The Patriot Post Digest 7-12-2017

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The Patriot Post Digest 7-12-2017
From The Federalist Patriot
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Mid-Day Digest

Jul. 12, 2017

IN TODAY’S EDITION

The “smoking gun” of Don Jr’s meeting is little more than the latest Demo/MSM collusion.
Senate Democrats obstruct Trump’s appointments, so McConnell delays August recess.
Seattle’s new punitive income tax on the wealthy is sure to face legal challenges.
Daily Features: Top Headlines, Cartoons, Columnists and Short Cuts.

THE FOUNDATION

“There is but one straight course, and that is to seek truth and pursue it steadily.” —George Washington (1795)

FEATURED RIGHT ANALYSIS
The Trump Jr. Meeting — More Demo/MSM Collusion Delusions1

By Louis DeBroux

Not yet fully pivoting to trumped up “obstruction” fake news, the Demo/MSM propaganda machine2 is back on the trail of the Trump/Putin collusion fake news this week, trickling out new evidence daily to keep Trump on the ropes and media advertising rates up. They seem hell-bent on destroying any shred of credibility3 they have left in an effort to take down President Donald Trump.

Case in point, the unfolding “scandal” involving Donald Trump Jr. and a Russian attorney. The Cliff’s Notes version is this: In June 2016, Trump Jr., son-in-law and advisor Jared Kushner, and campaign manager Paul Manafort met with a Russian attorney purporting to have dirt on Hillary Clinton and the DNC. Trump Jr. said that the meeting ended less than half an hour later because the Russian’s comments were “vague, ambiguous and made no sense.” The discussion even moved on to sanctions and adoption.

Despite the breathless accusations by The New York Times, the paper can’t even get its own story straight. The Times contradicts itself in a single article, first saying, “Donald Trump Jr. was informed in an email that the material was part of a Russian government effort to aid his father’s candidacy…” but just a few paragraphs later noting “it is unclear whether Mr. Goldstone had direct knowledge of the origin of the damaging material. One person who was briefed on the emails said it appeared that he was passing along information that had been passed through several others.” As National Review’s Jim Geraghty questions4, “If he may not have known the ‘direct origin’ of the material, how did he know it was ‘part of a Russian government effort’?”

Regardless of how Trump Jr.‘s friend portrayed the purpose of the meeting in helping to set it up, the Russian attorney, Natalia Veselnitskaya, now denies she claimed she had or said anything about Clinton: “I never had any damaging or sensitive information about Hillary Clinton. It was never my intention to have that.”

Trump Jr. also now says, “In retrospect, I probably would have done things a little differently.” However, he added, “This is before the Russia mania. This is before they were building it up in the press.” Hindsight is 20/20, so he’s got a point about the timing during the heat of the campaign. “For me,” he continued, “this was opposition research that had … maybe concrete evidence to all the stories I’d been hearing about that were probably underreported for years, not just during the campaign. So, I think I wanted to hear it out. But, really, it went nowhere and it was apparent that that wasn’t what the meeting was actually about.”

My attempt at collusion with a hostile foreign government failed to yield results may be the least satisfying defense ever, but it’s also a long way from evidence of any actual collusion.

In an effort at transparency, Don Jr. this week released the full transcript of the emails in question. Contrast that to Hillary Clinton, who set up a private email server to secretly conduct government business away from the prying eyes of Congress and FOIA requests and then, when subpoenaed, cherry-picked the emails she would release, handed over printed copies (that could not be easily searched, and from which meta-data was stripped), deleted the rest, used BleachBit to render any data unrecoverable, destroyed her phones with hammers, and then lied about it all. The media reaction to Hillary’s actions? Yaaawwnnn… nothing to see here.

A key question — does anyone think that Chelsea Clinton would have hesitated for a New York second if a good friend called her and said a Russian lawyer had dirt on Donald Trump? You know, like the fake Russian dossier5 that set off the whole Russian fake news cycle — with the help of James Comey6.

