Some consider the Nation’s Capital as “Fantasyland on the Potomac”. Other outsiders are “Fed Up” with the Federal City. It's better to consider D.C. as “the District of Calamity” (sic).
This endorsement of Trump foreign policy is significant as there was talk that Senator Cotton may be considered as a potential CIA chief if there is a cabinet reshuffling.
[L] Salem Radio's Hugh Hewitt [R] Republican preumptive nominee Donald Trump
Recently, I was chatting with a convicted Trump-eteer who was incredulous at the assertion that the Trump campaign welcomes thug tactics to keep WINNING in their minds. The Trump Campaign's Social Media Director Dan Scavino just exemplified the point with his threats of barring Hugh Hewitt from the July Republican National Convention in Cleveland.
Hugh Hewitt is a center-right radio host with Salem Media. Hewitt was so trusted to be tough but fair by the RNC that Hewitt was picked as being the Republican panelist at several CNN hosted GOP debates.
Because of his role asking questions to the candidates, Hewitt declared his show to be "Switzerland" until after the California primaries.
Well, the Golden State primaries have come and gone. Instead of coalescing the Republican party and focusing fire on Hillary Clinton's foibles, Donald Trump himself brought up a racial rant against Judge Gonzalo Curiel in the Trump University fraud civil case in Federal district court this November. Compounding the problem, surrogates implied that Muslim and women judges might not be fair to the Donald. Thus, prominent Republicans, such as House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) distanced themselves from the inappropriate remarks.
Hewitt was critical that Trump failed to address the Curiel kerfluffle. But as a former Presidential ghostwriter, Hewitt thought the Last Primaries Victory speech sounded pedestrian and flat. Moreover, the radio pundit found it cringeworthy when Trump incorrectly echoed a shout out from his audience: "What about TPP? (the Trans-Pacific Partnership) by noting that the "PPP" was bad, like pee-pee.
Thus, Hewitt vexed that the GOP will get crushed unless the delegates do something.
Hewitt did not suggest voting for Hillary. Nor did Hewitt vow not to vote for the eventual Republican nominee. But the radio host observed that it seemed that the plane was speeding towards the mountain on a collision course, which could well cost the Republicans the House, the Senate the Judiciary as well as the White House.
True to Trump form, Scavino threatened via Twitter that "hater" Hugh Hewitt should be banned from the Republican gathering in Cleveland.
Thin skinned, pugnacious and vengeful towards a media type who has been a loyal Republican since the days of Nixon. In addition, Hewitt has a politically oriented national morning radio show sympathetic to Republicans and makes many media appearances on NBC, CNN and MSNBC. Smart--not.
Reacting to the hostile Scavino suggestion, Hewitt noted that he will be broadcasting during the RNC Convention in Cleveland and appearing on NBC.
Considering how Trump may still sting from blowing Hewitt's nuclear triad debate question in December as well as the predicted Trump Train Wreck, Trump would not be expected to be BFFs. But to have a campaign surrogate suggest barring a reliable Republican from attending is Alpha-male insanity.
Trump loyalists love to note that Trump is not a politician and that he had plenty of success in the business world. But this is neither boardrooms or "The Apprentice" sets; this is politics and governing. In a free Republic,it is not as easy to control a message or dictate how others (legislators, bureaucrats, media) will act.
It seems that Trump can not take criticism so he and his surrogates will lash out against offenders. Trump's troll like champions love that he will counter-punch. But many times prudence is the better part of valor. So instead of reinforcing Trump's Crooked Hillary line of campaign, the body politic will still murmur about racist remarks and another case in which the Trump campaign threatens a journalist.
If that's WINNING, it is dubious about who is actually being victorious. At the very least, I feel vindicated for perceiving thuggish Trump campaign tactics.
In a telling interview with a Rochester, New York radio station, Republican Presidential front-runner Donald Trump revealed the Bible passage which has most informed his thinking-- An Eye for an Eye.
