Irascible Musings

Conway: Trump Will Talk Immigration After Dems End Shutdown

Kellyanne Conway says President Donald Trump is not demanding that a border wall be part of negotiations for a continuing resolution to end the government shutdown. . .

The Daily 202: Government shutdown foreshadows a 2018 of inaction and gridlock

The president’s ‘defiance disorder’ makes it harder to get anything done.

Bulgaria, Czech Republic calls for EU reforms on migrants

The prime ministers of the Czech Republic and Bulgaria are calling for swift reform of the European Union's asylum system. Czech Premier Andrej Babis and Bulgarian counterpart Boyko Borissov agreed … Click to Continue »

CIA’s Pompeo: We’ll Continue ‘Crushing Our Adversaries’ Despite Shutdown

CIA Director Mike Pompeo said despite thousands of intelligence community employees forced to go on furlough because of the government shutdown, there will be no impact on agency's operations. . .

Mattis says Turkey gave US notice about airstrikes in Syria

U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis says Turkey gave the U.S. military advance notice of its airstrikes against Kurdish targets in northern Syria. Mattis defended Turkey, calling it a trusted NATO … Click to Continue »

Paul Ryan: House will pass spending bill if Senate approves it

House Speaker Paul D. Ryan said Monday that if the Senate votes to open the government, the House will pass that bill.

"The Democrats will have a chance to open the government, that they shut down, at noon today," Mr. Ryan, Wisconsin Republican, said on Fox News. "If they open ...

Kid Rock donates merchandise money for voter registration

Kid Rock has donated about $122,000 from sales of merchandise promoting his potential U.S. Senate campaign to a voter-registration organization. The Detroit-area rocker, whose real name is Robert Ritchie, teased … Click to Continue »

Poll: Dems Surge to 14-Point Lead in Midterm Elections Matchup

A new ABC News/Washington Post poll released Monday show Democrats have surged to a 14-point advantage among likely voters in congressional preference compared with a dead heat in early November . . .

Mike Pence says U.S. will open embassy in Jerusalem next year

Vice President Mike Pence said Monday that the U.S. will open its embassy in Jerusalem next year, accelerating the administration's plans for the move after President Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

Mr. Pence made the announcement to Israel's parliament.

"In the weeks ahead, our administration will advance its plan ...

Donald Trump says Democrats prioritize noncitizens due to ‘far left base’

President Trump said Monday that Democrats are prioritizing noncitizens in shutting down the government.

"The Democrats are turning down services and security for citizens in favor of services and security for non-citizens. Not good!" Mr. Trump tweeted.

"Democrats have shut down our government in the interests of their far ...

Poll: 41 Percent of Voters Blame Republicans for Shutdown

The latest Politico/Morning Consult poll shows a plurality of registered voters blame congressional Republicans for the government shutdown. . .

Never Trump Fails to Learn From Trump’s Successes

Daniel McCarthy, Law & Liberty
If there were a Cult of Trump, his supporters wouldn't criticize him. They do--oftener and in more serious ways than George W. Bush's fans criticized him.

The Climate Change Doomsday Just Got Canceled

Trump Tears Up Fracking Rules on Federal Lands. Be Alarmed.

Apple, Animal Spirits and Trump’s Tax Cut

Turkey Upends U.S. Syria Strategy With Attack on YPG

US Embassy in Jerusalem to open next year, Pence says

Vice President Pence told Israel's Knesset on Monday that the U.S. Embassy will open in Jerusalem next year, ahead of schedule.

White House defends ad calling Dems ‘complicit’ in killings

The White House is defending a tough new ad by President Donald Trump's re-election campaign that says Democrats will be "complicit" in any killings committed by immigrants in the U.S. … Click to Continue »

Officer fatally shoots 17-year-old in suburban Kansas City

Authorities say an officer has shot and killed a suburban Kansas City teenager while responding to a report of a suicidal person. The Kansas City Star reports that the shooting … Click to Continue »

Chris Coons says he will back short-term deal if long-term plan is guaranteed

Sen. Chris Coons said Monday that he will vote for a short-term spending deal if a long-term plan is guaranteed.

"If I can trust that we will, in fact, in the next three weeks, resolve — and we're very close to having resolved — the Children's Health Insurance Program, we ...

Trump Slams Dems Over Shutdown

President Donald Trump slammed Democrats again on Monday, this time for being "powerless" against their "far left base" in the shutdown fight.

The Disturbing Part About Amazon’s HQ2 Competition

Richard Florida, CNN
Pitting city against city in a bidding war for tax and other incentives - -things Jeff Bezos' company doesn't need -- is wasteful, writes Richard Florida, and elected leaders of these cities should ensure that tax payers and citizens are not footing the bill.

Arab lawmakers at Israel’s Knesset tossed out after heckling Pence during speech

Arab lawmakers in Israel's parliament were tossed out from the house on Monday for heckling U.S. Vice President Mike Pence at the start of his speech. The main Arab party in the parliament said it would boycott Pence's speech - though it wasn't immediately clear whether they would walk out in protest, heckle or skip the session altogether. The Knesset, which is accustomed to such high-profile visits, had added a new layer of security, and besides the speaker and other dignitaries, lawmakers did not have direct access to Pence. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the boycott a disgrace. He and others gave Pence a standing ovation. … Click to Continue »

House GOP May Release Intel Behind FISA Memo

House GOP leaders are considering releasing some intel behind a memo alleging the FBI abused the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. . .

Jared Kushner Is China’s Trump Card

Entous & Osnos, The New Yorker
In early 2017, shortly after Jared Kushner moved into his new office in the West Wing of the White House, he began receiving guests. One visitor who came more than once was Cui Tiankai, the Chinese Ambassador to the United States, a veteran diplomat with a postgraduate degree from Johns Hopkins University. When, during previous Administrations, Cui had visited the White House, his hosts received him with a retinue of China specialists and note-takers. Kushner, President Trump’s thirty-seven-year-old son-in-law and one of his senior advisers, preferred smaller gatherings.

The Man Who Put Andrew Jackson in Trump’s Oval Office

Susan Glasser, Politico
Historian Walter Russell Mead has become the favorite Trump whisperer for everyone from Steve Bannon to Tom Cotton.

The Thin Blue Wave

Jeff Greenfield, Politico
As we argue over who's to blame for the government shutdown, it's worth questioning the conventional wisdom of a Democratic triumph in November.

Kellyanne Conway: Donald Trump not asking for border wall until government reopens

Kellyanne Conway said Monday that President Trump is not making demands for a border wall as part of negotiations on the funding measure.

"The president has not injected the wall into the continuing resolution," said Mrs. Conway, counselor to the president. "That will come after the continuing resolution is passed."

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