Tag: Australia

Is This Any Way to Run a Country?

Commentary by Stephen Macaulay

The government shutdown continues.

If a functioning government is a good thing, then why isn’t Donald Trump trying to get it up and running rather than simply claiming that the Democrats want to fund the healthcare of illegal aliens?

Never mind the absurdity of that claim, but aren’t all of those ICE agents supposed to be ridding the country of illegal aliens? 

Then there is the whole question of putting the National Guard in the streets of American cities even though governors like Gavin Newsom and JB Pritzker have said they don’t want them. 

Conservatives used to believe in the sanctity of state’s rights. This is crushing that with a boot. 

Rather than providing substantive reasons for troop deployments, Donald Trump simply makes unsubstantiated claims about the amount of crime that’s occurring and calls those two governors insulting names.

Is this how the president of the country should deal with governors?

Ironically enough, in the Federalist No. 46 James Madison wrote:

"Besides the advantage of being armed, which the Americans possess over the people of almost every other nation, the existence of subordinate governments, to which the people are attached, and by which the militia officers are appointed, forms a barrier against the enterprises of ambition, more insurmountable than any which a simple government of any form can admit of."

Which seems to indicate that Newsom and Pritzker, not Donald Trump, should have control over the National Guard in the states. 

But should we expect those who govern the country to be familiar with what are arguably founding documents of the country?

On September 1 on his site Donald Trump posted:

"Pam, nothing is being done!!! What Comey, Sh’ Schiff, Letitia??? They all guilty as hell, nothing is to be done. We can’t delay any longer, it’s killing our reputation and credibility. They impeached me twice, indicted me 5 times OVER NOTHING. JUSTICE MUST BE SERVED, NOW!!!"

Presumably the “Pam” in question is the US Attorney General.

Subsequently James Comey and Letitia James have been charged, the former for making false statements (rich in the context of the Donald Trump Administration) and obstructing a congressional investigation, the latter for mortgage fraud (rich in the context of Donald Trump being convicted of 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree).

Adam Schiff is under investigation for fraud (mortgage, bank, and wire) and for making false statements to financial institution’s (rich in the context of Donald Trump’s felony convictions in New York for inflating and deflating the value of properties to either get better loans or to decrease tax exposure). Schiff has yet to be charged (though by the time you read this. . . .)

Is the post directed to Ms. Bondi the sort of thing that a president should be writing? Didn’t the Supreme Court rule in Coffin v. United States (1895) “It is a maxim of law that every person must be presumed innocent until proven guilty”?

On October 10 China announced it would restrict the exports of rare earths, materials that are essential for the production of everything from electric motors to smart phones. China has an estimated 60% of all the rare earth mining in the world and performs 90% of the processing (after it is dug up it needs to be processed to become useful).

Donald Trump immediately took to his social media site and said he would put 100% tariffs on Chinese imports as “immediate and full retaliation” for what he considers “hostile and monopoly behavior.”

It should be noted that the US does have rare earths, as do Brazil, India, Australia, and Canada. It is interesting to note that the US’s once very good friend Canada has 15.2 million tonnes of rare earths in the ground — and the US has 1.9 million. Wouldn’t it be advantageous to try to rebuild the relationships that Donald Trump wrecked?

Anyway. . .there is no monopoly. 

The US markets had a negative reaction to Trump’s post — on the order of $2 trillion — so a week ago Sunday the tone changed to “the US would like to help China, not hurt it. Don’t worry about China, it will be all fine!”

Is this how diplomacy is carried out: by a series of social media posts that include unfounded information?

The Administration has struck a deal with EMD Serono that, in part, will have the division of Merck provide in vitro fertilization medications to American women at a deep discount. The drug company will be relieved on Section 232 tariffs as long as it puts in more US manufacturing and performs more research here.

While this is certainly a good thing for the women who are considering IVF, which is exceedingly expensive, it does seem to be a bit of a shakedown for the company – again, something that conservatives are not in favor of.

In order to access these drugs it will be necessary to go the TrumpRx.gov website.

What seems to be forgotten in what is going on is that Donald Trump is serving the American people. The citizens are paying for that website, Donald Trump isn’t. If there is a governments website for prescription drugs, shouldn’t it be something like “AmericaRx.gov”?

How Conservatives can find any of this behavior acceptable is a mystery.

As Russell Kirk wrote:

“A state in which an individual or a small group are able to dominate the wills of their fellows without check is a despotism, whether it is called monarchical or aristocratic or democratic.”

He is undoubtedly rolling in his grave in Mecosta, Michigan.

Macaulay is pundit-at-large for The Hustings.

