The Patriot Post Digest 11-10-2017

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The Patriot Post Digest 11-10-2017
From The Federalist Patriot
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The Patriot Post® · Mid-Day Digest

Nov. 10, 2017 · https://patriotpost.us/digests/52367

IN TODAY’S EDITION

Is Roy Moore guilty? It almost doesn’t matter because of the timing and media conviction.
The Senate GOP is out with its tax reform, but the whiff of failure is a bit too strong.
We take a moment today to honor our Veterans and, on the Corps’ birthday, our Marines.
Democrats have a serious problem with misogyny, which is rather ironic.
Further review of Tuesday’s election provides some cause for concern for the GOP.
Plus our Daily Features: Top Headlines, Memes, Cartoons, Columnists and Short Cuts.

THE FOUNDATION

“We are, heart and soul, friends to the freedom of the press. It is however, the prostituted companion of liberty, and somehow or other, we know not how, its efficient auxiliary. It follows the substance like its shade; but while a man walks erect, he may observe that his shadow is almost always in the dirt. It corrupts, it deceives, it inflames. It strips virtue of her honors, and lends to faction its wildfire and its poisoned arms, and in the end is its own enemy and the usurper’s ally.” —Fisher Ames (1807)

FEATURED ANALYSIS
One Moore Hit Piece1

By Nate Jackson

Did Republican Senate candidate Roy Moore engage in inappropriate sexual advances toward a 14-year-old in 1979? That’s what The Washington Post’s latest blockbuster story2 alleges. Not just one girl either; three other women told the Post that Moore pursued and/or engaged in relationships with them when they were minors, though only the first alleged non-consensual behavior.

We’ll begin with this question: What did the Post reporters know and when did they know it?

Given the prevalence in recent months of allegations of sexual harassment, assault and worse, it’s frankly no surprise that another man would find himself on the wrong end of such accusations. More pointedly, given that the Alabama special Senate election is just over a month away and Democrat Doug Jones is within striking distance, now is the perfect political timing to assassinate Moore’s Christian character. After all, Democrats are fresh off their wins in Virginia and New Jersey3 Tuesday…

Moore declared it was exactly that, saying in a statement, “These allegations are completely false and are a desperate political attack by the National Democrat Party and the Washington Post on this campaign.” Furthermore, he insisted the story is “garbage” that is “the very definition of fake news and intentional defamation.”

Senate Republicans, however, weren’t exactly quick to defend him. “If these allegations are true, he must step aside,” said Majority Leader Mitch McConnell in a formal statement on behalf of all Republican senators.

If Moore is guilty, that’s the obvious course — at a minimum. But how is he supposed to prove his innocence in the current media environment of “guilty until proven innocent”? The statute of limitations on such crimes in Alabama is just three years, so Moore no longer has legal recourse to be declared innocent. In any case, as Rush Limbaugh has long put it, “It’s not the nature of the evidence; it’s the seriousness of the charge.”

One interesting tidbit from the Post: None of the women sought out the paper to tell their story. “While reporting a story in Alabama about supporters of Moore’s Senate campaign, a Post reporter heard that Moore allegedly had sought relationships with teenage girls. Over the ensuing three weeks, two Post reporters contacted and interviewed the four women. All were initially reluctant to speak publicly but chose to do so after multiple interviews, saying they thought it was important for people to know about their interactions with Moore. The women say they don’t know one another.” The primary accuser also says she voted for Donald Trump.

When were those “ensuing three weeks”? And what Democrat tipped off the Post’s reporter? Was it the Montgomery-based Southern Poverty Law Center4?

The Post certainly did a professional job with its Clinton/DNC-style5 anti-Moore dossier. Reporters anticipated the questions opponents would ask and either answered them or obfuscated. On the other hand, there’s something about the report that seems credible. Moore married a woman 14 years his junior, lending weight to the idea that he preferred (far) younger women. And witnesses corroborate the other relationships at the time.

But if the allegations of what would be molestation and pedophilia are true, how did the story sit in the closet for nearly 40 years, during which time Moore was, among other things, chief justice of the Alabama Supreme Court, only to come out one month before a Senate election that could help tip the scales to Democrats?

Whether or not any of this political bushwhack story is true, it doesn’t look good for Moore or the GOP — because he’s already been convicted in the media.

GOP Plodding Forward on Tax Reform6

As the GOP stumbles forward on building some form of tax reform bill, one of the latest proposals to be bandied about is repealing the ObamaCare mandate. Citing Congressional Budget Office numbers, House Republicans estimate that ending the mandate would save the government some $338 billion over the next decade, helping to offset the predicted lost revenue from tax cuts. However, it’s clear that not all House Republicans are on board with the plan as several publicly expressed their misgivings, while Democrats have trotted out their usual objections that the plan favors the rich.

