Art Buchwald on Tax Reform

Ben Stein on the Iran Nuke Deal

Hillary's Hiding EMails Continues to Haunt Her Reputation for Honesty

Prior to former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's (D-NY) formal campaign announcement, there were questions about her emails while at the State Department . It was revealed that Mrs. Clinton exclusively used a personal email (HDR22@clintonemail.com) stored on a private server during her tenure at Foggy Bottom.  Additionally, Mrs. Clinton only turned over her emails in late 2014 with paper copies of the work emails that she deemed relevant.

Of course, there are plenty of questionable things already associated with the email imbroglio. Only using a personal email account was highly irregular and probably insecure.  Mrs. Clinton's lame rationale about using only one device associated with an email was lanced when it was shown that Hillary used both an Ipad as well as her trusty Blackberry.  State Department policy requires immediate surrender of all work materials to an archivist, who then determines what is personal. It was odd that Hillary printed out emails for the State Department rather than the electronic originals (making it difficult to do computer searches).  Then there is the oddity of months longs gaps in emails including when  Mrs. Clinton traveled to Libya and was photographs of her using her Blackberry, there are no record of documents.  Hmm.


 Now it has been revealed that House Government Reform and Oversight Committee Chairman Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA 49th) had sent a letter to the State Department on December 12, 2012 which specifically asked if the Secretary of State ever used a personal email account to conduct official business.  Uh oh.

Well, Mrs. Clinton resigned from the State Department February 1, 2013.  The State Department did not respond to the House Government Reform Committee until March 27, 2013 and their response merely was a copy of the policy that all State Department employees : “should make it clear that his or her personal email is not being used for official business.”.

While the Lamestream Media sought to create a frenzy for Hillary's Mystery Machine Listening Tour road trip to Iowa, Mrs. Clinton is slipping in the polls in key battleground states to Republican challengers.  Quinnipiac Poll Assistant Director Peter Brown attributes this drop to the perception that Hillary Clinton is a dishonest politician, which can be attributed to the continuing email embarrassment.

If convicted, an official who obstructs or destroys federal documents could be barred from office. It is almost inconceivable that an Obama Department of Justice (under Attorney General Eric Holder or the stalled nominee Loretta Lynch) would ever prosecute or seek to convict such a high profile progressive politician.  But there are no such strictures in the court of public opinion.  Hillary for America intends to raise $2.5 billion for their campaign.  But she who raises the most cash does not always win (sic). In 1980, Governor John Connally (D R-TX) was considered a great orator and had a distinct fundraising advantage.  In the end, Connally spent $11 million and only garnered one delegate. How embarrassing.  Actually, not as embarrassing as Hillary's continuing email embarrassments.

h/t: Hot Air
      John Cole 

Grover Cleveland on Taxation

Jinkies! Hillary's Scooby Van Is Really a Black Limo Mystery Machine

As Hillary Clinton (D-AR NY) was "getting started" with her Presidential campaign, she seems stuck on reruns.

While the former First Lady/ Senator/ Secretary of State kicked off her campaign with another video, but this time as a social media infomercial.The 2016 edition had better production value, the champion of the ordinary people message to earn your vote seemed like a slight variation of "let's talk" ala 2007.

Then Hillary set off on a trip to Iowa for a listening tour with ordinary Americans. Hillary made her mark on the hustings for the 2000 Senate campaign with a listening tour in Western New York, so this was deja vous all over again. But it should be noted that during the 2008 cycle, Hillary's "Let's Talk" video conferencing did not have the same magic in Iowa, and she eventually came in third during the Hawkeye Cauci.

Rather than to jet to Iowa, Hillary Clinton drove off to Iowa in a van dubbed "Scooby". Of course, Hillary has not been behind the wheel since 1996. So better put, the Secret Service escorted her in the same vehicle in which she is driven about in New York.

Then there is the mincing moniker "Scooby". Presumably, the Scooby tag is meant to be charming and humanizing.  But the nickname is also in reruns. The Hillary, Inc. transport "van" was also christened "The Mystery Machine" for the 2000 Senate campaign. The only semblance that the 2016 Scooby has with the Hanna Barbara Mystery Machine is that you can't see out the sides. The cartoon wheels was a panel van whereas Hillary is chauffer  in a limo van with tinted windows which separates the principle protectee from the hoi polloi.

Hillary's Mystery Machine worked quite well as Mrs. Clinton could order a burrito bowl with Huma Abedin at a Maumee, Ohio Chipotle restaurant wearing black sunglasses inside and no one noticed her (or cared).

This might be a successful strategy for anonymity, but missed the mark on connecting with the common folk who Hillary is supposed to be championing.