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DECEMBER 11,  2020

SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – OVERNIGHT:

CALIFORNIA, THEY WON'T COME – FROM FOX BUSINESS:  The smart money may be sticking together and sticking it to California.  Oracle is joining Tesla and Hewlett Packard in relocating to Texas, detailing the move in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission late Friday.  "Oracle is implementing a more flexible employee work location policy and has changed its Corporate Headquarters from redwood City, California to Austin, Texas. We believe these moves best position Oracle for growth and provide our personnel with more flexibility about where and how they work. Depending on their role, this means that many of our employees can choose their office location as well as continue to work from home part time or all of the time. In addition, we will continue to support major hubs for Oracle around the world, including those in the United States such as redwood City, Austin, Santa Monica, Seattle, Denver, Orlando and Burlington, among others, and we expect to add other locations over time. By implementing a more modern approach to work, we expect to further improve our employees’ quality of life and quality of output" the SEC filing noted.  While the move signals working remotely is here to stay, it also signals more corporations could be becoming disillusioned with California.   Oracle CEO Larry Ellison is the second-largest individual shareholder in Tesla behind CEO Elon Musk and sits on the electric-vehicle maker's board. Last summer, Tesla chose Austin for its new factory, after considering other cities including Tulsa, Oklahoma.  Earlier this week Musk blasted California for driving a corporate exodus, likening the state to a sports team that is used to winning and has grown complacent.  California, like a winning sports team that “has been winning for a long time,” has taken innovators for granted, Musk said, adding, “You have a forest of redwoods and the little trees can’t grow.”  It's also taken ordinary citizens for granted, and elevated criminals and their allies.  Not a good family thing. 

THIS WILL GROW – FROM BREITBART:   Joe Biden is refusing to discuss the legal troubles of his son amid revelations that the Department of Justice is investigating the younger Biden’s “tax affairs.”  Biden, who has been declared president-elect by numerous media outlets, was asked after a press conference on Friday in Wilmington, Delaware, if his son, Hunter, “committed a crime.” The question was in regards to Hunter Biden’s recent admission that he had been informed by the United States Attorney of Delaware that there was an open investigation into his “tax affairs.”Despite the topic dominating the news cycle in recent days, the former vice president refused to comment on the situation.  “I’m proud of my son,” Biden said, repeating a line he has employed since the story first broke. While the exact nature of the U.S. Attorney investigation remains unclear, the revelations come more than a month after Fox News reported that Hunter Biden’s laptop had been seized by the Federal Bureau of Investigation as part of a money laundering probe.  This story has the potential to grow, and possibly force Biden to resign the presidency, something even many Democrats wish for, as they could then have Kamala Harris as president, which is their real objective.

December 11, 2020       Permalink

BULLETIN:  THE PRESIDENT LOSES IN THE SUPREME COURT – AT 7:30 P.M. ET:   Although the case was brought by the state of Texas, it really dealt with the Trump/Biden election.  The Supreme Court has just spoken.  From Fox: 

The Supreme Court has denied a Texas effort Friday that would have essentially nullified the presidential elections in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Georgia and Wisconsin.

“The State of Texas’s motion for leave to file a bill of complaint is denied for lack of standing under Article III of the Constitution,” the Supreme Court’s order reads. “Texas has not demonstrated a judicially cognizable interest in the manner in which another State conducts its elections. All other pending motions are dismissed as moot.”

The order does not foreclose any other pending or future election appeals at the Supreme Court, but time is running out. The states meet next week on Dec. 14 for the Electoral College exercise. And on Jan. 6 there will be a joint session of the House and Senate to count the electoral votes and certify President-elect Joe Biden as the winner.

Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas said they would have heard the case -- without granting other relief, like issuing an injunction on electoral proceedings. They added that they expressed "no view on any other issue."

Texas on Friday morning had filed a "reply brief" with the Supreme Court, asking the tribunal to hear its lawsuit.

The "briefing stage" of Supreme Court litigation consists of the first party, in this instance, Texas, asking the court to hear the case. Then opposition briefs are filed by those on the other side of the case. Then the first party is allowed to file a "reply brief," which Texas did Friday morning. 

"Defendant States do not seriously address grave issues that Texas raises, choosing to hide behind other court venues and decisions in which Texas could not participate and to mischaracterize both the relief that Texas seeks and the justification for that relief," the Texas brief says of the opposition briefs filed by Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Georgia Thursday.

Texas continues: "An injunction should issue because Defendant States have not—and cannot—defend their actions." 

COMMENT:  I'm afraid it really is over.  The issue of election reform will have to be pursued between now and the next federal election, which is 2022.  The president may well have a solid case, but it will take months of study and review to prove it.  It would be best for him to say that, for the good of the nation, he will accept the results of the Electoral College vote, while reserving his right to sponsor studies of the 2020 voting. 

And then, Mr. Trump should go silent for a time.  Let Biden have his inauguration, his honeymoon period.  Assess the terrain.  If Biden starts to fail, with his antiquated identity politics gimmicks, that would be the time for Donald Trump to reappear.   He is eligible to run in 2024, but cannot do so legitimately without overwhelming support from his party, and the willingness of other potential candidates to back him.  It will not be easy.  There must be a mass wanting of Trump.

