Thursday, June 30, 2022

Supreme Court Rules Against EPA on CO2 Regulation

 WUWT, BOOM! Supreme Court ruling : EPA doesn’t have power to regulate carbon dioxide

This is a YUUUUGE win!

The court’s decision in the West Virginia v. EPA case decided that the EPA doesn’t have the power to regulate carbon dioxide emissions from power plants.

The vote was 6 to 3, with the court’s three liberal members dissenting.

Chief Justice John Roberts, said that Congress had not explicitly given the EPA the authority to regulate emissions.

Excerpt from Justice Roberts:
But the only interpretive question before us, and the only one we answer, is more narrow: whether the “best system of emission reduction” identified by EPA in the Clean Power Plan was within the authority granted to the Agency in Section 111(d) of the Clean Air Act. For the reasons given, the answer is no.
Here’s the final paragraph of the Opinion of the Court:
Capping carbon dioxide emissions at a level that will force a nationwide transition away from the use of coal to generate electricity may be a sensible “solution to the crisis of the day.” New York v. United States, 505 U. S. 144, 187 (1992). But it is not plausible that Congress gave EPA the authority to adopt on its own such a regulatory scheme in Section 111(d). A decision of such magnitude and consequence rests with Congress itself, or an agency acting pursuant to a clear delegation from that representative body. The judgment of the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit is reversed, and the cases are remanded for further proceedings consistent with this opinion.

As Joe Biden might say "This is a Big F*cking Deal!

Beach Report 6/30/22

A tad warmer, a tad stiller, and a tad bluer than yesteday.

Not an awesome day for teeth, but a good one, 21 teeth, including this massive Snaggletooth upper that Georgia found mostly buried, and recognized the root. It barely missed a space on the kitchen window sill by about an eighth of an inch
A T-storm building over Salisbury, according to the radar.


More Cassidy, Dems Lose Senate Majority (again), July 4 BBQ Up $10

A day later and we're still talking about Cassidy Hutchinson's uncorroborated, (and dubious) secondhand testimony at the J6 Star Chamber that President Trump tried to physically carjack "The Beast" (or a different presidential SUV, it's not entirely clear) for the Secret Service to go the mix up near the Capital. As Stacy McCain notes, it's Like an Old REO Speedwagon Song Heard it from a friend who Heard it from a friend who Heard it from another . . ."

Nobody on the J6 Committee asked Secret Service to corroborate Hutchinson’s account. In fact, there is zero corroboration of her tale. Which is not to say that it has been proven false, exactly, and I suppose it is within the realm of possibility that (a) Hutchinson’s testimony will eventually be corroborated and (b) monkeys will fly out of my butt.

VodkaPundit at PJ Media has a Trump J6 Beast Mode Meme Fest. Even AllahPundit at Haut Hair admits Ornato was "shocked" at Hutchinson claim about Trump trying to grab steering wheel on Jan. 6. He's still holding out hope, though, to wit, "Hutchinson’s credibility now depends in great part on Ornato’s response to her testimony. If he admits that he told her about Trump getting pushy but that the story turned out to be false, she’s okay. If he accuses her of lying then she becomes a problematic witness." At NYPo, Secret Service vows response to bombshell Donald Trump ‘lunge’ claim. ADN America, ABC, NBC News: U.S. Secret Service to dispute Cassidy Hutchinson Jan. 6 account, sources say Trump did not attack agent or reach for wheel. At Da Wire, January 6 Committee Member Admits Star Witness’ Evidence Is Hearsay, No Corroborating Evidence. Why not, you interviewed the agents. Sundance at CTH, The J6 Committee Went Full Jussie Smollett Today and It is Hilarious. USAToday, Jan. 6 live coverage: Meadows, Giuliani dispute testimony that they sought pardons, which, of course, she reported second hand. Althouse, You've heard of the smoking gun. Now comes the splattering ketchup. "From "Here's every word from the sixth Jan. 6 committee hearing on its investigation" (NPR)" "Is this post unfair? Yes. That's deliberate. It's intended as a commentary on unfairness. The January 6th committee hearings are unfair." At Twitchy, ‘Amazing stuff’: Cassidy Hutchinson’s sworn J6 testimony is being pivoted to ‘anecdote’ status and ABC News’ Jon Karl explains why he tweeted ‘thank you, Cassidy Hutchinson’ (and makes the hackery even worse) Greta Van Susteren@greta, "If questioner (Cheney) wants to appear fair to jury (American people), it probably is not a good idea to get caught on camera hugging the witness…see below from @Politico; already people have very strong feelings - both ways - about this hearing and pics like this don’t help;"

But true believers hear what they want to hear and disregard the rest. WaPoo (cited at Haut Hair), In Hutchinson’s testimony, experts see "nuggets" for Justice probe. If they can get past the falsehoods. Also, Trump supporters raced to debunk Jan. 6 testimony. Then they got confused. "The former president’s backers quickly spun an online conspiracy theory that he couldn’t possibly have lunged for his driver’s steering wheel on Jan. 6, 2021. When evidence suggested otherwise, they changed tack." Ace, Washington Post: Right-Wing Critics Got "Confused" In Claiming That Trump Was Riding In "The Beast," Rather Than in an SUV

Oh, Trump wasn't in The Beast that day? He was really in an SUV?

I wonder where those stupid Trumpalos got that stupid idea from!

Oh right, from Superstar Bombshell Witness Madison Cornbread herself, after having been -- we thought -- prepared and fact-checked by the All-Star Blue-Ribbon Panel we know as the January 6th Committee.

