On December 7, our friends at The New York Times gave us thisheadline: “Russia’s Latest Disinformation Tactic Exploits American Celebrities.”According to the article, the Russians have tricked up videos from Elijah Wood, Priscilla Presley, Mike Tyson, and other D-listers, making it seem that they are delivering pro-Kremlin propaganda points.How, exactly, have the Russians done this?According to the Times, they have hijacked videos from Cameo, a website that connects celebrities to paying customers for the purpose of making brief messages, such as birthday greetings. But now the Russians...…On December 7, our friends at The New York Times gave us thisheadline: “Russia’s Latest Disinformation Tactic Exploits American Celebrities.”According to the article, the Russians have tricked up videos from Elijah Wood, Priscilla Presley, Mike Tyson, and other D-listers, making it seem that they are delivering pro-Kremlin propaganda points.How, exactly, have the Russians done this?According to the Times, they have hijacked videos from Cameo, a website that connects celebrities to paying customers for the purpose of making brief messages, such as birthday greetings. But now the Russians...WW…

Remember all those later amended to ?  You probably recall, also, the Main Stream Media’s determined effort to portray the people in the streets protesting the death of George Floyd as nothing but well-meaning reformers—until and made the spin wear thin.Indeed, now even Democratic politicians are conceding that this wasn’t theWith costly reality staring him in the face, Minnesota governor Tim Walz, on July 2, sent a to President Trump, formally requesting $15.6 million in federal disaster assistance for the damage done to Minneapolis and St. Paul during the  protests/violence over...…Remember all those later amended to ?  You probably recall, also, the Main Stream Media’s determined effort to portray the people in the streets protesting the death of George Floyd as nothing but well-meaning reformers—until and made the spin wear thin.Indeed, now even Democratic politicians are conceding that this wasn’t theWith costly reality staring him in the face, Minnesota governor Tim Walz, on July 2, sent a to President Trump, formally requesting $15.6 million in federal disaster assistance for the damage done to Minneapolis and St. Paul during the  protests/violence over...WW…

A Treaty Not to Be TrustedThe Democratic president signs a treaty with the leader of America’s greatest geopolitical rival.The two countries had once been allies, but they have stopped trusting each other.Still, the U.S. president thinks that he can strike a deal on one particular issue—an issue that many of his supporters deem to be a matter of life and death.Indeed, this presidential deal-making is controversial, because critics say that the other country simply can’t be trusted.Yet the American president persists in his deal-quest, saying that not only is this agreement a good idea, but...…A Treaty Not to Be TrustedThe Democratic president signs a treaty with the leader of America’s greatest geopolitical rival.The two countries had once been allies, but they have stopped trusting each other.Still, the U.S. president thinks that he can strike a deal on one particular issue—an issue that many of his supporters deem to be a matter of life and death.Indeed, this presidential deal-making is controversial, because critics say that the other country simply can’t be trusted.Yet the American president persists in his deal-quest, saying that not only is this agreement a good idea, but...WW…

When Joe Met JimmyJoe Biden was first elected to public office in 1970, the same year that Jimmy Carter was elected governor of Georgia.Two years later in 1972, Biden was elected as a senator from Delaware, and four years after that in 1976, Carter was elected to the presidency with Biden as on his behalf.So, during the late 1970s, Biden served in the Senate while Carter was in the White House.Then in 1980, when Carter was running for re-election, Biden appeared at the Democratic National Convention  Carter on national television.In other words, Biden should remember well what life was...…When Joe Met JimmyJoe Biden was first elected to public office in 1970, the same year that Jimmy Carter was elected governor of Georgia.Two years later in 1972, Biden was elected as a senator from Delaware, and four years after that in 1976, Carter was elected to the presidency with Biden as on his behalf.So, during the late 1970s, Biden served in the Senate while Carter was in the White House.Then in 1980, when Carter was running for re-election, Biden appeared at the Democratic National Convention  Carter on national television.In other words, Biden should remember well what life was...WW…

This author can take no credit for the above snappy headline: It’s from Politico on February 13, in the wake of the Senate’s impeachment trial.As Politico explained, Democrats are torn between the Biden administration’s desire for Congress to get moving on its agenda and the Democratic base’s “loathing” of the former president.And so far, at least, the base loathers are getting what they want: The Democrats just can’t quit hating on Donald Trump.Indeed, it’s that loathing that could yet consume Democrats in 2021—and perhaps beyond.As the article detailed, Democrats are working on a “road...…This author can take no credit for the above snappy headline: It’s from Politico on February 13, in the wake of the Senate’s impeachment trial.As Politico explained, Democrats are torn between the Biden administration’s desire for Congress to get moving on its agenda and the Democratic base’s “loathing” of the former president.And so far, at least, the base loathers are getting what they want: The Democrats just can’t quit hating on Donald Trump.Indeed, it’s that loathing that could yet consume Democrats in 2021—and perhaps beyond.As the article detailed, Democrats are working on a “road...WW…

