The (Daily) Vent 2

(Ultimate Arbiters ?) What happens when one proves a bad investment ? What takes place when one fails something so specular that he becomes a financial risk ? In the aftermath of Biden's epic fail last week, what is the situation with Democrat donors when it has become patently obvious that the President's cognitive condition has been confirmed. What happens to the bankroll if Biden's status is called into question ? The Biden family has been insisting that the President recognized that he had a "bad" night, he had a cold and every other excuse that could be offered. The President could not be as bad as he looked but the footage does not lie. Biden's determination notwithstanding, the decision is not his in the end. If he wants to fund the rest of his campaign, he will need those with whom he has lost confidence. Biden is in a state of flux. On one side, the 25th Amendment is being considered but even if that is not the conclusion, to have the President face T...

(Other News. . .) At this rate, oxygen levels have been depleted. The "performance" of President Biden in last Thursday's debate still revibrates these days later. The questions raised in the exchange with Trump are introducing possible invocations of the 25tb Amendment and in other questions of succession, because, if Vice President Harris cannot assume the role of President herself, then next in line would be Speaker of the House, Republican Mike Johnson. Also, there have been Decisions that were announced by the Supreme Court. The first is that so-called January 6th protesters did not necessary obstruct justice in the "riot" on Capitol Hill that morning. More significantly, however, the Supreme Court took steps to limit the Administrative State. Like a deer in headlights, the Vice President is suddenly aware of her situation. She could become the first Black President with the President's incapacitation. But actually, removing Biden from the Ticket would ...

(Plan B ?) It is appropriate that today is June 28th. As one might recall, in 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated with his wife Sophie in the streets of Sarajevo by a Serb nationalist. The killing ultimately led to the outbreak of the First World War. After last night's debate performance, President Biden has experienced the equivalence of his own assassination in the ancient Bosnian town. For the last almost four years, conventional wisdom held that Donald Trump would secure the GOP Nomination but ultimately fall to President Biden in the General contest, As of last night, that dynamic has been reversed. It is now the former President who is favored over the current occupant in the White House. However, last night's performance was all the more remarkable considering all the "prep-time" by all the consultants that had been assembled to assist the President. All but a week was Biden kept behind closed doors as his responses were defined. That being said, B...

(Popularity Contests) Former President Trump has said he has made his selection for Vice President. The name could be announced on Thursday at the Debate or at the Convention next month. This will be a new VEEP because, not only will he or she need to follow Trump till November and then be the standard bearer come 2028. Now, this is an event that is anticipated as this could be the next Republican President, after Donald Trump. The one chosen will need to fill arenas in the same manner that Trump can. As the former President can be otherwise occupied. If one were to guess as to Trump's choice, it will probably be a Senator Rubio or a Congressman Donalds. Or if residency is a problem, Governor Sanders from Arkansas could be the selection. This list of candidates will, among them, need to be able to mirror Trump, to become him, to be him. If Trump has indeed made the choice, the earlier an announcement is made the better because there is a role to be immediately fulfilled, The Campai...

(Leopold Made A Friend !) It is a new dawn in security relations for Northeast Asia as Russian President Vladmir Putin landed in DPRK, North Korea's Capitol, Pyongyang, meeting with Premier Kim Jung Un. In combination with China and now Iran, the four powers can offer an effective foil against the USA, perhaps soon under new management. One thing to say for certain, is if the next President is again Donald Trump, starting with the Putin visit to North Korea, each of these new regimes will find a renewed relationship with Trump in marked contrast to the Biden years. Frist thing to expect is that President Trump will be renewing sanctions against China, he will place restrictions on Iranian oil, possibly bankrupting that regime once again. Un-finished business from four years ago but what and if there is to be s new security arrangement, Trump has said that he has good personal relationships with the leaders involved. Trump has been friends with Putin, and Xi and even Kim Jong Un. As...

(The Fight This Time. . .) Some eighty-three years ago, June 22nd, 1941, the Germans launched Operation BARBAROSSA , the largest land campaign in history, and the strategic effort of World War II. In fact, with ongoing action in the Ukraine, a significant portion of BARBAROSSA 's original theater. That being said, in the run-up to Thursday the fund-rising numbers have between former President Trump and current President Biden, the former has experienced a surge in money, overtaking Biden. While the President still promotes an impressive game in battlefield states, it has been this Trump that has been able to match his own potential, putting his own ads on air. While money is still important and gives one the ability to put out his message, Trump is perhaps unique in that he can access so-called free media almost on demand. How much will his upcoming rally in Philadelphia be worth in paid media ? Or Trump's other appearances ? The former President is able to circumvent traditio...