But back to Trump Jr. Where is the collusion? There’s quid quo pro without the “quid.”

After all the hysteria, the Times anticlimactically admits, “There is no evidence to suggest that the promised damaging information was related to Russian government computer hacking that led to the release of thousands of Democratic National Committee emails.”

At this point, it appears the only thing Trump Jr. is guilty of is colossally poor judgment.

Power Line’s Scott Johnson summarizes7, “There is no evidence that the Russian lawyer had damaging information to deliver… that the Russian lawyer delivered damaging information… that Trump Jr. asked the Russian lawyer to come back with damaging information… that Trump Jr. would have promised the Russian lawyer anything if she had agreed to return with damaging information… that Trump Jr. came away from the meeting with anything but disappointed expectations.”

Does Trump Jr.’s meeting with a Russian lawyer who somebody else claimed might have some information on Hillary Clinton matter to anyone outside the Beltway who is not a first-tier stakeholder in the effort to undermine Donald Trump’s agenda, or media principals who need to churn news to sell advertising?

Further undermining the credibility of the media is the fact that, not only do they go after Trump with the vigor of a rabid dog, but they have ignored, soft-peddled, or dismissed similar or worse actions by Hillary Clinton and the Democrats.

For example, how much time did the press spend on revelations the DNC colluded with Ukrainian government officials to sabotage Trump8? Or on the revelation that, as secretary of state, Hillary approved a business deal giving a Russian energy company 20% of the U.S.’s uranium reserves9, which coincided with Bill Clinton getting paid $500,000 for a speech in Moscow, and millions of dollars being donated by Uranium One’s chairman to the Clinton Foundation? Nor did they care when the Clintons raked in millions more from Russian oligarchs10, or when Hillary’s top aide, Huma Abedin, was doing favors for a Russia-connected group11 while at the State Department.

Regarding the 2016 presidential election, the good news is that we did not get yet another polished, poll-tested, packaged politician. The bad news is… we didn’t get a polished, poll-tested, packaged politician.

Donald Trump has not only broken the mold of the typical politician, he has shattered the pieces, pulverized them, and carried them away on the winds of his Twitter feed. He has Democrats, their Leftmedia colluders and progressive foot soldiers losing their minds in a frothing, incoherent rage, utterly destroying their credibility and common sense. For those long tormented by the dishonest, mean-spirited, even hateful portrayal of conservatives and Republicans by the Left, it is entertaining to watch.

As for President Trump, he seems to relish walking that tightrope, tempting and tormenting his detractors, stoking the rage of those afflicted with Trump Derangement Syndrome. Yet that carries with it its own danger, in that the media chaos obscures a very impressive list of Trump accomplishments12. Decorum and stability are not bad things.

At the same time, the Founding Fathers enshrined a free press into the First Amendment as a watchdog against government corruption and abuse. If the credibility of the press is destroyed, even if by their own dishonest actions, that should give all who love freedom cause for concern, regardless of the party of the president in power.

So the key question is this: When did The New York Times have this information? What did they know and when did they know it? That’s the question that really underlies their subversive motivation.

And that’s the bottom line: The most dangerous collusion is that between leftist Democrats and the mainstream media.

TOP RIGHT HOOKS

Democrats Continue Their Strategy of Obstruction13

On Tuesday, Donald Trump tweeted his frustration over Democrats’ obstruction: “The Senate Democrats have only confirmed 48 of 197 Presidential Nominees. They can’t win so all they do is slow things down & obstruct!” Trump is totally correct in his criticism, as we have repeatedly noted Democrat obstructionism14.

Robert Moffit, a Heritage Foundation senior fellow in health policy who has observed Congress for decades, said, “The Senate delay is pure obstruction and a disservice to the American people. Advise and consent is not simply obstructing the president’s team’s ability to carry out his agenda. This directly obstructs the democratic process. The country elects presidents.” But Moffit also pointed out that Trump has been slow in nominating political appointees, although the president has picked up the pace in recent weeks.