Naturally, Mr Trump did not spew out the exact scriptural reference, so for all he knew it was the Code of Hammurabi instead of the Book of Levitucus 24:19-21. It's not exactly something that one would hear about from Two Corinthians (sic). Nor did Trump appreciate how St. Augustine marked it as a controversial passage showing the vengeful nature of the Old Testament.
An eye for an eye is known as the Lex Taliones (Latin for Law of the Talon) for a law of retaliation which today has particular relevance in tort law, for translating non-economic losses into money. Considering Trump's public persona, which craves flattery but lashes out when others' oppose him and his persistent pugilism, Trump's memory verse rings true. Trump's candid scriptural citation certainly peers into what burnishes his soul. Elections certainly ought to be about vetting ideas of how to govern the polity. But they can also act as a measure of a man's character. To install a leader of the free world who swears by lex taliones may make being a pirate commonplace.
Phyllis Schlafly returned to the headlines today endorsing Donald Trump for the Republican Presidential nomination. This Schlafly endorsement probably is intended to give the Manhattan Mogul some sway among social conservatives. But a commentary that Schlafly published on the Eagle Forum may give conservatives consternation. Schlafly urged that the Major Leagues ban foreigners from playing in America's Pastime. Ironically, Schlafly is making her pitch as the Major Leagues have been earnestly endeavoring to expand their influence worldwide. In 2014, the MLB season kicked off in Australia. There has been lots of talk (along with trepidation) about moving a franchise to Mexico. And currently, the Toronto Blue Jays aren't playing their home games on US soil (and it is dubious if Canada will withhold foreign players' visas). While it is lamentable that there is not as much sandlot baseball that progresses player into the Major Leagues, reimposing bigotry barriers goes against the grain of the civil rights movement. It is bizarre to believe that sports fans today worry about the ethnicity of an athlete as opposed to their athletic abilities. Anyone who suggests an "America First" on the fields of competition is out of this zeitgeist. Granted, Phyllis Schlafly is 91 years old. Her notoriety skyrocked in the mid 1970s fighting against the willy nilly imposition of the Equal Rights Amendment. This was around the same time that then Senator Bob Dole (R-KS) was selected as President Ford's Vice Presidential running mate in 1976. Perhaps it is time for Ms. Schlafly along with Senator Dole and President Jimmy Carter to gracefully surrender the public spotlight before they further embarrass themselves.
John Kasich's self assessment on the Hugh Hewitt show sounds like modern Manichaeism. But Kasich has often self righteously pushed a Christian social gospel as he has been on the Presidential hustings.
Wonder where Kasich stands on Two Corinthians (sic). In addition, wonder how the heavens consider his monicker of Prince of Light and Hope.
During a private fundraiser in Greenwich Village New York City, Democrat Presidential hopeful First Lady Senator Secretaryof State Hillary Clinton (D-NY) raised the prospect of establishing a national infrastructure bank modeled after the Clinton Foundation.
So it seems that Mrs. Clinton has more ideas than just "Vote for Me, I'm a Woman who married Bill". The trouble is that using the Clinton Foundation as a model raises all sorts of questions about crony capitalism, influence peddling, governmental waste and eviscerating the proper budgetary role of the legislative branch.
According to the Hillary 2016 campaign, such an infrastructure bank would “leverage public and private capital to invest in critically important infrastructure projects, including energy infrastructure projects.” But hasn't this been tried already, like the $534 million given to Solyndra as part of President Obama's 2009 Porkulous? A lot of good that "shovel ready" pork barrel project did.
Then there is the favoritism problem. What entities are allowed to draw from such a hypothetical infrastructure pot? Conservatives railed against the Export-Import Bank as being crony capitalism which favors select international big businesses. Why should the government be picking winners and losers and funding some of them?
Of course, there is the thorny issue about where the money comes from. With the Clinton Foundation, people betting on getting access to a future power broker like Mrs. Clinton were happy to contribute millions of dollars. Where would this pot of gold come from?
