That little idiot the leftist media has been lionizing as a shooting "survivor," David Hogg? Guess what? He wasn't even THERE. (Update)

There's been a great deal about this slimeball in the media:



He's been everywhere... giving speeches and interviews and all that.  The leftist media INCESSANTLY refers to him as a "survivor of the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School," which would be swell...except for one thing: according to CBS News?

He wasn't there.

Here's the money quote, from Hogg himself:

DAVID HOGG: On the day of the shooting, I got my camera and got on my bike and road as fast as I could three miles from my house to the school to get as much video and to get as many interviews as I could because I knew that this could not be another mass shooting.

There's no explanation as to why, as you might expect, he was blowing off school.  Nor is there an explanation about why he had lied to Time Magazine just three days before:

David Hogg, a senior at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, knows what gunshots sound like: His father worked in law enforcement, and taught him about weapons and how to handle them. So when Hogg heard a “pop” while sitting in an AP environmental science class around 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, he told his teacher it sounded strangely like a gunshot. But there had been a fire drill that very morning and talk of a “Code Red” exercise to prepare for an active shooter. This must just be a surprise drill, he reasoned.

And then the fire alarm sounded. Dutifully acting on it, Hogg and other students tried to exit the building. A janitor—Hogg doesn’t know his name but calls him an angel—knew where the shots were coming from and sent the students back. Then a culinary arts teacher, Ashley Kurth, pulled Hogg and others inside, locked the door, and made them hide in a closet. Checking Twitter and Instagram, Hogg—who’s an editor at the school’s TV station—found the news that the shooting was real and ongoing.

Odd, isn't it?

But then, children do have a problem lying, don't they?  And that ANYONE is seriously listening to this punks as they set about to take our right to own a firearm or firearms away?

These scum should be locked up for scamming the American people.

I can't wait for this lying little turd to explain himself on THIS one.

UPDATE:  In some discussion, commenters are attempting to say that Hogg somehow left the school, ran home, got his camera, THEN jumped on his bike, rode back the 3 miles and THEN became a "video blogger."

What's problematic is simple: the school was on lock down for hours during this process, it would have taken him at least 40 minutes to make it home from the time they were released (Unless he's on the track team... and no one so full of himself can possibly be on a team) there is no way that scenario works, IMHO

Sooooo 500 leftists show up in a park, and the democratian makes a big deal out of it.

Here's the thing.

As I've state before, until these tools start going after the most important issues confronting us... and confronting them... no one is going to listen because nothing they babble about makes any difference.

So, naturally, a few local leftists braved the weather to head down to the park and whine and snivel about... what?

Well, about restricting their own constitutional rights.

The irony is reeking.  Students in Parkland now find themselves under the same restrictions when it comes to backpacks that anyone going to an NFL game finds THEM selves... that the backpacks now have to be transparent.

Why, some have wondered, are they punishing us for what one moron did?
Why, indeed.

When two muslims shoot us down in a government office in San Bernardino... when an illegal alien shoots someone walking with their Dad in San Francisco... when a police officer shoots a suspect (and I freely admit that 99% of those shootings are righteous) we are reminded not to judge all by the actions of one.

How come that goes out the window when it comes to school shootings?

As I've mentioned before, tens of thousands of this same idiotic demographic have been killed and hundreds of thousands injured because they have to text and drive.

Are any of them walking out over that?

Are any of them demanding their cars be taken away from them?

Are any of them demanding that their licenses be cut up until they're 21?

Are any of them demanding that their cell phones be taken from them?

No?

Why not?

Over the past five years, at least a Battle Ground's worth of these kids have been slaughtered on our highways.

And none of these punks seem to care.

Well, a few show up in the park.  They yell... they wave signs.  A few more show up in DC, with every leftist and leftist gun-grabbing outfit picking up the tab as if what these punks say matter.

It doesn't matter.

If they want to end teenage death, they'd work to end the causes of these deaths that make their snivelfests look like paint scratches compared to 8 killed in the intersection.

470,000 or so of the people living in this county did NOT show up at this idiotic, fringe-left soiree.

Where's the headline about THAT?

There was, of course, no where close to a "thousand" people in this park.  But hey, when you're a leftist rag and you've got a leftist agenda, why not lie?

It wouldn't be the first time the rag did.

There's a rumor going around that the Omnibus was Mr. Trump's master stroke and it has no impact in law. That is wrong.

See, if it is what many conservatives are claiming it is... well, that seems to be news to Congress.

Look... there's a great many sources for news in the world today.  We've been bombarded with fake news, biased news, fanciful news, exaggerated news and pure, outright, fiction.

There is an anonymous post pinging around Facebook and reddit, mostly, that says this:

r/greatawakening
Omnibus Bill is NOT a Federal Budget - POTUS wins again
u/pj77777Mar 23, 2018, 2:52 PM 

FOR THOSE DOUBTING TRUMP DO YOUR RESEARCH Jo Ann Powell Neely Gunny says: March 23, 2018 at 7:42 am I seriously do not understand why individuals do not read the entire thread or disregard it. 

Wheatietoo and I spent hours yesterday providing links, researching the laws, the 1974 law and statutes…. Do you know why the Omnibus is not going to get any notice…Here it is.. 

It’s not an official ‘Federal Budget’. It’s an Omnibus bill…not a Budget…He outsmarted them again…Congress basically screwed themselves by not passing a Budget… 

Per the Constitution…the President must adhere to a Budget set forth by Congress and direct the expenditures as provided therein. 

This is another one of those big Porkulus Bills, like they gave Obama for 8 years. This is not a Budget.. 

An Omnibus Spending Bill may have some ‘instructions’ as to how the money will be spent…but Obama ignored them. He spent the money, or didn’t spend it, however he wanted to. And Congress didn’t do a thing about it! Because they couldn’t.. 

I think our President observed how this happened, year after year. He is bound to realize that those ‘appropriations’ for different things in these Omnibus bills…are merely ‘suggestions’. 

So like Obama, Pres Trump can spend this money on whatever he wants to. Or…not spend it. 

