Every week, the WoW! community and our invited guests weigh in at the Watcher's Forum, short takes on a major issue of the day, the culture, or daily living. This week's question: When Do The Mueller Investigations End? With What Result?
Dave Schuler: I figure I may live to see it.There will be more indictments for lying to the FBI or perjury.They won't find an underlying crime.
Laura Rambeau Lee : The Mueller investigation will go on through at least the 2018 elections if only to perpetuate the uncertainty of foreign governments interfering in our election process. In the end there will be no substantial indictments or convictions related to the investigation with which he was tasked.
Rob Miller : How long? A couple of possibilities. What Mueller is doing, with the help of the complicit media is indicting people on 'process crimes.' As we saw from the way Scooter Libby was railroaded, that can be as little as mistaking a date previously given during a prior interrogation by the Famous But Incompetent. That's not really enough to go anywhere with after millions of dollars and almost two years. Let's also remember that Mueller is concentration on supposed Republican collusion with Russia and the Trump campaign rather than his original mandate to explore any Russian interference in our elections. If this swine was really doing that, Hillary, Loretta Lynch, James Comey and a number of others would be under indictment since it's become all too obvious that thereal collusion with the Russians came from Hillary, the DNC and the Democrats.
But of course, that would be getting a little too close to home for Mr. Mueller, nicht wahr? I still wonder why a second special prosecutor isn't investigating the Uranium One affair, which involved bribery and collusion at the highest levels of government, greatly involved national security...and happened on Mueller's watch while he was head of the FBI and went through without a single caution or objection from him.
Much depends on how the midterms turn out. If the Dems make significant gains, the faux investigation/witch hunt will get some new oxygen, although no real results will occur, which is generally what happens when you deliberately look in the wrong places. If, as is more likely, the Dem's gains are slight and both houses remain in Republican hands, Mueller's 'investigation will take a few heads for process crimes and nothing else. J. Edgar would weep to see what the once fine organization he built from the ground up has degenerated into.
Well, there it is!
Make sure to drop by every Monday for the WoW! Magazine Forum. And enjoy WoW! Magazine 24-7 with some of the best stuff written in the 'net. Take from me, you won't want to miss it.
Both of these bestsellers were written in a delightful, cutting edge fashion that had me either laughing out loud or saying to myself, 'boy I forgot all about that .'
This book is no different. It's a superbly written account by a journalist with over 40 years experience of exactly how and why most of the press became swamp creatures as they printed deliberate falsehoods and forsook all semblance of journalistic ethics once Donald J. Trump became president, to their shock and dismay. His attention to detail and his style in conveying it would have pleasantly surprised me if I wasn't familiar with his other works.
As with Don Surber's other books, it's a great read and one you will have trouble putting down. I believe that in the future when people look back at these times, Don Surber will be one of the chroniclers they'll be reading.
Highly recommended. Like his other books, Available at Amazon in Kindle or paperback.
Every week on Monday, the WoW! community and our invited guests weigh in at the Watcher's Forum, short takes on a major issue of the day, the culture, or daily living. This week's question: What Do You Think Of the New Budget Deal?
Rob Miller:I've never been a fan of debt unless it's tax deductible.
But as we all know sometimes, it's a necessary gamble and government has its own rules, after all. Sometimes, you really do have to spend money to make money, and other times there are simply necessary expenses you have to finance.
I think this deal was necessary for a couple of reasons. And I think President Trump as a businessman is well aware of this.
First, it gets rid of Barack Hussein Obama's sequester nonsense and allows for badly needed defense spending. Most Americans have no clue as to how badly Barack Hussein Obama and his minions damaged our military.