(Pit Crews, , ,) Last month was the 108th running of the Indianapolis 500, with Penske driver Josef Newgarden, taking the Checkered Flag. Along the way, Newgarden made several pitstops, gassing, new tires, wind shield cleaning and so on. President Biden will need his own set of pitstops in preparation for Thursday's debate with Donald Trump. Biden is at Camp David for such preparation, and it will be in these sessions where the President's viability can be determined. But this will be no sped out in the Winners' Circle, if Biden cannot be put together in time, not only will the President not get the Flag, he won't even get the pole. It is considered that if Biden cannot perform in a few days, that will be his end. At that point, there will be no sense in pretending and will give Donald Trump the White House almost by default. Like any other racing team at the Five Hundred, with the all the sponsors, incorporated in a system that takes its car onto the track and, racing ...

Good Ideas ? All cultures throughout history have had to develop means of governing human behavior, relationships between the government and the people. Most of these come to common sense. For the Hebrews, it was Charlton Heston and dated Hollywood effects in the Cecil B. DeMille classic The Ten Commandments . Like, God is God, does not necessarily need a physical representation. It is a bad idea to take the Lord's Name in Vain, A Day of Sabbath should be observed. One should Honor ones parents. Do not commit murder. It also is a bad idea to step out on one's wife or steal. It is also a bad idea offer false witness against one's neighbor or to "covet." Now, truth be told, no one adheres to any extent to any letter of the Ten Commandments but instead, these "rules" could be seen as a guide to proper behavior. But, as we all know, most people have bad behavior. So what ? The Ten Commandments, as most other religious symbols and banned from the public squar...

(Acceptable Levels. . .) Many consider The Godfather Part II the better movie than the original. The story of the Fall of Michael Corleone comes into better focus. In the scene at the Corleone Estate outside Reno, and the meeting with Senator Geary who announces his intentions to extort Corleone and that he wants the answer by noon tomorrow." To which Michael replies: " Senator , you can have my answer now . My offer is this . Nothing . Not even the fee for the gaming license , which I would like for you to take care of personally ." Now, this is a good example from Francis Ford Coppola but the idea translates today to what is happening at the border. President Biden, in his creepy whispering voice, complains that  there was this bi-partisan border bill, where once some 2,500 or so and then he could close the border. But, like Michael Corleone's ultimatum to Senator Geary, "nothing" that is the Republican position on immigration. No entry. Period. What a...

(Crash-Test Dummy. . .) Leonid Brezhnev was General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (try saying that really fast !) from 1964-1982. Brezhnev was able to take the Terror of Stalin and, with the Nikita Khrushchev interlude, Brezhnev was able to bring the Soviet Union into direct competition with the United States. He was also the author of the so-called "Brezhnev Doctrine," where Warsaw Pact, read "Soviet," forces could be introduced into "member countries," like Czechoslovakia in 1968 or Afghanistan in 1979. Also, Brezhnev negotiated the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks with the Nixon Administration. In his later years, however, one could tell the General Secretary was declining. In his final months, Brezhnev's entourage would wake him, present him with some award, and then allow him to retire. Leonid Brezhnev had a greater impact than Joe Biden ever could. But the President, if any recent coverage is an indication, cheap fake or not...

(Help From Friends ?) John Lennon once composed a single "Get By With a Little Help From Myu Friends." Or words to that effect. Who might the "friends" be in this case ? On this case, it are the millions of illegal immigrants that are being given a fast-track path to citizenship, and by extension, voting rights. Among several states, that are not requiring identification, are distributing voter registration forms. It is likely that some will "cast ballots. If that occurs, it these make it into the system, it could tilt the Election results. Which would be by design. The idea for Democrats has always been that illegal immigration is desirable because in time, they would be reliable Democrats. In time. However, with Trump at the position he is, "in time" becomes no longer practical. The former President could actually win. As a consequence, ballots will be placed in ballot boxes in sufficient quantity to turn the result to Biden. Last time, the Biden-Tr...

(Freeze Frame ?) The J. Geiles Band broke up after the release of their last album, 'Freeze Frame," that included such hits as the eponymously named track as well as 'Centerfold."  A "freeze frame" moment seemed to pause President Biden at s "Juneteenth" ceremony the other day. . . This entry was started some days ago but a medical issue intervened. Much better now. So, in abbreviated fashion, one continues: Yes, the President froze. The lap top was real and its restricted distribution was designed to frustrate Trump in 2020. That it is open source now to assist Hunter Biden reveals all motivations. Another interesting note would perhaps be that former Speaker Nancy Pelosi. had a new take on January 6th. Belatedly, Pelosi admits. that she. as Speaker. could have asked for the National Guard to secure the Capitol. That was a charge to be labeled as Trump's fault and is not the Democrat Rallying cry "The Insurrection on J6 ?" And here ...