Planned Parenthood? What if our President decided to tell the Treas Dept to ‘slow-walk’ that money to Planned Parenthood…until the Senate gets off their ass and confirms his appointees? 

Sanctuary Cities? What if our President decided to ‘slow-walk’ that money too…until those Sanctuary Cities assist ICE in rounding up criminal illegal aliens? 

Splodey heads? From the Dems and the Enemedia? Why yes. There would be a colorful display of splodey heads. 

But what could they do about it. Hah. 

Our President could just say…’What! Congress should’ve passed a Budget.’
done finished…research was done…and it is so very humorous actually….our VSG..just said just give me money for the military and the wall…put anything else you want in it…and those goofballs did. 

In this case, as per above….he doesn’t have to spend a dime….because it is not a budget…and even if it was…researched….he could still spend as he please… Congress appropriates….up to the President to spend it…or not….as he pleases.. 

If anyone disagrees, I can go back and get the links and evidence, but if you just read yesterdays political thread…Wheatietoo and I laid it all out for all…Wheatietoo did most of the work and put together the consolidated update as per above…. 

Again, that is why Obama never had a Budget in his Presidency…Congress did continual Omibus’s and he just took the money….for 8 years…and no one seems to know where it went…

This APPEARS to be the source of all this idiocy.  My degree in Government started pinging the moment I read it.  *I* knew it was a crock.  I also knew it was flying around conservative circles at the speed of light because it told readers PRECISELY what they wanted to hear as an explanation for the inexplicable.

Pure, unadulterated, crap.  This is a law.  It's like any other law.  Deluding ourselves that Mr. Trump is some sort of a magician with this gets us no where.

I get that for many, it's like a drowning man reaching out for anything that will float.  But in this case, it's going to sink and it will likely take GOP control of Congress with it... not that it matters which party runs it anyway.

A Congressman named Justin Amash has addressed this issue:

For those buying into that nonsense that the omnibus is meaningless based on one unnamed guy's post... You really should check out Mr. Amash's twitter feed:

https://twitter.com/justinamash?lang=en

Meanwhile, get a grip if you were buying into that nonsense and next time, TRY and engage your critical thinking skills before you buy into this kind of garbage?.

Justin Amash‏Verified account @justinamash · 16h16 hours ago
“Every Bill which shall have passed the House of Representatives and the Senate, shall, before it become a Law, be presented to the President of the United States; if he approve he shall sign it, but if not he shall return it, with his Objections…”
—Constitution, Art. I, §7

Justin Amash‏Verified account @justinamash · 15h15 hours ago
I keep seeing the same absurd claim going around on social media—that the omnibus is not so bad because it’s not a budget. This is totally backward. The omnibus is law; a budget is not. A bad budget is irresponsible but toothless. The omnibus (spending bill) does the real damage.

Justin Amash‏Verified account @justinamash · 13h13 hours ago
Another bogus claim is that this letter (https://t.co/eqaeSSxx8C) means president can repurpose approps as he likes. It means no such thing. Omnibus lets him designate some global health activity spending as emergency, so it won’t count toward spending cap. This letter does that.

Justin Amash‏Verified account @justinamash · 3h3 hours ago

Justin Amash Retweeted Kathy Scott

A law can exist for any duration. Appropriations (spending) laws are generally annual or shorter. Discretionary does not mean at the president’s discretion; it means Congress must appropriate periodically (annually) or the funding runs out. Mandatory spending keeps going.

Justin Amash added,

Kathy Scott @KathySc65174870
Replying to @justinamash
How can this be a "law" when it is only for 6 months? Everything I have researched says there is mandatory & discretionary spending. It states the president does have authority to adjust how the money is spent on discretionary spending. I advise everyone to fact check themselves.

Yawner: Moeller announces the end of Stewart's time on the County Council.

So, a day or two ago, Jimmy "What is-What isn't Candy Tax" Moeller announced he was running for Stewart's county council seat.

Big Yawn.

During her abysmal tenure on the council, it was rare to find a tax or fee that Stewart didn't love to increase; it was rare to see her vote against my blithering-idiot brother-in-law and it was rare to see where she acted like a Republican at all.  Think of her in terms of Julie Olson, fringe-leftist Chuckie Green's BFF.

And here's the thing, you see: if every other Republican running lost... would anyone notice?

Nope.

If Dalesandro had beaten Boldt (Which Tracy Wilson repeatedly assured us was GOING to happen) would anything be any different?

And if CTran sock-puppet Chuckie Green had beaten leftist RINO Julie Olson, would HE have voted any different than her?

Nope.

So, under the circumstances, I will happily support Moeller over Stuart.  Even though he's an arrogant prick with an ego the size of a battleship, he makes no bones about it.  You can bet that Moeller is NOT going to run as a democrat and then suddenly start voting like a Republican.

So why keep a fake Republican in the seat?

Of course, because of the so-called "increased democracy" of this idiotic charter, I don't have any say, do I?

Neither does 3/4s of the rest of the County.

And that's exactly the way the leftists wanted it.

Jimmy is going to beat Stewart like a gong.  But that's the way it goes.

With one stroke of the pen, President Trump likely lost Congress this year. He definitely lost me.

I'm not into double standards.

For several years, I was a 100% supporter of Sen. Ann "Gas Tax" Rivers.

She was SUPPOSED to be "different."  She was SUPPOSED to be a populist candidate, a woman of, by and for the people.

When she gave her word?

You were supposed to be able to take it to the bank.

She was not going to be like most everyone else.  The legislative waters of corruption were SUPPOSED to simply flow by, leaving her untouched.

Well, it took awhile, but the corruption got her.  Repeatedly.

Turns out she lied to get elected to the state Senate, by pledging to oppose gas tax or tab fee increases.  She did her work, and a $700 MILLION bill was slapped on the people of this county... around $1550 each... for every man, woman, child and infant... without asking us because, well, you know... why bother asking the people that you're there to represent?

