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Bruce Bialosky

Getting to Know Elizabeth Warren

There are many ways to get to know presidential candidates. Their personalities, their families, their policies or their plans (we know for certain Elizabeth Warren has plenty of those). How they will govern is something harder to determine with a truckload of candidates. But based on Ms. Warren’s history, we can get a sense of how she would operate if elected President.

In a detailed and sourced analysis of Ms. Warren’s history by Peter Suderman at Reason https://reason.com/2019/09/10/elizabeth-warrens-plans-dont-add-up/ , understanding her mentality is made very clear.

Warren’s manner was illuminated in her first major foray into publication. This goes back to 1989 when she co-authored what has been characterized as a “pioneering study on consumer bankruptcy.” The only problem was the authors used flawed data to determine their conclusions. When called on it by a well-regarded expert who had provided funding for the study, Warren obfuscated and refused peer review. One could surmise she concluded that the ends justified the means.

The willingness of Warren to disregard peer commentary on her work was replicated again and again. Warren… Read More

Richard Rider

80,000 CA government retirees now get $100K+ pensions — and their numbers are skyrocketing

Six-figure California “public servant” pensions are becoming the new norm in the Golden State. The number of CA state and local public employees now receiving such retirement income is now 80,000 and rising.

The rate of GROWTH of such pensions is breathtaking.Since 2013, the number of $100,000+ CA pensions has grown 85%, with similar growth projected in future years.

This growing group constitutes our own government-mandated aristocratic class of people. We are their humble serfs. Enjoy your status.

https://blog.transparentcalifornia.com/2019/11/05/nearly-80000-california-retirees-are-receiving-100000-or-more-in-pension-pay-new-data-show/?

Read More

Bruce Bialosky

Californians Can’t Take Responsibility

There are two stories out of California that define why the state is in a slide and needs to refresh before more residents say Hasta La Vista.

The first story is of an immature Congresswoman who cannot accept responsibility for her own actions; which, in itself, is a sign of immaturity. While she is pointing fingers at everyone but herself, members of the press enable her by ignoring the real reason she resigned.

The Congresswoman said, “I’m leaving, but we have men who have been credibly accused of intentional acts of sexual violence and remain in board rooms, on the Supreme Court, in this very body and — worst of all — in the Oval Office.” And your point is? And the relevance of this statement is? The only thing I can think of is that you are a child and everyone else is responsible except for you.

Let’s start with the obvious. How stupid can you be to have anyone, ANYONE, take nude photos of you? Didn’t we judge Anthony Weiner an idiot for sending pictures of his genitals? We tell our children not to write outrageous things on Facebook as their postings might be seen by college administrators or potential employers. Yet we… Read More

Bruce Bialosky

When are Women Going to Put a Stop to This?

Organized athletics for women have come of age and beyond during my lifetime. When I was in my youth, it seemed the extent of women’s athletics was participating in gym class and maybe some women playing tennis and golf. Participating in athletic competitions was perceived as a non-feminine act. Suffice it to say, things have significantly changed for the better. Are we now allowing this to slip away with women not even putting up a whimper?

The famous Title IX was passed in 1972 when I was just entering college. It had other concerns, but it became the controlling factor in developing women sports at the college level and thus spurred everything we have today. Young girls now participate in soccer leagues from an early age which have created the United States soccer behemoth which once again won the Women’s World Cup.

Every May I spend an extensive amount of time watching college softball. I think it is a great game. The young women have made it their own by acting completely different than the young men who play in the college baseball world series in June. Don’t for a minute think these women aren’t highly skilled while they are doing their… Read More

Richard Rider

San Francisco is killing its restaurants. Good on ’em!

I have a confession to make. I take inordinate pleasure when progressive policies go badly in the progressive capital of America — San Francisco.

I know it’s wrong of me to feel this way.

Too bad. Deal with it.

The latest welcome disclosure about San Francisco is that it’s ruining its own trendy left wing restaurant industry. I seriously doubt that today there is a single San Francisco “sit down” restaurant employing waiters that is NOT owned, operated and staffed by progressives.

EXCERPT:Restaurant closings outpace openings by 9%, according toYelpdata analyzed by the Golden Gate Restaurant Association. In a recent meeting with the Board of Supervisors, one industry veteran said: “We need to do something now, or we will be gone.”

Liberals are suffering as a result. I can handle it. As General George Patton reportedly said about… Read More

Bruce Bialosky

Ambassador Taylor’s Non-Event Testimony

Of the series of witnesses that have appeared in front of the House Intelligence Committee hearing that we are not allowed to know about — except for selective leaks by Chairman Adam Schiff that are damaging to President Trump — the testimony of Ambassador William B. Taylor, Jr., is purportedly the most damning and the sure fire thing that will cause Trump to be impeached. We don’t know exactly what he said, but John Cassidy of the New Yorker stated “He has removed the automatic presumption that Trump will survive an impeachment trial.” To the extent we can, let’s look at what Taylor said.

Taylor released a very detailed 15-page opening statement. The question from the Adam Schiff hand-picked lawyers could not have gotten much since they were never going to challenge Taylor. They only have asked “Was it really as bad as you say?” “Oh, it was really, really bad.” The Taylor statement is very detailed and provides a good roadmap for what he believed was very, very bad behavior.

Ambassador Taylor returned to the position after serving in Ukraine for three years under President George W. Bush. Taylor did lay out a long history of his… Read More

Bruce Bialosky

Admiral McRaven Keep It to Yourself

It is every American’s right to criticize our leadership. That is what separates our country from others. The Bill of Rights and the First Amendment codify individual rights that make us the beacon for the world. Certain individuals have a higher responsibility to protect the First Amendment and, when using it, not to act like a second-rate politician. That is what Admiral William McRaven did in a New York Times recent column.

Let’s get past the obligatory commentary that we are all thankful for the service and sacrifice of Admiral McRaven on behalf of our country. That does not justify his irresponsible commentary.

The Admiral’s column Our Republic is Under Attack from the President begins with the Admiral wrapping himself in the American flag. If anyone deserves to do this he certainly does. He has earned it.

The transition started with a statement that feelings of despair were widespread throughout the troops with which he interacted. By innuendo he stated they were in despair akin to his feelings without any evidence. The only example he cited was a retired four-star general who apparently told him in confidence, shook him and shouted “I don’t… Read More

Bruce Bialosky

The Killing Fields

For those who are under the illusion that there is salvation for Communist/Socialist governments.

During an otherwise very enjoyable vacation to Southeast Asia, we went to Cambodia. Not that Cambodia isn’t enjoyable — we visited their famous temples including the iconic Angkor Wat (best viewed at sunrise). One could think that coming all this way and not visiting the Killing Fields would be a shallow act. It was actually the first thing I asked about when we decided to visit the birthplace of Khmer Rouge.

One cannot necessarily foresee a mass murder of the kind that happened between 1975 and 1979. Especially when the killing was of a different kind. The Jews were different from the Germans, at least in the Germans’ minds. The Armenians were different from the Turks. This was native Cambodians murdering other Cambodians in unimaginable numbers. There were some minorities murdered, but they were not the focus.

It was an effort to emulate Mao’s Cultural Revolution. Their leader, Pol Pot, wanted purity. We learned that many of the soldiers ranged in age from thirteen to twenty years old, i.e., ripe for indoctrination. They were reminiscent… Read More

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