White Smoke

And Another Francis?

That's what new Pope Leo's brother predicts. Leo XIV.

Progressive on social issues and conservative on doctrine. Guess no women in the priesthood.

Called a Centrist. (Isn't that the same as ambivalent?)

His given name is Robert Prevost and he's from Chicago as we all know by now. So, first ever American Pontiff.

Interesting - he's only been a Cardinal for an hour (promoted 2023 by Francis). He's devoted that's seems certain. Entered seminary after 8th grade. Villanova grad - go 'Cats. He is 69, so will be with us a while.

We'll have to see but I fear he's an open immigration disciple, who will criticize every nation that enforces the sanctity of its borders. Like Frances.

Love this Thought

In his book, Government Gangsters, Kash Patel unabashedly asserts that the best way to move up in a government career is to screw up big time. No career politician or government lifer is going to see a lifetime of self promotion and power accumulation go down the tubes because some staffer screwed up. No way. So what's the solution? Reward the blunderer with bonuses and a promotion so those surrounding can't imagine he screwed up. Brilliant!

Government Gangsters - Chapter 2: FBI and Russia Gate

New FBI director Kash Patel is uncompromising about his experiences and beliefs concerning the FBI over the past decade. In his view (and he worked for them and investigated Russia Gate for House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence), there is no agency as politicized as the FBI. Yes, the CIA has more mystery, but their purview is abroad. Whereas the FBI is here at home, charged with "keeping us safe." Patel states emphatically the "FBI is the prime functionary of the Deep State".

Even though the FBI has abused its power before (remember they had MLK under surveillance for a decade before his assassination and they looked the other way on Hillary's emails.), their most egregious dereliction of duty and authority was Russia Gate. Moreover the LSM was all in to spew FBI's misinformation and deception to the American public, even after Trump became President.

It all started in 2016 the year of Trump's earth-shattering victory.

Here's a summary of the salient events.

1. The FBI obtained a FISA warrant to surveil a Trump campaign manager named Carter Page. This act alone was preposterous. Surveilling a campaign insider of a major party's leading candidate for the nation's highest office. It was a window to all communications and strategic thinking. The entire Trump campaign was in the FBI dragnet.

2. So how did they obtain the warrant? By relying entirely on a dossier prepared by former MI-6 operative Christopher Steele. A dossier that told of Russian hookers, pee parties, secret trips to Prague, etc. All easily proven totally false.

3. So what prompted Steele to compile such an outrageous indictment of the Republican candidate for President? Shocker - $$$. See Steele was paid for this assignment by an American firm named Fusion GPS. Guess where Fusion drew its funding. The Hillary Clinton campaign.

To net it out, the FBI secured permission to surveil the Republican Presidential candidate based on a dossier compiled by a foreign operative paid for by the Democratic Presidential candidate. No lie. Only in the swamp.

By the way, as I have long suspected and openly speculated, then Speaker Paul Ryan was a total coward. Refusing requests to make public findings of the House committee for which he was ultimately responsible. Later on, of course, the weasel had enough and stood down.

I won't dedicate more to this section but suffice it to say it made the OJ coverup seem transparent. The cutouts, fake email addresses, LSM stories and opinion pages were mindboggling as the FBI tried to hide its scurrilous intervention and manipulation.

As Patel says..."The Russia Gate scandal offers a never before seen glimpse into how the government gangsters of the FBI operate." America's so-called "Top Cops" used entrapment and extortion in ways that would make Michael Corleone tip his hat.

Believe It or Believe It

In the past, we have complimented Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) for his pro American position on Israel. All of sudden the Dems are crucifying the guy. "Worried" about his health (remember he had a stoke). "Not the same guy." Funny - they never worried about senile Joe Biden. He was sharp as a tack.

Of course, the man might be suffering, but guaran-damn-teed, if he was toeing the line, we'd never hear a peep about his health.

A Run for Their Money

Looks like Murders in Minny(apolis) are escalating to the point where this Defund the Police capitol of Tim Waltz's state could soon threaten the Windy City.

What a Team!

That incomparable nexus formed when the federal government and unions get together has struck again. You probably heard about the massive snafu caused by ATC malfunctions at Newark Airport. Technology failed and controllers were understaffed. Pilots were told to keep an eye peeled.

Result?

Well no crashes this time but a snarl up that will affect nationwide air travel for days.

Our air traffic system, which is the SOLE RESPONSIBILITY of the US government, is a colossal mess. The antiquity of its technology was recognized in 2003 when Congress authorized an upgrade. 27 years later it has not been implemented.

Almost every other major nation on the face of the earth has privatized its air traffic system. Trump pushed for it back in 2017-18. But not the good ole USA where politicians are beholding to unions who oppose any and all changes that might reduce membership, dues and leader compensation. Nobody retaliates in elections as effectively as union blocks.

Why does privatization make sense to the point where every other nation has gone there? There are boatloads of reasons but none is greater than the fact that you don't need 535 politicians to agree on paper clips.

Of course, the Dems, like Chuck Schumer, says this is all because of Trump and Doge. Utter nonsense.

(On a separate note - I have mentioned before that I can't stand the WSJ any more. Especially their podcasts and especially Potomac Watch. At every turn they take shots at President Trump. In the latest, moderator Pail Gigot, who nauseates me, says - "Why doesn't Trump deal with this?" What an a--wipe. Sorry.)

Got One Right!

The House voted convincingly to ax California's EV mandate. 35 Dems sided with Republicans. This mandate required automakers to start increasing the % of car sales that were EVs. To 100% eventually. Otherwise no biz in Cali. Eleven other states followed suit. Auto-pen (no pun) approved.

Talk about market intrusion. This 'rule" would force auto manufacturers to produce money-losing EVs in numbers that nobody wants to buy and can't be sold. To offset losses, auto companies would have to cannibalize gas-powered vehicles. That's the Wildfire State for ya.

Addition to 100 Days Scorecard

Another screw up - Not shutting off Tik Tok until ownership changed to a US entity.

Don't Let the Polls Fool You

Recent polls show Americans losing faith in Donald Trump or so they say. Problem is: a) they don't compute; b) they don't represent.

How can you believe a poll where only 39% of respondents say they voted for Trump but 50% actually did?

How can you believe polls that say Americans don't like what the Administration is doing despite the fact that illegal immigration, deportation of criminals and cracking down on government waste and fraud rank at or near the top of American's priority lists?

Simple, because you believed those same polls when they said Hillary would win and then Kamala.

Or you still have ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN and MSNBC on your channel guide

Are You Kidding?

Andrew Cuomo is on the short list of Dem gubernatorial candidates in NY. The same guy who sent Covid-stricken seniors to nursing homes to die. The same guy who set the legal standard that has allowed 47 convicted cop killers to be paroled. The same guy who resigned after being accused of sexual harassment by 11 different women. Only in America? Nah. Only in the Democratic party. Deep bench, eh?

Wouldn't This Help?

and be somewhat palatable too. The tax on Social Security (6.2% for employee) is capped at $176K in wages. Wages are above that threshold are not taxed. So if you make $60K, you pay full boat. If you $500K, you pay a lot lower rate. Actually seems kinda fair, no?

Why not tax all wages? That's what Medicare does. Saw figures that say that would increase tax revenue by $3.2 trillion over 10 years. It's pretty clear we can't DOGE our way to solvency.

Nice weekend.