The Patriot Post Digest 1-21-2017

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The Patriot Post Digest 1-21-2017
From The Federalist Patriot
Free Email Subscription
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Mid-Day Digest

Jan. 18, 2017

IN TODAY’S EDITION

Are concealed carry permit holders a bunch of murderers? Gun haters say so.
The CBO report warning about ObamaCare repeal is a fraud.
Bradley Manning’s commuted sentence is Obama’s latest outrage.
And more news, policy and opinion.

THE FOUNDATION

“Their arts may be more dangerous than their arms. Let us then renounce all treaty with them upon any score but that of total separation, and under God trust our cause to our swords.” —Samuel Adams (1776)

TOP RIGHT HOOKS

Gun Grabbers Smear Permit Holders1

As we noted last week2, congressional Republicans are working to pass national concealed carry reciprocity. Allowing law-abiding citizens who hold concealed carry permits to use them across all state lines makes sense, both in terms of fighting crime and securing fundamental Liberty. That’s why the gun grabbers are so furiously fighting it. The anti-Second Amendment Violence Policy Center (VPC) released an updated report this week ominously titled “Concealed Carry Killers.” VPC alleges that firearm permit holders have killed at least 921 people in shootings that did not involve self-defense. Since 2007.

We emphasize the decade-long date range for a reason — since 2007, FBI crime statistics show there have been 121,649 murders in the U.S., 81,665 of which were committed with firearms. Thus VPC’s number represents 0.01% of all such homicides over the last decade. There were nearly 800 murders in Chicago in 2016, most by firearm. VPC lists just three permit-holder homicides in Illinois over a decade.

By the way, roughly a third3 of VPC’s 921 murders were actually suicides, and not necessarily using firearms. (Side note: Aren’t leftists all for assisted suicide?) And a great many of the other 600 are still pending cases — i.e., no convictions yet.

There are currently more than 14.5 million permit holders in the U.S. So, assuming just one murder per permit holder (excluding suicides), that’s roughly 0.000041% of all permit holders who committed murder. What’s more, some estimates are that firearms are used 2.5 million times per year4 in self-defense. How many lives saved does that represent?

But that doesn’t stop the nefarious effort to paint all gun owners as villains. “As the gun lobby gears up to push for federally-mandated concealed carry, the facts show that far too many people with concealed carry permits commit horrendous crimes on a regular basis,” warned Kristen Rand, VPC legislative director. “Sadly, it is no longer surprising when a mass shooter — such as the alleged Fort Lauderdale airport shooter — is legally licensed to carry a concealed firearm.”

It is true that concealed carry permit holders are human and sometimes commit crimes, even horrific ones. The permit is not, after all, a certificate of angel wings. But American permit holders are also the most law-abiding demographic5. Yes, 921 deaths is awful. One murder is. But VPC’s despicable effort to smear gun owners is beyond irresponsible. It reveals a blinding hatred of one of our most sacred rights.

CBO Still Can’t See Straight on ObamaCare6

As Donald Trump’s inauguration looms, the Left and Democrats are pulling out all the stops in concerted efforts to stop him from making good on his campaign promises. Arguably the biggest promise is the repeal and replacement of that disastrous law known as ObamaCare. On Tuesday, the Congressional Budget Office released a report on last year’s Republican repeal bill (which Barack Obama subsequently vetoed). That bill had no provisions for replacing ObamaCare; it was a political maneuver intended to communicate to the American people that Republicans were serious about ending the law.

Yesterday’s CBO report predicted ObamaCare’s repeal would leave as many as 18 million people without health insurance within two years — and that number would grow to as many as 32 million by the year 2026, due primarily to huge premium increases for health insurance. To put it bluntly, the CBO report reads like a doomsday scenario, and predictably it was just what Democrats wanted to hear. Ignoring the fact that ObamaCare itself is untenable and on the verge of collapse, Democrats would rather tout a problematic report based on old and questionable data, rather than support any attempt to make a better fairer law.

First, it must be noted that this CBO report is based on outdated information. Second, when it comes to ObamaCare, the CBO’s past estimates have never been even remotely accurate. For example, the CBO predicted that by 2010 there would be 21 million people enrolled in the ObamaCare exchange; the actual number ended up being 12 million. The report also doesn’t take into account the fact that Republicans are seeking to both repeal and replace. Since the replacement plan has yet to be introduced there is no data yet by which to compute the potential impact of the new plan, both on insurance costs and the number of individuals insured.