As a party, the GOP is in an excellent position for the 2022 midterms.  The party knows it, and Donald Trump's fortunes will depend on whether he's seen by party members as an asset or a liability. 

December 11, 2020       Permalink 

FRIDAY IN WASHINGTON – AT 5:35 P.M. ET:  Between Thanksgiving and Christmas, in the middle of a pandemic, and with a new administration coming in that brings all the excitement of a Monopoly game in the fifth grade.  So, there wasn't much sizzle in the nation's capital today.  The biggest deal was Joe Biden introducing his B-team, as if they needed introductions.  They had all the freshness of black-and-white television.   From AP:

President-elect Joe Biden on Friday introduced five top picks for his new administration, drawing on leading names from the Obama White House while also tapping an Ohio congresswoman and a congressional committee veteran.

Appearing at the afternoon event were Biden's choice for director of White House Domestic Policy Council, Susan Rice, who served as President Barack Obama’s national security adviser and U.N. ambassador; and Denis McDonough, Obama’s White House chief of staff, now nominated as veterans affairs secretary.

lso attending will be Biden's selection for agriculture secretary, Tom Vilsack, who held the same post for Obama; Ohio Rep. Marcia Fudge, chosen to be the new administration's housing chief; and Katherine Tai, who is chief trade counsel for the House Ways and Means Committee and has been tapped as U.S. trade representative.

“They bring deep experience and bold new thinking,” Biden said. “Above all, they know how government should and can work for all Americans.”

Obama was first elected on promises to move beyond partisan politics, but saw some major policy goals crash into an uncooperative Congress, especially after Republican gains in the 2010 midterms. Some progressive Democrats now worry that Biden is drawing too much from the Obama team, which they feel should have been bolder in its efforts to remake government.

Mark Riddle, a Democratic strategist who founded a pro-Biden Super PAC during the 2020 presidential campaign, said there is no danger in relying too heavily on “all star” former Obama administration leaders. But he advised Biden’s team to prioritize controlling the coronavirus pandemic enough to spur economic growth, rather than having arguments over social policies that might allow congressional Republicans to more easily block sweeping policy initiatives.

COMMENT:  I am yawning.  I am falling asleep.  Aren't you thrilled that Susan Rice, the designated liar of the Obama White House, will now be running Biden's Domestic Policy Council?  Obviously, Biden wanted to keep her out of foreign policy.  Her reputation as Obama's national security adviser reminds me of a comment made by Winston Churchill about Secretary of State John Foster Dulles – "a bull who brings his own China shop with him."  In Domestic Affairs she can do little harm.  She'll break some dishes.

The rest of the list brings little comfort.  Denis McDonough, a fine enough man, will run Veterans Affairs, but is not a veteran.  Bad optics.  Veterans don't like it.

The only intriguing choice is Katherine Tai, for trade representative. Her family is Taiwanese.  She has worked on Taiwan.  Her choice is a stick in the eye to the Communist (mainland) Chinese.  I hope there are more.

Biden has still not chosen a secretary of defense.  And he has not appointed an attorney general.  That appointment, always critical, is now more critical considering the potential legal charges against Biden's son, Hunter.  Whoever is nominated will get a world-class grilling during his or her confirmation hearing.

December 11, 2020       Permalink

DECEMBER 10,  2020

SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – OVERNIGHT:

A CRISIS SO VAST – FROM THE NEW YORK POST:   There may be a shortage of cookies on the shelves this holiday season, one of the biggest commercial producers of confections is warning.
Campbell’s Soup Company, which makes cookies under the Pepperidge Farms brand, warned that it is facing a shortage ahead of its busiest season — including of popular varieties like Milano and Chessman.  In an earnings call with investors, Campbell’s CEO Mark Clouse blamed the shortage on an increase in demand and a labor shortage, both of which are results of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.  According to a report compiled by Top Data, American cookie consumption has increased by 25 percent since the start of the pandemic, with 1 in 5 Americans eating three or more cookies per day.  Campbell’s faces additional hurdles in meeting the skyrocketing demand because it does not use third-party manufacturers for Pepperidge Farms cookies — due to the brand’s unique shapes and designs — making it harder for the company to ramp up production to meet increased demand.  I ask, why has major media ignored this story?  No sense of values.  No sense of priorities.  If the cookie is crumbling, the nation is doomed.  George Washington said that.  Or something like it.