But at least Hillary Clinton's rich imagination about a National Infrastructure Bank temporarily took away the public's focus on Hillary's E-mail irregularies.
Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) made a piercing floor speech denouncing the tactics of Majority Leader Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) of reneging on promises about floor votes over the Export-Import Bank. Majority Leader McConnell used the parliamentary tactic of "filling the amendment tree" to only add the Export Import Bank Amendment to the must pass Senate Highway Bill and a symbolic Repeal Obamacare vote (which was doomed to fail cloture), Senator Cruz lambasted protecting the vested interests of the Washington Cartel through legislative legerdemain which ousted Senate Majority Leader Senator Harry Reid (D-NV) made famous.
Thereafter, it was unlikely that Senator Cruz was going to be invited to any future Cocktail Parties by the Washington establishment. But Grand Old Party establishment grey beards like Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and Senator John Cornyn (R-TX), denounced the lack of decorum, which opaquely criticized the Junior Senator from Texas. Of course these attacks were more restrained than earlier criticisms of young turk's aggressive ways in Washington, which colleague Senator John McCain affectionately attributed as "wacko birds".
Ronald Reagan had popularized the political "11th Commandment" -- to not speak ill of your fellow Republican. In fact, Senator Cruz has been conspicuous for not denouncing Donald Trump because Cruz does not want to attack fellow Republicans on the campaign trail. Charles Krauthammer considers Cruz's floor speeches to be an example of hypocrisy.
The question is whether telling the truth is included in Reagan's 11th commandment is key to discerning party loyalty.
Many have attributed the wave of support for Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump to dissatisfaction with Do Nothing Republicans who will not speak the truth. If the Trump boomlet ends, has Ted Cruz positioned himself to gain the support of those who want to Make DC listen again?
A broader question for the Grand Old Party faithful is whether the electorate should not register their protest for elected officials that campaign one way but govern in another that is almost indistinguishable from the Democrat opposition.
Three term Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) launched a quixotic quest for the 2016 Republican Presidential nomination. Aside from his scant standing in the polls, Senator Graham is also challenged by the fact that he is a life-long bachelor.
Harriet Lane with President Buchanan
Grover Cleveland wedding 1886
No Presidents in the 20th Century were faces with that dilemma in etiquette. The 15th President, James Buchanan, never married so his niece Harriet Lane Johnson acted in the role of the First Lady for White House social events. The 22nd (and 24th) President, Grover Cleveland, entered the White House as a bachelor. Initially, Cleveland's sister, Rose Cleveland, acted as White House hostess. However, President Cleveland married Francis Folsom in the White House Blue Room in 1886 and thereafter she assumed the ceremonial role as first lady.
In the event that a President Lindsey Graham ever had to host formal White House dinners, Senator Graham suggested that: "Well, I've got a sister, she could play that role if necessary. I've got a lot of friends. We'll have a rotating first lady." This creative answer should have put to rest such a peripheral political question.
Alas, Senator Graham had his good friend from Illinois, freshman Senator Mark Kirk (R-IL) got caught in a hot mike moment.
During a Senate roll call vote, Senator Kirk referred to Lindsey's rotating First Lady situation as being necessitated because of an off the cuff comment:"[H]e's a bro with no ho." With friends like that, Lindsey, who needs enemies? Kirk's press secretary quickly sent out an email explaining that he was joking and apologized if anyone was offended.
What was Senator Kirk thinking being so jocose while being miked up? Is he prepping to win votes on Chicago's South Side for his re-election bid? Did his 2012 stroke impair his judgment on decorum? After all, Senator Kirk claimed that the stroke made him a better politician and a better man. Or is it an establishment politician who has become oblivious to always being in the limelights and just misbehaving?
The Chicago Tribune seized upon DNC talking points to question if Kirk is still fit for office with a string of off-the-mark comments. The 2016 election cycle is a difficult one for the Republicans to keep the Senate because the GOP has so many seats being contested. Kirk's comments make holding the Land of Lincoln's seat more questionable for the Republicans.