(Harbingers ?) One can say that the election of President Biden in 2020 was also an acknowledge of global elites, the ones that convene in Davos at the World's Economic Forum. In Biden, these elites had a partner that shared their vision on the environment and global commerce. Theirs was to be a "rules based" order, the Paris Climate Acords would be the governing documents. Then came Afghanistan. Ukraine. Israel. Then one has to consider President Biden declining condition. Beyond that. there is all the green socialism and unfettered immigration, not only in this country but across Europe, where some people have apparently had enough. In elections to the European Parliament, 27 countries, results generally favored right of center candidates. The outcomes in France and Germany were sufficient to have Macron to dissolve his government and in Germany, the so-called Green Party was all but eviscerated. This is a  response to the leftist polices that have been emplaced over th...

(Spillin' Tha Beans ?) Common sense would have suggested that the Trump Hush Money trial jury should have been sequestered. The reason they were not, is less about having a trial and more about ensuring  the "proper" result, namely the former President's conviction. That outcome was all but predictable. That being said, however, the case was not supposed to be discussed, despite the fact that Judge Merchan had dismissed the jury for over a week, still not sequestered. Invariably, one had that ubiquitous "cousin" that announced the inevitable outcome, before the verdict was announced. Judge Merchan had to inform the Trump team that a "comment" had been placed on Facebook where, it was alleged, "the cousin was on the jury and that Trump was to be convicted. Thank you for all your hard work." It is true that convicting Trump is truly God's Work but the Judge was not supposed to be so blatant in allowing the Facebook comment to be set. It...

(The (not quite) July Crisis) German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, the "Iron Chancellor," as he was called, was known as the Circus Rider of Europe. He most responsible for the founding of the German Empire. he was able to accomplish this by some brilliant diplomacy that secured Germany's flanks by treaties like the Three Emperors League or the Reissuance Treaty. Creating the German Empire, however, in essence, closed a circuit. So, when the Iron Chancellor was removed from Office by Kaiser Wilhelm in 1890, Bismarck's carefully crafted Balance of Power was left in less capable hand. On June 28th, 1914, in the Bosnia town of Sarajevo, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the Heir to the Austro-Hungarian Throne, was assassinated, along with his wife, Sophie. What followed were a series of diplomatic maneuvers and military mobilizations that, in that intense summer environment, gradually drove the Nations of Europe to "The Guns of August." This June 9th, the situation in ...

(March To The Abyss ?) The American Heritage Picture History of WORLD WAR II is one of the best single volumes on the Second World War. It has an opening chapter called "March to the Abyss," where it chronicles how from the end of the First World War, how with revolution, economic chaos, allowed for the rise of Fascist and otherwise totalitarian regimes in Germany, Italy, and the Soviet Union. How the League of Nations was a failure. The rise of Hitler, Mussolini, or Stalin, Tojo in Japan. Collectively, these were the men that were responsible for starting World War II. It is becoming increasingly possible that Donald Trump could be elected President, again. People love making the comparison between Donald Trump and Adolf Hitler. It is more an emotional reaction, linking Trump's Art of the Deal to Hitler's Mein Kampf . Once back in Office, Trump might require a "loyalty oath." That he will his own "Night of the Long Knives" and ruthlessly extermin...

("The Boys Of Pont du Hoc") In contrast to President Biden's anemic appearance at the 80th Anniversary of the Normandy Landings, President Reagan, at the 40th Anniversary of D-Day. The "Boys of Pont du Hoc" as he put it, was an Army Ranger assault against a cliff that straddled the gap between Utah and Omaha Beaches. There were reportedly some German guns that could be sighted against ships landing troops on Utah . The Rangers did get to the top but there were no guns. The bunker where they were supposed to be housed did not even have the heavy mounts. As one trooper complained, " they came all that way , for nothing ?" It had been Reagan's point that the men who scaled that cliff, even with the absence of those guns, and indeed all the others that went ashore on June 6th, American, British and Canadian (French also), were of a type, through sheer will, determined to be the first "back onto the Continent." This morning, the jobs repor...