This period also saw our military reduced to a 'social justice' and 'diversity' experiment, with a number of experienced NCOs, enlisted men and officers who wanted to make the military their career being tossed out and in many cases replaced by new recruits who were far less capable but belonged to groups more likely to vote Democrat. And a number of our top combat commanders like Stan McCrystal and then Marine General Mattis saw themselves forced into 'retirement' and passed over for promotion. President Obama's war on religion in the military and insistence that chaplains officiate at same sex marriage not only saw many chaplains resign their commissions but had a definite effect on re-enlistments. Rebuilding our military from a personnel standpoint will also take money and commitment.
Second, America's infrastructure very badly needs repairs. That also takes money and is a national security issue as well as an economic one.
Finally, this is a political victory. It is a two year funding bill, and it was done without the concessions for the illegal migrants known as 'Dreamers' the Democrats formerly demanded. They signed onto this bill for nothing more than a promise of a debate in congress. And they did it understanding that the promise means nothing.. President trump will not sign any bill that doesn't end chain migration, end the ridiculous 'diversity visas' hire more border patrolmen and pay for the border wall, and the Democrats will never concede these points. In other words, they have, for all practical purposes cut the Dreamers adrift except for some nasty, meaningless rhetoric that can be used as CNN soundbites for the True Believers.
And don't think that the Dreamers and their vociferous supporters don't know they've been shafted. That could have some interesting implications in the midterms when it comes to Democrat turnout.
Another point worth mentioning is that much of what President Donaldus Maximus wants to spend the deficit spending on is going to lead to a great deal of economic activity, all of which can be taxed, not to mention real job creation which will also brings lots of money into the economy. I wouldn't be surprised one bit if the taxable revenue created pretty much disposes or even exceeds the amount of deficit spending required.
I actually like Senator Rand Paul a lot and I think his late night showmanship in congress was actually necessary to remind his colleagues that they're spending other people's money and that fiscal competence is desired. But I see the benefits to be derived as far outweighing the possible consequences.
Dave Schuler: Rand Paul had it about right when he said that when the Republicans are in power there is no conservative party.
The CBO calculates that the new budget will result in a deficit of about 955 billion in 2018. That's kind of high when the economy isn't in recession—about 5.25% of GDP.
Its consequences will depend on how fast the economy grows. We can safely run a deficit less than or equal to the increase in GDP just about indefinitely. If the economy grows faster on an annual basis than it has since Ronald Reagan's first term, we should be okay.
One major difference between now and Ronald Reagan's first term is that the national debt is much higher both in absolute terms and related to GDP than it was then. The scholarship on that suggests that higher levels of debt are a drag on the economy. So, we're conducting a real life experiment.
Laura Rambeau Lee:We conservatives spent many hours and contributed our hard earned money to help elect candidates who promised they would cut spending and reduce the debt. Through nearly a decade of hard work and dedication we delivered the House, Senate and ultimately the White House to Republicans. We expected our “trusted servants” to deliver on their promises. It has become obvious there is very little honor in Washington, only betrayal. This budget deal will not bode well for Republicans in the upcoming elections.
Very disappointed.
Well, there it is! Make sure to drop by every Monday for the WoW! Magazine Forum. And enjoy WoW! Magazine 24-7 with some of the best stuff written in the 'net. Take from me, you won't want to miss it.
Every week on Monday, the WoW! community and our invited guests weigh in at the Watcher's Forum, short takes on a major issue of the day, the culture, or daily living. This week's question: What Did You Think Of Trump's State Of The Union Speech? Don Surber: President Trump changed the presentation of the annual State of the Union by incorporating the stories of amazing people. His speech was an excellent example of see-not-say writing, which is the most persuasive form of the art.
If you want to convince Americans that your tax policies are working, show the company that rebounded -- and the welder who got a bonus and whose paycheck is bigger.
If you want to convince Americans that DACA has a down side, show the parents of MS-13 murder victims.
If you want to convince Americans that your Korean policy works, show the man who lost a leg and an arm escaping tyranny.
They were not just guests in the audience called out by Ed Sullivan, something presidents from Kennedy to Obama did.