As always with the Left, it’s really not whether the report numbers are valid, but how those numbers can be used to their advantage. For seemingly decades now, Democrats have been much more effective than Republicans at making their case by focusing on the emotional human impact factor rather than on cold stats. Stories of people suffering without a certain law, or if said law is repealed gains wide play. Republicans need to remind America everyday just how bad ObamaCare is by sharing the real life stories of how the law destroyed someone’s small business, how it cost someone their job, how it steps all over religious freedom. These are the real effects of ObamaCare — not potential but actual. Republicans need not be afraid to hit back.

Top Headlines7

House GOP warns agencies against accelerated hiring in anticipation of Trump’s freeze. (Government Executive8.)

Betsy DeVos, Trump’s education pick, hints in confirmation hearing at sweeping changes ahead. She won’t take a salary9 for one thing. (Yahoo News10)

Obama scores the worst legislative record in history, having signed fewer bills into law than one-term Carter. (The Washington Times11)

The seven most under-covered Obama scandals. (NewsBusters12)

10 killed, 29 wounded in Chicago MLK Day weekend shootings. (CBS Chicago13)

Man who shot and beat an Arizona Trooper is illegal immigrant. (Arizona Central14)

Obama commutes sentence for domestic terrorist Oscar López Rivera, who clearly doesn’t deserve it15. (Time16)

Obama orders Secret Service to pay $24 million in decades-old race-bias case brought by black agents. (The Washington Post17)

Obama gives global climate fund another $500M. (The Hill18.)

Hoax ads in two dozen cities offered protesters up to $2,500 to agitate at Trump inaugural. (The Washington Times19)

Policy: The Dakota Access Pipeline must be built. (Heartland Institute20)

Policy: A helpful starting point for rebuilding the military. (American Action Forum21)

FEATURED RIGHT ANALYSIS
Obama’s WikiLeaks Deal for Manning22

By Lee Crockett

This week, WikiLeaks issued this demand: “If Democrats want to see whistle blowers … under Trump, they need to send a signal: release Chelsea Manning.”

Within 24 hours, Barack Obama complied.

Pursuing his legacy makeover23, Obama has filled his last month in office with surreal “deals” on behalf of his most ardent constituencies, including one for his homosexual base24 and his “gay military25” agenda.

On Tuesday, after months of Obama’s post-election protests regarding stolen information being funneled to WikiLeaks — which made the machinations of the Democratic Party26 and his heir-apparent, Hillary Clinton27, much too “transparent” — he commuted the sentence of Army Private First Class Bradley “Chelsea” Manning.

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The Patriot Post Digest 1-21-2017
From The Federalist Patriot
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PFC Manning, as you recall, is the gender-dysphoric former Army intelligence analyst who was convicted by courts martial in 2013 of treasonous acts of espionage. Manning funneled almost 750,000 classified documents28 to WikiLeaks, and on conviction, received a light 35-year sentence with a dishonorable discharge to follow. Manning’s espionage, which at the time he intimated was to impress his “partner,” ranks near the top of the most treacherous acts of treason in U.S. history. Obama’s commutation allows Manning to walk with an honorable discharge less than four years after sentencing — and this after Manning’s prosecutors already acquiesced to pressure not to seek the death penalty for treason.  In September 2016, the ACLU, representing one of Manning’s numerous gender confusion cases against the military, announced that the Army would grant his request for “gender reassignment” surgery. Obama will no doubt attempt to justify Manning’s commutation by insisting he is a “victim,” and confining a transgendered “woman” to an all-male prison at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, is cruel and unusual punishment. Manning, like so many transgendered individuals, did attempt suicide29, after all.

But make no mistake — Obama’s commutation is much more than constituent appeasement. It is a middle finger in the face of an American constituency with whom he has the lowest rating — American Patriots in uniform. Only 15%30 of American military personnel, who have taken a blood oath “to Support and Defend31” our Constitution, approve of their commander in chief.

They will bear the burden of Obama’s ill-advised political retreat from Iraq32, which gave rise to the Islamic State33 and an epic humanitarian crisis34.

Few insults are more repulsive to the military community than the commutation of an unquestionably deserved sentence (albeit a light one) for Manning, especially when compared to Obama’s forced resignation and prosecution of former CIA Director, Gen. David Petraeus, for discussing minor classified matters with his military biographer. Petraeus pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge.

