Visiting National Review, the home of conservatism since 1955.
New York Pictures by Tom Donelson
Brexit and Europe
(With Marcon call for a European Army supported by Merkel and the challenge that Nationalism is presenting to the EU along with Brexit, this was adopted from my book, https://posthillpress.com/book/the-rise-of-national-populism-and-democratic-socialism-what-our-response-should-be and I explained these movements in Europe.)
The English monarch was never as absolute as his or her counterparts in continental Europe. From the Magna Carta onwards, the powers of the monarch were restricted. The belief in limited government has given Americans and the rest of the Anglosphere an advantage over their competitors. In the Anglosphere nations, entrepreneurship has flourished and spread beyond their borders. From the time of the American Revolution and development of the Constitution, the French have endured two Napoleons and five Republics. Outside of England, no European nation has had more experience with democratic rule than the United States. The development of a strong civil society and long time understanding of constitutional rule has fostered both political and economic freedom within the Anglosphere and led to its present domination throughout the world.
Within the Western traditions, there are now two competing ideas. For the French, there is a continental system that features extensive government intervention within the economic sphere and beyond. Many French have derided what they call “Anglo-Saxon” Ideas. In the 1960s, de Gaulle envisioned a block of nations as a separate world power that stood as a counter to the Soviet Empire and the American led “Anglo-Saxon Empire.” Whether it is attacking American culture or complaining about America hegemony, much of the French intellectual and foreign policy apparatus viewed American ascendancy as counter to their goal of dominating Europe through the EU. France wants to become a major player on the world scene through various international bodies such as the European Union and the United Nations. For many French intellectuals, the EU represented the both the political and economic counterweight to what they view as “cowboy capitalism.” (The problem is that EU and the euro aided Germany in being the dominant economic power within Europe, and it is no longer the French leading the way but they are becoming a tail wagged by the German dog.)
One of the future key issues for the Anglosphere nations will be Great Britain’s relations with Europe. The present EU and continental system favors more bureaucratic control over the economy and increased industrial policies targeting specific industries. The harmonization of taxes and budgets within the EU is designed to maintain high taxes and support an ever-expanding welfare state. The policy of harmonization is being used as wedge against lower tax countries such as those in Ireland and in the emerging democracies in Central Europe. Britain’s goal of being “the Anglosphere voice” would have been compromised by dealings with the French and Germans, the present leaders of the EU. James C. Bennett observed in 2007, “Were the United Kingdom to leave the Union and join NAFTA, it would lead to far more productive partnership.”
For Bennett, Britain needs to be more closely integrated into the Anglosphere through inclusion in NAFTA and the other Anglosphere pacts. This is a more logical alliance as Bennett observed that having the United Kingdom join NAFTA would, “accelerate the existing trend toward mergers, partnerships, and alliances between U.S., Canadian, and British infotech companies. It would extend them into allied defense and defense-impacted fields such as aerospace and commercial aviation.” In other words, Brexit.
Many European leaders have learned the wrong lessons of the past fifty years. At this moment, Europe is at peace for the first time in a millennium but with the resurgence of Putin’s Russia, there exists for the first time a prospect of a major European war. This peace came as a result of American steadfast military support of Western Europe. During the 2016 campaign, Trump refuse to committing American support for NATO and European collective security. (Even though since then, he has maintained support for NATO while trying to strengthen it. Marcon and Merkel are doing the opposite, weakening NATO. )
Beatles White Album, Their Best? By Tom Donelson
https://www.weeklystandard.com/dominic-green/the-beatles-white-album-at-50-when-they-was-fab The author makes the case that this was their best album but the Beatles produced so many great albums. Starting with Rubber Soul, Beatles began to change from being pop hits to serious artists. Revolver continued that process with one of my favorite Tax Man, which the Beatles sang about the marginal high rates under the Labour Party. These lyrics sums up any conservative observations about taxes:
There’s one for you, nineteen for me
‘Cause I’m the taxman, yeah, I’m the taxman
Be thankful I don’t take it all
‘Cause I’m the taxman, yeah I’m the taxman
If you try to sit, I’ll tax your seat.
If you get too cold I’ll tax the heat,
If you take a walk, I’ll tax your feet.
Voting Fraud again in Florida by Tom Donelson
This is a interesting story and represent a little over 2% of the voting population. And data similar to other states I reviewed
https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/Nearly-200000-Florida-Voters-May-Not-Be-Citizens-151212725.html
Data on Voter Fraud presented by Tom Donelson
This is a report we put together through Americas Majority Foundation. http://amermaj.org/pdf/Voting-Noncitizens.pdf
Incident of voter fraud documented
https://www.heritage.org/voterfraud
Voter fraud exists, it is only a matter of how much. Our own data does not support that any of the past three elections were impacted by voter fraud but there is evidence to suggest that specific elections may have been affected. There is evidence to suggest that voter fraud could have tilted North Carolina from McCain to Obama in 2008, our own data suggests that the possibility that 2016 North Carolina race may have been impacted.
