Here are my observations on items in the news.
HEY FOLKS, MCAIN’S STILL ALIVE – What we are witnessing in Arizona are actions by well-meaning individuals that I personally consider politically incorrect actions. The lead story of the December 24, 2017 edition of The Arizona Republic, carried the headline, “Will Salt River be McCain’s legacy?” It tells of the initiative to revive the waterway through the “Valley of the Sun.”
Turning to the Republic’s left-leaning opinion pages, Viewpoints, I noted that the paper’s editorial board named McCain and fellow Sen. Jeff Flake their 2017 Arizonans of the Year “for reminding us all what holds America together – love of liberty, a quest for justice, a commitment to freedom, a unity of purpose. Independently and repeatedly, both of them called for a return to the national ideals and founding principles that made America strong in the world and at home.
“America needs leaders who dare to buck the divisiveness and bring us together,” wrote the board, “Clearly, McCain and Flake did not stick their necks out for political or personal gain. They did it because they saw America’s leadership in the world being undermined and America’s core domestic values being eclipsed.”
Excuse me, but what a crock. Where were their voices when President Obama, Majority Leader Harry Reid and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi were destroying those values and ignoring those principles?
President Trump was elected with all of those ideals, values and principles embodied in his America First policy to help make American great again. He has exhibited America’s strength through power around the world, and has set our economy on a course of unbelievable success.
THEN THERE’S THIS – While most naming events are topics of consideration after someone’s passing, the powers that be have already decided that Terminal 3 at the Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport will bear the name of John S. McCain III. Terminal 4 was named for Barry Goldwater after his death in 1998.
REMEMBER WHEN President Obama was caught on a live mic asking outgoing Russian President Dmitry Medvedev to tell Vladimir Putin to give him more space and that “after the election I have more flexibility” as they talked about issues, including missile defense. “I understand. I will transmit this information to Vladimir, and I stand with you,” said Medvedev.
FORMER DNI JAMES CLAPPER’S MEMORY of that conversation has apparently slipped. Appearing on CNN recently, Clapper said, “Vladimir Puttin knows how to handle an asset and that’s what he’s doing with the president (Trump).” Surely, Clapper remembers Obama’s gift to Russia, relenting on the missile defense shield in Eastern Europe. Putin truly handled Obama as an asset.
BIRDS OF A FEATHER stick together. Former CIA Director John Brennan, who served under President Obama, has come to the defense of two senior FBI officials. “(FBI Deputy Director) Andy McCabe and (top FBI lawyer) James Baker epitomize integrity, competence, and respect for rule of law,” Tweeted Brennan, who also said that the president shows “qualities usually found in narcissistic, vengeful autocrats.” Qualities, Mr. Brennan?
TWO MORE OBAMA CRONIES couldn’t help themselves when they saw the photograph of President Trump surrounded by Mitch McConnell, Paul Ryan and Mike Pence, all displaying thumbs-up after the passing of the tax bill. Obama advisor Dan Pfeiffer Tweeted, “I hope this is the photo they use on the front page of the Times on the day Trump is indicted.”
Seven minutes later, former Obama national security lackey Ben Rhodes added, “And along side the obits for Ryan, McConnell and Pence,” setting off social media attacks for the use of “obits.”
ALL THAT TALK ABOUT VOTER SUPPRESSION seemed to disappear when Alabama Blacks turned out in record numbers to help put Democrat Doug Jones in the Senate. You can be sure that a Roy Moore win would have set off a storm of voter ID charges aimed at suppressing the minority vote.
DEMS ARE LICKING THEIR LIPS, hoping that the low approval ratings of the tax bill will help them return to control in Congress after the midterms. Unfortunately, they are ignoring that even the liberal Washington Post has admitted that the bill will cut taxes for 80 percent of Americans. How are they going to explain why they voted against middle-class tax relief? Even Joe Manchin (D-WV) admitted provisions in the tax bill will help the people in his state.
Crazy Nancy Pelosi (Reuters/Joshua Roberts)
Remember Nancy Pelosi’s (D-CA) statement regarding the prospect of the tax bill as “Armageddon?” Townhall referred to the passage of the bill as “apocalyptic,” because President Trump is succeeding economically in a way Obama never could.
MUCH IS BEING MADE OF PRESIDENTIAL APPROVAL ratings, but remember that Donald Trump had just a 38 percent approval rating when he took office.
