubris will never earn a Nixonian comeuppance — or at least not until after the election?”

SHORT CUTS

The BIG Lie: “If your family gets insurance through your job, your family is paying, on average, about $3,600 less per year than you would be if the cost trends that had existed before the law were passed had continued.” —Barack Obama

Income redistribution files: “All of the headlines are full of the stories that average premiums are going up 22%, but the subheadline is if you’re in the health care program, your subsidies will go up too, so the increases won’t be as much.” —Bill Clinton

The Legacy Project: “The African-American vote right now is not as solid as it needs to be. … I need everybody to understand that everything we’ve done is dependent on me being able to pass the baton to somebody who believes in the same things that I believe in. So if you really care about my presidency and what we’ve accomplished, then you are going to go out and vote.” —Barack Obama

Non Compos Mentis: “I’m telling you people — Hillary Clinton is living the black experience. She’s never been found guilty of committing a crime — and still, still, she’s had to suffer through having an intimate relationship with law enforcement.” —Comedy Central’s Trevor Noah

Demo-gogues: “Maybe he’s not in the right job.” —Nancy Pelosi castigating FBI Director James Comey

“I do not have confidence in [James Comey] any longer. … To restore my faith, I am going to have to sit down and talk to him and get an explanation for why he did this.” —Chuck Schumer following suit

Self-control: “We’ve got to be nice and cool, nice and calm. All right, stay on point Donald, stay on point. No sidetracks, Donald. Nice and easy, because I’ve been watching Hillary in the last few days and she’s totally unhinged.” —Trump memo to self

And last… “During a campaign speech in Columbus, Ohio, Obama said that America has to ‘get over the hump’ and elect its first female president. Obama said, ‘There’s a reason why we haven’t had a woman president before…’ Yes, there certainly is, Mr. Obama, and you are one of the reasons. You beat Hillary Clinton in 2008!” —Gary Bauer

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.