Also at WaPoo,  Hutchinson testimony: Assessing the basis for aide’s explosive claims, "Some of her testimony to the Jan. 6 committee, given under oath, was based on firsthand knowledge; other details were relayed secondhand."  Never-Trumper Andy McCarthy at NR, cited by Haut Hair, thinks Cassidy Hutchinson's testimony against Trump is devastating. Ace, Noted "Conservative" Legal Analyst Andy McCarthy of NRO and the Rest of the NeverTrump True Conservative All-Stars Go Balls-Deep on Madison Cornbread's "He Lunged For the Wheel" Hoax  GlennGreenwald@ggreenwald, JOURNALISTS, all day yesterday: Trump assaulted his Secret Service agents and grabbed the wheel of the presidential limo!!! Headline news. Smoking gun!!!! SECRET SERVICE AGENTS: That never happened. JOURNALISTS: That was never an important part of the testimony."

 'Bonchie' at Red State, Liz Cheney Quickly Moves on to Her Next Con After Secret Service Confirms Agents Ready to Testify

So to recap, there were three “bombshells” in yesterday’s testimony. Two of them have been debunked and the third, that AR-15s were present in the crowd, has no evidence to back it and is so absurd and impossible as to be laughable. What a roaring success, right?

But don’t be fooled. This is exactly what Liz Cheney and the rest of the dishonest hacks on the committee wanted. They don’t care that they put a liar under oath and had her repeat a bunch of easily disproven nonsense. The goal here was to garner headlines that will now become part of the collective psyche. No one will remember the debunkings, mostly because they won’t even be largely reported.

WaPoo, Jan. 6 committee subpoenas former White House counsel Pat Cipollone. PM, Mo Brooks will testify before Jan 6 Committee after losing Trump's endorsement in Senate race. At Da Fed, Tristan Justice reports Ginni Thomas Demands Context From J6 Panel Before She’ll Cooperate With The Hostile Probe 

In March, Ginni became the center of a fabricated controversy related to the Jan. 6 Committee’s investigation when the panel leaked a series of private text messages with former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows. The messages, 29 in all, revealed a conservative activist pleading with a government official to continue investigating allegations of election fraud in the pandemic-era contest, which included record-level turnout in the form of mail-in voting that was ripe for misconduct.
. . .
Paoletta also outlined skepticism that the committee was operating in good faith in its desire to bring Ginni before lawmakers, considering her husband is among the most targeted members of the Supreme Court.

PM, WATCH: CNN guest says Trump 'was responsible for 9/11'. Freudian slip? From John Solomon at JTN, Jan. 6 panel effort to blame Trump for violence ignores pointed warnings Congress got much earlier "On New Year’s Eve, Capitol Police were warned protesters planned an “armed encampment” and would “hang corpses of Democrats” on Jan. 6. Other intelligence flagged potential for snipers." Clay Travis@ClayTravis "We’ve got forty year high inflation, cities are setting all time highs for murders all over the country, gas prices just set an all time high, the border is wide open, hell, moms can’t even find baby formula, and Democrats see all this going on and focus on Trump?!" InteractivePolls@IAPolls2022 "New CBS poll: “investigating January 6th” was the LEAST important issues to voters"

The Center Square reports the FBI’s response to attacks on pregnancy clinics undergoes scrutiny. I don't think they're going after them with the vigor of Jan. 6. Sundance, Tucker Carlson Walks Through a List of Political Dissidents the Biden Administration Has Targeted in the Last 18 Months


Democrats lose Senate majority (again) as  Leahy breaks hip, undergoes surgery (Capt. Ed at Haut Hair). Well, they still have Suzie, Murky and Mittens. 

Joseph Curl at Da Wire, Bookies: Biden Now THIRD Place In The Odds To Win 2024 Election. Matt Margolis at PJ Media, Guess Who Leads in the Generic Ballot After the Dobbs Decision? Andrew Clark@AndrewHClark, "Republicans actually grow a point higher in the YouGov generic ballot since Roe overturned." Noah Rothman at Commentary fears Is Dobbs an Electoral Dud? Capt. Ed catches the  NYT: Suuuuure doesn't look like the end of Roe impacted turnout. At Newsweek, Rene Lopez opines Democrats Have Forgotten the Working Class. It Will Cost Them in November. Insty, BECAUSE THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY IS RUN BY WOKE BAIZUO TYPES: The Vanishing Moderate Democrat: Their positions are popular. So why are they going extinct? "Well, and also because most of the “moderate” Democrats were frauds — see Al Gore — so nobody would buy that act anyway."

AllahPundit, Harris: Uh, let me amend what I said about Biden running again and me being his "ticket mate" "Thank God. They’re both going to retire and give America the Gavin Newsom/Stacey Abrams ticket that everyone’s craving." Althouse, Kamala Harris and her "really interesting" Venn diagram. Wanting to write about something Kamala Harris had said about the overturning of Roe v. Wade, I thought I'd find it in The Washington Post. But the name "Kamala" appeared nowhere on the home page and a search for the most recent mentions of her name turned up this . . . Her name hasn't appeared in The Washington Post in 20 days. " VodkaPundit at Haut Hair VIP, Who Will Replace Biden in 2024, the Prince of Hair or Governor LGBTQIABBA2S+? Spin, Strangeness and Charm Here, there, everywhere: Just how desperate is the Brahmandarin (anti)Democrat/MSM complex? Longingly looking at Occasional Cortex for POTUS in 2024?!?