They were real people who helped sell the policy. He didn't interrupt his speech to point them out. He pointed them out to tell his speech. In school you had Show-and-Tell not Tell-and-Tell.
Trump specializes in changing the game. He took large donors out of the equation in his presidential nomination. While his 16 rivals spentthe summer of 2015 raising money, he spent the summer holding rallies and hogging the spotlight.
The very next summer, the same thing happened. Hillary holed up in August. Trump continued to rally. She spent twice as much and did worse than any Democrat since Dukakis.
You don't need me to tell you his speech was a home run. Congress did, when it chanted USA! USA! USA! It sent the detestible Congressman Luis Guitteriez running from the gallery to his safe space: Univision.
Trump had rhetorical flourishes. Sure. "Americans are dreamers too!" was an excellent co-opting of the other guy's message, reminiscent of Reagan telling the 1988 RNC (which nominated his successor) "We are the change."
But Trump did Reagan one better.
We are in the midst of the best 8 years of our lives.
Patrick O'Hannigan:I only caught the last 25 or so minutes of the SOTU. I remember thinking that what turned out to be an 80-minute speech was perhaps 30 minutes too long, but that was a reflexive reaction based on youthful training in speech and debate. What I was able to watch was memorably good. I was particularly taken with the way President Trump singled out North Korean defector Ji Seong-ho for praise. I also noticed that while the president's diction is average at best, his public speaking style sounds more natural and less condescending than his immediate predecessor's. Trump was making a case -- and looking (however ironically) for virtue worth celebrating -- in the same situation where Obama always seemed to be lecturing a class or pointing to failure. On top of that, President Trump's optimism seems contagious. It contrasted well with the pleading tone of the main Democratic response.
Rob Miller : Donald Trump's first State Of The Union Address was a triumph. Not just because it was a great speech that showcased our president's achievements, his goals for the future and his willingness to work together for the good of the country...but because the disgraceful disrespect of the Democrats in attendance showed America who really has the good of the country at heart and who is content to swim in the sewer of hyper partisanship, obstruction and yes, sheer hatred.
The Democrats in attendance were barely civil. When Trump mentioned how happy he was of the lowest black unemployment rate ever recorded, those Democrat members of the Black Congressional Caucus who bothered to attend sat there stone faced.
I particularly chortled over Trump's DACA 'plan.' To most of America, it sounded like a reasonable compromise and the president presented it as such, only to have the Democrats hiss and boo him. What made me laugh out loud is that Donaldus Maximus had already presented this to the Democrats before his SOTU speech and it was soundly rejected by them...and President Trump knew it. By restating it in the speech, he made the Democrats look like the ill behaved, destructive children most of them are, in front of a record 48 million viewers...masterful!
And, in contrast to the egotistical post-America socialist who was his predecessor, President Trump rarely used the word 'I' but constantly referred to 'we.' Nor did he ever refer to that predecessor, who left us an awful mess to clean up by name.
What our president was tapping was a deep seated quality of the American people, our optimism. Like most socialists, the Dems are selling pessimism and trying to bribe people with class envy, divisive rhetoric and pessimism, with the promise of free goodies at the expense of 'the enemy' and 'resistance' as their only selling points. I doubt that's a winner.
Bookworm Room: Would I sound over the top if I said I absolutely adored Trump's State of the Union Speech? I'll say it anyway, because it's the truth.
Trump's SOTU was optimistic, forward looking, and keyed into classic and core American values. It was about "we, the People," not "I, the Obama god head." After eight years of scolding, hectoring, and condescension, it was just lovely to have the people's representative in chief stand up there and tell us that, as a nation, we're looking good and that we are one people with common values such as liberty, a work ethic, innovation and, most importantly, Dreams.
Honestly, there is nothing I love more than good verbal judo. Trump has forever after destroyed the Left's power to celebrate people illegally in America as "Dreamers" -- even while they castigate native-born citizens as "Deplorables." Standing alone, his statement that "Americans are dreamers, too" was worth the price of admission.