Rivers lied to us.  But in the most important aspect of her election, an election I spent hundreds of hours working on, an election that was SUPPOSED to begin a career path to be proud of... something to look back on with the pride that only being a representative of the people could bestow... she lied to me.

She also screwed us on the last budget, bending the people of this state over for $5.5 BILLION dollars to go to her WEA buddies.

THEN, she and her sidekick lied their political asses off by claiming that THIS YEAR, our property taxes were going DOWN.

How's that working out for us?

Sadly, I believed. I ignored the whispers from some complaining that she was RINO.  I "knew" better, you see.  I had known her and worked with her over a decade.

Until it was too late.

There was and remains no excuse for that betrayal.  And with it, Rivers made a life-long political enemy who will do everything I legally can do to see her defeated at the polls in 2020.

Regular readers of my meager effort here are well aware of all this.  I mention it frequently to make sure people are reminded as to who is responsible for the rape of our wallets.

Which brings me to President Trump.

Again, regular readers here are aware that I've been a staunch Trump supporter.

I called his election 9 months before it happened.  He was water to a country dying of thirst.  He gave exactly what we wanted where it mattered.

I 've almost rabidly supported him since he was elected, because, well, you know:

He was SUPPOSED to be "different."  He was SUPPOSED to be a populist candidate, a man of, by and for the people.

When he gave his word?

You were supposed to be able to take it to the bank.

He was not going to be like most everyone else.  The Congressional waters of corruption were SUPPOSED to simply flow by, leaving him untouched.

Well, it took awhile, but the corruption got him.

He signed a budget today that not only did NOT "drain the swamp," it fed the swamp.

He added hundreds of millions of dollars to the deficit.

He supported all of those things he claimed to be opposed to.  He let the democrats have everything they wanted.

He did nothing about sanctuary cities.  He did nothing about planned parenthood.  He did nothing about public broadcasting.  Sen. Paul has come up with a list of pork a mile long, unneeded, unnecessary crap.

He did nothing of any importance to get the wall built.

And now.... now he's claiming "never again."

Well, at least until the next time.

My standard is not flexible.

When the people generally and me particularly, are betrayed by those we've trusted... that's a problem.

As Rivers has shown, the first betrayal is kind of difficult... but further betrayal gets easier with time.

And, of course, as Rivers has also shown, the LAST people she's interested in concerning herself with are those of us who were stupid enough to vote for her.

President Trump has promised us a great deal.  Today?

He proved that he can't be believed... can't be trusted and, like Rivers, he WILL betray us.

In January of 2016, there was a town hall meeting in Battle Ground.  It was right before the start of the 2016 Legislative session.

I recall asking her... something like how, exactly, is it that we can figure out when you're lying... and when you're not?

Does a sign flash on your forehead or something?

Here's a video of the whole thing... you can see her completely bogus response... lie after lie after lie.

(Video credit to Brent Boger...Thanks, Brent, for the gift that keeps on giving!)

Well, President Trump doesn't seem to be equipped with a "truth sign" either.

He wants to "drain the swamp" and "make America great again."

We still have millions and millions of illegal aliens.  The budget deficit is exploding.  And the left is getting pretty much everything they want.

Guess what, Mr. President?  This ain't how you go about accomplishing that.

I've come to the conclusion that, in fact, you do need to be impeached.  While clearly, almost all politicians have the ability to lie; your ability causes the most harm... the most damage... the most pain.

We believed in you.

Well, how can we believe in you now?

His impeachment would result in the elevation of Mike Pence to that office.  I believe that he would lie less than our current President.

I can disagree with the actions of an elected official.  No one is going to agree with anyone 100% of the time... but depending on the depth and the importance of that disagreement, I can live with it.

Lie to me?

And we're done.

I do not have differing standards.  I do my best to avoid holding an elected to one standard while holding a different elected to another.

It doesn't matter if the person involved is a close family friend of over a decade... or the President of the United States.

Remember all this as YOU lose control of Congress this November.

This is what you get when those positioned to do so fail to do their jobs to hold the liars accountable.  Because, when they're not held accountable, that makes the lies that much easier this time... and every time after that.

Right, Sen. Rivers?

President Trump, PLEASE veto this budget!!!

Clearly, you're thinking about it... well, call congressional leaders in, sit them down and TELL them what they have to do.

TRUMP THREATENS TO VETO SPENDING BILL

This is the same track they used to ram Obamacare down our throats... a MASSIVE bill, with no time to read it, because as you recall the Belle of Botox telling us, "we have to pass the bill to see what's in it."

Massive spending increases, INCLUDING Senate and House office increases and major increases in payroll.

Rewarding democrats with sanctuary city spending, planned parenthood, public broadcasting and a wide variety of wasteful, expensive programs that will accomplish what it always does:

Nothing.

President Trump MUST veto this budget. And this is the kind of reason why people despise Congress.



Naturally, the clueless moron representing her special interests voted for this: our disgrace of a Congresswoman who has been an abysmal failure since she was parachuted in to "replace" Brian Baird, never mind that more often than not, she voted like him while lacking the guts to face her constituents, literally, for years.

THESE are the kind of spending idiots the local party supports because they continue to fail to hold any of these clowns, at any level, accountable for their continuing betrayal of the American people.

In addition to theft charges, evictions, abysmal performance on LDD's and the liike, Davey can't seem to update the GOP website.

You've got to wonder why the GOP puts up with this slimeball.

Four counts of theft, bail jumping, evictions...quite the guy.

That said, his cult would keep him on the job if he got popped for armed robbery.

But let's wander on over to the GOP website that Delete micromanages... as abysmally as everything else he screws up... and THAT is a LOOOOOONG list.

Let's take a look at the latest candidate list.  Does it seem accurate to you?

For example:

Who are the GOP candidates for the US Senate?

Don't know?  I guess he doesn't either, because at least 2 Republicans have been announced for weeks.  In Davey's world, this is what it says:

There are at least two Republicans announced against Cantwell, including our own local Joey Gibson.

See that here?

And, of course, the local leftist county chair, Marc Boldt.

