Commentary

Didn’t See This Coming

While watching Fox News, a clip from MSNBC appeared showing a black individual who I didn’t recognize commenting on Pam Bondi as President Elect Trump’s nominee for attorney general.

Prepared for the worst, I heard him say, “Pam Bondi is exactly what we should fear,” and as I shouted ‘FEAR!’ he finished saying, “because she’s competent.”

He, professor Jason Johnson, continued: “We may not agree with her ideologically, but she actually knows how to do this job.  So if anyone on the Democrat side or anyone who cared about liberty or justice was thinking, well, maybe Matt Gaetz will screw this up and that’ll give us some time.  No. Pam Bondi knows what she’s doing.

“She knows what she’s doing about immigration. Remember, Florida is one of those states that’s been very aggressive about migrants and deportation and moving people to different states and everything else like that. 

“Florida has enacted all sorts of rules and laws to curtail students and what they can do on campuses and finding legal justifications for manipulating education money.

“She is a dangerous and effective pick.  And that’s frankly worse than what we would have got with Matt Gaetz, even with the deplorable background that he has.”

It Was Nice to Read

I make it a point to read the Letters to the Editor column of the Wall Street Journal because I get to read the points of view of people across the nation. Two readers responded to columnist Peggy Noonan’s column on President Elect Trump under the heading, “Trump Deserves a Chance to Prove His Points.”

Frederick N. Merkin of Pacific Grove, California was critical of Noonan’s comment of Trump’s belief that he was ready for a major foreign crisis, “but he’s never had one.”  

“The reason,” wrote Merkin, “could well be because he followed a policy of peace through strength,” while noting that he put pressure on the radical, genocidal regime in Iran, which led to the welcome Abraham Accords.

Responding to Noonan’s criticism of the nomination of Pete Hegseth for Secretary of Defense, Jake McNicholas of Whitestone, New York commented that at least he, unlike the current SecDef, would understand that his hospitalization requires notification of the president. “It’s time for a shake-up.”

Putting Jan. 6, in the Rearview Mirror

Long time readers may recall my disgust with the investigations into the January 6, 2021, breach of the Nation’s Capitol.

From my October 25, 2021, coverage in “The ‘Insurrection’ That Wasn’t,” to my January 11, 2023 piece, “January 6, Events Still Stuck in My Craw,” I expressed my disgust with the arrests and extended jail time for trespassing, disorderly conduct and demonstrating. And, of course, Michael Byrd’s unnecessary killing of demonstrator Ashli Babbitt.

Now, thanks to the investigative reporting of John Solomon at Just the News, we have learned about Rep. Barry Loudermilk’s (R-GA) oversight committee uncovering of Byrd’s extensive disciplinary record, and his concern over the Capitol Police promoting him to captain.

The unnecessary killing of Babbitt was the only shot fired that day.  In my mind, having viewed the shooting video, Capitol police officer Michael Byrd obviously panicked when he shot her through the window of the door she was attempting to break down.  There were three armed law enforcement representatives just behind her and could have been shot.

Byrd testified that he could not see her hands or what was in her backpack and didn’t know her intentions, but insists, “I know that day I saved countless lives.”  Nonsense.

I wrote how the five-decade professional public servant, House Select Committee Chair Bennie Thompson (D-MS), made references to an insurrection and his statement that “the worst kept secret in America is that Donald Trump invited individuals to come to Washington on January 6,” followed by his remark on CBS Face the Nation that “no question” the riot was premeditated.

However, when asked during testimony if there were any charges of insurrection, AG Merrick Garland said, “I don’t believe so,” knowing there weren’t.

With the November 5, 2024, election of Donald Trump, Special Counsel Jack Smith called it quits on his Jan. 6 criminal case against the president elect.

I’d like to see all those individuals arrested on minor charges Jan. 6, exonerated by Trump.

Homeland Security Failures

How does the Biden-Harris administration explain the failures in five organizations in a single agency – Homeland Security – all under the direction of the incompetent Alejandro Mayorkas?  They don’t.

First, there’s the three organizations responsible for border security and enforcement – U. S. Customs and Immigration Services, U. S. Customs and Border Protection, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) – that have allowed millions of unvetted migrants to freely flow across our open southern border and permitted them to move into cities across the nation.

Among them, people from more than 150 countries, are homicidal criminals and individuals on the terrorist watch list.

This is particularly egregious because the dedicated employees in those organizations are merely following the orders of the administration.

Then there’s the U.S. Secret Service with two near successful assassination attempts on presidential candidate Donald Trump, that still hasn’t released to the public information on the two shooters.

Lastly, there’s FEMA, that exhibited a failure to provide reasonable comfort and aid to the hurricane victims of North Carolina and Georgia.

If confirmed, Kristi Noem faces a major overhaul of Homeland Security, hopefully with the assistance of DOGE, the Musk/Ramaswamy organization that should recommend a reorganization.

Energy Policy Nominees

“Zeldin, Wright and Bergum are on record as proponents of lifting regulations on development of hydrocarbon fuels, get the government out of the way, and letting that sector of the economy flourish,” wrote fellow blogger Francis Menton, who is extremely knowledgeable on the topic.

“Without a doubt these three Trump appointees will be an enormous improvement over the Biden functionaries they will replace … all committed to fanatic climate warriors, fighting every day to restrict development and use of hydrocarbon fuels, and thus to make America weaker and Americans poorer.”

Frantic Funding

Recognizing that Trump will be looking at unspent funds, the Biden administration is frantically spending in the final days. That massive infrastructure spending for EV’s, chargers, solar and wind will get a close look by the DOGE, but the Commerce Department just finalized an agreement to release $6.6 billion to the Taiwan Semiconductor facility in Phoenix, with the first $1 billion to go out the door before year’s end.

Economy Looking Up

Two comforting stories in the Journal this morning: “Republicans’ View of Economy Brightens; Their households are feeling better while Democrats’ sentiment sours,” and “Activity Picks Up In Private Sector.”

It’s getting interesting.  Stay engaged.

May God continue to bless the United States of America.