AllahPundit, Double digits: DeSantis's lead over Trump grows in 2024 prediction market. I can live with that. "All right, fine, I concede — prediction markets are stupid and tell us zippo about who the next nominee will be." Also, Joe Rogan: This DeSantis guy might make a good president. Morning Consult, Trump Maintains Grip on GOP’s 2024 Field Amid Jan. 6 Hearings, but DeSantis Sees Boost

Newsweek thrilled as Multiple Trump Loyalists Lose in Primaries Amid Jan. 6 Revelations. AllahPundit, Too bad to check: Abrams tied with Kemp in Georgia while Warnock leads Walker by ... 10 points? "This poll is so obviously off the mark that I feel misgivings about bringing it to your attention. But since the wider media is destined to seize on it as a ray of sunshine in the darkening Democratic picture, let this serve as a fact check: There’s not a single Republican candidate in a competitive state this year who’s going to get landslided by a Democrat to the tune of 10 points. Not even a really bad candidate." PM, Congressman Lee Zeldin WINS New York Republican gubernatorial primary

In economic news, Fox reports Fourth of July BBQ price up $10 one year after White House celebrated 16-cent discount,  "White House said 16-cent decrease was proof 'the Biden economic plan is working.'" Sundance, Farm Bureau Estimates July 4th Food Basket Costs 17 Percent More in 2022. Leslie Eastman at LI, Chemical Shortages Affecting U.S. Farms Described as ‘Off the Charts” "U.N. Secretary-General warns of ‘catastrophe’ from global food shortage." From the Center Square, a Poll: 83% of Americans cutting back on personal spending due to inflation.

Jazz Shaw at Haut Hair, Oil industry agrees. Refineries likely not coming back online under current conditions "As the linked analysis points out, as harsh as it may sound to say, it is not the job of the American oil and gas industry to lower gas prices and save Joe Biden’s political bacon." Steven Hayward at The Pipeline, Nationalize 'Big Oil'? Are You Crazy? Some of us are. Reuters, U.S. emergency oil reserve draws by 6.9 mln barrels to lowest since 1986


Halsey
At Da Fed, the unsinkable Mollie Hemingway thinks Democrats’ Abortion Views Are Far Too Radical To Benefit From The Post-Roe Political Reality. At Page 6, Halsey fans leave Arizona concert during abortion rights speech  “If you don’t like it, you can go home right now. I don’t care. If you don’t like it, I don’t know why you came to a Halsey concert.”


“The extreme social gender experiments being forced onto small children are nothing short of government-directed child abuse and child sexual exploitation,” said Stephen Miller, co-founder of America First Legal.

“These are mafia tactics from Loudoun schools, being used to sexualize and indoctrinate children as young as five, all in the name of forcing radical gender ideology onto captive minors. If this was happening outside the context of a school, the adults engineering and sanctioning this madness would be under criminal investigation,” added Miller, who heads the legal outfit with fellow former Trump aide Mark Meadows.

Tattoo Thursday


Wednesday, June 29, 2022

Beach Report 6/29/22

Another fine day here, low 80s at home, about 75 with a wind out of the east, across the bay, starting around 10 kts and rising to 15 by the time we finished.
The tide was a low, but not very, and the beach was sandy.
Consequently, it was hard to find fossils, only 9 total, but I got lucky and found this interestingly marked White Shark tooth.
I figure I should show both sides.


No Problem!

And I'm not even particularly anti-abortion. The Mix,  Pink Tells Anti-Abortion Fans To Stop Listening To Her Music

Pink has a brutal message for any fans of hers who support the overturn of Roe V. Wade, telling them that if they’re anti-abortion, they should stop listening to her music.

“Let’s be clear: if you believe the government belongs in a woman’s uterus, a gay persons business or marriage, or that racism is okay- THEN PLEASE IN THE NAME OF YOUR LORD NEVER F***ING LISTEN TO MY MUSIC AGAIN. AND ALSO FUCK RIGHT OFF. We good?” Pink wrote on Twitter over the weekend.

The Hollywood Reporter reported that Pink later got into it with a fan who wrote that he had “never had an abortion. Also have never been with a woman that aborted my child. My wife & I saved our grandson from deletion by providing our complete support for our son & his girlfriend, best thing we’ve ever done.”

 

“I’m so glad you HAD THE CHOICE TO DECIDE WHAT WAS RIGHT FOR YOU, SIR. Must be nice,” Pink responded.

When another fan joked, “I hope her agent survives the stroke,” Pink fired back by saying, “I am my agent. We’re fine.”

Pink went on to double down on this kind of talk on Sunday.

“I think all of our nerves are collectively fried from so many years of racism, misogyny, homophobia, etc. +pandemics, mass shootings, wars and the total lunacy, hypocrisy, ignorance of the GOP-it’s all a bit much. But we will stick together. Good will prevail over evil,” she wrote.

“And to all of you sad, old white men asking me if I still make music’s,” Pink added. “I realize you’re out of touch- so ask your kids…. Oh wait- you can’t. They hate you.”

Oregon, My Oregon

 Da Caller thinks Oregon Could Get Its First Republican Governor In Decades

Democrats have firmly held Oregon’s gubernatorial office since 1987, but with the party deeply unpopular and a duo of competitive challengers, that could change in November.

The race is neck and neck according to the most recent polling coming out of Nelson Research in late May. Former House Minority Leader Republican Christine Drazan stands at just under 30% and former Democrat House Speaker Tina Kotek at 28%, while Independent Betsy Johnson lags behind at roughly 19%. Democratic incumbent Kate Brown cannot run for reelection.

After eight years in office, Brown is the least-popular governor in the nation, according to a Jan. 1-March 31 Morning Consult poll. During her tenure, Oregon has seen increasing rates of homelessness and crime, which along with poor government leadership constitute the top three issues for Oregon’s voters, per Oregon Public Broadcasting polling.

In 2021 Portland alone witnessed 92 homicides, an all-time record and stark increase from 36 in 2019. But Brown nonetheless touts a lenient approach to crime; in April she granted clemency to a murderer serving life without parole for the cold-blooded killing of a teenager, and during riots in Portland in July 2020 she criticized former President Donald Trump for sending in federal agents to protect a federal courthouse as local and state police stood by.