The speech was also wonderful because it was not hedged about with politically correct language or caveats or any of the other obfuscation that usually characterizes political speech. The beauty of clear speaking is that, when Democrats refused to applaud, we knew what they hated:
They hated that blacks and other minorities are finally doing well-economically, because that spells the beginning of the end of minority dependence on the Left's welfare plantation.
They hated that America's entire economy is surging, because that puts the lie to their claim that the economy was dead anyway, justifying their propping up its corpse with high taxes, redistribution, and social justice regulations.
They hated that Trump spoke of respect for the military and the flag, stripping away the thin veneer of patriotism the Democrats started apply to themselves after the First Gulf War.
They hated that Trump's invited guests showed that illegal immigrants include among them some of the worst criminals in America and that their prey is often the black Americans who live next to them (unlike well-placed Democrats, both black and white, who live behind nice protective walls in well-policed enclaves).
They hated that, after all their efforts to demonize Trump as the ultimate Hitler, Trump showed them evil's true face when he introduced Otto Warmbier's family and Ji-Seong ho. Ji-Seong, especially, highlighted that there's nothing brave about donning black masks and beating up a few people on campus. True bravery is when someone escapes a totalitarian state with only one arm, one leg, and a cruel pair of crutches.
I knew the speech was a good one when, a short time after it ended, I spoke with a Progressive who characterized it in one word: "Revolting." That pretty much proves that Trump was on the right track.
Laura Rambeau Lee :If you are a patriotic American President Trump’s State of the Union speech affirmed his love of country and solemn understanding of his position as President and Commander in Chief. He spoke of his respect for our military, our need to secure our borders and protect our citizens, and our adherence to the rule of law. If we were not one hundred percent sold on a Trump presidency when we cast our ballot in November 2016 we can be assured we made the correct decision. Since he took office we are experiencing record economic growth and lower unemployment numbers across all demographics. After his first year in the White House, many of us share a more positive vision for the future for ourselves, our children and grandchildren, and America’s position on the world stage.
One thing most evident was the abhorrent display by the Democrats of their absolute hatred for President Trump and all he stands for. Several refused to attend and those who did sat scowling and sneering and refused to clap at the positive reports of an improved economy. Their contempt was obvious and I hope did not go unnoticed by those who watched his speech. The Congressional Black Caucus members shrouded themselves in their cloaks of tribalism reminding us of their interminable victimhood. Their dystopian view of America is falling apart. It is hard to understand any American who can continue to support their anti-family, anti-religious, everyone is a victim, anti-American ideology.
Perhaps the best line of the speech was when he stated “Americans are dreamers, too!” President Trump’s SOTU was refreshingly positive and pro-American. His tone was genuine and composed. He restated what most of us grew up believing about America. That no matter where you come from, if you work hard and believe in yourself, “you can dream anything, be anything, and together we can achieve absolutely anything.” We are seeing a restoration of The American Dream. It’s about time.
Dave Schuler :As I wrote in my post on the subject, I thought it was okay as these things go. Prolix. I don't think the Democrats did themselves any good with their sullen churlishness. When I mentioned that in my post some of my more highly partisan commentators complained that the Republicans had done the same thing at Obama's SOTU messages. Besides two wrongs not making a right, that view has another problem. The Democrats' and the Republicans' positions are not reciprocal and, consequently, the Democrats can't afford to simply be rejectionist. Getting the base out isn't sufficient to win the presidency; they need independents, too, and they won't appeal to them just by being anti- Trump.
Well, there it is! Make sure to drop by every Monday for the WoW! Magazine Forum. And enjoy WoW! Magazine 24-7 with some of the best stuff written in the 'net. Take from me, you won't want to miss it.
![Fake News Follies of 2017 by [Surber, Don]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61R9Up5UlFL.jpg)