Note the word may have been impacted. An updated study from the Americas Majority Foundation 2017 study will be completed within the next two months.
This link from Senator Rubio, this is what stealing an election looks like. https://twitchy.com/gregp-3534/2018/11/08/bush-vs-gore-part-ii-marco-rubio-sounds-the-alarm-over-vote-counting-issues-in-broward-county-fl/?utm_campaign=twitchywidget
Why Vote Tuesday by Larry Fedewa
End is not Near by Tom Donelson
In 1980, I had a debate with a fellow conservative who was 15 years older than about the future. He was pessimist and I mention to him “I am optimist because I have a child and I will fight for policy to ensure her future.” In 1980, the Soviet Empire was on the march, we were suffering from double digit inflation, the Western civilization itself look like it was tottering toward the abyss. We were told that our resources were running out and there were too many people on this planet. It is not much different than today in which our culture appeared to be crumbling, our planet is warming and we are doomed to a overpopulated, over heated planet and our resources running out.
Today, my children are adults but still I am amazed how some of the right and many on the left are pessimist about the future. In 1970’s, the threat was pollution, a new ice age approaching, over population and running out of resources. Yet, today we are living better than ever. More people in the world are escaping poverty, and overall standard of living has improved.
When I bring up these facts, I am amazed how many people simply don’t believe that this is the case. Recently on twitter, I had some guy say I was wrong and where was the data to show this, so I began with four recent sources and told him I could easily flood with him with many more. I doubt that this will make him happy as he certainly will find some pessimist who will be happy to share some data to prove himself right that the world will end soon but the evidence is in front of us
Over the last fifty years, I have read enough predictions, none of which came through. The book, “The Population Bomb” painted a dismal picture of the future but our population has doubled and the world is now feeding more people better than ever before. The human mind proved to be the ultimate resource, as the late Julian Simon demonstrated in his book by the same name. The 1972 club of Rome report stated that overpopulation will lead to depletion of resources. It didn’t happen as resources seem to be proving more plentiful than before with more than double the population. In the 1970’s, a new Ice Age was upon us, it didn’t happen and now global warming will kill us but for the past three decades, we have been told repeatedly that we have ten years left but then when decade comes and the world has not ended, we are then told ten more years are left before the end of humanity. The number of failed predictions and new theories on the world end keeps coming and crashing. Eventually I guess a astroid will hit this planet and the pessimist will prove to be right. If you keep predicting the end of the world, eventually it will come but in the meantime, our world keeps improving.
There is much left to accomplish but we have been cursed with a political class and elite that seems to want to believe the end is near and today, it is climate change that will kill us even though for million of years, we have seen climate change on our planet. It is a given fact that climate change, weather changes but what allows us to survive is our ultimate resource, the human mind.
To the guy I had twitter discussion, I concluded to him, “For the past fifty years, I have heard the end of the world is coming and yet it never does, so if you want to wallow in your pessimism, fine. Wallow in it.” The poor fellow simply doesn’t comprehend that the very policy he wants enacted will only make his children future bleaker. For me, I look to a better world and I go back to what I told my conservative friend in 1980, I am optimist because I have a child and I will fight for policy to ensure her future.” My children are now adults and I still have life left to finish and I be damned if I allow the pessimist to destroy the future for my children and others. The end is not near.
Jacobs Prevail by Tom Donelson
Danny Jacobs edge past former sparring mate and undefeated Sergiy Derevyanchenko for the IBF Middleweight title. He won by a split decision as two judges had him winning 115-112 while Julie Lederman had Derevyanchenko winning 114-113, disagreeing with her father who had Jacobs winning by a wider margin that the judges. I had 116-111.
Both fighters knew each other after sparring over 300 rounds and while Derevyanchenko came in with a 12-0 record but he also had 20 plus fights in the World Series of Boxing that did not count in his professional record. Derevyanchenko was noted for the being an aggressive fighter but over the first half of the fight, Derevyanchenko showed restraint in his attack and with good reason. Throughout the bout, Jacobs launched vicious body shot and it didn’t help Derevyanchenko that he went down on a flash knockdown on a Jacobs’clubbing right hand near the end of the first bout. Derevyanchenko did manage a combination in the second round that shook Jacobs up but from that point, Jacobs showed overall better skills and ring generalship as he moved and gave himself angles to hit Derevyanchenko. Derevyanchenko fought a competitive fight and many pundits had the fight closer than I had. Each round was competitive including the first round until Derevyanchenko hit the canvas at the end of the round.