As for Presidential candidate Lindsey Graham, the quip concentrated attention on being a confirmed bachelor rather than his presumed prowess in military matters in a foreign policy driven election.
The left's opposition to the Trans Pacific Partnership is steeped in anti-corporate sentiments. Opposition on the right is focused on the dereliction of duty, in which Congress rushes through a fast track trade deal and prospectively surrenders legitimate legislative duties to the Executive Branch and even an international commission.
Dr. Ben Carson, the retired chief of Neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins University Hospital, has experienced a meteoric rise in conservative political circles since he upstaged President Barack Obama with a speech at the National Prayer Breakfast in 2013. Carson’s mild mannered delivery of critiques of the Obama-nation coming from a faith filled physician with a compelling personal story stole the show.
Just after the Exploratory Committee announcement, Dr. Carson was drawn into a debate on CNN’s “New Day” with Chris Cuomo on whether homosexuality is a choice. Carson commented that convicts "go into prison straight -- and when they come out, they're gay. So, did something happen while they were in there? Ask yourself that question," This view syncs with Dr. Carson’s Seventh Day Adventist background and traditional marriage premises but did little to advance his candidacy.
Shortly afterwards, Carson backtracked on the statement saying "I realized that my choice of language does not reflect fully my heart on gay issues." Later, Carson declared that he would no longer speak about gay issues. But the damage had already been done. Glenn Beck called this quote “the dumbest thing I’ve every heard”, which led Beck to declare that Carson’s candidacy was over just as it begun. That may have been hyperbole, but it was unwise for Dr. Carson to touch today’s third rail of politics in a wonton way. Carson squandered his wider introduction to the public by allowing himself to be painted a bigot for a peripheral point.
As part of the media barnstorming effort, Dr. Carson engaged in a thoughtful radio interview with Hugh Hewitt, a politically center right Salem Radio host who prides himself on not conducting ambush interviews. Since the 2016 Presidential Campaign cycle may well pivot on foreign policy issues, Hewitt asked about Russian provocations and Western response. When asked how NATO should respond if Putin made a move on the Baltic States would we go to war, Dr. Carson responded: “Well, if we have them involved in NATO. We need to convince them to get involved in NATO and strengthen NATO”.
Hewitt later followed up on an inference that Carson did not seem aware that the Baltic States were part of NATO. Dr. Carson rejoined: “Well, when you were saying Baltic state, I thought you were continuing our conversation about the former components of the Soviet Union. Obviously, there’s only three Baltic states.” Unfortunately that clarification was as clear as mud as Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia were former components of the Soviet Union and have some ethnic Russian speaking communities still residing there (which was the pretext for Russia effectively seizing Crimea and try to take the Donbass). Hewitt is known for in-depth interviews and going into the proverbial weeds to explore military issues. Carson’s ignorant answers on defending our Baltic State NATO partners exposes a serious chink in his campaign armor and exhibited a lack a preparation.
Dr. Carson granted a long form interview with GQ magazine which was conducted at Armstrong Williams abode. The resulting piece from Jason Zengerle : “What if Sarah Palin were a brain surgeon?” frames Dr. Carson as the Tea Party’s great White House hope, while sliming him with the Alinsky inspired animus associated Gov. Sarah Palin (R-AK). The pull quote from Carson’s GQ interview involved Armstrong Williams egging on Ben Carson to opine on Obama’s optics. The soft spoken Dr. Carson pronounced: “Like most psychopaths--that’s why they’re successful. That’s the way they look. They all look great...he's trying to sell what he thinks is not true. He’s sitting there saying, ‘These Americans are so stupid, I can tell them anything.’”
Dr. Carson is a renowned neurosurgeon, not a psychiatrist, so taking a swipe at President Obama as a psychopath is off the mark. Such a distant diagnosis from Charles Krauthammer (who was trained as a psychiatrist) seems reasonable, but from Dr. Carson it seems like a harsh characterization. Part of Carson’s political charm is his mild mannered air of authority. Being bombastic by characterizing the Obama obsession with optics and fooling “idiotic” Americans sacrifices this strength. Moreover, this pugilistic “psychopath” trope was nothing new and unlikely to garner much new support.