Do you suppose the clueless moron running this show was unaware that another Republican council member, Eileen Quiring, had also announced several weeks ago?

You wouldn't know it by checking out this website.  And, of course, in the RINO world, Boldt isn't SUPPOSED to have a GOP opponent... at least, according to Davey:

And the other thing still missing from under Boldt's name?

Odd, isn't it?  That the local GOP apparently didn't "need" an "R candidate" to run against Boldt. Was some sort of deal made the night Boldt was invited to the GOP soiree' that Davey is so proud of?

How else can the lack of effort to get someone to run against Boldt be described?

And when they got one anyway, what did Davey do?

Ignored it.

Nah... there's no corruption here.  Local GOP scum jack our taxes through the roof like they're all named Moeller and what does Davey do about it?

Nothing.

A state senator (Rivers) allegedly Republican, gets hired by a DEMOCRAT campaign firm while in the MIDDLE of negotiating a $5 BILLION giveaway to the WEA and what does Davey do about it?

Nothing.

When the head guy is incompetent, I suppose we shouldn't expect anything different.  And with THIS guy... an ego-maniac so moronic that he didn't even respond to the AG's lawsuit in any kind of timely manner?  Resulting in a $70,000+ fine?

It's a damned good thing a democrat doesn't run this show.  Because if he did, why, the GOP might be sitting on candidates, failing to respond to AG lawsuits and trashing the Lincoln Day Dinner.

Just like Davey.

Is it any wonder the democratian doesn't say anything about Davey's criminal and civil background?  Why would they want to get rid of him, since he runs the show like the leftists are paying him?

Congressional RINOs like Herrera cave: Dems get most everything they want; funding cut for Trump agenda, funding continues for leftist agenda.

For the past 3 years, I've been trying to find the difference between the Establishment GOP and the democrats.

For the past 3 years, I've failed.

On the local level, the state GOP is directly responsible for THE largest increases in property taxes, gas tax and tab fees this state has ever known.

The GOP generally and the formerly GOP-controlled Senate in particular.

Local RINOs have been quite supportive of many of these increases.

The horrific resurrection of the CRC/Loot Rail scam?  The RINO who's who is on that bill.  The budget that is causing us so much pain and in many cases, financial heartache?  The local legislative RINO cadre' is all over it.

At the county level, the election of these four fake Republicans to the council; Boldt, Olsen, Stuart, and Blom has resulted in increases in just about every tax and fee possible.  Of course, I predicted as much before any of these 4 Stooges were elected, so it comes as no great surprise.

And now, at the federal level, it appears a budget is going to be passed that would make Nancy Pelosi blush with all the leftist pork in it and all of the broken promises by the GOP... again.

Funding continues to sanctuary cities.  No funding for the Wall. Democrats were allowed to place limits on ICE concerning the number of illegal aliens that can be in custody.

(Source: the Washington Post) 

Immigration enforcement: The bill bumps up funding for both U.S. Customs and Border Protection and for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement — delivering increases sought by the Trump administration. But there are significant restrictions on how that new money can be spent. Democrats pushed for and won, limitations on hiring new ICE interior enforcement agents and on the number of undocumented immigrants the agency can detain. Under provisions written into the bill, ICE can have no more than 40,354 immigrants in detention by the time the fiscal year ends in September. But there is a catch: The Homeland Security secretary is granted discretion to transfer funds from other accounts “as necessary to ensure the detention of aliens prioritized for removal.”

Health care: Left out of the bill was a health-care measure sought by GOP Sens. Susan Collins (Maine) and Lamar Alexander (Tenn.) that would have allowed states to establish high-risk pools to help cover costly insurance claims while restoring certain payments to insurers under the Affordable Care Act. Trump, who ended the “cost-sharing reduction” payments in the fall, supported the Collins-Alexander language. But Democrats opposed it because they claimed it included language expanding the existing prohibition on federal funding for abortions.

Internal Revenue Service: Despite the administration’s attempts to slash its budget, lawmakers grant $11.431 billion to the nation’s tax collectors, a $196 million year-to-year increase and $456 million more than Trump requested. The figure includes $320 million to implement changes enacted as part of the GOP tax overhaul plan.

Baseball: Should the bill pass, some minor-league ballplayers could see a raise this year — but only barely. The Save America’s Pastime Act exempts pro baseball players from federal labor laws and has been a major lobbying priority for Major League Baseball ever since minor-league players began suing the league in recent years for paying them illegally low wages. The version in the bill only exempts players working under a contract that pays minimum wage, but there are major loopholes: The contract only has to pay minimum wage for a 40-hour workweek during the season, not spring training or the offseason — and it includes no guarantee of overtime even though baseball prospects routinely work long hours. Thus, under the bill, a player is guaranteed a minimum salary of $1,160 a month. The current minor-league minimum is $1,100 a month. 

(At a minimum, minor league ballplayers should get minimum wage and overtime like everyone else.  It isn't like Major League Baseball couldn't afford it.) 

Election security: The bill provides $380 million to the federal Election Assistance Commission to make payments to states to improve election security and technology, and the FBI is set to receive $300 million in counterintelligence funding to combat Russian hacking. 

(Nothing in there about, for example, proof of citizenship requirements to register to vote, so democrats can continue to exploit illegal alien votes.  Nothing in their punishing California for their blatant disregard for federal laws and their illegal employment of illegal aliens in state government. Nothing in their concerning election security requirements that would actively root out illegal aliens from voter roles.

Illegals and non-citizens will continue to vote in our elections without fear of reprisal.)

Congressional misconduct: The House appears to have gone further than the Senate to address concerns about how allegations of sexual harassment and misconduct are handled on Capitol Hill. The House set aside $4 million to pay for mandatory workplace rights training and plans to create a new Office of Employee Advocacy to assist employees in proceedings before the Office of Compliance or House Ethics Committees. House leaders also made a point of highlighting plans to expand the House Day Care Center. But senators failed to reach agreement on making changes to how allegations of wrongdoing are handled so they won’t be included in the bill. 