Brown’s approval has been particularly lackluster in more rural counties east of the Cascade Mountains, nine of which have actually voted to leave Oregon to form “Greater Idaho.”

In Brown’s stead running on the Democratic ticket is Kotek, a Portland-based Democrat seen by many as more of the same, according to Oregon Public Broadcasting. In announcing her candidacy in January, Kotek released a list of accomplishments from her time in the state legislature that included expanding health care coverage to undocumented Oregonians, mandating the use of lower-polluting auto fuels, increasing the minimum wage, restricting how local governments can enforce homeless camping bans, expanding gun control and codifying legal abortion.

I'm not counting this particular chicken yet, but it's interesting that it's so close. Maybe they've had enough. 

New J6 Witness Testimony Explodes on Contact with Reality

Cassidy Hutchinson
Has there ever been a witness whose testimony was refuted this fast? Yesterday, Mark Meadow 25 year old underling Cassidy Hutchinson took the chair in the J6 Star Chamber and made some incredible accusation. And I do mean incredible. At Da Hill, Hutchinson says Trump knew Jan. 6 attendees had weapons: ‘They’re not here to hurt me’. You know, there are two way to "know", one is to have personal knowledge, which Trump likely did not have. A second is to "know" that in any large group of people, some will be armed. She also claimed Trump threw ketchup at staff. In addition to the long anticipated statements that several pro-Trump congress members and other staff members solicited pre-emptive pardons, she swore that a Secret Service agent told her that Trump attempted to go to the Capitol, going as far as to lean over the seat of "The Beast", and grab the drivers arm. Only one problem here. The Beast's driver and passenger compartment are separated by a partition, and it would be physically impossible for Trump to do so. Oh, that, and the Secret Service members in question coming forth and saying they are willing to testify under oath that it never happened, and that she was never told that by the officer. Many links. AllahPundit at Haut Hair bought it hook, line and sinker, Trump aides, Fox News stunned by Hutchinson testimony about Trump and Jan. 6 witness: Trump tried to grab the limo steering wheel to go to the Capitol, lunged at Secret Service agent, as did Bret Baier at Fox, FNC’s Bret Baier: Hutchinson’s ‘Stunning’ Testimony Moved the Ball (Breitbart). Neil Cavuto, too, at Mediaite Fox News Guest Says Trump’s Actions Are ‘In Line with Charges Like Seditious Conspiracy,’ Cavuto Calls Trump ‘Unhinged’. Bob Spencer at PJ Media,  Bombshell? Surprise Jan. 6 Witness Claims Trump Grabbed Limo Wheel, Wanted to Join Capitol Protesters Andrea Widburg at Am Think thinks A Jan 6 witness ludicrously claims Trump tried to choke his Secret Service agent.   Ace, In Explosive Testimony at the January Sixth Committee, a Twenty-Five Year Old Chippie Says She Heard From Her Friends That "The Walls Are Closing In". From the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 06.28.22, Nice Deb at Am Great has Trump's response, Trump Dismisses ‘Bombshell’ Testimony of Former White House Aide, Calls Her a ‘Total Phony and Leaker’. Stephen L. Miller@redsteeze, "They can't seem to settle on if Trump is an invalid who can barely lift a glass a water or walk down a ramp or if he's John McClain grabbing the steering wheel of the most heavily protected vehicle in the world."

Then the story started to go sideways.  From the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 06.28.22, Weasel Zippers: Secret Service Throws Water On Liz Cheney’s Committee Bombshell. Julio Rosas at Town Hall, Oops: J6 Committee Star Witness' Creditability About Trump Might Take a Huge Hit.  AllahPundit sadly reports  Secret Service prepared to testify that Trump incident described by Hutchinson didn't happen, but he's still holding out hope that something, anything she said might be the truth. Capt. Ed at Haut Hair, NBC News: Secret Service officially announces agents ready to testify -- and dispute Hutchinson hearsay; Update: Another discrepancy? Curiously, Dan Chaitin at WaEx reports the two SS guy were interviewed by the Star Chamber, and were not asked to testify publicly, Mystery reigns as two key Secret Service figures from Jan. 6 hearing already testified. Breitbart, reports Lead Secret Service Agent Will Testify Trump Did Not Try to Commandeer Car on January 6. Ace, Secret Service Agents Prepared to Testify That the Hot Intel Cassidy Hutchinson Got From Her Good Friend Madison Cornbread at Cinnabon's Is False. Matt Vespa at Town Hall, The 'Trump Grabbed the Steering Wheel' Story Just Got Hurled Into the FurnaceSean Davis@seanmdav "The corrupt J6 committee’s new SURPRISE WITNESS was so appalled by Trump and J6 that she…was planning to go work for Trump at his FL residence eight days *after* January 6 (article was published on January 14, 2021). This Soviet show trial is a joke. https://bloomberg.com/news/articles/Hugh Hewitt@hughhewitt "Oh. Never mind." Quote Tweet Peter Alexander@PeterAlexander, " A source close to the Secret Service tells me both Bobby Engel, the lead agent, and the presidential limousine/SUV driver are prepared to testify under oath that neither man was assaulted and that Mr. Trump never lunged for the steering wheel."   Matt Margolis at PJ Media, Another J6 Trump 'Bombshell' Outed as a Hoax! Nick Arama at Red State, Trump Completely Levels New Witness' Story About What He Did on Jan. 6 

"Her Fake story that I tried to grab the steering wheel of the White House Limousine in order to steer it to the Capitol Building is “sick” and fraudulent, very much like the Unselect Committee itself – Wouldn’t even have been possible to do such a ridiculous thing. 

