The Patriot Post Digest 1-24-2019

[nChrist]

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The Patriot Post Digest 1-24-2019
From The Federalist Patriot
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The Patriot Post® · Mid-Day Digest

Jan. 24, 2019 · https://patriotpost.us/digests/60756-mid-day-digest

THE FOUNDATION

“Peace, commerce, and honest friendship with all nations, entangling alliances with none.” —Thomas Jefferson (1801)

https://patriotpost.us/fqd/60754-founders-quote-daily

IN TODAY’S EDITION

Venezuela’s power struggle is the consequence of the horrors of socialism.1
What’s the play behind Trump’s concession on the SOTU?2
Daily Features: On the Web3, Columnists4, Headlines5, Memes6, Cartoons7, Opinion in Brief8, and Short Cuts9.

IN BRIEF

Venezuela Tries to Shed Socialist Dictator10

Thomas Gallatin

Venezuelans have finally had enough of the failed promises of socialism. Once again that siren of the Left has proven only to rob people of Liberty, replacing it with the misery of poverty, high crime, and starvation at the hands of an elitist, authoritarian despot. On Wednesday, the anniversary of the ousting of military dictator Marcos Perez Jimenez in 1958, the president of Venezuela’s National Assembly, Juan Guaido, took the presidential oath before a massive crowd filling the streets of Caracas. Guaido now stands in direction opposition to Nicolas Maduro and his authoritarian grip on power.

This action was a long time coming, as we have long noted11 the inevitable collapse of Venezuela after Hugo Chavez aggressively implemented a socialist takeover of what was at the time South America’s wealthiest country. And since Chavez’s death it has only gotten worse. As Daniel DePetris of the Washington Examiner observes12, “Venezuela under Maduro’s leadership has fallen apart at the seams. Inflation surpassed 1 million percent at the end of last year (not a typo!), a figure that makes former Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe look like an economic genius. Most of Venezuela’s population is in poverty, roaming the streets for dumpsters in the hope that food may be mixed in with the rubbish. The situation has gotten so bleak that 3 million Venezuelans have fled to Colombia, Chile, Peru, and Ecuador — better to start over in a new country than stay in Venezuela and starve to death. Medicine is in extremely short supply, the murder rate was the highest in the world in 2017, and many of the crimes that have been committed are the direct result of the Latin American country’s sorry excuse for an economy.”

President Donald Trump was quick to announce his support for Guaido, stating, “The citizens of Venezuela have suffered for too long at the hands of the illegitimate Maduro regime. Today, I have officially recognized the President of the Venezuelan National Assembly, Juan Guaido, as the Interim President of Venezuela.” The U.S. joins at least 13 other nations, most of which are in South America, in recognizing Guaido as Venezuela’s legitimate president.

Obviously, dictator Maduro sees things differently, and he responded to Trump’s announcement by cutting diplomatic ties with the U.S. and ordering our diplomats to leave the country within 72 hours. This sets up an interesting showdown, since the U.S. no longer recognizes Maduro as Venezuela’s legitimate president. Sen. Marco Rubio was quick to raise the issue, declaring, “U.S. diplomats in [Venezuela] should present their credentials to President [Guaido]. Maduro has no authority to expel anyone. And trust me on this one, if Maduro is stupid enough to test [Trump] by harming any U.S. diplomat, the consequences would be swift & severe.”

Trump’s action puts pressure on Maduro. However, Maduro still has the support of his military, as every dictator does. He installed loyalists to control the military while at the same time revoking citizens’ right to bear arms so that he has control of all the guns. How long will Guaido be able to stay out of Maduro’s prisons? Is Venezuela headed toward civil war? Time will soon tell, but for the sake of Venezuelans we hope for a peaceful transition of power.

https://patriotpost.us/articles/60753-venezuela-tries-to-shed-socialist-dictator


Pelosi’s SOTU Shutdown13

Nate Jackson

“Trump caves.” “Pelosi wins.” Those are the types of headlines circulating today after President Donald Trump announced Wednesday night, “As the Shutdown was going on, Nancy Pelosi asked me to give the State of the Union Address. I agreed. She then changed her mind because of the Shutdown, suggesting a later date. This is her prerogative — I will do the Address when the Shutdown is over. I am not looking for an alternative venue for the SOTU Address because there is no venue that can compete with the history, tradition and importance of the House Chamber. I look forward to giving a ‘great’ State of the Union Address in the near future!”

This back14 and forth15 has now continued for more than a week as the two continue to tussle over the 34-day-old partial government shutdown16, now the longest in history. (Meanwhile, 800,000 government workers will almost certainly miss another paycheck Friday.) Trump sent Pelosi a letter17 announcing his intent to accept her original invitation to give the SOTU on Jan. 29. She responded with a letter18 denying the president access to the House chamber.

Trump’s concession was, for him, remarkably magnanimous. He entertained suggestions to give the speech from the Oval Office, the Senate chamber, the border, or some other venue — any of which arguably would have elevated the address by setting it apart from the increasingly pompous spectacle it has become. What better way to “drain the Swamp” than to blow up an unnecessary and vacuous tradition? It would seem, however, that Trump the Showman determined that conceding this battle may help him win the war.