OH REALLY? – FROM REDSTATE:  You may have noticed a shift yesterday after news that Hunter Biden was under federal investigation broke. Suddenly, as if the memo had gone out, the media were interested. Multiple mainstream media outlets, including CNN and Politico put out reports actually saying that Hunter Biden’s issues were worse than his father’s transition team statement let on.  That may be all well and good, but no one should forget how these “journalistic” outfits treated the very same story when it could have cost Joe Biden the election. We know about the censorship of the New York Post, but it wasn’t just that. News outlets also actively tried to discredit the story despite having no evidence it was false and ample evidence it was true.  In fact, as I reported yesterday, it’s been known since late October that Hunter Biden was indeed under investigation. Not a single member of the mainstream media reported it. They will now try to act as if the latest admission by the Bidens somehow constitutes this as new. It’s not new.  Why are some "news" outlets suddenly becoming so interested in Hunter Biden?  You don't think it's...the K-word, do you?  Kamala?  Nah.  Wait.  Not so fast.  The press ousted Trump, which was the establishment objective.  But now the media is stuck with Biden.  Not exactly hot copy.  But Kamala is a different story, and if Biden could be forced out...  Oh, no one thinks that way.  Really.  Who would think that way?  Start with Kamala.

December 10, 2020       Permalink

ANOTHER TRUMP VICTORY – AT 11:30 P.M. ET:   Well, I doubt they'll be building monuments to Donald Trump in China, or in San Francisco for that matter, but they may be building them in the Mideast.  His contributions to Mideast peace have been remarkable, and another one was announced today.  Morocco will be normalizing its relations with Israel.  From Fox: 

Morocco will normalize relations with Israel, making it the fourth Middle Eastern country to do so this year under a U.S.-brokered deal.

In return, the U.S. has recognized Moroccan sovereignty over the disputed Western Sahara region.
President Trump announced Thurday that the two nations would restore diplomatic relations, which means the countries would reopen liaison offices in Tel Aviv and Rabat and eventually would open embassies. 

The deal will also grant overflight rights and direct flights to and from Israel. 
Much of the motivation behind the peace deals is to counter the influence of Iran. 

“Another HISTORIC breakthrough today! Our two GREAT friends Israel and the Kingdom of Morocco have agreed to full diplomatic relations – a massive breakthrough for peace in the Middle East!” Trump wrote on Twitter. 

The president then called Morocco’s claim over the Western Sahara a “serious, credible and realistic autonomy proposal” and the “ONLY basis for a just and lasting solution for enduring peace and prosperity!”

The Western Sahara is a desert region formerly under Spanish control, where a decades-long territorial dispute has pitted Morocco against the Algeria-backed Polisario front, which seeks to establish an independent state in the territory. 

“Morocco recognized the United States in 1777.  It is thus fitting we recognize their sovereignty over the Western Sahara,” Trump tweeted. 

Trump finalized the agreement with a phone call with Morocco’s King Mohammed VI, the White House said. 

COMMENT:  Conditions for peace in the Mideast have never been better.  The question is whether the Biden administration will continue Mr. Trump's efforts, or wreck them because they have the name "Trump" attached to them.

It's been noted that, thus far, the normalization agreements worked out by our government do not include the Palestinians.  That is true, but largely because the Palestinian leadership refuses to negotiate with Israel.  They haven't noticed the peace train leaving the station.  We should be putting heat on the Palestinian leadership to return to the negotiating table and informing them that peace agreements will be pursued without them if they continue their behavior.  My fear is that the Biden administration, under intense pressure from the leftists who dominate the Democratic Party, will put pressure on Israel, returning us to the failed policy of the Obama crowd, which is back in force.

December 10, 2020       Permalink

JUST HAPPENED – AT 6:12 P.M. ET:  We are one step closer to mass vaccination of Americans to protect against the Covid 19 virus.  From Fox: 

A U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisory committee on Thursday voted to approve Pfizer and BioNTech’s emergency use authorization (EUA) application for its coronavirus vaccine candidate, the first COVID-19 jab to win such approval in the U.S. 

The vote was 17-4. One committee member abstained. 

The highly-anticipated meeting included members of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research advisory committee, outside vaccine experts and Pfizer representatives. The U.S. follows behind Canada, the United Kingdom and Bahrain to approve the emergency use of Pfizer and BioNTech’s coronavirus vaccine.  

Albeit significant, it’s important to note that the committee’s vote in favor of the EUA is not final; the vote now has to be reviewed by the officials with the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research which will confirm the decision. 

(A similar process ensued after a panel of independent experts advising the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) voted last week that health care workers and residents of long-term care facilities will be the first to receive the long-awaited coronavirus vaccine. That decision required approval from CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield.) 

The vaccine proved 95% effective in late-stage clinical trials, the companies announced late last month. Pfizer and BioNTech were the first to apply for emergency use authorization from the FDA. Another efficacious vaccine candidate developed by Moderna followed suit, becoming the latest contender to file for EUA. 

COMMENT:  A very important step, although the press will find the way to minimize it, lest some credit be given to President Trump...who deserves credit for Operation Warp Speed, under which the vaccine was developed.

The country is on its way.  Good journalists will report on the pace of immunization, will report side effects while keeping them in proper proportion, and will go out and actually talk to vaccine recipients about their experience. 

These vaccines have been developed in record time.  I'd like to hear from some of the researchers who were on the front lines.  Maybe a news organization will be interested in introducing us.   Maybe. 

December 10, 2020       Permalink