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The Patriot Post Digest 7-12-2017
From The Federalist Patriot
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While Democrats have been the primary cause of obstruction, Republicans’ inability to move forward quickly on repealing and replacing ObamaCare has contributed to the delays as well. Due to the lack of legislative and confirmation progress, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has decided to delay the start of the Senate’s August recess. “In order to provide more time to complete action on important legislative items and process nominees that have been stalled by a lack of cooperation from our friends across the aisle,” McConnell declared, “the Senate will delay the start of August recess until the third week of August.”

Democrats are operating from the mindset that Donald Trump’s election victory was illegitimate. Hence the continued rhetoric about Trump/Russia collusion1 and all the grandstanding by various Democrat members of Congress in calling for a stop to normal legislative business until they can get to the bottom of the Russia “scandal.” Their objective is to delay as much of Trump’s agenda for as long as possible with the hope of gaining a Senate majority in the 2018 election. It’s worth repeating that the real scandal here is Democrats colluding with the Leftmedia to obstruct Trump.

Seattle Robs the ‘Rich’15

We’ve noted more than once the devastating effects of Seattle’s minimum wage hike, which has cost jobs and income16 for lower earners. Not satisfied with pulling the rug out from under the poor in the name of “helping” them, Seattle’s central planners have targeted the other end of the income spectrum.

“Seattle’s wealthiest would become the only Washington state residents to pay an income tax under legislation approved by the City Council, a measure designed as much to raise revenue as to open a broader discussion about whether the wealthy pay their fair share,” the Associated Press reports17. “The council voted unanimously Monday to impose a 2.25 percent tax on the city’s highest earners. Personal income in excess of $250,000 for individuals and in excess of $500,000 for married couples filing joint returns would be taxed.” The city estimates revenue of $140 million annually — at least until the wealthy move elsewhere.

“Seattle is challenging this state’s antiquated and unsustainable tax structure by passing a progressive income tax,” Seattle Mayor Ed Murray said in a statement on his website. “Our goal is to replace our regressive tax system with a new formula for fairness, while ensuring Seattle stands up to President Trump’s austere budget that cuts transportation, affordable housing, healthcare, and social services. This is a fight for economic stability, equity, and justice.” Ah, so it’s Donald Trump’s fault.

One 24-year-old tax supporter who says she makes $170,000 per year proclaimed, “I would love to be taxed.” Easy for her to say since she won’t, in fact, be taxed. Human nature is full of envy, and most class warfare-waging leftists are perfectly fine imposing taxes on the other guy while pontificating about “fairness.” But there’s always volunteering to pay more. That didn’t work out too well in Norway, where high-minded leftists who want the government to have more money only paid in $1,32518 so far.

Seattle’s proposal is sure to face legal challenges. Washington state is one of seven states without an income tax, and state law prohibits cities from levying one — especially one that’s “uneven.” Indeed, it is also, some would argue, a bill of attainder19 (outlawed in Article I, Section 920) specifically targeting one group of citizens for the “crime” of earning more money than other people. Then again, that’s also the, er, rich heritage of the U.S. income tax, which so-called “progressives” initially introduced as a tax only on the wealthiest Americans. Perhaps Seattle’s punitive measure will become a broader test case…

Top Headlines21

Democrats used disinformation from Russia to attack Trump. (Washington Times22)

Top lawmaker demands investigation into Comey, former Obama officials for leaks of classified intel. (The Washington Free Beacon23)

Hundreds of NYPD cops turn their backs on Mayor De Blasio at slain officer’s funeral. (Hot Air24)

Black Lives Matter claims “gun-toting racists” incited by NRA to target minorities. (The Washington Times25)

Demo/Hungarian collusion — Socialist Soros’s max donations to Democrats. (The Washington Free Beacon26)

Insurers applying to participate in ObamaCare exchanges declines 38%. (The Washington Free Beacon27)

They must be kidding: Lawsuit alleges President Trump violated First Amendment by blocking U.S. citizens on Twitter. (Los Angeles Times28.)

