Seldom Balanced – Usually Fair
Podcast from Julian Sanchez:
Attorney General William Barr has released a brief description of the findings of Robert Mueller in his investigation into Russian meddling in U.S. elections. Many questions remain. Julian Sanchez comments.
From libertarian Michael A. LaFerrara:
A common refrain used by conservatives to defend liberty is that our individual rights are “God-given.” “God-given” is left hanging with no further elaboration necessary. This leaves the defense of freedom at the mercy of others, including other theists, who simply retort, “Oh no, they’re not.” What then?
My view is that freedom is a requirement of human life, rooted in man’s nature and his relationship to existence, and that individual rights are the principles that can be derived from the observable facts of reality. Does this leave religious people incapable of effectively advocating for rights? Not at all.
We who love liberty and Americanism need to explain WHY we have rights.
From tengrain at Mock Paper Scissors:
OK, I read Barr’s summary. Some thoughts follow
Look, let’s see how things look after we see the report itself.
From Ted McLaughlin at jobsanger:
The Republicans in Congress have said they want to cut Social Security benefits. They want to do that to cover for the massive tax cuts they gave corporations and rich people, and would like for people to believe the ballooning deficit and national debt (now rising by a trillion dollars a year) is caused by Social Security (and Medicare and Medicaid). Donald Trump is joining them by submitting a budget proposal that makes cuts to Social Security (and Medicare and Medicaid).
This is a LIE! Social Security has never added a single penny to either the deficit or the national debt.
From Dave Dubya:
What’s the message here? I really didn’t want to click CNN’s link worded, “Voter on Ocasio-Cortez: She’s ridiculous”.
Hmm, I think I see where this is going. I mean, what could possibly give me the notion that corporate media has a corporate bias?
Cynicism and curiosity got the best of me, and I clicked. It was a three minute segment on Erin Burnett’s program.
At the link, CNN posted the headline saying, “Moderate voters Skeptical of Ocasio-Cortez”.
OK, we’ve transitioned from just “voter” to “moderate voters” in a rural area of Pennsylvania that Trump won.
Imagine my shock.
The Special Counsel’s investigation did not find that the Trump campaign or anyone associated with it conspired or coordinated with Russia in its efforts to influence the 2016 U.S. presidential election. As the report states: “[T]he investigation did not establish that members of the Trump Campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities.”
– Page 2, Attorney General re: The Special Counsel’s Report, March 24, 2019
The Special Counsel therefore did not draw a conclusion — one way or the other — as to whether the examined conduct constituted obstruction. Instead, for each of the relevant actions investigated, the report sets out evidence on both sides of the question and leaves unresolved what the Special Counsel views as “difficult issues” of law and fact concerning whether the President’s actions and intent could be viewed as obstruction. The Special Counsel states that “while this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him.”
– Page 3, Attorney General re: The Special Counsel’s Report, March 24, 2019
He is not a lunatic. And he is not a master of strategy.
The explanation for his behavior is surprisingly simple.
Continue reading “The Uncomplicated Truth About Donald Trump”