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“…The GDPNow model estimate for real GDP growth (seasonally adjusted annual rate) in the second quarter of 2018 is 4.8 percent on June 14, up from 4.6 percent on June 8,” the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta said in its latest GDPNow report on Thursday.
The next GDPNow update is scheduled to be released on Tuesday, June 19…”
Kim Strassel:
1) Don’t believe anyone who claims Horowitz didn’t find bias. He very carefully says that he found no “documentary” evidence that bias produced “specific investigatory decisions.” That’s different
2) It means he didn’t catch anyone doing anything so dumb as writing down that they took a specific step to aid a candidate. You know, like: “Let’s give out this Combetta immunity deal so nothing comes out that will derail Hillary for President.”
3) But he in fact finds bias everywhere. The examples are shocking and concerning, and he devotes entire sections to them. And he very specifically says in the summary that they “cast a cloud” on the entire “investigation’s credibility.” That’s pretty damning.
4) Meanwhile this same cast of characters who the IG has now found to have made a hash of the Clinton investigation and who demonstrate such bias, seamlessly moved to the Trump investigation. And we’re supposed to think they got that one right?
5) Also don’t believe anyone who says this is just about Comey and his instances of insubordination. (Though they are bad enough.) This is an indictment broadly of an FBI culture that believes itself above the rules it imposes on others.
6) People failing to adhere to their recusals (Kadzik/McCabe). Lynch hanging with Bill. Staff helping Comey conceal details of presser from DOJ bosses. Use of personal email and laptops. Leaks. Accepting gifts from media. Agent affairs/relationships.
7)It also contains stunning examples of incompetence. Comey explains that he wasn’t aware the Weiner laptop was big deal because he didn’t know Weiner was married to Abedin? Then they sit on it a month, either cuz it fell through cracks (wow) or were more obsessed w/Trump
8) And I can still hear the echo of the howls from when Trump fired Comey. Still waiting to hear the apologies now that this report has backstopped the Rosenstein memo and the obvious grounds for dismissal.
Brad Polumbo:
“…The Pride movement has been hijacked by a left-wing agenda, and some of its advocacy is actually setting gay people back.
A quick look at the national Pride website reveals not a neutral agenda advocating for all gay people, but a blatant endorsement of progressivism — even on issues that have little to do with gay rights. Advocate.com, a news website affiliated with the Pride movement, contains a glowing profile of gun-control advocate Emma Gonzalez on its homepage, even nominating her for their “Hall of Fame.” Another article openly calls on gay people to “fight for gun reform.”
The Pride rallies last year in New York, Boston, and Los Angeles could have easily been mistaken for the gun-control-oriented March for Our Lives, pro-choice Women’s March, or any other left-wing rally. Rainbow flags reading “Make America Gay Again” openly mock President Trump’s signature slogan, and ignore the obvious reality that America has never been more gay-friendly than it is in 2018. One anti-Trump chant at last year’s D.C. rally went viral — “We’re here, we’re queer, get that Cheeto out of here.”
Apparently, so-called advocates of LGBT equality don’t think that gay people are capable of supporting gun rights or President Trump, even though he won 15 percent of the LGBT vote…”
Interesting analysis.
“…Raiding is the way by which Russia seeks to coerce the United States through a series of operations or campaigns that integrate indirect and direct approaches. Modern great power competition will thus return to forms of coercion and imposition reminiscent of the Middle Ages, but enacted with the technologies of today. Although raiding will be Moscow’s principal approach to competition, international brigandry may be the best term to describe elements of Russian behavior that the West considers to be “bad” or “malign.” These are acts of indirect warfare, both centrally planned and enacted on initiative by entities within the Russian state empowered to shape policy – often in competition with each other. Brigandry may come with negative legalistic connotations, a byword for outlaw, but here the term is meant to define a form of irregular or skirmish warfare in the international system conducted by a partisan.
Russia is, at times, miscast as a global spoiler or retrograde delinquent. Delinquents commit minor offenses and have no plan. Spoilers react to plans, but have little strategy of their own. Raiders, by contrast, launch operations with a strategic outlook and objectives in mind. And while often weaker than their opponents, raiders can be successful. The structure of the international system and the nature of the confrontation lends itself to the use of raiding, which increasingly appears to be the chosen Russian strategy. By focusing on deterring the high-end conventional fight and restoring nuclear coercive credibility, both important in and of themselves, the United States national security establishment may be fundamentally overlooking what will prove the defining Russian approach to competition…”
RAIDING AND INTERNATIONAL BRIGANDRY: RUSSIA’S STRATEGY FOR GREAT POWER COMPETITION
The FBI is acting in bad faith, trying to hold out past the midterms hoping democrats will win and allow the FBI to cover up the full scope of governmental malfeasance.
SHARYL ATTKISSON:
Senate probes FBI’s heavy-handed use of redactions to obstruct congressional investigators
U.S. Army Soldiers with the 3rd Cavalry Regiment fire artillery alongside Iraqi Security Force artillery at known ISIS locations near the Iraqi-Syrian border, June 5, 2018.
Mueller Team Attorney Sent Anti-Trump Texts.