Danny Jacobs escaped from being trapped on the rope while keeping much of the bout in the center of the ring. Derevyanchenko did not match Jacobs hand speed and nor did he cut off the ring as well as he could but then Jacobs mobility has much to do with that.
There were moments that Derevyanchenko got the better including a solid left hand and right hand combination in the tenth round and he took the final round but it was too little too late, at least on my card. While Harold Lederman had this fight in favor of Jacobs, other of the HBO team including Roy Jones and Max Kellerman warned the audience that while Harold had it easily in Jacobs favor, the judges would have it closer. They did and Harold own daughter disagree with her father on who won. Now Jacobs want Alvarez to unify the title.
HBO is now leaving the fight game and by the end of the year, there will be no HBO covering boxing. For years, Showtime has surpassed HBO and other just as ESPN and Fox sports covered the sport. HBO was the king of boxing coverage for over four decades and if there was a big fight, HBO had it. Over 1100 fights were seen on HBO since 1973 but over the past few years, Top Rank and Premier boxing took their business elsewhere and many of the bigger stars moved to Showtime, leaving HBO with very few big fights. Over the years some of the greatest performed on HBO including Lennox Lewis, Roy Jones, Oscar De La Hoya, Sugar Ray Leonard and Tommy Hearns. The last big stars left on HBO was Saul Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin, who will now be free agents.
For me, a decisive shift from HBO to Showtime was the Showtime Super Middleweight tournament and over a period of three years, Showtime had some of the best fighters in the 168 pound fighting each other and it was here that Andre Ward became a star as he won the tournament and became the king of the division. HBO is no longer part of boxing but boxing may benefit from this as there are other who are willing to broadcast more matches. My own bias is that covering Showtime boxing was more fun and their announcers were more accessible. I remember covering a SHOBOX and I had the chance to interview the late Nick Charles and Steve Farhood, and found them both not just knowledgeable about the sport but down to earth. I will miss Harold Lederman who often explained the nuance of scoring and hope he lands somewhere. Jim Lampley is staying with HBO, so his career as play by play announcer is over but Max Kellerman may end up back at ESPN. Boxing will survive and with Showtime, they have will a network that will promote the sport that HBO failed
Aren’t You Embarrassed? By Loredana Gasparotto
Recently for the very first time, I was harassed on Facebook. I ended up blocking that person. Later on, the same person managed to bother me again through two additional FB accounts, which I promptly deleted her from. I wonder why this person didn’t contact me through direct message instead of addressing her issues with me publicly. Why didn’t she do that? If this was such a personal concern? Why involving strangers in a conversation they knew nothing about? What was her final goal? Was it to resolve and clarify the problem or just to complain and gain sympathy from others?
As a result of this event, I asked myself “what prompt some people to splatter their personal problems or intimate secrets on social media or public platforms? Their issues range from being bothered by their boss, from sharing the name of their medications or any personal matters.
I began to research. I googled the topic, and I reflected on the personalities of the people I know that overshare on FB. I found out that most of these people usually flag chronic anger, resentment issues, and profound loneliness. But what is more interesting is that they are not “dumb.” These characters are usually well educated and intelligent, but somehow they are incapable of self-analysis and introspection. They seem to fail to recognize that their stance toward others is the cause of their own troubles. Maybe it’s a question of humility. It’s difficult to admit that we are the cause of our misfortunes and it’s always more convenient to point the finger at the “others” who are insensitive, rude and selfish.
The Huffington Post states that the problem is originated in deep insecurity and need for attention. Probably true. But I personally believe is rooted in this lack of introspection and humility that develops into envy, self-pity, and inaction. And it is insane how far these people would go to seek revenge. All energies that could be spent in taking action to better their own lives. But maybe being pitied by others is more satisfying and easier to achieve than persevering toward a goal without complaining.
When I read or listen to the stuff these individuals post or speak about, I think “aren’t you embarrassed?” “Is the risk of being laughed at not enough to prevent you from revealing personal and embarrassing material?”
Like Sebastian Maniscalco says ” It’s the internet. The internet is bringing out people we didn’t even know existed. Thirty years ago these people wouldn’t even leave the house. They would be in the basement talking to themselves. But now with the internet, they have an outlet in the world. And where are people getting the time to do half of the stuff they do online? Writing reviews on restaurants they go to? You’ve got nothing going on in your life? Arent’ you embarrassed?” Amen