(No requirement for either House to publicize the list of miscreants who spent millions of OUR dollars paying off their victims.)

District of Columbia: The nation’s capital will see a slight dip in its federal funding. Lawmakers provide $721 million in direct federal funding to the District, a $35 million drop from last year — due mostly to a $22 million cut in emergency planning money that was used to prepare for the 2017 presidential inauguration. Lawmakers also kept out GOP attempts to block the District’s budget autonomy act and its assisted suicide law.

Religion and politics: The federal ban on tax-exempt churches engaging in political activity, known as the Johnson Amendment, will continue, despite attempts by Trump and GOP lawmakers to rescind it.

Secret Service: The agency responsible for protecting the president and his family gets $2.007 billion, including $9.9 million for overtime worked without pay in 2017 and $14 million to construct a taller and stronger fence around the White House. In a win for congressional Democrats concerned about Secret Service agents protecting Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump on overseas business trips, the bill includes language requiring an annual report on travel costs for people protected by the service — including the adult children of presidents.

(Odd that the leftists didn't care about these expenses when that Obama clown was running the show.)

Arts: Federal funding for the arts goes up, despite GOP attempts to slash it. The National Endowments for the Arts and Humanities will see funding climb to $152.8 million each, a $3 million increase over the last fiscal year. Trump proposed eliminating the endowments. The National Gallery of Art gets $165.9 million, a $1.04 million jump in funding. The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts will receive $40.5 million, which is $4 million more than the last fiscal year. 

Public broadcasting: Big Bird, “Antiques Roadshow” and “Masterpiece Theatre” can play on as lawmakers agreed not to cut funding for the nation’s public television and radio networks. Government funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting will remain at $465 million — the same level as past years. PBS and NPR draw most of their funding directly from member stations and viewers like you. 

(Clearly, the GOP didn't even try to cut their funding. Why am I not surprised?)

These are just the highlights.  There's likely more, and when it's from the Post, you have to take it all with a grain of salt.

Additionally, Planned Parenthood funding was apparently left alone as well.

On the plus side... I can't find any agreement about DACA... so it isn't ALL bad... just 90% of it.

And yes... our local cardboard cutout of a congresswoman voted for this idiocy.

But then, her hard on against Trump is well known, ever since she joined with those morons we keep sending back to the Senate every election to trash him after the tape debacle.

See?  Herrera voted for it... and so will Cantwell and Murray.

She ought to switch parties and be done with it.  And thus, the eternal issue... how are RINOs different from democrats?

If there is one... I can't see it.

Why they always lie to get their wasteful projects built. CRC, anyone?

Why?

Because they lie.  And we let them get away with it.

Just ask Sen. Ann "Gas Tax" Rivers.  The same lies we heard last time on the CRC/Loot Rail Scam.

Danny Westneat / Columnist

 

Deception and delusion: It’s the name of the game for public megaprojects

Originally published March 16, 2018 at 8:14 pm Updated March 19, 2018 at 9:20 am

A full-scale mock-up of a high-speed train is displayed at the Capitol in Sacramento, California, in 2015. A 520-mile Los Angeles-to-San Francisco line was approved 10 years ago. The cost has soared by the billions and the train has yet to be built. Washington Gov. Jay Inslee now says he wants a bullet train — a “monument to optimism,” he calls it. (Rich Pedroncelli/The Associated Press)

More examples this week of the real reasons our big public projects, like the Seattle streetcar, often get so off track. Up next is one of the biggest projects ever proposed in the Northwest. Will this one be more honest? 

Danny Westneat 

Seattle Times staff columnist

Seattle has a checkered history with transportation projects morphing into pricey boondoggles. On one day this past week there were two perfect illustrations why.

The first came in the form of a report in this newspaper that city officials last year lowballed the costs of a downtown Seattle streetcar. Nothing new there. Only this time, the costs were lowballed again even after city planners were told they were wrong.

“You aren’t changing anything in this operating plan,” a city transit chief rebuked another official, after it had been pointed out the new streetcars would cost 50 percent more to operate than either the public, or the City Council, had been told.

Fast forward and the streetcar line in question, along First Avenue, is under construction. So it’s too late to worry about a pesky 50 percent cost overrun! Mission accomplished.

Simply put, the political system first lowballs the costs and timelines in order to grease the projects for approval.This is a classic example of what university researchers have come to call “strategic misrepresentation” — or, as you amateurs might term it, “lying.” It is one of the two main reasons big public infrastructure projects are so often delivered late and way over budget.

The second reason was on radiant display Friday afternoon up in Vancouver, B.C. Our governor, who I like to call Sunny Jay for his effusive and often contagious enthusiasms, was on full beam when it came to a proposal to build a bullet train from Vancouver to Portland.

“When you build a high-speed rail line, you are building a monument to optimism,” the governor gushed. He went on to say that the Cascadia region’s unparalleled smarts, innovation and can-do spirit are what’s needed to get a projected 1.8 million riders annually speeding at 200-plus mph across the border.

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The hypocrites and the school blow off. (The so-called walk-out)

So, is the little temper tantrum the kiddies and their keepers threw in schools across the country over yet?

I watched snippets of it... how could I avoid it?

And... I found the whole thing sickening.

To me, death is death. The "how" of it isn't nearly as important as the destination. But clearly, SOME deaths are absolutely acceptable. It's only the deaths the media TELLS us are NOT acceptable that causes these hissy fits.

As a parent, I can't even begin to imagine the pain and agony the families of those killed are suffering...

Yet rivers of blood run on our nation's highways from teenagers... particularly those texting while driving.

Where's the sturm and drang about THAT?

Yes, it's been a tragedy. Yes, lives have been altered and lost forever by this school... and other... mass shootings.

But I'm reminded of a saying first uttered by Stalin:

"The death of one is a tragedy. A million deaths is a statistic."

In 2016, 762 were slaughtered in Chicago... more than all school shootings, ever, in this country combined.

Who "walked out" over that?

That's almost a "Parkland" EVERY WEEK.