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Commentary on Saturday’s No Kings from a contributing pundit, who, unlike Stephen Macaulay, is not a never-Trump conservative -- A great reminder to rewatch Nixon's "Silent Majority" speech on Saturday! –RJ Caster

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MONDAY 10/20/25

…meanwhile…

FRIDAY 5/19/23

Haley Welcomes DeSantis – From Des Moines, where Decision ’24 already is heating up, former North Carolina governor and UN ambassador Nikki Haley grabbed a bit of spotlight from Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (above), who is expected to announce his presidential candidacy next week.

“Welcome to the race. We’ve been waiting,” Haley said in an exclusive interview with The Hill. “I’m glad that he’s going to be out there because I want the American public to see who they’re choosing from.”

Haley was the second GOP candidate to announce, after Donald J. Trump, in February.

Meanwhile, back in Florida: Disney has cancelled plans for a $900 million Florida campus in Orlando’s Lake Nona and will close one of its most expensive attractions, the “Star Wars” adventure hotel, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Lake Nona, where more than 2,000 new employees were to work, is dead, Josh D’Amaro, head of Disney’s Parks, Experiences and Products division said.

“Given the considerable changes that have occurred since the announcement of this project, including new leadership and changing business conditions, we have decided not to move forward.”

Though “changing conditions” include Disney’s “significant” job and budget cuts, they also include a governor, DeSantis, who is not acting a Republican when it comes to his treatment of big business.

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Feinstein Resists Early Retirement – “Early” for the 89-year-old senator from California means before her current term is up in January 2025. Sen. Diane Feinstein (D-CA) already has announced she will not run again, and Democratic Reps. Barbara Lee, Adam Schiff and Katie Porter each have announced their intention to fill her shoes. 

Feinstein appeared “shockingly diminished” upon her return to the Senate last week after she was out more than two months for complications from shingles. Key among them was the revelation of a previously unreported case of encephalitis, The New York Times reports. The shingles also spread to Feinstein’s face and neck, resulting in Ramsey Hunt syndrome. 

While the drumbeats for her early retirement continue and she continues to resist, Feinstein only needs to remain in office to the March 5, 2024 primary, when Democratic voters in the state will choose from Lee, Porter and Schiff. Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom has stated his intention of choosing California’s first female senator, which could set up Lee as the catbird seat candidate for next year.

--TL

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THURSDAY 5/18/23

Santosland Diaries -- House Republicans defeated a symbolic House Democrat resolution to expel truth-challenged Rep. George Santos by referring the resolution to the Ethics Committee, by a 221-204 party line vote. Democrats on the Ethics Committee voted “present” to avoid conflict of interest, according to NPR. The unsuccessful expulsion resolution was introduced by Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA).

Garcia raised the question of privilege, which allows members to force a vote on certain resolutions without support of House leadership. House leaders then have two days to bring the resolution to the floor.

Santos was indicted last week on federal criminal charges, including wire fraud, money laundering, theft of public funds and making false statements to the House.

Doing the math: It takes two-thirds majority to expel a congress member for what would be only the fourth time in U.S. history, Roll Call reports. If successful, it would reduce Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s four-vote majority to just three. McCarthy said the Justice Department’s investigation of Santos should proceed as the congress member continues to participate in floor votes. 

On MSNBC’s All in With Chris Hayes, Rep. Becca Balint (D-VT) said other House Republicans “cheer” Santos’ vote as he helps them make laws. 

“They are certainly interested in protecting him,” Balint said. 

--TL

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WEDNESDAY 5/17/23

Deal or No Deal? – Anyone who ever has been involved in labor negotiations from either side will recognize the pattern of the dance between President Biden and Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) over raising the debt ceiling in time to avoid economic disaster. For weeks, months even, each side stands firm while blaming the other for not negotiating in good faith. 

Biden will not give up hard-fought programs like the Inflation Reduction Act to assure the federal government will pay its debts incurred over the last fiscal year. McCarthy and his thin House majority will not pay those debts unless the White House cuts back on its spending. The two sides get closer, closer, closer, though they never seem to be close to a deal until the last possible minute. Then suddenly, a breakthrough. Or not, though Congress and the president have always come through in the past. 

With barely two weeks to go until a very likely economic meltdown as early as June 1, if the government doesn’t pay its bills, we’re in that amorphous period where the union is determined not to strike and the employer truly does not want the down-time, but progress is not obvious.

Tuesday, Biden said he would cut short a diplomatic trip to Asia, which begins with a G7 summit in Hiroshima. But Biden has cancelled a planned trip afterward to Australia, next week in order to concentrate on the debt ceiling. Both Biden and McCarthy “showed signs of optimism” after an hour-long meeting in the Oval Office Tuesday afternoon (labor negotiations are never that short), The New York Times reports.

“We just finished another good, productive meeting with congressional leadership about a path forward to make sure America does not default on its debt,” Biden said.

McCarthy told reporters that he could see a deal reached “by the end of the week.”

