Here are a few brief news items I thought would be of interest.
WHAT IS “LEADERSHIP?” – I have always believed that a leader is one who attracts followers in a business or organization through the effective communication of his or her ideas, vision and goals. Jessica Cler, a spokesperson for Planned Parenthood, obviously has a different view, as she applauded Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) for her “bold leadership” in the fight against defunding PP. Although Murkowski claims she doesn’t support taxpayer-funded abortion, the reality is that the government’s support helps make PP’s real business possible. Instead of voting to redirect tax dollars to community health centers that actually provide the comprehensive care they say they do, Murkowski would prefer to continue funneling funds to PP, whose biggest moneymaker is abortion. Where’s her leadership in the U. S. Senate, where only one other Republican member, Sen. Susan Collins, is likely to support her?
THE BATHROOM ISSUE – This week, the Trump administration rolled-back former President Obama’s mandate that schools open their locker, shower and bathroom doors to students of both genders. In doing so, he gave states the freedom to make their own decisions, believing that the government has no right to strip parents and local schools of their rights to provide a safe learning environment for children. Those who tried to paint this as anti-LGBT failed.
THE TRUMP AGENDA is on track, despite the concentrated effort of the opposition party (Democrats and media) to have you believe that if the administration doesn’t immediately introduce its replacement for ObamaCare and tax reform, the GOP will lose the House and Senate in 2018. Budget planning necessitates that the new health insurance plan be unveiled first, and is expected by mid-March. New Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin expects the tax reform package to rollout by August. Keep your powder dry folks. President Trump has been in office just five weeks, and his HHS and Treasury chiefs were confirmed only two weeks ago.
NO FOURTH BRANCH OF GOVERNMENT – In a recent post I remarked about the civil servants in the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) who were lobbying senators to vote down the confirmation of Scott Pruitt as their new administrator. They were unsuccessful. In a Washington Examiner editorial, the paper noted “how great a threat rogue bureaucracy can become to constitutional order,” and proclaimed that “if the bureaucrats don’t like that, they should quit their jobs and run for Congress.”
Actress Susan Sarandon predicted that a Pruitt confirmation would mark “the end of the EPA.” I hope she’s correct.
One issue high on Pruitt’s agenda will be those ridiculous café standards imposed on our auto manufacturers. Last week the Alliance of Auto Manufacturers asked for relief from the Trump administration regarding fuel economy that would require them to reach 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025.
I was disappointed to read that Ivanka Trump is pressing the president not to bow out of the Paris Agreement on carbon emissions. This costly agreement calls for the U.S. to pony up millions of dollars to help under-developed countries cut emissions, with no real payoff in the reduction of global warming.
EVER WONDER why your friends aren’t up on current events? The Washington Examiner reported that 40 percent of Americans didn’t hear President Trump’s 77-minute press conference on Feb. 17.
TODAY’S LAUGHER -Yale has asked former Secretary of State John Kerry, of Iran deal fame, to teach students in conducting diplomacy.
OOPS, THIS IS EVEN FUNNIER – Liberal Democrats always decry Voter ID as being racist and pretend that voter fraud is not a problem, but it seems that they don’t even trust their own members when it comes to voting for the next leader of the DNC. Acting DNC head Donna Brazile decided the vote would be by paper ballot and everyone would be required to show their ID ‘s and verify their signature. You remember Donna. She’s the one who fed the Clinton campaign CNN debate questions in advance. While falling short on the first ballot, Tom Perez, former Obama labor secretary, was elected.
