President Donald Trump’s first State of the Union address covered a wide array of domestic and international issues. At eighty minutes, it was long of the longest such speeches. Putting the policies aside, Trump’s delivery last night was one of his strongest. Indeed, while many have objected to the content, it was a much better delivery than his inauguration in my opinion. CBS News is reporting that 75 percent of Americans watching approved of the speech.
However, most of us in the Beltway were watching the awkward tension between the members, including the absence of boycotting members and at least one incident of loud booing from the Democratic members. Rep. Luis Gutierrez was shown walking out as members chanting “USA, USA.” (He later remarked “Whoever translated it for him from Russian did a good job.”) Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi led most Democrats out of the door immediately after the President finished and most Democrats did not applaud for most of the speech. I have been previously critical of a Republican member protesting during the State of the Union\ and a serious breach of tradition by Associate Justice Sam Alito.
Here is my column in the Hill newspaper on the controversy.
Continue reading “The State of The Union and the State Of American Politics Of Division”
A leading Muslim cleric in India has issued a decree barring females from attending soccer matches. Why? Mufti Athar Kasmi, head of a strict Indian seminary, has declared that the exposed knees of players is an unIslamic influence on females.
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There is a disturbing study by the
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Below is my column in the Hill Newspaper on the news that former FBI Director James Comey will be teaching a course at William & Mary on “ethical leadership.” While I believe that having their alum teach a class would be a terrific opportunity for their students, this particular subject is obviously controversial. Moreover, it seems to fit an agenda by Comey to address criticism over his ethical choices. There is nothing in Comey’s past that would have made this an obvious choice for his expertise that clearly encompasses national security, surveillance, privacy, and other area of constitutional and criminal law. Curriculum should not be a vehicle for public relations.
In Santa Ana, James Anthony Lawlor, 35, was arrested with the help of this hand-drawn picture from a homeless person of the man who kicked him in the face and burned down his tent. It will make for an interesting piece of admissible evidence, though the police have ample evidence against Lawlor including the image below.
For many, the recent video of Hillary Clinton thanking “activist bitches supporting bitches” was a cringe-worthy moment as Clinton continues to struggle to be accepted as a leader (or even a plausible member of) the “resistance.” What is curious is that there seems to be a conscious decision in the Democratic ranks to become more profane. 
In the aftermath of the report that the White House Counsel Don McGahn had to threaten to resign to prevent President Donald Trump from firing Robert Mueller last June, new reports from four sources say that Trump has raised his desire to fire Deputy Attorney General 
A privately owned,