The Patriot Post Digest 8-2-2018

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The Patriot Post Digest 8-2-2018
From The Federalist Patriot
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The Patriot Post® · Mid-Day Digest

Aug. 2, 2018 · https://patriotpost.us/digests/57506-mid-day-digest

THE FOUNDATION

“During the course of administration, and in order to disturb it, the artillery of the press has been levelled against us, charged with whatsoever its licentiousness could devise or dare. These abuses of an institution so important to freedom and science are deeply to be regretted, inasmuch as they tend to lessen its usefulness and to sap its safety.” —Thomas Jefferson (1805)

IN TODAY’S EDITION

CNN’s Acosta complains of Trump’s rhetoric. That’s rich.
Divisive LeBron James blames divisiveness on Trump. That’s rich, too.
Resisting progress is all members of #resist are actually achieving.
The ADA has become a serial litigator’s dream.
Daily Features: Top Headlines, Memes, Cartoons, Columnists, and Short Cuts.

IN BRIEF
CNN’s Jim Acosta Can’t Take What He Dishes1

Thomas Gallatin

CNN reporter Jim Acosta was in Tampa, Florida, covering President Donald Trump’s Tuesday rally. At one point during Acosta’s live coverage of the event, a group of Trump supporters loudly chanted “CNN sucks!” Acosta, whose obsessively negative anti-Trump reporting has earned the ire of both the president and many conservatives, sought to portray the behavior of the rally-goers in the worst and most dramatic light possible. “Just a sample of the sad scene we faced at the Trump rally in Tampa,” he lamented from the fainting couch. “I’m very worried that the hostility whipped up by Trump and some in conservative media will result in somebody getting hurt. We should not treat our fellow Americans this way. The press is not the enemy.”

Where was Acosta’s concern over “hostility whipped up” by people at anti-Trump rallies? Or how about his own insinuation that Trump supporters are dangerously stupid? In an interview with Variety, he haughtily asserted, “They don’t have all their faculties and in some cases their elevator might not hit all floors.”

As Mark Alexander noted yesterday, however, it’s leftists who often suffer Trump Derangement Syndrome2.

Acosta complained, “[Trump] is whipping these crowds up into a frenzy to the point where they really want to come after us.” Nothing like Maxine Waters calling for harassment3 of Trump officials, or a Bernie Sanders fanboy attempting to murder Republicans4, we’re sure.

But Acosta also leveled blame at Fox News, adding, “My sense of it is that these opinions these folks have at these rallies, they’re shaped by what they see in the primetime hours of Fox News and what they hear from some conservative news outlets that just sort of give them this daily diet of what they consider to be terrible things we do over here at CNN.” He even had the gumption to accuse Fox opinion commentator Sean Hannity of “peddling lies every night” “for profit.” Talk about throwing stones from glass houses. The irony here is that Acosta is the one who claims the mantel of a journalist, something Hannity regularly notes he is not. Yet Acosta assumes that his own opinion of Hannity equates to journalistic reporting of the truth. That’s not journalism; it’s hubris.

It’s precisely this elitist, condescending, know-it-all attitude regularly displayed by much of the mainstream media that has brought on Americans’ ire and distrust. Hannity was kind enough to point this out to Acosta, stating, “I’m actually going to give your network some advice, if you have an open mind and an open heart, maybe a little bit of humility. The people of this country are screaming at you for a reason. They don’t like your unfair, abusively biased treatment of the president of the United States.” That, in a nutshell, is why Acosta will continue to fail.

https://patriotpost.us/articles/57503-cnns-jim-acosta-cant-take-what-he-dishes

Divisive LeBron James Blames Divisiveness on Trump5

Superstar basketball player LeBron James sat down for an interview6 with CNN’s Don Lemon to discuss the opening of his “I Promise School” in his home town of Akron, Ohio. We’re certainly glad to see James using his vast wealth to give back to the less fortunate. But in explaining his motivation for starting the school, which focuses on developing students both academically and athletically, James raised the issue of how “this race thing has taken over.” Why? Because, James insists, President Donald Trump is “dividing us.” James opined, “What I’ve noticed over the past few months [is] he’s kinda used sports to kinda divide us, and that’s something that I can’t relate to.” He further added, “Sports has never been something that divides people. It’s always been something that brings someone [sic] together.”

James displays a clear lack of knowledge of sports history. Part of the whole point of sports is that fans are divided over teams they fervently support. To be fair, that’s not his point; James is referring to political and social issues brought up in sports. But who exactly has been using sports as a divisive platform to express a negative view of the nation as a whole? Well, it ain’t Trump. How about Colin Kaepernick and his adolescent protesting during the national anthem, which spread like cancer through the rest of the NFL? Or how about James’s fellow NBA star — and Finals nemesis — Stephen Curry and his public decision to reject a visit to the White House before he even received an invitation?