Ben Carson has proudly declared: “I'm not a politician and that I never intend to become a politician. Even if I'm elected to office, I'm not going to be a politician because they tend to do things that are politically expedient. And I'm not trying to do things that are politically correct.” In this day and age, not being considered a Beltway Establishment politician is an advantage to base voters who tire of political lies and political correctness.
However Dr. Carson is making plenty of rookie mistakes in on the political field. Allowing a Draft movement to exploit donations which never really make it to the actual campaign may dismay donors. Opining on hot button issues like homosexuality without successfully connecting it to preserving traditional marriage, which should really be an ancillary campaign issue in the first place. Taking partisan pot shots like labeling the incumbent a psychopath which mars his soft spoken demeanor and popular appeal. Giving extensive access to media outlets like CNN and GQ on the proto campaign roll out which would play gotcha journalism. Then there is the sin of going on friendly media like Hugh Hewitt unprepared, exposing a key weakness of the candidacy, namely foreign policy chops.
That perspective may be provocative and perspicacious as a pundit, but it sounds like another thing altogether on the campaign trail, especially with spin coming from other campaigns' opposition research laundered through the compliant press.
As Dr. Carson continues to move closer to declaring his candidacy for the Republican Presidential nomination, he has come out swinging for the fences. Unfortunately, he seems to be off balance for some of the pitches and creating lots of wind. To mix sports analogies, the off balance stance on the campaign hustings makes him prone for sucker punches from the Lamestream Media.
Dr. Carson could make great contributions to shaping the campaign conversation in the 2016 Cycle. His tremendous personal story shatters the liberal labeling of Republicans as the party for old white men. Dr. Carson’s faith history underscores a potential appeal to evangelical voters, which would be key to victory in the Iowa Caucuses. As a physician, he would be given great credence for critiquing Obamacare. So Dr. Carson should eschew some of his ardor against being a politician and get good advice which best represents his brand as a thoughtful outsider who will not abandon promises because it is politically expedient.
In a sympathetic article in the Village Voice, Katie Toth highlighted how caucasian interlopers were muscling their way into leadership of the Michael Brown protests in New York.
Demonstrators were traipsing between stores at the Atlantic Center Terminal Mall in Brooklyn, New York.
Cherrell Brown, Community Organizer
The youthful protesters eventually tried were trying to overwhelm a Target, but organizers from the New York Justice League tried to stop violent pushing. Cherrell Brown, a national organizer for Equal Justice USA, grabbed a megaphone to tell the mob: "White people, check your privilege. We don't need you to provoke stuff right now." After a couple of tense moments, the mob chose to conduct a "die-in" by laying on the floor of the mall to make shoppers uncomfortable and move on. New York Justice League (founded by Harry Belefonte) representative Michelina Ferrara thanked the group for coming and not giving the police and the media to vilify the activism.
Later, Michelina Ferrara, who identifies herself as a mixed race first generation immigrant with "light skin privilege", fretted that a couple of white dudes were trying to seize the microphone at the demonstration, which may have been aimed at shutting down the Brooklyn Nets game at the Barclay Center. Ferrara's race consciousness and concern about white privilege probably was well honed during her Womens' Studies education at De Pauw University. But the mass of anti-cop protesters do not appear to publicly recognize that they are being played by progressives professionals.
Cherrell Brown and Michelina Ferrara are both products of the progressive university indoctrination system (which degrees in political science at North Carolina A&T and Womens' Studies at DePauw University respectively). Now both have graduated to community activism. As much as they object to the Eric Gardner Grand Jury decision, they bristle at being horned out of leadership by presumed white privilege.