‘VIVA LE RESISTANCE’: MUELLER TEAM ATTORNEY SENT ANTI-TRUMP TEXTS
The attorney’s messages show that he was distressed at the FBI’s decision in October 2016 to re-open the investigation into Clinton’s emails. Democrats have claimed that decision hurt Clinton at the polls.
The FBI lawyer also suggested that he would work to resist the Trump administration.
“Is it making you rethink your commitment to the Trump administration?” one FBI lawyer wrote on Nov. 22, 2016.
“Hell no. Viva le resistance,” the future Mueller attorney responded.
Text Message From Leading FBI Agent: ‘We’ll Stop’ Donald Trump From Becoming President
IG REPORT: FBI AGENTS REGULARLY RECEIVED FREE HANDOUTS FROM JOURNALISTS
Inspector General Put Together An Insane FBI Leak Chart Upon Finding Rules ‘Widely Ignored’
‘Foreign actors’ accessed Hillary Clinton emails, documents show
Jim Geraghty:
This is why you don’t want to rush a response to a 500-page inspector-general report. Former FBI Director James Comey, writing on the New York Times op-ed page, posted just a short time ago:
First, the inspector general’s team went through the F.B.I.’s work with a microscope and found no evidence that bias or improper motivation affected the investigation, which I know was done competently, honestly and independently.
That’s . . . not quite accurate. From the FBI inspector-general’s report, page 149:
. . . these text messages also caused us to assess Strzok’s decision in October 2016 to prioritize the Russia investigation over following up on the Midyear-related investigative lead discovered on the Weiner laptop. We concluded that we did not have confidence that this decision by Strzok was free from bias.
And then on page 161:
Nevertheless, we found that Page’s statement, on its face, consisted of a recommendation that the Midyear team consider how Clinton would treat the FBI if she were to become President in deciding how to handle Clinton’s interview. Suggesting that investigative decisions be based on this consideration was inappropriate and created an appearance of bias.
And then on page 420-421:
We were deeply troubled by text messages sent by Strzok and Page that potentially indicated or created the appearance that investigative decisions were impacted by bias or improper considerations.
. . . when one senior FBI official, Strzok, who was helping to lead the Russia investigation at the time, conveys in a text message to another senior FBI official, Page, that “we’ll stop” candidate Trump from being elected — after other extensive text messages between the two disparaging candidate Trump — it is not only indicative of a biased state of mind but, even more seriously, implies a willingness to take official action to impact the presidential candidate’s electoral prospects. This is antithetical to the core values of the FBI and the Department of Justice.
This is not a good report for the FBI or the team around Comey in the autumn of 2016.
A first take on the IG report. Pretty damning stuff.
Here’s #9: “Five Separate Agents Sent Pro-Clinton, Anti-Trump Texts — Many Of Which Implied Using Official Authority To Target Trump.”
This is my favorite movie. It is an American classic. There are many great characters, many great scenes, but the best is the meadow. The cinematography. The music. The dialogue. This is uniquely American, and Cogburn is a uniquely American hero. Cogburn meets four criminals in a dangerous situation. He is informed that Matty Ross is safe and the criminal Tom Cheney is captured. The bandit chieftain asks Cogburn to step aside. Cogburn, outnumbered 4 to 1, spits in the chieftains eye and charges the criminals guns blazing.
WHICH IS REAL AND WHICH IS PARODY?: It’s not easy to tell.
ABC News: Transgender teens outrun track and field competitors but critics close behind
Babylon Bee: Man Identifying As 6-Year-Old Crushes Game-Winning Homer In Tee-Ball Championship
Gail Herriot strung together these articles.
“…The Federal Reserve raised interest rates by a quarter of a percentage point Wednesday, reflecting widespread optimism about America’s economic outlook.
The rate increase, the second thus far in 2018 and the seventh since the Great Recession, will result in higher interest rates on credit cards, home-equity lines, and other forms of credit. The increase, which comes after a similar incremental hike in March, places the Fed’s benchmark rate between 1.75 and 2 percent.
The move, which was announced at the conclusion of a two-day meeting, continues a pattern of gradually contracting monetary policy that began in 2015 and interrupted years of unchanged interest rates designed to revive the economy after the collapse of 2008.
Officials suggested that they will raise rates twice more in 2018, but with unemployment at a near-record low of 3.8 percent, some economists believe additional rate increases will be necessary to stave off inflation…”
I listened to former senator Joe Lieberman’s commentary on the Trump/Kim meeting. It made me remember that if Lieberman was the democratic candidate for president in 2016 against Trump, I probably would have voted for Lieberman. He is a good man. Maria Bartiromo is doing some really good journalism on this topic and others. I salute her.
I watched President Trump’s press conference after his meeting with North Korea. I could criticize aspects of the president’s responses to questions, but who cares. It was an historic meeting. The president did well in the meeting and the press conference. I was proud of President Trump and glad that he was representing my country.
The president said in his press conference that North Korea agreed to facilitate the return of remains of U. S. service men who died during the Korean War.
To the brave Americans who gave their lives during the Korean war I say:
Hail Heroes. Rest with God. You are not forgotten.
You will be coming home to your country.