It’s rich for James to wax eloquent about how divisive Trump is and how he himself is all about bringing people together, only to then assert in the same interview that he “would never sit across from him” when asked what he would say to Trump if he met him face to face. How inclusive. Clearly, James has exposed himself as nothing more than another wealthy leftist elitist who sees no contradiction in his refusal to meet or speak with the president while blaming that president for the very division he himself is causing.

Just as the mainstream media seeks to heap all the blame on Trump because much of the nation refuses to accept biased news, James sees a fanbase divided over the anti-American protests of entitled athletes and blames the guy least responsible — Trump.

https://patriotpost.us/articles/57487-divisive-lebron-james-blames-divisiveness-on-trump

Top Headlines7

San Francisco’s Ninth Circuit Court rules Trump sanctuary city sanctions unconstitutional (The Washington Times8)
Obama announces dozens of House endorsements — but not the “new face9” of the Democrats, Ocasio-Cortez (Hot Air10)
Trump’s EPA will continue Obama’s strict city smog rules (Washington Examiner11)
Lawmakers defuse Trump’s shutdown threat by passing partial spending bills ahead of deadline (The Washington Times12)
Senate sends $717B defense policy bill to Trump’s desk (The Hill13)
Feds spend $1.1 million creating apps for trans women and gay teens with “hooking up simulations” (The Washington Free Beacon14)
Trump administration seeks deregulation, innovation in higher education (Washington Examiner15)
Pennsylvania diocese releases names of dozens of clergy accused of sexual abuse (National Review16)
Google plans to launch censored search engine in China (The Intercept17)
Ontario ends universal basic income18 experiment two years early (Reason19)
Good news: “Angel” cloud appears over Texas skyline (Fox News20)
Humor: Man identifies as woman, immediately receives 23% pay cut (The Babylon Bee21)
Policy: Fire and fury: How government failures make wildfires even worse (Washington Examiner22)
Policy: When it comes to the environment, these are the good ol’ days (Investor’s Business Daily23)
For more of today’s news, visit Patriot Headline Report24.

https://patriotpost.us/articles/57504-thursday-top-headlines

FEATURED ANALYSIS
Resisting Progress29

Caroline C. Lewis

Immediately following the 2016 election, #resist became a battle cry for those opposed to the presidency of Donald Trump. Resistance has come in many forms: social media campaigns, protests, intimidation, congressional obstructionism, and in some cases violence no doubt brought on by Trump Derangement Syndrome2. Those who participate in #resist claim they are helping to “save democracy.” Or, as Dennis Prager observed30, it’s “as if they were American reincarnations of the French who fought real Nazis in World War II.”

The question remains, “Are they?”

The resistance made its first public appearance at the inauguration. Breaking windows, lighting cars on fire, and striking fear into those who attended the event, #resist certainly made the news. But does violence and vandalism “save democracy”?

At the so-called Women’s March, angry attendees wore genitalia hats and costumes, while Madonna said she’d like to “blow up the White House.” Saving democracy? You can decide.

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The Patriot Post Digest 8-2-2018
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Then came the congressional obstructions. As a bloc, Senate Democrats have slowed the confirmation process at an unprecedented level. A July 2018 report noted the striking differences between the confirmation of Trump’s nominations and the nominations of previous administrations. At a similar time in their presidencies, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama had 80%, 84%, 72%, and 75% of their nominees confirmed, respectively. Trump has 57%.

Consider the effect that slowing the confirmation process has on “democracy.” The democratic process gives power to representatives who vote on behalf of the people (which is why we’re a democratic republic, not a democracy). Obstruction challenges rather than supports this process.

Obstructionism also negatively effects the people of this country. Having a government without the full staff of agency heads and other employees makes everything inefficient for the people. Additionally, obstruction hurts the American people by denying them qualified people in key positions.

Consider the case of Andy Puzder31, nominated for secretary of labor. The son of an immigrant, Puzder worked his way through law school and ultimately became CEO of CKE Restaurants, the parent company of Hardee’s and Carl’s Junior. He knows the value of hard work and understands how to unleash the productivity of the American worker.

In his book, The Capitalist Comeback32, Puzder recounts how protesters came to his front door, held a rally in his town, and drove a billboard through his neighborhood accusing him of abusing women. Perhaps the most alarming incident happened in the form of a mysterious package addressed to his wife. It contained white powder, a paper doll with a noose around its neck, and a pink piece of paper with the words “TRUMP.” Fortunately, no one was hurt.

Sadly, Puzder withdrew his nomination33 after lack of support in the Senate. Did the protesting, intimidation, and obstruction “save” democracy?

In any case, Rep. Maxine Waters advocated harassing3 Trump officials, meaning she evidently does think this wretched behavior “saves” democracy.

The most recent blockade has been against Judge Brett Kavanaugh34, a highly qualified jurist who sits on the DC Circuit Court. A graduate of Yale Law School, Kavanaugh also lectures at Harvard Law School (he was hired35 by Elena Kagan when she served as dean of the school). Lauded by Right and Left as a brilliant jurist, Judge Kavanaugh now faces baseless attacks on his character36, his family, and his legal record. Isn’t obstructing a qualified jurist “endangering democracy”?