Where was the outrage in these punks about that? Do they even know? Do they even care?

What's the matter... aren't those destroyed in Chicago... St Louis, Baltimore, Detroit, Oakland and so on white enough for the snowflakes to give a damn?

EVERY DAY, ALMOST 10 PEOPLE DIE AS A RESULT OF TEXTING AND DRIVING.

That's almost 25 Parklands per month.

That doesn't include the in-excess of 300,000 injured.

Where's the outrage over that?

And that's the hypocrisy of all this.

There's a flood of teenage blood out there, and all of the focus is based on the, statistically speaking, comparative paper cut of school shootings.

It's the medical equivalent of focusing on a cold while ignoring the cancer.

There are a great many ways to deal with the 8000 pound gorilla of the slaughter of our teens on the highway... but while everyone seems to have the will to violate our Second Amendment rights, no one wants to address the deaths of tens of thousands that have taken place with the advent of the ability to text and drive.

Florida, among others, has increased the age of anyone wanting to purchase a gun to 21.

You can be a veteran, a combat veteran at that; you can have a squeaky clean record, and you can be denied the right to purchase a firearm because you're not 21.

Meanwhile, texting while driving in Florida, as in most all states, has been a blood bath in that same demographic.

But, by God, let 17 kids get shot in a school, and all hell breaks loose.

There were 50,000 "texting" crashes in Florida in 2016; 40,000 injuries and 233 deaths.

Swimming pools full of blood that seems to increase every year. But we are going to fix the school shooting issue by, once again, punishing those who obey the law by reducing THEIR right to purchase a firearm as if such a law would... or will... make any difference at all?

Raising the age to purchase a firearm is an obvious slap in the face to these adults. We question their judgment and responsibility... but we tell them in almost every other area of their lives, they have EVERY right.

Talk about a mixed message.

As for me, if we're going to question the judgment of 18-year-olds when it comes to purchasing a weapon, then what the hell are we doing allowing the teenage driver bloodbath to continue?

Can't buy a gun?

Then you can't drive, either. Because the idea that a 16-year-old in a 400 horsepower car is somehow GOING to be more responsible than a 19-year-old buying a weapon... even a 19-year-old combat veteran... is insane.

Vote? Forget about it. Repeal the 26th Amendment. Put the voting age back up to 21, because of course, if you're not mature enough and responsible enough to own a firearm, then how the hell can you POSSIBLY be mature enough and responsible enough to have the judgment needed to vote?

And if we REALLY want to save teen lives, then get them off the roads.

In 2016, 2150 teenagers were killed on our nation's highways. Tens of thousands were injured.

If they weren't allowed to drive, imagine how many of them would still be alive today... and of those who lived, how many of them wouldn't be crippled or otherwise scarred for life.

This slaughter goes on every day, day in and day out. Over 125 Parklands EVERY year.

You want to see these same kids, so concerned over the deaths in Parkland, lose their collective minds?

Get them off the highways to save THEIR lives DIRECTLY, and they would protest all right. They'd be a HELL of a lot more involved since it would directly impact THEM.

And that's why I've arrived here: If you're going to do this garbage?

Do it on your OWN time and NOT the time I'm paying for with my tax dollars.

Students and staff who disagreed with this idiocy around the country were suspended because they choose not to agree with it.

Every day, at least 9 teenagers are killed while texting in cars in this country. Are they walking out over that? Are they demanding that their cellphones, which are the cause of texting and driving, be taken away from them? Are they demanding an end to licensing teenagers? After all, if we yanked their licenses, we'd save a hell of a lot more lives than we are through THIS idiocy.

Of course, they're not. THOUSANDS of kids are slaughtered on our highways every year. Where's the march to demand an end to teenage driving?

Nowhere. So, save it. This thing reeks. And there's no altruism about it as THEY become the FIRST group to ever march against the Constitution and their own rights.

Expel them and fire the staff. Because I am NOT going to listen or support this insanity.

There are a great many obvious ways to address this issue if we REALLY wanted to. There ARE steps that CAN be taken.

Cellphones know when you're moving. Require carriers to install software that will make the messaging apps inoperable unless you're at a standstill.

Require car manufacturers to install electronics that will block cell phone data/messaging functions unless you are not moving.

If "distracted driving" is getting us killed... and it is... then end the reasons for the distractions.

Take it out of the driver's hands.

And yeah, I know, that would be an annoyance for kids and even adult passengers. How can we possibly get to the grocery store without being able to update our Facebook status along the way, or texting Suzy to let her know you're going to buy chips?

But the reality is simple: there's a slaughter going on every day and we sit on our thumbs and do nothing about it.

No one protests. No one walks out. No one really does a damned thing that will make any difference. And the blood continues to flow.

Instead, we focus on punishing those who actually follow the law by penalizing them... again... for the acts of a nutjob. The Titanic is sinking, and we're arguing about the china patterns in 2nd class.

Sometimes, keeping people alive can be annoying as hell... until you consider the alternatives.

But these deaths are acceptable. It's like running someone over in a crosswalk. Do it and you'll get popped for negligent homicide. Pull up next to them and put a bullet through their head and you go down for murder.

Even though, in the end, dead is dead. A crosswalk death, however, is much more acceptable than a shooting death.

And in Parkland, it was shooting deaths. On our highways? Death seems to be OK, considering how no one is doing anything about it.

And no one is walking out over it.

The democratian's incessant whining on the CRC/Loot Rail scam.

Leftist butthurt is ALWAYS long-lasting.  The fact that they only care about their own agenda, be they a local leftist organ like the Columbian, a leftist network like NBC and their derivatives along with CNN and the like, is the thing.

They don't care what the people want.  They don't want to allow us to have impacts on these policy decisions if the perspectives offered don't align with their agenda.

The rag is whining because no one in the Legislature who can make any difference bothered to listen to the local downtown mafia's sniveling.

The local legislative mafia, the RINO clique that has thrown us all under the bus as they jump through their master's hoops... Rivers, Wilson, Harris, Vick... ignoring the dictates of their districts which have repeatedly asked "what part of 'no' don't you get?"

