Donelson Files is a podcast that features politics, culture and entertainment. The webpage will include writers from right to left, discussing politics, sports, entertainment, culture and include photos, art and poetry.
In 2017, I was on a talk show as the conservative guest and I stated then that Russian collusion would be proven that a hoax, that we will find FBI abused the FISA courts and the Trump campaign was spied on. I was proven 100 percent correct. What Durham report showed that there was a concerted effort by Democratic Party, the FBI and CIA to first prevent Trump to win the 2016 election and using fake information to continue an investigation well into the Trump presidency.
Our law enforcement essentially became part of a partisan movement to stop a specific candidate and what we saw our FBI not only give up an investigation into Hillary Clinton pay to play scheme known as the Clinton Foundation, foreign donations, and her email server in which classified documents were stored. Hillary Clinton originated the Steele Dossier to draw attention from her own legal problems.
There have been congressional report, FISA reports on FBI’s abuses, Inspector reports, released documents, the infamous Mueller report and now the Durham report that all says the same thing, there was no evidence that there was any collusion between the Russians and Trump.
What we now know is that Hillary Clinton campaign instigated the original Steele Dossier, and the FBI used this dossier as the basis for an investigation even though they were aware that the Dossier was bunk. President Obama and Vice President Biden were briefed on this and many key players in the Obama administration know the dossier was fake, but it didn’t stop many of them like John Brennan from lying on various news broadcast for the next four years.
The Media cooperated with the FBI, to cover up the truth and for years, kept the lies alive while impeachment proceeded. Obama and Biden could have short circuited by telling Democrats that Trump did not cooperate with the Russians and won the 2016 election honestly. They did not and allowed the lies to continue.
In 2020, there was a continued cooperation with media and law enforcements to censor news unfriendly to Democrats and the Biden campaign. There was successful attempts to use the Covid to loosen election laws to eliminate guard rails for election security and why wouldn’t many Americans not believe that there were not massive attempts to rig the 2020 elections?
Ebenezer Scrooge is considered a nasty man who has hatred for humanity. Yes, there is a modern aspect to Scrooge personality that is close to the modern life many live today. The man lived a spartan life even at his home. He kept his own office cold and used minimal coal to keep the office warm and refused to add more coal when his employee Bob Cratchit asked if he could add any more.
Dickens describes his home, ““It was a low fire, indeed nothing on just a bitter night. He was obliged to sit close to it and brood over it before he could extract the least sensation of warmth from just a handful of fuel. The fireplace was s an old one built by some Dutch merchant long ago and paved all around with quaint Dutch tiles designed to illustrate the Scriptures.” Just like many of our modern individuals who are forever telling you to keep your temperature low
Scrooge believed in the theory of excess population and as recent Human Progress article by managing editor Chelsea Follett showed that many still hold these views. She noted, “In 2019, for example, U.S. Senators, like Ed Markey (D-MA) and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Representatives, like Jimmy Gomez (D-CA) and Susie Lee (D-NV), tweeted their support for a paper explicitly calling for the reduction of the world’s population. Also this year, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) questioned whether it is morally acceptable to have children and Senator Bernie Sanders (D-VT) endorsed population control. This past summer, in the country where A Christmas Carol is set, Prince Harry subtly suggested that children are a burden to the planet and that responsible folks should have “two, maximum.” This follows Scrooge own view, “If they would rather die, they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population.”
A Christmas Carol is a rejection of that thought. The Ghost of Christmas present sits on a throne of overflowing food and his torch is shaped like “Plenty Horn” As Ms. Follett observed, “The Ghost claims he has “more than eighteen hundred” brothers, representing previous Christmases (again, the book came out in the year 1843). Upon hearing that, Scrooge’s mind, in true Malthusian fashion, immediately turns to scarcity. “A tremendous family to provide for!” mutters Scrooge. The Ghost then whisks Scrooge to a marketplace to show him this scene of Smithian abundance: There were great, round, pot-bellied baskets of chestnuts … There were ruddy, brown-faced, broad-girthed Spanish Onions … There were pears and apples, clustered high in blooming pyramids; there were bunches of grapes, made, in the shopkeepers’ benevolence to dangle from conspicuous hooks … there were piles of filberts … there were Norfolk Biffins [a kind of apple] setting off the yellow of the oranges and lemons … There were gold and silver, fish, set forth among these choice fruits in a bowl.” Contrary to the Malthusian view of population, Great Britain was beginning an industrial revolution that would allow this planet the ability to raise billions worldwide out of poverty.