Even the quintessential American sport, football, has been weaponized. The national anthem, long held as the symbol of unity for the American people, has been transformed into a political statement by those hoping to #resist. However, are these people resisting Trump, or American values? How does this “save democracy”?

The resistance also calls for abolishing37 Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Perhaps the most visible has been the Occupy ICE campaigns, such as the Portland38 campaign, which left the protest area with blocks of trash, bottles, and used needles. Does protesting and trashing property “save democracy”?

Many people have begun to question the validity of #resist and the ideology of those who support it. The #WalkAway movement39 has revealed an awakening of more traditional liberals who do not subscribe to violence, bigotry, and hateful distain for those with whom they disagree.

As Ronald Reagan stated40, “You and I are told increasingly we have to choose between a left or right. Well I’d like to suggest there is no such thing as a left or right. There’s only an up or down: [up] man’s old — old-aged dream, the ultimate in individual freedom consistent with law and order, or down to the ant heap of totalitarianism.”

Reagan understood that dividing lines did not fall between Right or Left. Rather, they fell between Liberty and tyranny. Returning to this basic understanding of America helps to shed light on what #resist represents. The resistance blockades the American people, American values, and American patriotism. The resistance subscribes to violence, lewdness, and bigotry. While considering themselves “progressives,” resistance members regress downward to a divided nation and a country that cannot move forward. Ultimately, they resist unity, democracy, and forward-thinking policy. Ironically, they #resist progress.

https://patriotpost.us/articles/57501-resisting-progress

MORE ANALYSIS FROM THE PATRIOT POST

The ADA Is a Serial Litigator’s Dream41 — While well-meaning, the ADA has spawned a cottage industry of unscrupulous lawsuits.
Video: Fighting the Deep State42 — There’s not much doubt about its existence. The question is, what can Donald Trump do about it?

OPINION IN BRIEF

Ed Feulner: “Tax experts at The Heritage Foundation used IRS data to calculate the effects of last December’s Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) and found that in 2018 taxpayers will save an average of $1,400. Married couples with two children will save more than twice that: $2,917. And when I say ‘nationwide,’ I mean it. A new report by Heritage’s Kevin Dayaratna, Parker Sheppard and Adam Michel shows that every U.S. congressional district will enjoy these tax benefits. … Not a single district will fail to see a tax benefit of some kind, thanks to the TCJA. … Unfortunately, there’s a caveat. The TCJA expires in 2025, so the Heritage experts had to roll this into their calculations. They also had to assume Washington will continue running large and unsustainable deficits. Both of these factors constitute a large drag on an economy that is otherwise growing at an impressive clip. So why would [Nancy] Pelosi hint that she and other members of her party want to repeal the TCJA? … Far from repealing it, we need to make it permanent. Doing so would improve any economic benefits even more dramatically. Imagine how well our economy would perform if the money currently being wasted in Washington was saved, spent and invested by the people who produce it. Mrs. Pelosi wants to ‘revisit the tax legislation.’ Agreed. Let’s drop the expiration date.”

SHORT CUTS

Upright: “Those who can claim membership in the less privileged group have a license to retaliate against the privileged. Claiming to lack privilege confers the privilege of being excused for behaving badly.” —Nathanael Blake

Braying Jenny: “Right after Al Franken attacked … Jeff Sessions, he suddenly became the target of the right wing to get him out of office. … And the Democrats decided, ‘Oh, we’re going to take the high road,’ and they basically lost a really good senator, in my opinion. … That was a sophomoric joke by a comedian in a time when he didn’t know he was going to become a senator. He was fooling around. He was a comic. And, to his credit, he said, ‘She didn’t have any ability to consent. She had every right to feel violated by that photo.’ So he’s a gentleman, and he took the hit. And now, can we please move on and get the great senator back and get rid of the president?” —"The View’s" Joy Behar

Hot air: “Since civilization emerged 10,000 years ago, we haven’t had this kind of heat condition, and it’s going to continue getting worse and that’s the way it is.” —California Gov. Jerry Brown

Non Compos Mentis: “We have no equivalent to the dark carnival that is a trump [sic] rally. This is not a thing on the left. We just argue about healthcare and climate and sometimes relitigate 2016 but we are not actually out of our minds.” —Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI)

Setting up Trump to blame his rhetoric for any attack…. “I’m very worried that the hostility whipped up by Trump and some in conservative media will result in somebody getting hurt. We should not treat our fellow Americans this way.” —CNN’s Jim Acosta

And last… “To reporters … complaining [about] your treatment at Trump rallies: Now [you] know what it’s like for conservatives invited [to] speak at college campuses. … I wish you were treated differently. But maybe [you] should cover college protests differently now.” —Ari Fleischer

https://patriotpost.us/articles/57502-thursday-short-cuts

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Semper Vigilans Fortis Paratus et Fidelis

Nate Jackson, Managing Editor
Mark Alexander, Publisher