The attitudes toward those of us who've stood fast in our opposition to this ever-growing fiscal waste of billions remain one of contempt.

Who can forget John "Cockroach" Laird, a former mouth-breathing knuckle-dragger of an editorial page editor for the Daily Democrat declaring: "We should all live as long as the Third Bridge Cockroach."

That has always been and clearly, will continue to always be their editorial position.

So, the rag whines that the democrats, who control the entirety of state government, didn't jump through the mafia's hoops.

The bogus efforts that stand in direct opposition to the will of the people of this county failed.

Replacing the I-5 Bridge, of course, has zero "statewide significance."  After all, when it's all said and done, most of the Legislature is well aware of the fact that the I-5 Bridge scam will do absolutely nothing to decrease congestion or increase freight mobility.  And even if it did, that would not benefit anyone outside of Clark County.

And of course, by now, most legislators are aware of the fact that this is nothing more nor less than a light rail project... where none of the numbers add up.

The rag quotes an ad hoc, unofficial group of downtown mafia types who snivel:

“We are fast approaching a place in time where our I-5 Replacement Bridge Project will either come together, allowing us to capitalize on the millions of working hours and dollars already expended, or will end with a whimper, sending everything back to start over again.”

One can only hope.

It needed to end with a whimper years ago.  But the RINO clique infesting us like vermin sold out. Somehow, what was so wrong years ago when they fought successfully to end it has now suddenly became so right.

For them.

Nothing has changed, of course: the problems with getting rid of a serviceable, already-paid-for bridge and replacing it with a gateway for loot rail to infect Clark County with its wasted billions of OUR dollars remains as moronic and idiotic... not to mention against the same county-wide opposition now... as it did when it was rightfully killed off in the Legislature then.

We already know some of these people can be bought.  It was just a matter of price and method of payment.

The I-5 Bridge does not need to be replaced.  As a proud member of the "Cockroaches" who knows that the short term solution is a third bridge to the Hillsboro region across the river; that building such a bridge would relieve a huge amount of traffic on both the I-5 Bridge and the I-5 corridor, the reality is clear.

Every one of the scum that sold us out in Olympia... particularly those falsely claiming to be "Republican," need to be removed from office and replaced with those who would actually represent the repeatedly-expressed will of the people of their districts.

And that will is simple: do not replace the I-5 Bridge.

These fake Republicans are as dishonest as "Theft 3" Gellatly.  Some, such as Rivers, have lied outright about what they've claimed they are going to do for us... when instead, they've been doing it TOO us.

The I-5 Bridge shouldn't be anywhere close to the table, let alone on it, and these people know it.

But they don't care because they don't give a damn about us when we get in the way of their agenda.

Much like the local newspaper, come to think of it.

Davey Delete was busted for THEFT 3 a SECOND time: memo to the Columbian - why aren't you covering this?

As previously noted, it seems the Chair of the Clark County GOP has a sticky fingers problem.

Well, it would also seem that three counts of Theft 3, along with an additional count of bail jumping, really didn't make enough of an impression on Davey Delete.

 

 

And the outcome?  Well, "dismissed" isn't exactly the term.... this is, in fact, what happened:

"Pursuant to civil compromise filed."

In Washington State, the "civil compromise" language is for this:

5. Civil compromise. A civil compromise is essentially an agreement by which the defendant compensates the victim for any loss in return for dismissal of the charges. RCW 10.22.010.

RCW 10.22.010

When permitted—Exceptions.

When a defendant is prosecuted in a criminal action for a misdemeanor, other than a violation of RCW 9A.48.105, for which the person injured by the act constituting the offense has a remedy by a civil action, the offense may be compromised as provided in RCW 10.22.020, except when it was committed:

(1) By or upon an officer while in the execution of the duties of his or her office;

(2) Riotously;

(3) With an intent to commit a felony; or

(4) By one family or household member against another as defined in RCW 10.99.020 and was a crime of domestic violence as defined in RCW 10.99.020.

So what does it mean?  Essentially, he did it or the evidence was such that conviction was likely, and the victim was bought off.

Now, had the local GOP done a competent job of vetting this clown, this all would have come out and the entirety of the embarrassment of having this idiot as a party chair with the disaster he's brought to the table with him would have been avoided.

But he's there. It's hard to claim defamation when this has been lurking out there... and all of that begs the issue:

Why hasn't the democratian been covering THIS?

They had no problem covering the bizarre and unconscionable suit Gellatly filed against a party PCO... they read this blog on a regular basis... so why haven't they covered this?  They even went so far as to publish the suit itself.

They afraid of getting sued like Richard Colwell?

Or are they doing what they usually do and have done so often in the past?

Covering for their buddies?

Let's presume that Gellatly was something even close to a conservative.  Do you think for one second they'd be sitting on this?

If Gellatly was, for example, named David Madore, don't you think that such a story would have been front page, above the fold, for weeks?

And what does the democratian do?

Nothing.  Not a peep.  But then, when you're a leftist, covering is what they do for you.

Interesting that we have yet another example of the Lazy C's double standard.

It's difficult to see Davey as any kind of a victim of anything but his own stupidity and arrogance.  This individual has repeatedly attacked me and has gone so far as to threaten me personally.  That he would file a suit against anyone over something as lame as this with a record like this?

That the Columbian refuses to cover this when you know they'd be crushing any conservative in a similar situation?

What do YOU think?

More on Davey Delete: 3 counts of Theft 3 and bail jumping?

It seems that in addition to something of a multiple DUI drinking problem, Davey Delete seems to have had a sticky fingers problem.

Kind of makes allegations against him concerning money a little more problematic, eh?


("Dragnet" music playing softly in the background...)

Back on November 24, 2009 (a Thanksgiving and birthday that will live in infamy) a certain someone was popped for 3 counts of Theft 3.

He seemed to have blown off a hearing to be held on the matter and yet another failure to appear warrant was issued on May 17, 2010.