Yet how that victory will come is not at all evident. Democrats are reportedly ready to reopen the government and give Trump $5.7 billion for border security with one huge caveat: The money isn’t for a wall. Given that Democrats have already rejected19 Trump’s concessions on Dreamers, it’s clear they’re negotiating in bad faith. Perhaps Trump is calculating that the more disruption is caused by the shutdown — like no SOTU — the more likely Democrats are to eventually cave. But Pelosi has called the border wall “immoral” and we’re inclined to think she’d rather not sit behind Trump sucking her teeth in defeat while he exults in his triumph at the podium. So where this goes from here is anyone’s guess.

https://patriotpost.us/articles/60752-pelosis-sotu-shutdown

[nChrist]

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The Patriot Post Digest 1-24-2019
From The Federalist Patriot
Free Email Subscription
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ON OUR WEBSITE TODAY

Featured Analysis: Restoring Common Census20 — Leftists are fighting a 2020 Census question about immigration status for votes and money.
New York Expands Culture of Death21 — The Empire State is set to move most restrictions on abortion in the state.
Jackson Lee Sunk by #MeToo Trouble22 — Texas Dem resigned from the CBC Foundation over accusations of retaliation against an alleged rape victim.
Mike Rowe: Lessons Learned From Gun Owners23 — Rowe highlights the importance of personal responsibility for one’s own self-defense.
Video: Exposing Students to Free Markets24 — It’s school choice week. Many kids don’t have choice in where they go to school.
Don’t Miss Alexander’s Column
Read The Leftmedia’s ‘Hate’ Narrative Lynch Mob25. “Mob of white racist MAGA boys taunts noble native warrior”? What really happened at the Lincoln Memorial and why.

If you’d like to receive Alexander’s Column by email every Wednesday, update your subscription here26.

GOOD NEWS

Locals Helping Border Agents Survive the Shutdown27
“Border Patrol agents are being given free meals, zero-interest loans, and even free yoga classes in an effort to help them get by as they are working without pay during the partial government shutdown, which is now in its fifth week.

"Local businesses, nonprofit organizations, and municipal governments from California to Texas have made available all types of support for Department of Homeland Security personnel to help keep them on the job of protecting the border.

"That kind of support from locals may be working. While the Transportation Security Administration has seen an increase in sickouts during the shutdown, border agents so far appear to be staying on the job, even without pay.”

Read more at Washington Examiner28.

https://patriotpost.us/articles/60730-locals-helping-border-agents-survive-the-shutdown


TOP HEADLINES

More than 10,000 Central Americans bound for U.S. request Mexican visas (The Washington Post30)
Michael Cohen delays House testimony due to “threats against his family” (ABC News31)
House Oversight to investigate Trump administration’s security-clearance process (National Review32)
After failed Cohen “bombshell,” BuzzFeed laying off 15% of staff (The Resurgent33)
Democrats to advance bill raising age limit for rifle buyers (National Review34)
New York governor celebrates allowing abortion up until birth21, orders World Trade Center lit pink (The Daily Wire35)
Ohio’s new governor says he’ll sign “heartbeat” abortion bill that Kasich vetoed (Fox News36)
Michigan Vietnam War hero, Medal of Honor recipient dies (MLive37)
South Korea breached UN rules by failing to report more than 300 tonnes of petroleum products sent to North Korea (VICE News38)
Humor: Snopes introduces new “factually inaccurate but morally right” fact-check result (The Babylon Bee39)
Policy: Finally, U.S. policy is getting it right on Venezuela (American Enterprise Institute40)
Policy: There’s no “lost” economic growth during government shutdowns (Foundation for Economic Education41)
For more of today’s news, visit Patriot Headline Report42.

https://patriotpost.us/articles/60749-thursday-top-headlines


OPINION IN BRIEF

Tony Perkins: “The rest of the media continues to see what it wants in the [Covington] footage, which is really not so different from how they treat anything that conflicts with their agenda. Biology, moral law, science, the Constitution — it’s all irrelevant if it doesn’t fit their narrative. To them, these kids will never be innocent because of who they are and what they believe. Real bigotry doesn’t stop to acknowledge truth — which, along with the Left’s deep desire to destroy conservatives, is what keeps the wheels of fake news churning. … When a group of high schoolers behave more grown up than the mobs who come after them, the Left is losing its grip on a lot more than reality. It’s losing its argument for America.”


SHORT CUTS

Insight: “Resistance to the organized mass can be effected only by the man who is as well organized in his individuality as the mass itself.” —Carl Gustav Jung (1875-1961)

Friendly fire: “I think the press jumps the gun a lot because we have so much circumstantial evidence against [Trump] that we’re basically hoping that [Michael] Cohen has the goods, and what have you. It’s wishful thinking.” —Joy Behar on the Covington Catholic High School debacle25

Braying Jenny: “When I see the ‘Make America Great Again’ hat now … I am triggered. I’m so triggered. … This Make America Great Again hat is just as maddening and frustrating and triggering for me to look at as a KKK hood.” —CNN commentator Angela Rye

Non Compos Mentis: “No one makes a billion dollars. You TAKE a billion dollars. You take it from your workers… You plunder it from the environment… You strip it using patents/protections.” —Stony Brook University economics professor Stephanie Kelton

Hot air: “I wish there was a lawsuit capacity that could hold people liable for such a[n] insane decision as he has made, which is gonna cost lives. People will die because of the president’s [Paris climate accord] decision.” —John Kerry

D'oh! “Let’s talk about the balance of power. There are two coequal branches of government, the president of the United States and the Congress.” —Elizabeth Warren, who omitted the judicial branch

Hypocrite: “The death penalty is morally indefensible and has no place in the 21st century. Today, in solidarity with [Pope Francis] and in honor of my father, I will be advancing legislation to remove the death penalty from State law once and for all.” —Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Aug. 2, 2018 (“But gleeful abortion until birth21 is fine, because morals or something.” —Katie Pavlich)

And last… “This is your daily reminder that Planned Parenthood was caught on tape multiple times harvesting and selling baby body parts for cash and they still receive $500 million a year in taxpayer funding.” —Charlie Kirk

https://patriotpost.us/articles/60751-thursday-short-cuts

Join our editors and staff 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