Meanwhile, Senate Republicans released some key components of their desired tax plan7, including a proposal that President Donald Trump’s heavily touted corporate tax cut be delayed until 2019. Both House and Senate versions would enact a corporate tax rate of 20%, down from the current 35%, though the House version would put it in place next year. Both the House and Senate plans share the same standard deduction and increase in the child tax credit.

The biggest difference between the House and Senate versions may be the issue of reform itself. While the House has advanced a plan with significant changes to the tax code that would fundamentally reform taxes, Senate has opted for more of a tweaking approach choosing to maintain much of the current structure while making minor adjustments to the existing code. Secondly, the House plan would seeking to make its changes take effect much sooner than the Senate, which seeks to put off some of the more costly changes for at least a year.

The overarching issue is this: The perception among the electorate is that Republicans are failing to lead and are on their way to another massive failure similar to that of repealing ObamaCare. If Republicans can’t get their act together and pass meaningful comprehensive tax reform legislation, then there’s a good chance they will find themselves in the minority come 2018. Hopefully, Republicans will take heed from the recent election results from Virginia and progress on meaningful tax legislation.

Top Headlines8

Mounting GOP retirements threaten House majority (The Hill9)

Rand Paul’s attacker pleads not guilty, his motive remains a mystery (Hot Air10)

Federal judge tosses suit, says FBI did all it could on Clinton emails (The Washington Times11)

Trump bodyguard Keith Schiller testifies Russian offered Trump women, was turned down (NBC News12)

Prosecutors seek plea deal with Manafort’s former son-in-law (The Wall Street Journal13)

TSA agents routinely fail to spot threats, federal investigation finds (Fox News14)

Good news: House Republicans restore the adoption tax credit15 to the tax reform bill (National Review16)

Air Force warns it is short 1,926 pilots (CNS News17)

Chicago, land of gun control, hits homicide highs — and blames Trump (The Washington Times18.)

Humor: CDC: People with dirt on the Clintons have 843% greater risk of suicide (The Babylon Bee19)

Policy: The real value in veterans that Hollywood doesn’t show you (The Daily Signal20)

Policy: Five ways to improve the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (The Daily Signal21)

For more of today’s news, visit Patriot Headline Report22.

Veterans Day23

On the 11th Hour of the 11th Day of the 11th Month…

Veterans Day is set aside in honor of American Patriot Veterans24 who have carried the banner of Liberty forward since the first shots at Lexington and Concord. And it is now time for us to deliver this banner to the next generation.

Millions of Patriots — American Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines and Coastguardsmen — have for generations honored their oaths to “support and defend25” Liberty, as “endowed by our Creator26” and enshrined in our Constitution.

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The Patriot Post Digest 11-10-2017
From The Federalist Patriot
Free Email Subscription
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Today, and every day, we formally honor them. We remain a free people because they have stood bravely in harm’s way, and because millions remain on post today. For this, we, the American People, offer our heartfelt thanks.

“Mighty men of valor, men trained for war, who could handle shield and spear, and whose faces were like the faces of lions.” —1 Chronicles 12:8

“Duty, honor, country: Those three hallowed words reverently dictate what you ought to be, what you can be, what you will be. They are your rallying point to build courage when courage seems to fail, to regain faith when there seems to be little cause for faith, to create hope when hope becomes forlorn.” —Gen. Douglas MacArthur

“War is an ugly thing but not the ugliest of things; the decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feelings which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse. A man who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself.” —John Stuart Mill

“It is the soldier, not the reporter, who has given us freedom of the press.
It is the soldier, not the poet, who has given us freedom of speech.
It is the soldier, not the campus organizer, who has given us the freedom to demonstrate.
It is the soldier, who salutes the flag, who serves beneath the flag, and whose coffin is draped by the flag, who allows the protester to burn the flag.” —Army Veteran Charles M. Province

“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” —John 15:12-14

We invite you to read Mark Alexander’s most recent Veterans Day essay, Patriot Veterans, Then and Now27, and look back at the history of the Revolutionary War’s Overmountain Men.

Marine Corps Birthday28

On Nov. 10, 1775, the Second Continental Congress resolved to create two battalions of Continental Marines for the War of Independence from Britain. In 1798, President John Adams signed the Act establishing the United States Marine Corps. The 13th Commandant of the Marine Corps, General John A. Lejeune, issued Marine Corps Order No. 47, Series 1921, directing that on Nov. 10 every year, in honor of the Corps’ birthday, the Order’s summary of the history, mission and tradition of the Corps be read to every command.

We at The Patriot Post offer our thanks (and an Ooorah!) for a job well done. For those interested in great items bearing the Marine Corps’ insignia, please visit The Patriot Post Shop29. Semper Fi!

Lyrics to the Marine Hymn:

From the halls of Montezuma,
To the shores of Tripoli,
We fight our country’s battles
in the air on land and sea.
First to fight for right and freedom,
and to keep our honor clean,
We are proud to claim the title
of United States Marine.