Apparently the White House sees the Republican light on calling back unspent COVID relief bills.

We predict a spoiled Memorial Day weekend for one or both of the chambers.

--TL

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TUESDAY 5/16/23

Durham Reports on Trump Investigation – John Durham, a special counsel appointed in 2019 by then-Attorney Gen. William Barr to investigate the investigators in alleged Russian tampering into the 2016 Trump campaign, released more than 300 pages of criticism for the way the FBI handled the probe, The Washington Post reports. 

According to Durham’s report, the FBI’s investigation of Trump’s first presidential campaign – codenamed ‘Crossfire Hurricane’ was based on “raw, unanalyzed and uncorroborated intelligence.” 

Conversely, the FBI “proceeded cautiously” on alleged influence by a foreign actor in the 2016 Clinton campaign, WaPo says. The FBI’s conduct in Crossfire Hurricane previously came under fire in a 2019 report by the Justice Department’s inspector general, which did not find “documentary or testimonial evidence of intentional misconduct” on the part of the Trump campaign. 

Democrats have denounced the Durham report, which comes after an investigation from which no one was sent to jail.

Trump, who predicted four years ago the special counsel would uncover the “crime of the century” on Monday claimed victory, writing in social medial; “the American Public was scammed, just as it is being scammed right now by those who don’t want to see GREATNESS for AMERICA!”

--TL

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Meanwhile This Week

MONDAY MAY 15, 2023

More UK Arms to Ukraine – The United Kingdom will send “hundreds” more missiles and attack drones to the Ukraine, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced in a meeting with President Volodomyr Zelinskyy in England, Monday, Time reports. Sunak told Zelinskyy, who landed at Sunak’s Chequers country retreat; “your leadership, your country’s bravery and fortitude are an inspiration to us all.”

On Sunday for the third stop on a whirlwind European tour that also included Paris and Rome, Zelinskyy told reporters in Berlin he is not interested in negotiating a peace deal with Russian leader Vladimir Putin, whom he called “insane.” 

“It’s a joke for him. He does not understand what is happening. He is an insane human,” Zelinskyy said, according to a Ukrainian government readout of a press conference following his talks with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, as reported by Newsweek. 

“Putin started the war. Russia took lives. The war is on our land. …

“We have not proposed an artificial plan,” Zelinskyy continued. “We have proposed how to get out of this situation, to end the war, according to the law, respecting the UN Charter, international law, people, values.” Ukraine’s Peace Formula is a 10-point plan that outlines Kyiv’s conditions for peace, and Zelinskyy says he is “not interested” in meeting with Putin for peace talks.

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Erdogan Beats Earthquake – Incumbent Recep Tayyip Erdo¨gan pulled out an upset, but not quite a victory, against Republican People’s Party (CHP) challenger Kiliçda Ro¨glu in Turkey’s presidential election Sunday. Erdogan received 49.51% of the vote, not enough to avoid a runoff, but well ahead of Ro¨glu’s 44.88%, a “bitter disappointment” for the challenger who had led in many polls. 

Third-party candidate Sinan Og¨an took 5.17% of the vote, indicating the potential to flip Sunday’s vote in the runoff.

Erdo¨gan, Turkey’s president for 20 years, took his hit in the polls over a slow government response February’s earthquake, which claimed 50,000 lives, and his low interest rates to revive the economy that resulted in 85% inflation, according to The Guardian.

The bigger picture: Though his nation is a NATO member, Erdo¨gan has cozied up to Vladimir Putin, in part by refusing to enforce Western sanctions against Russia after its 2022 invasion of Ukraine, and buying heavily discounted Russian oil, The New York Times reports. Erdo¨gan opposes Sweden’s application for NATO membership unless Stockholm first hands over Kurdish refugees, particularly those from the Kurdistan Workers’ Party. Erdo¨gan during his tenure also has jailed dissidents and suppressed independent media.

Though Western officials assiduously avoid being accused of interfering in Turkish politics, “it is an open secret that European leaders, not to speak of the Biden administration, would be delighted if Erdo¨gan were to lose,” the NYT says.

•••

More Debt-Ceiling Tuesday – President Biden is scheduled to resume talks with Congressional leaders over the debt ceiling Tuesday, NBC News and Bloomberg News reported Sunday, after a weekend of talks between Congressional and White House staffers. Biden was quoted from Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, Sunday as being “optimistic” over reaching a deal by a potential June 1 deadline for the federal government running out of money to pay its bills. 

“I think they’re moving along, hard to tell,” Biden said. “We have not reached the crunch point yet.”

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Up On The Hill – Both chambers are in session Monday through Thursday. The Senate only is in session Friday.

--Compiled and edited by Todd Lassa

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COMMENTS: editors@thehustings.news