I hardly know who this person, Cassidy Hutchinson, is, other than I heard very negative things about her (a total phony and “leaker”), and when she requested to go with certain others of the team to Florida after my having served a full term in office, I personally turned her request down. Why did she want to go with us if she felt we were so terrible? I understand that she was very upset and angry that I didn’t want her to go, or be a member of the team. She is bad news! "

Nick Arama at Red State, More Implosion of Hutchinson's J6 Claims as Adam Schiff Steps in It Big Time on CNN. And then the final nail in Cassidy's credibility, proof that some of her direct, as well as her hearsay testimony was a lie, at Da Wire, Top Former White House Lawyer Delivers Devastating Blow To Cassidy Hutchinson Testimony

Former Trump White House lawyer Eric Herschmann delivered a damaging blow to Cassidy Hutchinson’s testimony against former President Donald Trump on Tuesday as he claims that he wrote the handwritten note that Hutchinson told the January 6 House select committee that she wrote.

The note that Hutchinson claims that she wrote stated, “Anyone who entered the Capitol without proper authority should leave immediately.”

“Herschmann is claiming that a handwritten note regarding a potential statement for then-President Donald Trump to release during the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol was written by him during a meeting at the White House that afternoon, and not by White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson,” ABC News reported. “At Tuesday’s Jan. 6 committee hearing, Rep. Liz Cheney displayed a handwritten note which Hutchinson testified she wrote after Trump chief of staff Mark Meadows handed her a note card and pen to take his dictation.”

One source familiar with the matter confirmed to The Daily Wire that Herschmann is claiming that he wrote the note, and not Hutchinson.

“The handwritten note that Cassidy Hutchinson testified was written by her was in fact written by Eric Herschmann on January 6, 2021,” a spokesperson for Eric Herschmann told ABC News. “All sources with direct knowledge and law enforcement have and will confirm that it was written by Mr. Herschmann.”

So, you can either conclude that the Star Chamber willingly embraced the perjury, or that their research was sufficiently shoddy that it didn't reveal the obvious discrepancies before they held the show trial. Your choice. As for Ms, Hutchinson, I wish her a long career on CNN+, although I assume the DOJ will decline to investigate and prosecute. From Madeleine Hubbard at JTN, Chuck Grassley slams Justice Department for not prosecuting employees for lying "Grassley listed more than a dozen cases where the United States Attorney's Office declined to prosecute staffers."

At ET, Jan. 6 ‘Electronic Surveillance Unit’ Was ‘Illegal,’ Says Rep. Gohmert; Attorney Suggests ‘Entrapment’ 'We can’t have secret units doing secret surveillance of people that have committed no crime, no probable cause of a crime. Just getting blanket surveillance' and Former Trump Advisor John Eastman Claims He Was ‘Frisked’ by FBI Agents Who Seized His Phone. At WaEx, Melania Trump shot tweet down condemning 'lawlessness' on day of Capitol riot. Failure to tweet is now a thought crime. Paul Bedard at WaEx, Author blows whistle on Jan. 6 ‘melodrama’ and police beatings

“The riot on Capitol Hill after the 2020 election is one of the most boring, overblown stories of the Trump era, but naturally, Democrats and the media obsess over it because they think it makes Republicans look bad. Oh, and because it gives them an excuse to talk about one of their favorite things — themselves,” added Scarry in his latest book, Liberal Misery: How the Hateful Left Sucks Joy Out of Everything and Everyone.

At Da Wire, Senate Sergeant-At-Arms During Jan. 6 Found Dead; Had Suggested ‘Professional Agitators’ Were To Blame. Arkancide? 

Ima just gonna let it settle after this, and do the rest DIY:

Election:

Joe Biden’s Approval Rating Hits New Low as Confidence in His Leadership Plummets - Neon Nettle
You Know Biden’s In Trouble When A Democrat Goes On Fox News To Throw Him Under The Bus - The Daily Caller
More Than One Million Voters Have Switched From Democrat to Republican Over the Last Year
Harris: You bet Biden's running for re-election, and I'll be his "ticketmate" – HotAir
Kamala Harris Slammed For Numerous Remarks Made During CNN Interview | The Daily Wire
The whispers of Hillary Clinton 2024 have started - CNNPolitics
Hillary, The Comeback Kid? “Now Is Her Moment”
'Hahaha!' Juan Williams truly believes Hillary can save Dems from midterms drubbing
Election Night in Colorado, Utah, New York, Oklahoma and Illinois - Results and Open Discussion Thread - The Last Refuge
Gavin Newsom Buys Ad Space in Florida to Challenge Ron DeSantis in 2024 – RedState
Live results: It's primary night in America – HotAir
BREAKING: Lauren Boebert Handily Wins Colorado's Third District GOP Primary – RedState
Boebert Defeats Primary Challenger In Colorado Race - The Daily Caller
Rep. Mary Miller Defeats Fellow Illinois Republican Rodney Davis In Heated Member Vs Member Primary - The Daily Caller
Rep. Lee Zeldin clinches GOP nomination for NY governor
Markwayne Mullin Advances To Runoff For Oklahoma US Senate Seat - The Daily Caller
Ex-Sen. Alan Simpson appears in new ad backing Cheney
The Answer for Democrats Is . . . No, No Way! - Power Line
SCOTUS Hands Democrat Election ‘Fixer’s’ Law Firm Another Big Defeat - The Daily Caller

The Stupid Biden Economy:

Nolte: Joe Biden Delivers the Most Expensive 4th of July in History
Today's Off The Press Poll - Will Inflation Affect Your Independence Day Plans? - Off The Press 2.0
Bed Bath & Beyond Turning Off AC In Stores To Save Money - Off The Press 2.0
Biden sends team to make nice with Venezuela – HotAir
French President Macron Tells Joe Biden That Begging Saudi Arabia for More Oil Won't Help, The Saudis are at Maximum Production - Video - The Last Refuge