When Scrooge inquired about whether the family’s ill child, Tiny Tim, will survive, the Ghost of Christmas Present taunts Scrooge by repeating Scrooge’s words back at him: “What then? If he be like to die, he had better do it, and decrease the surplus population.” Scrooge then begins to feel shame at having questioned the worth of “surplus” human beings.
Dickens optimism was based on the good nature of humans and Scrooge redemption was part of that optimism as he moved from a selfish life that business was a zero-sum game with winners and losers but never thought of expanding the economic opportunity toward a more charitable life in which he uses his wealth to expand his business beginning with his worker Bob Crachett whose salary was raised and added to his community through donation. His view in the beginning of the book, he would ask “are there no workhouses?” Scrooge viewed his obligation to the poor over after he paid his taxes. We live in a modern world in which many in government today prefer government solutions and a smaller charitable sector along with a smaller private sector under the whims of government edict.
As part of Scrooge redemption, he rejected the idea that his obligation to the poor ends with his taxes but instead he must be more involved as he becomes with Tiny Tim. As Charles Dickens concluded his book, “Scrooge was better than his word. He did it all and infinitely more and to Tiny Tim, he did not, he was a second father. He became as good a friend as good as master, and as good man as the good city ever know… it was always said of him that he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any possessed the knowledge.”
Consider the optimism of Dickens, Scrooge believed in humanity and lost his bitterness to humanity. He used more coal (you know fossil fuels) to keep his office warmer and he delivers on his pledge to charity as he admits that there are some back payments due. The modern scrooges want us to be poorer, colder, and less of us. They dream of a day of a less populated planet that will be poorer. Scrooge, through the help of three spirits, rejects the modern-day Malthusians. Redemption of his soul led to a more optimist Scrooge.
As I stated in the past, this is a red state driven job recovery as Red States unemployment are significantly lower than Blue states.
Biggest threat is the Biden economic plan with surging inflation that is wiping out the wage gain and spending plans that will slow the economy further than the recent 2% GDP recent data show.
The Biden plan is not about expanding the economic pie but dividing the pie as present. The result will be slow economic growth, stagflation or recession. The Feds are now tapering off and giving signals that it won’t print the money to cover the increase spending. With inflation going into 2022, high deficits, the economy will either slow down or simply slip into recession. Best thing for Biden and Democrats to do is nothing, No more spending, no tax increases, the economy will recover.
The Phoenix Suns have been the luckiest team. In their opening round, Anthony Davis was injured during their playoff series and Lebron James was forced to carry the Lakers.
Nuggest were missing Jamal Murry, their top guard and the outside compliment to Most Valuable player Jokic and the Suns took advantage to sweep the Nuggets.
Clippers were missing Kawhli Leonard over the last three games of their series and while Paul George had a great series, but Suns played well and even won two games with Chris Paul out for Covid restrictions.
Now they play Milwaukee who managed to win their last two games against the Hawks without Giannis Antetokoumpo, but the Hawks were missing Trae Young with sore ankle for one game and Young was hampered by his ankle in the deciding game.
Will Antetokoumpo be available for the final series? While the Bucks have a good team even without Giannis but he is one of the two super stars in this series, with Chris Paul the other. Both teams have good players, Suns have a rising star in Devin Booker and Bucks have Kris Middleton. Brooks Lopez was a regular 20 point scorer with the Brooklyn Nets and while he has averaged 12 to 13 points a game since leaving the Nets but he was playing with Lebron James in LA and Giannis was the super star who along with Middleton, who are the two scorers. Lopez is support and Suns have the young Deandre Ayton who has a good playoffs. Both teams have talented support players.