Assuming that the rabble represented Gotham anti-police protesters, it seems less about race than being a collegiate cause celebre. The only elements missing were a drum corps and giant puppets. The protests have expanded beyond focusing on Ferguson or Staten Island Grand Juries, and is a melting pot of lefty obsessions, including support for Palestinians and Puerto Rican grievances. It may be that Cherrell and Michelina want better optics by having more melanin blessed spokespersons. But could it possibly be community organizers elbowing for prominence to be first among equals among grievance groups.
Occupy Wall Street's Twitter account was organizing the New York Times Square protests on December 3rd. There were pre-printed protest signs and chant sheets from union activists from SEIU and the REVCOM.US (the Revolutionary Communist Party US).
And Nike claimed that the revolution won't be televised. Alas, not all of these useful idiots want to take stage direction to make it seem less elitist. Kind of why the Occupy Movement fizzled once the public figured out that it was less about the protesting the 1% and more like trust funders camping for a cause with their i-pads and i-phones taking direction from radical leftists.
If community organizers agitation prove successful, it is worth considering Kosh's quote from Bablyon 5 "The avalanche has started, it is too late for the pebbles to vote." In a top down, bottom up inside out Saul Alinsky scenario, political correctness may neither be respected nor may radical privilege be checked.
Representative Hank Johnson (D-GA 4th), the four term incumbent from Atlanta, expressed some interesting views while on the Michael Smerconish radio program.
While it was no surprise that a member of the Congressional Black Caucus such as Rep. Johnson would voice undying support for the first black President Barack Obama, it is interesting to see how other African American aspirants to the Oval Office are given short shrift because of ideology.
When Congressman Johnson cited Dr. Ben Carson, he suggested that the former Johns Hopkins neurosurgeon was whipping up a frenzied lynch mob ignorant peoples' political support. That seems like a stretch considering Dr. Carson's tempered, soft-spoken demeanor and his appeals for Americans to appreciate the constitutional foundations of this Republic. But it may be that Mr. Johnson thinks that repeating outrageous accusations will suffice for a Groobered public.
Then again, consider Congressman Johnson's district and his history. After all, he succeeded former Representative Cynthia McKinney (D-GA 4th).
Moreover, Rep. Johnson's national claim to fame was during House Armed Services Committee in which he vexed about Guam becoming so overpopulated that it would capsize. This exchange with the Admiral of the Pacific Fleet went viral. Johnson claimed that he was speaking metaphorically. You be the judge.
And political junkies think that Republicans are the stupid party.
Some political pundits are incredulous that President Barack Obama refused to assume any responsibility for the Democrats "shellacking" from the GOP wave midterm election results. Jeff Greenfield took to Twitter after the POTUS presser to wonder if our Dear Leader was in denial.
But "De Nile" is a river in Egypt. Based upon precedent, our President prefers Greco-Roman mythos.
Narcissus would be proud.
Alas, the Republican lead Senate is not poised to play Echo across Pennsylvania Avenue.
So who will whisper into Caesar's ear "Remember, you are no God" and would be effectively heard?
When speaking before the Legal Services Corporation, Vice President Joe Biden referred to "Shylock" lawyers who pressed foreclosures while soldiers were serving overseas.
From a political perspective, this was a prudent position for a prospective Democrat nominee for President in 2016. "Lunch Bucket Joe" bolstered his middle class credentials while taking a class warfare tact and aligning himself with patriots serving in the military. Unfortunately Biden's ham-handed execution of this campaign "strategerie" was insulting to a key Democrat minority, showed an insensitivity and underlined a tendency to be gaffe prone.
Mr. Biden referred to some lawyers as "Shylocks". This colorful language was offensive to Jewish voters, who are key Democrat voting bloc and reliable campaign contributors.
As Anti-Defamation League National Director Abraham Foxman noted: “Shylock represents the medieval stereotype about Jews and remains an
offensive characterization to this day. The Vice President should have
been more careful." Surely, if a Republican or a Conservative would have uttered such an epithet, such a politico would not receive such a mild chiding and the news of the gaffe would lead the headlines in the Lamestream Media.