And the Culture Wars:

Netflix Cancels LGBTQ-Themed Cartoon : The Other McCain
"Safe Haven" Drag Queen Who Counsels Children Charged With 25 counts of Child Pornography - Geller Report
Here's your daily reminder that you can threaten SCOTUS justices but The Babylon Bee has been banned since March for misgendering someone - Not the Bee
Left And Right Unite To Oppose Trans Destruction Of Women's Sports
Leaked Video From New Disney Show Features Trans Flag And Robot That Needs Help With Feminine Hygiene - The Daily Wire
California Attorney General OK With Denying Carry Licenses Based on Ideological Views
Althouse: "A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 50% of Likely U.S. voters approve of the Supreme Court abortion ruling, including 38% who Strongly Approve..."

The Wednesday Wetness


Tuesday, June 28, 2022

Reuse and Recycle

 


One of the "benefits" of owning a Siberian Husky is the shedding period, from roughly January through August, when they discard copious amounts of fine soft white underfur, which needs to be combed, brushed or blown out at regular intervals to keep the house from filling with it (and to prevent it from getting matted). I regularly curry Skye and get mounds of hair. Georgia takes a small amount of it, and stuffs it into a suet feeder (As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases) for birds, and hangs it near the feeder. Chickadee, Titmice and other birds stop with some regularity to take it for nesting material. It's funny to watch a Titmouse keep grabbing it until it has a ball much bigger than its head. I even think I caught a glimpse of a female Ruby Throated Hummingbird picking some up the other day. In this photo, a female American Goldfinch is apparently getting ready to line a new nest. 

Beach Report 6/28/22

Skye and i found this Green Heron hanging around the harbor as we walked through on the way to the beach. From the color pattern, and the fuzz on it's head, I'm guessing it's a juvenile. 
Down at the beach, I spotted this under a couple of inches of water.
Turned out to be a pretty nice Lemon Shark tooth (bottom). The top tooth is a small but well preserved Snaggletooth upper parasymphyseal tooth. All in all a pretty good day for shark's teeth, 30 between the two of us, also a drum tooth, a little ray plate and a crab claw.
A really nice day today, temperatures around 75, no noticeable humidity, and a slight, and declining, breeze from the NW. Georgia talks to Cindy, Skye's favorite (Cindy carries treats).
Not a weekend, so the the beach was lightly used. 


More Bad New for Biden, The Push Seen Round the World, J6 Calls 'Surprise' Witness

We 'll start this morning with Capt. Ed (Haut Hair) noting Slidin' Biden sinks in CBS/YouGov poll -- and even Dems agree economy is getting "bad". How low can he go? Mike Ginsberg at Da Caller finds a Top Pollster Gives More Bad News For Democrats’ Midterm Chances. Little steps. 

Joe Szymanski, the lead elections handicapper at Elections Daily, shifted three Democrat-held seats Monday from “lean Democratic” to “tossup” and two from “safe Democratic” to “likely Democratic.” He also shifted a Republican-held seat from “likely Democratic” to “lean Democratic.” The five Democrat-held seats were the subjects of heated GOP primaries, while Republican Mayra Flores won a special election to represent Texas’ 34th District through January.

Haut Hair reads the NYT, Biden irked by Dems who won't take "yes" for an answer on 2024 "Mr. Biden has been eager for signs of loyalty — and they have been few and far between." Dave Drehle at WaPoo opines Ron DeSantis’s snub of Trump is a 2024 challenge, "The first rule of bar fighters, so I am told, is: Always land the first punch." Kyle Smith at NYPo reports CNN gives Kamala Harris the easiest layup — and she still misses

At RCP,  More Than 1M Voters Switch to GOP in Warning for Dems. "over the last year, roughly two-thirds of the 1.7 million voters who changed their party affiliation shifted to the Republican Party. In all, more than 1 million people became Republicans compared to about 630,000 who became Democrats." Capt. Ed chortles about The Million Voter March: Guess who's winning the party-switching sweepstakes this cycle?. Eric Lendrum at Am Great, Over One Million Voters Switch From Democrat to Republican Ahead of Midterms. At the Wa Free Bee, Blue Exodus: More Than a Million Democrats Switch to Republican Party, "Republicans win back suburban voters." Ace, Walk Away: One Million Voters Flip From D to R NationallySome suburban Karens are getting a little freaked out by how freaky-deaky the Democrat Party has become, reports AP. Althouse, more in sorrow than in anger, "More than 1 million voters across 43 states have switched to the Republican Party over the last year...". At NYPo, Democrats cater to the woke at their electoral peril

At NR (cited at Haut Hair), the sometimes readable Kevin Williamson asks Will Dobbs matter in November?  He seems to think it's not as big as they hope. I agree. Haut Hair also cites the NYT, The ruling was just the beginning: Both sides mobilize over abortion. Anxious anxiously warns Democrats bet on Roe's ballot power. AllaPundit at Haut Hair  pleased as punch that in a Post-Roe NPR poll: Dems surge to seven-point lead on generic ballot, but he is honest enough to point out it leaned heavily Democrat before the ruling. "Ed reminds me that NPR’s polling also found Biden enjoying a huge eight-point bounce in job approval after the State of the Union in March. How has that worked out?" PJ Media's Stacey Lennox reports Allen West Says Dobbs Won't Prevent a Red Wave in November. Chris Queen at PJ Media, issues a Red Wave Watch, and I issue a counting chickens warning. 