(When Does Glory Fade ?) It was eighty years ago today that Allied forces came ashore in opposed invasion against Hitler's Atlantic Wall. On five beaches, west to east Utah , Omaha , Gold , Juno , and Sword , on the Cavadas Coast of Normandy, France in dual operations NEPTUNE / OVERLORD . " NEPTUNE " was the amphibious portion of OVERLORD and what landed, and flew, June 6th: D-Day. As anyone will tell you, it was a "close run thing." For the Allies to place some 150,000+ on the French shoreline on June 6th with all their equipment, with three Airborne Divisions (82nd, 101st, British 6th) was nothing short of a miracle. An Allied armada comprised of almost 7,000 fleet units ranging from battleships to individual assault craft. This impressive host opened fire on German defensive positions at around 0630 and checked fire some 90 minutes later. There was complete Allied air dominance.   After the lodgment on June 6th, it took another six days till June 12th till a...

(Less Than Zero) The movie Less than Zero , was a 1987 release that stared Andrew McCarthy, Robert Downey Jr., and Jami Gertz. In a nut shell, the film chronicles drug use and vain attempts to get sober, how, in the end, everyone dies. Perhaps not through any drug use but President Biden is at a point at almost "less than zero." His cognitive decline is now on full display and has been concerning some law makers, as well as a article from the Wall Street JOURNAL. If one were to look for policies that are reflecting this state of mind, look no further than the results of Bidenomics. The last read of the GDP had to be revised down to 1.3%. The ADP jobs report came in weaker than expected some 150,000 verses 175,000 or so. In an example of an economy in growing "distress," only 8.9 million jobs were "open" but that is a significant reduction from the 11-12 million positions that were open a few years ago. That being said, it is the border that is orders of m...

("Leopold" Of The Criminal Justice System) A lot to un-pack. Start with "Leopold." In a classic Daffy Duck feature, "Birth of a Notion," Leopold is a dog that puts Daffy up in his house, owned by a mad scientist, a resemblance to Peter Lorre, who "needs a wishbone from a duck" for his experiments. While Daffy and the mad scientist jockey throughout the episode, flash back to the dog. "I'm Leopold, remember ? Some part I got in this picture. Phooey !" The name represents people who were left out of events, like a Daffy Duck cartoon, or world events in Northeast Asia. In past years, as President Trump was dealing with Premier Xi Jinping. notably absent was North Korea's Kim Il Jong, a "Leopold" in other words. Today, it is Hunter Biden and the start of his various gun charges. However, because all the oxygen had been sucked by the Trump proceeding in New York, any Hunter proceeding was lost in the ether. June 4th is also...

(Patterns Of Behavior) Former President Trump was found guilty the other day because he had to be. However, the Trump case is only the tip of iceberg. What about the Russia Hoax, that had been funded by Secretary Clinton in her Campaign. The reason that then FBI Director James Comey maneuvered a new President Trump into firing him, which triggered the Mueller probe. It also exposed the cabal within the Bureau that was active in preventing the New York developer and reality tv star from assuming the White House. All these efforts were in vain but, at the same time, they had to be done. Dr. Fauci is testifying on Capitol Hill today trying to explain how the covid pandemic was mis-handled. Masks, it turns out, were all but useless. Vaccines were not effective as advertised. Social distance had no scientific basis for its implementation. It has been revealed that covid origin was probably a lab spill and not a natural cross species event.  The true "benefit" for the pandemic, col...

(Bad Advice, , ,) It was fanfare that former President George W. Bush landed an S-3 Viking on the deck of the USS Geroge Washington with a banner "Mission Accomplished" hanging from the carrier "island." The event indicated an "end" to the active operations to IRAQI FREEDOM and the impression given that the Iraq war was over. The statement was pre-mature in what followed were many months of a Muslim insurgency. The situation was stabilized by the "surge" by the Bush Pentagon but, when President Obama assumed Office Iraq again detiorsted and allowed for ISIS to arise and form its bloody caliphate. Now, seeming on the cusp of victory over Hamas , Israel is grudgingly "accepting a cease fire being brokered by the Biden Administration. Prime Minister Netanyahu is saying it is not a good plan, it does not destroy the terror group and the idea that there remain hostages to recover could prove problematic. But the point is clear. Over six weeks o...

(Final Words ?) President Biden comments in the aftermath of the Trump guilty verdict. The former President called the whole process rigged. For his part, Biden said that was a dangerous expression. He said that Trump was, and no one is, above the law. Trump had a jury, twelve of his citizens, and he result was just. To say it was rigged ? For Mr. Biden and all those saying otherwise, the trial was rigged. It had to be.  The guilty verdict was carefully crafted and designed for this precise outcome. It is true that there has been significant fund-raising in the aftermath and a six point bounce in the polls but these advantages could be temporary because a significant number of prospective voters have said that with this conviction they would demur in voting for Trump. The next significant "trial" of course will be that of Hunter Biden with his weapons and tax charges. Significantly more than a mis-construed business expense and adult film star some ten years ago. Like for Tr...