Category: Politics

Brazile out at CNN

Donna Brazile has resigned her role as a CNN contributor, apparently a result of her allegedly providing debate questions in advance to the Clinton campaign. From an article on this subject at the CNN web site:

At the time, Brazile denied giving the campaign advance warning, saying that “as a longtime political activist” she had shared her thoughts “with each and every campaign, and any suggestions that indicate otherwise are simply untrue.”

It reads like a denial (“… simply untrue…”), but the actual statement claims otherwise (shared her thoughts “with each and every campaign…”).

Is it just me, or does this sound like an admission she shared information?

Politicians and your “rights”

Arrested Backpage Execs Ask Kamala Harris To Drop Bogus Case She Herself Has Admitted She Has No Authority To Bring

When politicians wielding police power do not have to pay for their errors (intentional or otherwise), what incentive do they have to act in a legal and constitutional manner? Note, too, that while you may applaud their politically-motivated tactics when they attack others, what will happen when they come after your rights?

Well, at least they reported it…

CNN ran a recent story on a conservative activist, James O’Keefe, who secretly recorded democratic activists as they discussed how they worked to incite violence at Trump rallys. There is a link to the video in the CNN article; I recommend you take a peek for yourself. The two prominent players in the video are Robert Creamer and Scott Foval; they are well described in the story so I won’t repeat that here (read the story already…).

The DNC is now trying to distance itself, and is claiming that the taped conversations were “hypothetical” (which is truly funny, once you’ve seen the video), and that none of the schemes (their word, not mine) ever took place.

O.K., so here’s the funny part. From the CNN story:

“Donna Brazile, the interim DNC chair, said O’Keefe “is a convicted criminal with a history of doctoring video to advance his ideological agenda” and that the practices have nothing to do with long-term efforts by the group.”

Yes, it’s true: O’Keefe was convicted of the misdemeanor crime of entering a building under false pretenses. However, Robert Creamer, who is the husband of Illinois Rep. Jan Schakowsky and the head of a group called Mobilize contracted to the DNC, is also a convicted criminal. Again, from the CNN article:

“In 2005, Creamer pleaded guilty to tax violations and $2.3 million in bank fraud in relation to his operation of public interest groups in the 1990s.”

So, it seems Ms. Brazile believes it is not acceptable to be a conservative activist with a misdemeanor conviction, but it is OK to be a progressive activist working for the DNC with a felony conviction? Maybe it’s a job prerequisite…

In any event, the video shows how elections can be dishonestly manipulated. The deception and subversion tactics of the progressive left discussed in the video are disturbing, and are reminiscent of the activist and propaganda organizations operated under the Nazis during WWII (remember the brownshirts?).

Vote carefully; your future depends on it. And keep in mind that one day these “activists” might come after you!

Did you see that Unicorn?

Because they, like “temporary taxes”, don’t exist either…

Proposition 55 would extend “temporary” tax for 12 years

Note the slight of hand with respect to taxes for a “specific” purpose, such as in this case for education reform. Gov. Brown had stated that the tax collected “must go to the classroom and can’t be touched by Sacramento politicians.” However, the Legislative Analyst’s Office (LGO) had found that only about half of the money went towards the education budget.

After all, it’s easy to circumvent such restrictions: just divert money from other funding sources back to the general fund. Here’s how that works:

Say you have a $100M budget for schools, but you need more money – both for schools and the general fund. No problem; pass a $100M tax bill ostensibly for schools only; then, stop providing 80M from the original school funding sources. Now the schools have 120M in funding ( 20M original and 100M school-only funds), and the balance saved of 80M goes back to the general fund. Presto-chango, Abra-cadabra, the money is now being spent on stuff you didn’t want to fund.

This works even if there is a clause in the tax bill that prevents reduction of school funding from current sources and levels. Since funding requirements increase each year (when was the last time they went down…), you provide those increases from the new tax revenue instead of from the general fund. Within a few years, the “school” tax money is back in the general fund and ready for government abuse.

Note, too, that the LGO predicted that state spending overall (not just for education) would increase as a result of this new tax – and it did. Never would have guessed that would happen…