On May 18th, the original 3 charges were amended to include a 4th charge, that of bail jumping, yet another gross misdemeanor.

On May 20, 2011, an additional warrant was issued for failure to appear, setting that bail at $3,000.  (Meaning there had been a warrant out for Davey D. for what appears to have been 9 months.  Maybe Davey didn't think they were looking for him?)

On the 24th of May, 2011, a hearing was finally held and he pled not guilty to all, now four charges.

He was required to pay $200 for the bail forfeiture.

On December 6, 2011, it appears that the Theft 3 charges were dismissed on motion by the city attorney's office, and he was found guilty of the bail jumping allegation.

Davey has been pleading "youthful indiscretion" with his few dozen other mix-ups with the law, including his DUIs.

But it would seem the theft charges were the day he turned 28... as he was when the bail-jumping charge was added.

According to this, he's now, what, 37?

I wish I could say this sort of thing surprised me.  Sadly... it didn't.

Perhaps next time a candidate for anything gets involved with any aspect of the local GOP Establishment cult, they should, well, vet him or her FIRST?  They might be surprised at what they find.

Where are the women in Marine ground combat units?

Women should no more be in ground combat units than they should be defensive tackles in the NFL.

Except, of course, women in ground combat units are going to cause death and destruction.... just on the wrong side.

Regular readers are well aware of my position on this issue, a position shared by many, including the Sergeant Major of TECOM, the Marine Training and Education Command which was in large part responsible for staffing the Marine experiment that tended to show that women in ground combat was going to be a disaster if for no other reason than reduced capabilities at the strategic level; issues of pregnancy, morale, reduced capability and ABILITY aside.

The thoughts of Sergeant Major Justin Lehew, a Navy Cross warrior of some acclaim, who crossed sabers with the POG Secretary of the Navy (Mabus) who trashed the Marine study because it didn't fit the meme at the time, are stark, harsh and foretell the future of women in ground combat units, and they can be read here:

So, all these months where women in the Marines could enlist or apply for combat arms jobs.... how many have made the cut?

11.

Not "1100."  But 11.

The standards have been lowered (denials to the contrary notwithstanding) and even THEN women have been stay away in droves.

Unlike the Army, where women have been assigned to combat arms units with zero real qualifications (Five week long correspondence courses and the like) the Marines actually make women go through training to prove themselves.

The result?  The Marine Corps Times asks the question:

Your Marine Corps 

Where are the female Marines?

And very few have even made the attempt.

Yet only 11 enlisted women are serving today in the traditional “03” infantry career fields, Marine Corps officials said. No women have even attempted the Basic Reconnaissance Course or Amphibious Reconnaissance Course, and there are no female snipers, according to data provided by Manpower and Reserve Affairs.

So, the Army has hundreds... the Marines?  Less than a dozen.

Why is that?

Well, on first blush, it would appear that in ground combat Infantry units, the Marines have maintained most standards, requiring women to meet the male standard instead of lowering standards, as the Army continues to do.

That women should not be allowed into ground combat units is self-evident.

Yet, the lack of women signing up (and who couldn't see that coming?) involves BOTH ground combat services in both the Army and Marines... because the Army now only has 500 women serving in ALL combat Arms capacities, without a breakout for Infantry, it's difficult to say how many of these women are in 11 series MOS's.

Even with the lowered standards of the Army, women are still refusing to take the jump, so to speak.

Unfortunately, the Secretary of Defense, Gen. Jim Mattis, has continued the socialization of the military.  The mission of the military of the United States is to kill people and break things.  Anything outside of that mission detracts from it.

This idiocy concerning the mainstreaming of women, homosexuals, transsexuals, communists and the like... ALL detracts from it.

Is the military more effective or efficient now than it was 20 years ago, technological advances notwithstanding?

There is no right to serve in the Armed Forces of the United States.  If such a "right" existed, there would be no standards to be met for enlistment.  The hundreds of ways an individual can be disqualified for enlistment would simply not exist.  And those standards exist for a reason... a reason which, when we throw the snowflake socialization into the mix, seems to simply disappear.

The military sets the standards.  And as long as the standards differ between genders and those confused about their genders... there will never be equality and more importantly, there will never be peak combat efficiency or capability. 

And when insanity like this persists and the cost is going to be in blood, then it's time to roll these programs back.

March 5 has come and gone, time to round up and deport the DACA illegals.

Those politically aware already have at least some knowledge of the DACA illegals, how Obama put together an illegal program designed to dramatically increase democrat turn out at the polls, an effort followed around the country since no effort is made or required for those registering to vote to prove their nationality.

Democrats call any such effort racism.  The very idea of actually proving who one is and where one is from is so burdensome as to be quite unnecessary, security of the American voting process notwithstanding, and well-known efforts in California to register illegal aliens aside.

Those actually paying attention to DACA, the so-called "Deferred Action for the equally so-called Childhood Arrivals," are well aware that it is an illegal program that even Obama himself indicated was unconstitutional for the length of his regime until such time as he actually implemented it.

But President Trump knows this.  He drew HIS line in the sand on this issue form March 5, 2018.

The question is simple: the line has been crossed.  Now what?

As many as some two million people are here illegally under this made-up, fringe-left, open-border crap show. The first letter of the word, DACA, does not stand for "amnesty," nor does it stand for "free pass," or "citizenship."

The first letter stands for "deferred."  DACA was never supposed to be a permanent solution to the open amnesty the leftists so desperately wanted.  Well, time is up.

Rewarding those here illegally for actually BEING here illegally is why we have SO many here illegally.

Well, Mr. President, time's up.  You're going to get the blame for anything you do, so get the blame for enforcing the law and ending this charade.

Nobody forced those people to come here.  With the demise of DACA, they are no different than any other illegal alien from anywhere else under any other pretense.

Mr. President, your credibility is on the line, here.  As you know, Obama quickly lost his; first, by being a bald-faced liar and next, by failing to follow through on his promises or pledges... either in domestic OR foreign policy.

You must avoid that trap.  And that means you must act and do what is necessary to enforce the laws of the United States.