The Old Right FusionismHere’s a data point deserving of attention: More Republicans than Democrats want torestrain or even break up Big Tech.According to a new poll by , 70 percent of Republicans think “Big Tech’s economic power is a problem facing the U.S. economy.”At the same time, 59 percent of Democrats feel that way.This partisan split—Republicans tougher on Tech than Democrats—is further visible on the issue of remedies: 61 percent of Republicans want to “break up” Big Tech—that is, apply anti-trust laws—compared to 55 percent of Democrats.The Republican grievance against Big Tech has...…The Old Right FusionismHere’s a data point deserving of attention: More Republicans than Democrats want torestrain or even break up Big Tech.According to a new poll by , 70 percent of Republicans think “Big Tech’s economic power is a problem facing the U.S. economy.”At the same time, 59 percent of Democrats feel that way.This partisan split—Republicans tougher on Tech than Democrats—is further visible on the issue of remedies: 61 percent of Republicans want to “break up” Big Tech—that is, apply anti-trust laws—compared to 55 percent of Democrats.The Republican grievance against Big Tech has...WW…

The Double StandardOne rule for thee, and one rule for me. That sort of hypocrisy has been baked into human power relations, since, well, forever.As the Greek historian Thucydides 2,500 years ago, “The strong do what they will, and the weak suffer what they must.”Today, in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, we are seeing power-hypocrisy once again, as politicians and plutocrats live one way, while telling everyone else to live another way.A case in point is California’s oh-so-chic governor, Gavin Newsom.The handsome darling of billionaires, a man on everyone’s shortlist of future...…The Double StandardOne rule for thee, and one rule for me. That sort of hypocrisy has been baked into human power relations, since, well, forever.As the Greek historian Thucydides 2,500 years ago, “The strong do what they will, and the weak suffer what they must.”Today, in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, we are seeing power-hypocrisy once again, as politicians and plutocrats live one way, while telling everyone else to live another way.A case in point is California’s oh-so-chic governor, Gavin Newsom.The handsome darling of billionaires, a man on everyone’s shortlist of future...WW…

James O’Keefe and his Project Veritas have the pot with a new video report on voter fraud. The headline in Breitbart News , “Project Veritas Exposes Ilhan Omar Allies in Alleged Ballot Harvesting in Minnesota.” Soon thereafter, President Donald Trump jumped in, the Breitbart story and adding, “This is totally illegal. Hope that the U.S. Attorney in Minnesota has this, and other of her many misdeeds, under serious review??? If not, why not???”What’s notable about this alleged vote fraud is that it took place in a Democratic primary — that is, in the August 11 Democratic primary in the fifth...…James O’Keefe and his Project Veritas have the pot with a new video report on voter fraud. The headline in Breitbart News , “Project Veritas Exposes Ilhan Omar Allies in Alleged Ballot Harvesting in Minnesota.” Soon thereafter, President Donald Trump jumped in, the Breitbart story and adding, “This is totally illegal. Hope that the U.S. Attorney in Minnesota has this, and other of her many misdeeds, under serious review??? If not, why not???”What’s notable about this alleged vote fraud is that it took place in a Democratic primary — that is, in the August 11 Democratic primary in the fifth...WW…

The Democratic Party’s presumptive vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris is the ultimate San Francisco Democrat, representing the “woke” left-libertarianism of a place where everything is tolerated except for conservatism and where Silicon Valley’s plutocrats are free to enrich themselves insulated from the deplorable riffraff they despise.We were introduced to this style of Democrat 36 years ago.Delivering the keynote address to the 1984 Republican National Convention in Dallas, , Ronald Reagan’s ambassador to the United Nations, “San Francisco Democrats.”Referring to the peculiar...…The Democratic Party’s presumptive vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris is the ultimate San Francisco Democrat, representing the “woke” left-libertarianism of a place where everything is tolerated except for conservatism and where Silicon Valley’s plutocrats are free to enrich themselves insulated from the deplorable riffraff they despise.We were introduced to this style of Democrat 36 years ago.Delivering the keynote address to the 1984 Republican National Convention in Dallas, , Ronald Reagan’s ambassador to the United Nations, “San Francisco Democrats.”Referring to the peculiar...WW…

Every Fourth of July commemorates a great moment in American history, and yet not every Fourth of July comes at a happy time for the country. And this Fourth is one of those unhappy ones. According to the RealClearPolitics rolling average of , the percentage of Americans who think the nation is going in the right direction is in the low 20s, while the percentage thinking we’re on the wrong track is in the high 60s. In other words, public sentiment is 3:1, negative.Yet in both good times and bad, we must look at the situation head-on, because only an honest assessment justifies the hope that...…Every Fourth of July commemorates a great moment in American history, and yet not every Fourth of July comes at a happy time for the country. And this Fourth is one of those unhappy ones. According to the RealClearPolitics rolling average of , the percentage of Americans who think the nation is going in the right direction is in the low 20s, while the percentage thinking we’re on the wrong track is in the high 60s. In other words, public sentiment is 3:1, negative.Yet in both good times and bad, we must look at the situation head-on, because only an honest assessment justifies the hope that...WW…