AP: Journalists should avoid using words “pro-life,” “terrorist,” or “migrant” in news stories. (CNS News29)

How erasing sex distinctions from law kills privacy and consent. (The Federalist30)

Humor: Trump Jr. shares selfie he took with Putin during dad’s presidential campaign. (The Babylon Bee31)

Policy: Ranking the states by fiscal condition, 2017 edition. (Mercatus Center32)

Policy: A pathway for pro-growth, fiscally responsible tax reform. (The Daily Signal33)

For more, visit Patriot Headline Report34.

MORE ANALYSIS FROM THE PATRIOT POST

Trump to VA Bureaucrats: ‘You’re Fired!’35 — More than 500 employees at Veterans Affairs have been held accountable for failing to serve our veterans.
Mosul Back Under Iraqi Control36 — ISIL has been defeated in Mosul, along with possible confirmation of the death of self-proclaimed caliph Baghdadi.

BEST OF RIGHT OPINION

L. Brent Bozell & Tim Graham: Remember Bill Clinton’s Asiagate Scandal?37
John Stossel: Stupid Hostile Media38
Walter Williams: Minimum Wage Cruelty39

For more, visit Right Opinion40.

OPINION IN BRIEF

L. Brent Bozell & Tim Graham: “Liberal journalists would like everyone to forget how then-President Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton and the Democratic National Committee engaged in a blatant strategy to solicit illegal foreign contributions from Asian sources before the 1996 presidential election. Their contacts included Liu Chaoying, daughter of the senior commander of Red China’s People’s Liberation Army, who met with President Clinton. The Washington Post reported in 1998, ‘Evidence gathered in federal surveillance intercepts has indicated that the Chinese government planned to increase China’s influence in the U.S. political process in 1996.’ … After Clinton was easily re-elected, the DNC was forced to return more than $2.8 million in illegal or inappropriate donations. Almost 80 percent of that ill-gotten gain came from two sleazy Clinton-connected fundraisers, foreign nationals John Huang and Charles Yah Lin Trie. Few people remember this scandal because it was buried by those same news outlets that can’t stop talking about Russia.”

SHORT CUTS

Alpha Jackass: “Now obviously nobody can predict exactly how many people will die if they lose their [health] coverage. … But what experts at the Harvard School of Public Health estimate is that if 23 million Americans were to be thrown off the insurance they currently have, which is what the House bill would do, up to 28,000 Americans every single year could die. That is nine times more than the tragic losses we suffered on 9/11, every single year.” —Bernie Sanders

Deplorables: “You know that, unfortunately — and I deplore this — the United States of America left the climate agreement, or rather announced their intention to do so.” —German Chancellor Angela Merkel

Non Compos Mentis: “[The Russia investigation is] now beyond obstruction of justice. … This is moving into perjury, false statements, and even into potentially treason.” —Tim Kaine

The bottom line: “In the heat of your father’s presidential campaign, a bozo British publicist e-mails you to set up a sitdown with a ‘Russian government attorney’ promising ‘documents and information’ to ‘incriminate Hillary’ courtesy of the ‘Crown prosecutor of Russia’ as ‘part of’ the Russian government’s ‘support’ for dad — and you eagerly take the meeting. … Democrats and the media are frothing to find something criminal in it all, with the most unhinged talking treason. What it clearly was, was criminally stupid.” —New York Post

For the record: “Here’s the truth: Trump isn’t a conspiratorial mastermind. He’s a man irked by empty criticisms and dedicated to kicking his enemies in their most vulnerable areas. Sometimes that looks like he’s reinforcing their theories. He isn’t. So long as the media insist that Trump is someone he isn’t, they’ll keep finding conspiracies that don’t fit the facts or the personality.” —Ben Shapiro

And last… “Unlike Hillary Clinton, the IRS or the State Department, at least Donald Trump Jr. can find his emails!” —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.