The Price of Liberty

As a nation, we pause to honor American Veterans. These Patriots form the heart and soul of The Patriot Post’s Mission of Service30 to our Armed Forces.

The Patriot Post, under the able leadership of many veterans now serving with our National Advisory Committee31 and staff32, has become one of the nation’s leading advocates for our Armed Forces and their mission, by providing millions of Americans with the right perspective on that mission and the demanding tasks our military personnel have carried out with pride. It is for that reason we request no financial support from our military readers around the world, opting instead to provide our publications and resources to them as a small token of our gratitude for their service.

Today we are asking for the support33 of readers who wish to join us in ensuring that The Patriot Post’s encouraging message of Liberty reaches an ever-wider audience of military Patriots and their families. We have just a few short weeks left to raise the remaining half of our annual operating budget. Please, if you’re able, make a secure online donation33 toward our 2017 Year-End Campaign today. Thank you for your support. —Christy Chesterton, Director of Advancement

MORE ANALYSIS FROM THE PATRIOT POST

Democrats: The Party of Misogynists36 — The party has long been obsessed with identity politics, all in an effort to divide and conquer.
The Anti-Trump Template37 — Things aren’t looking good for the GOP, but all is far from lost if the party will lead.

BEST OF RIGHT OPINION

David Limbaugh: Don’t Mock Prayer. Pray38
Gary Bauer: Dueling Tax Plans39
Michael Reagan: Fake News From Virginia40
Michael Barone: 2016 Is Looking Like the New Normal41
Ed Feulner: Communism’s Century of Devastation42

For more of today’s columns, visit Right Opinion43.

OPINION IN BRIEF

David Limbaugh: “Christians don’t use prayer as an excuse for inaction. We don’t believe our petitions to the Almighty relieve us of our duty to do good works. Christian theologian James Montgomery Boice said, ‘A strong prayer life is not the least bit inconsistent with vigorous and fervent service for the Lord. … Prayer warriors are needed. But this does not mean that those who are active in Christian work (or any kind of work) do not also need to be strong in praying for God’s direction and blessing.’ Truth be told, the critics aren’t wrestling with such philosophical questions, and they aren’t calling for just any action. No. The only actions that will satisfy them are extreme gun control measures, which they wrongly believe will prevent these shootings. In their anger, they lash out at prayer and God, mainly because they associate prayer with the type of person who blocks their gun-grabbing crusade. … Prayer is not simply a one-way communication — a series of petitions to an omnipotent God with the expectation that He’ll grant our wishes like a genie from a bottle. In prayer, we are conversing with the God of the universe to whom we have instant access. Yes, we ask God for things, but we also pray to express adoration to Him, to confess our sins, to seek His guidance, to praise Him and to give Him thanks. But we can’t expect that He will grant every request. Can you imagine the chaos that would ensue if billions of imperfect people were to have their contradictory prayers answered by an omniscient, omnipotent God? We should remember that we must pray in accordance with God’s will — a will that we can’t always perfectly discern.”

SHORT CUTS

Insight: “Many of those who attack capitalism know very well that their situation under any other economic system will be less favorable. Nevertheless, with full knowledge of this fact, they advocate a reform, e.g., socialism, because they hope that the rich, whom they envy, will also suffer under it.” —Ludwig von Mises (1881-1973)

For the record: “I don’t blame China [for trade disparities]. After all, who can blame a country for being able to take advantage of another country for benefit of their citizens? I give China credit.” —Donald Trump

Non Compos Mentis: “Why do you need any assault rifles? An assault rifle is different than a gun. A hunting enthusiast and one who needs an assault rifle, those are two different things.” —MSNBC’s Stephanie Ruhle

Alpha Jackass: “There is no rational alternative. The GOP and NRA must, in fact, want mass shootings. It serves their interests.” —Northwestern University professor Bruce Lambert

Delusions of grandeur: “[Tuesday] was a great reminder of what’s possible when we come together and fight for what we believe in. So I wanted to take a few minutes to celebrate the extraordinary successes of a few groups I — and Onward Together — proudly fight alongside.” —Hillary Clinton taking credit for Tuesday’s Democrat wins

Facepalm: “[Roy Moore is] clean as a hound’s tooth. Take the Bible. Zachariah and Elizabeth for instance. Zachariah was extremely old to marry Elizabeth and they became the parents of John the Baptist. Also take Joseph and Mary. Mary was a teenager and Joseph was an adult carpenter. They became parents of Jesus.” —Alabama State Auditor Jim Ziegler, who seemed if anything to corroborate The Washington Post’s story1

And last… “Roy Moore should change his name to Bob Menendez, and then the media will leave him alone.” —Ben Shapiro

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. We also humbly ask prayer for your Patriot team, that our mission would seed and encourage the spirit of Liberty in the hearts and minds of our countrymen.

Semper Vigilans Fortis Paratus et Fidelis

Nate Jackson, Managing Editor
Mark Alexander, Publisher