This NBA playoff has been as much a survival match as key injuries have hurt teams during the playoffs. Celtics began the playoffs without Jaylen Brown, Nets played without Irving and Hardin much of their playoff run and in their last two games with Bucks, Irving was out and Hardin was playing with one leg.
Key players have been hurt at crucial times and the nearly year of straight year of playing with summer session followed by short off season. So the finals is upon of us and the survival of the fittest continues.
Tonight I had a brilliant analysis on my recent research and easily swept my critics arguments. “Ignores so many factors, especially the big death tolls early on in the big blue cities. Gop states have so many advantages and yet death rate the same as blue states” My response: The Democrat bigger states had 57% whites, 31% Blacks and Hispanics and 8 % Asians vs GOP 56% Whites, 34% Black and Hispanics and 4% Asians. If there is any advantages, it belongs to Democratic states.
My response is simple. Professor Reilly research for our foundation noted in three studies, there was no significant difference in death per capita with non-lockdown studies and lockdown, Republican states vs Democratic states.
But saw significant difference in unemployment between Republican and Democratic States plus lockdown vs non lockdown states. My data collection mirrors his. He included variable just as Density population
But saw significant difference in unemployment between Republican and Democratic States plus lockdown vs non lockdown states. My data collection mirrors his. He included variable just as Density population.
“You’ve not taken into account that worst deaths in Democratic-run states was in the very early days of the pandemic when next-to-nothing was known about how to deal with the virus. GOP-run states COULD have learned from that to avoid deaths, but chose not to. ” Yes we did
Professor Reilly research for our foundation and my own research took this in account. Following bigger states, we found significant difference in unemployment with Democratic states with higher unemployment and higher death per capita.
The Democrat bigger states had 57% whites, 31% Blacks and Hispanics and 8 % Asians vs GOP 56% Whites, 34% Black and Hispanics and 4% Asians. If there is any advantages, it belongs to Democratic states.
GOP states and non lockdown states had 4-4.5% vs Democratic states 5.9-6.6%. What Lockdown supporters have failed to acknowledge the trade off in chronic diseases not being properly treated or not diagnosed early,
My research associates and I have produced four studies on the impact on the lockdown over the past years from April 2020 to May 2021 and another one will come sometimes this fall. We looked at racial demographics, density of population and other variables.
We looked at different definitions of what constitute a Republican states and Democratic states. Many researchers had their definition of constitute a GOP states and Democratic states. All of these research had similar results no matter how you define these states.
We looked GOP states in two ways, Republican governors and Democratic governors or if a state had a complete control of government by one party. The results were the same, no significant differences in deaths but big differences in unemployment.
As I will mention in a upcoming book, it is hard to tell where the pandemic impact hurt the economy and where bad government policies hurt the economy. We been in the midst of recovery since the end of May 2020 but Democratic governors and Biden economic policies is slowing down the recovery. We should have a stronger recovery, lower unemployment than present and less government debt and spending. Less inflation. I will repeat, the Lockdown and economic restrictions failed. My data and others proves it!!!
The youth brigade continues, as Carlos Alcaraz, Spain’s 18-year-old sensation, beat German qualifier Peter Gojowczyk to move into the quarterfinal, 5-7, 6-1, 5-7, 6-2, 6-0 for his first time.
Leylah Fernandez upset Angelique Kerber a former champion 4-6, 7-6, 6-2 to continue her run as she reaches the quarter final.
Jay Brooksby faces his toughest test as he faces Djokovic but it has been a good tournament for the youngster.
A friend asked me, with Nadal, Federer, and the Williams not appearing, what the fans would be. The first match I witnessed, the fans were quiet during the Keys-Stephens match but as the match moved forward, the fans got more into it and by the third set, the fans were roaring and continued to roar throughout the week.
Listening to the fans during the Alcaraz – Tsitsipas match and Osaka-Fernandez, the two 18 years had fans roaring for them. Many watching may have felt, they were watching the future of Tennis. This whole week, the fans were glad to be watching and many players loved the roar of the crowd, which was missing from 2020 Open, a tournament played in front of empty stands.
As for Osaka, she is now considering a break from Tennis, saying there is no joy in Tennis.