Sundance at CTH is unhappy about A Combative Interview Between Bret Baier and Arizona Governor Candidate Kari Lake, Video. All politicians deserve tough interviews. At the Wa Free Bee, ‘Desperate’: Democrat Who’s Been in Congress Since 1983 Goes After ‘People in Washington,’ "Ohio's Marcy Kaptur distances herself from D.C. after serving for nearly four decades." Did she get a far out of town as Germantown? Also, Illinois Dem Releases Comically Bad Campaign Ad, "This is the worst political ad I've ever seen."

Nick Arama at Red State thinks Pelosi's Response About Pushing Mayra Flores' Daughter Makes It Worse. She claims she was pushing her out "into the picture." Virginia Kruta at Da Wire reports on how Mayra Flores Responds To Video Of Pelosi Elbowing Her Daughter “I am so proud of my strong, beautiful daughter for not allowing this to faze her. She continued to smile and pose for the picture like a Queen. No child should be pushed to the side for a photo op. PERIOD!!” Sundance, Daughter of Mayra Flores Stands Her Ground After Shove from Nancy Pelosi. Lou Aguilar at Am Spec takes on Latinos Versus the Demoncrats, "An exorcism might be in order for the Democrat party."

From the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 06.27.22, The Geller Report: Biden Is Hiding His Plan To Rig The 2022 Midterm Elections and New York Supreme Court strikes down law that allowed non-citizens to vote, and  BattleSwarm  Texas Woman Pleads Guilty To 26 Counts Of That Voter Fraud Democrats Swear Doesn’t Exist. Spence Brown at Town Hall reports a Judge Rules New York City Election Law Unconstitutional. Jazz Shaw At Haut Hair fills in the blank, NY Supreme Court strikes down law allowing non-citizens to vote. At Am Think, Andrea Widburg is outraged at A South Carolina Democrat strategizes about sleepers in Republican campaigns. Breitbart, Listen: South Carolina Democrat Senate Candidate Krystle Matthews Pushes ‘Sleeper’ Republicans in Leaked Call. I ain't skeered, they couldn't pretend to be Republicans long enough.

In J6 Committee "news", CNN reports on what they hope to be riveting new drama, Former Meadows aide will testify before January 6 committee on Tuesday, sources say. Breitbart, Jan. 6 panel calls surprise hearing to present new evidence. At Twitchy, Dan Rather calls the suspense behind today’s surprise January 6 witness a ‘who shot J.R.?’ moment. Who did shoot JR, does anyone remember, or care? Apparently she will claim that several Trumpies sought or at least considered getting pre-emptive pardons. Rep. Andy Biggs at HE, Media Inflation Surrounding the January 6 Committee Distracts Americans From Democrats’ Failures.   

At the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 06.27.22, the The Federalist: J6 Committee Ignores Witness’s Ties To Zuckerberg-Funded Group That Manipulated 2020 ElectionFBI Raids Target Democrats’ Political Foes Instead Of True Criminals, and Democrats Have Become A Serious Threat To The RepublicMargot Cleveland at the Fed reports Former White House Staffer Confirms Jan. 6 Committee Lied About DOJ Attorney. At Breitbart, Ken Klukowski Accuses January 6 Committee of Withholding And Misrepresenting Critical Evidence, Challenges It to Release His Full Transcript. I&I opines on Jan. 6, Adam Schiff, And The Real Big Liars — And Why It Matters. At Da Fed, Olivia Hajicek notes how the J6 Committee Ignores Witness’s Ties To Zuckerberg-Funded Group That Manipulated 2020 Election

At Am Great, Lloyd Billingsley calls it More Than a Stalinist Show Trial "Beyond the January 6 committee hearings, Stalinism advances on other fronts. . . . Stalin aimed to eliminate his rivals, and the January 6 session targets Donald Trump, first and foremost." At Breitbart, Raskin: ‘Not My Principle Interest’ Trump Criminally Charged. Kenneth R. Timmerman at Am Think, Gaslighting Committee Attempts Launch of Banana Republic. The redoubtable Julie Kelly at Am Great warns the January 6 Committee Ignores Key Questions About FBI. "Jeffrey Rosen and current Justice Department officials do not want Americans to know about the agency’s deep involvement in the events of January 6." At CNN, John Eastman searched and had phone seized by federal agents last week, he says

Last Wednesday, about six federal investigators approached Eastman in New Mexico when he was exiting a restaurant after dinner with his wife and a friend, according to the court filings. He was patted down, and "forced to provide [facial] biometric data to open" the phone, Eastman's court filing said.

Agents were able to get access to Eastman's email accounts on his iPhone 12 Pro, the filings said.

More from WaPoo, Agents seize phone of lawyer who pushed Trump false elector claims

In court papers seeking the return of his phone, Eastman argues that because he was never a Justice Department employee, he is “outside of the OIG’s jurisdiction.”

The court papers say that when Eastman asked to see the warrant, the request was refused. He was frisked, his iPhone taken from him, and he was “forced to provide biometric data to open” the phone, the filing says.

That claim may become a matter of dispute, since the warrant for his phone explicitly states that he may be asked to willingly provide a password or biometric data but cannot be forced to provide that information.

WaPoo whines They backed a Jan. 6 commission. Now, they face heat in GOP primaries. "Next test comes Tuesday, when five of 35 House Republicans who voted for commission will be on ballot" Matt Margolis at PJ Media Liz Cheney Gets a Rude Awakening, when she finds her role on the J6 Com won't counteract her support for Dobbs with the Democrats and the media (but I redund). AllahPundit fears, The big winner from the January 6 hearings: Ron DeSantis?. Whipping a dead horse, I&I reports Pelosi Readies New Articles of Impeachment Against Trump, Says ‘Third Time’s The Charm’  

Althouse, "We’re never going to be the ones to cross the police barrier or cross something in order to get to somebody."