Of course, Obama also defended Hillary Clinton’s security breaches uncovered during the Benghazi investigation35. Clearly he only seeks “justice” when it promotes his agenda and protects his friends.

The commutation of Manning’s sentence, the most recent and arguably most unjustified of Obama’s 1,385 commutations (504 of which were life sentences), provides a clear perspective into Barack Obama’s anti-American ideology36. (For the record, George W. Bush approved only 11 commutations.)

Speaker Paul Ryan poignantly notes, “Obama now leaves in place a dangerous precedent that those who compromise our national security won’t be held accountable for their crimes.” Sen. John McCain added, “It is a … fitting commentary on Obama’s failed national security policies that he would commute the sentence of an individual [who] endangered the lives of American troops, diplomats, and intelligence sources.”

Manning’s commutation, following the Defense Department’s implementation of a myriad of gender disorientation policies, is yet another military morale buster. It cuts deep for service personnel who quietly and humbly do their job day in and day out, even if they disagree with the commander in chief’s motives. But after more than 2,500 combat-theater deaths37 and thousands more casualties under Obama’s watch, while he has devoted more time and energy to championing gender-neutral bathrooms on military installations, should we expect anything less?

If Manning’s commutation is any sign of what lies in store for the next 48 hours, our men and women in uniform are praying that Friday gets here quickly.

MORE ANALYSIS FROM THE PATRIOT POST

Leftists Throw Temper Tantrum Over Trump Inauguration38 — They’re taking their ball and going home.
Clinton Foundation Donations Dry Up After Hillary’s Loss39 — One primary fundraising tool goes caput.
Abortion’s Dwindling Numbers40 — Not since Roe v. Wade has the number of abortions been so low.

BEST OF RIGHT OPINION

Rich Lowry: The Shameful War on Betsy DeVos41
Michelle Malkin: Sponsors of Anarchy42
Walter Williams: International Trade Thuggery43

For more, visit Right Opinion44.

OPINION IN BRIEF

Jonah Goldberg: “The presidency has become ill-suited to the task of unifying the country, because the presidency has become the biggest prize and totem in the culture war. Like the religious wars between Catholics and Protestants in England, if one side controls the throne, it is seen as an insult and threat to the other. And whoever holds the throne is seen as a kind of personal Protector of the Realm. The political parties have been utterly complicit in the process. Exploiting social media and other technologies, Republicans and Democrats shape their messages around the assumption that they — and they alone — have legitimate ownership of America’s authentic best self. That’s why whichever party is out of power promises to ‘take back America’ — as if the other side were foreign invaders.”

SHORT CUTS

Insight: “It was not the tycoons of big business, it was not the working classes, it was the intellectuals who reversed the trend toward political freedom and revived the doctrines of the absolute State, of totalitarian government rule, of the government’s right to control the lives of the citizens in any manner it pleases. This time, it was not in the name of the ‘divine right of kings,’ but in the name of the divine right of the masses. The basic principle was the same: the right to enforce at the point of a gun the moral doctrines of whoever happens to seize control of the machinery of government.” —Ayn Rand (1905-1982)

Upright: “The controversy over the nomination of Betsy DeVos as secretary of education has been, if nothing else, clarifying. We now know that working to give poor kids more educational opportunities is considered a disqualifying offense for the Left.” —Rich Lowry

For the record: “No matter how troubled [Bradley] Manning is (and he’s certainly troubled), he breached faith with his brothers in arms. Armies depend on bonds of trust, and he knowingly and intentionally placed lives in danger by indiscriminately placing our nation’s secrets in the public domain. He risked American lives. He risked allied lives. It’s not that long ago that actions like Manning’s would merit execution, and he should be grateful that he merely received a 35-year sentence. Instead … the Obama administration treats him more like a messed-up kid than a soldier who betrayed his nation.” —Iraq veteran David French

Hyper hypocrisy: “There’s no question that the outcome of this election was affected by Russian interference with the campaign.” —former DNC Chief Debbie Wasserman Schultz, whose hacked email revealed she worked to undermine Bernie Sanders' campaign — so she knows a thing or two about interference

Belly laugh of the week: “I don’t like tweeting. I have other things I could be doing.” —Donald Trump

Self-advice: “There have been visible signs of disrespect for [Obama]. And I’ve always said if you don’t respect the man, respect the position.” —John Lewis, January 2016

And last… “Democrats have to come to grips with the fact that they stopped speaking for most Americans over the past eight years, and started lecturing at Americans instead.” —Ed Morrissey

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.