Conventional wisdom holds that former First Lady, Senator and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton (R-NY) is the putative Democrat nominee for the 2016 Presidential election. But Ms. Clinton's support may be a mile wide and an inch deep. But if bad news sticks on Hillary, such as the accusation that former Secretary of State Clinton's staff was complicit in scrubbing Foggy Bottom documents on Benghazi "to protect the seventh floor", suddenly opt to spend more time with her grandchild. That would make Vice President Joe Biden the default front runner.
Political junkies are well acquainted with Biden's tendency to bloviate and be gaffe prone, as when he told "Barack" at the announcement of Obamacare that: "This is a big f**king deal". Being Vice President may not make you a lock to win the Oval Office, but it certainly gives advantages to gaining a party nomination. However, other Democrat candidates would likely to use Biden's verbal gaffes as the chink in the armor to take down the leader of the pack. If Vice President Biden has not locked down the informal media caucus, gaffes may be reported in the future more as a "Big f'ing deal" rather than "Joe being Joe."
If only the Talking Heads between the beltways would stop carrying water for the Obama Administration and accept that is the same as it ever was for the Chosen One.
Or to quote Monty Python's Life of Brian (1979) "He's not the messiah--there's a mess alright, but no messiah."
As Americans celebrate Independence Day, we should find ways to deepen our appreciation of what America means. This can be accomplished through art, poetry and music.
The stylized skyline resembling the stars and stripes brings to mind that the Declaration of Independence was a divine gift to the world where our founders gathered in Philadelphia in 1776 asserted that self evident truths that rights and freedoms are granted from God not from the state.
Ralph Waldo Emerson's poem "A Nation's Strength" reminds us that this foundation of freedom is grounded by brave men and women who toil to protect our freedom, often at great personal cost.
But these celebrations can not become ossified. So A Capitol Fourth on the National Mall will feature a new arrangement of the National Anthem.
This version of Francis Scott Key's Star Spangled Banner seems more fit for orchestral performance than to be sung. However, considering the history of the base tune and the difficulty which singers have singing on key, this arrangement can be a blessing.
In an interview with National Public Radio, six term US Senator Thad Cochran (R-MS) audaciously asserted that earmarks had been given a bad name.
In fact, "Gentleman Thad" bragged about how his thirty six years of seniority and membership on the Senate Agriculture and Appropriations Committee could be applied to direct how tax dollars are spent.
Cochran's concern about who controls the spending of tax dollars seems less constitutionally connected and more ego driven. According to Breitbart's Big Government, Cochran has more buildings named after him in Mississippi than any current lawmaker has in his state or district.
And to think that Cochran has not been able to earmark any vanity plates since Speaker John Boehner (R-OH 8th) and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) banished budgeting earmarks after the 2010 elections. Wonder where Cochran stands against Robert Byrd's naming legacy in the Mountaineer State?
The 76 year old Senior Senator from Mississippi is engage in a contested Republican primary against Tea Party favorite State Senator Chris McDaniel (R-42nd-Ellisville). Despite some hopeful polling at the beginning of April, Cochran still seems to have a solid lead. But Mississippi voters will finally decide during the June 2nd primary.
Moreover, Rep. Johnson's national claim to fame was during House Armed Services Committee in which he vexed about Guam becoming so overpopulated that it would capsize. This exchange with the Admiral of the Pacific Fleet went viral. Johnson claimed that he was speaking metaphorically. You be the judge.
Conventional wisdom holds that former First Lady, Senator and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton (R-NY) is the putative Democrat nominee for the 2016 Presidential election. But Ms. Clinton's support may be a mile wide and an inch deep. But if bad news sticks on Hillary, such as the accusation that former Secretary of State Clinton's staff was complicit in scrubbing Foggy Bottom documents on Benghazi "to protect the seventh floor", suddenly opt to spend more time with her grandchild. That would make Vice President Joe Biden the default front runner. 