Said Enrique Tarrio, the chairman of Proud Boys, in a recorded video conference on Dec. 30, 2020, quoted in "Proud Boys Ignored Orders Given at Pre-Jan. 6 Meeting/The directives, given during a video conference, included obeying police lines and keeping away from ordinary protesters. But members of the far-right group played aggressive roles in several breaches at the Capitol" (NYT).

Lawyers for the Proud Boys say the recorded meeting is a key piece of exculpatory evidence, contradicting claims by the government that a conspiracy to attack the Capitol was hatched several weeks before Jan. 6.

In court filings, prosecutors have claimed that the Proud Boys began to plan their assault as early as Dec. 19, 2020 — the day that President Donald J. Trump posted a tweet announcing his Jan. 6 rally and saying it would be “wild.” But the video conference shows that, just one week before the event, when Mr. Tarrio and other Proud Boys leaders gathered their team for a meeting, they spent most of their time discussing things like staying away from alcohol and women and taking measures to ensure their own security....

Ace, Seventy-Two Hours Later, and The Left is Still Reacting Perfectly Calmly and Normally to the Dobbs Decision. Paul Krause at Am Think thinks The Left-wing Insurrection Intensifies. At Da Wire, In The Wake Of Roe v. Wade, Attacks On Churches, Pregnancy Centers Escalate. "Data compiled by the Susan B. Anthony List and CatholicVote has found that dozens of centers have been attacked since the the early May leak of a draft Supreme Court opinion indicating that Roe v. Wade might be overturned." Breitbart has PHOTOS: Christian Pregnancy Center in Colorado Set on Fire After Roe v. Wade Decision. Breitbart, Pro-Abortion Protesters Arrested in Oregon for ‘Night of Rage’ Violence. Forget it Jake, it's Portland. KT at Haut Hair, Rudy Giuliani assaulted in New York grocery store, worker arrested. Bob Spencer at PJ Media, Leftist Assaults Rudy Giuliani in Grocery Store, Claiming He’s ‘Gonna Kill Women.’ At Wa Free Bee a Transgender Activist Who Created ‘Gender Unicorn’ Calls for ‘Supreme Court Assassination Challenge’. From the Wombat's In The Mailbox:  06.27.22, EBL, Democrat Days Of Rage and Louder With Crowder notes Leftists Call for a ‘Sex Strike’ in the Wake of Dobbs, Totally Miss the Irony, and Leftists Cry Bloody Murders After a Man Drives Truck Through Protest, no one hurt.  At Da Caller, Patagonia To Bail Out Employees Arrested At Pro-Abortion Protests. PJ Media's Stephen Kruiser says  Unhinged Abortion Left Should Probably Focus on Mental Health Care for a While, their own. John Hinderacker at Power Line wonders Why the Abortion Hysteria?

I think several elements are at work here, but the most basic is that liberals (Democrats) do not want to take the issue of abortion to the voters. They do not want to have to make their case. They do not want to have to argue and persuade. Rather, they want all views opposed to their own to be banned and unheard. Delegitimized.

This is perhaps the dominant fact of 21st Century politics. Liberals don’t want to debate, they don’t want to persuade. They want to censor. They want some higher authority, whether the Supreme Court, Twitter, or corporate America, to declare all views but theirs out of bounds. They don’t want to participate in democratic politics, they want to rule by fiat. For all their wailing about “our democracy,” the last thing liberals want is the actual give and take of a democracy, which usually entails compromise.

And in the interest of getting on with life, DIY on the Stupid Biden Economy:

Just How Bad Is the Economy Really? - American Thinker
Powell’s path to 2% inflation needs luck or, failing that, pain: 'We can’t afford to be fooled again on this, or else it’s going to get beyond us' | Fortune
US is already in a 'soft' recession: Economist Stephen Moore | Fox Business
Most Americans Are 'Concerned' About Their Ability to Afford 'Day to Day Things'
The Middle Class Needs to Start Thinking About Asset Protection - American Thinker
Last Year, Biden Bragged About 16 Cents In Fourth Of July Cookout Savings. This Year, Prices Rose By Double Digits. | The Daily Wire
Gavin Newsom, Democrats to Send Cash to California Residents to Buy Gas
‘Ten Policies to Unleash American Energy and Fuel Recovery’ (API gets nine of ten right) – Watts Up With That?
Shortages of Neon, Other Rare Gases Likely in Wake of Russia Limiting Exports

And the Culture Wars:

Adult Biological Man Beats Teenage Girl To Win Women’s Skateboarding Contest
The Groomer ‘Panic’ Is a Hill Worth Dying On › American Greatness
What Do 'Men Give Birth' and 'Defund the Police' Have in Common? - FrontpageMag
A Gay Activist Group Gave Free Bus Tickets to Minorities and Trans People. It Likely Violated Civil Rights Law.
Biden Official Levine: Sex Reassignment Surgery Is “Life-Saving” And “Medically Necessary” For Kids… - Weasel Zippers
Pennsylvania Drag Queen Arrested and Charged With Possessing Child Pornography – Summit News
Twitter Says Calls to Kill Thomas Don't Violate Their Rules – PJ Media
Stop the 'Ministry of Truth' (Again) - The Pipeline
Anti-Semitic death threats found on Lee Zeldin lawn sign
‘You’re Not My Lawyer’: Bill Maher Breaks Down Exactly Why Americans Are Fleeing The Left - The Daily Wire
Companies That Vow To Cover Abortion Travel Costs Silent On Helping Mothers Pay For Baby Formula - The Daily Caller
'Top Gun' Hits Over $1 Billion, and the Left is Going Nuts – PJ Media
Ace of Spades HQ The Morning Rant: Is There An Emerging Trend of Small Businesses “Canceling” Woke Corporations Because Of ESG Requirements?