How Quickly They Forget
At the Republican National Convention on Wednesday night, Senator Ted Cruz refused to endorse Donald Trump. Many are saying that this is a breach of a pledge he took to support the nominee, whoever it was. After all, Mr. Trump made the same pledge. Why shouldn't Senator Cruz honor that pledge?
Donald Trump said he wouldn't honor his own pledge because the Republicans had treated him "very unfairly." So if he isn't bound by the pledge, why should Senator Cruz be bound by it? After all, Mr. Trump has been insulting Ted Cruz throughout the campaign. He tacked the word "lying" onto Senator Cruz's name. He insulted Senator Cruz's wife and threatened to "spill the beans" about her. He implied that the Senator's father was somehow connected to the assassination of JFK.
Insulting Senator Cruz's political positions is fair game. Insulting his family is not. As for the claim that Cruz started the war of wife insults, that's patently false. It was a super-PAC that took issue with Melania Trump, not the Senator himself.
I don't have a problem with Senator Cruz's choice to not endorse Donald Trump. Not because I loathe the possibility that Trump might win. It's because Donald Trump has no concept of what is and is not "fair."
* * *
While no formal announcement has been made, sources inside the NBA are reporting that the league will move its 2017 All-Star weekend events from the scheduled host city, Charlotte, NC. The decision is based on the lack of any action by North Carolina's legislature to alter the state's House Bill 2. House Bill 2 mandates that all transgendered individuals use the bathroom facility that matches the gender listed on their original birth certificate.
The decision is expected to cause serious economic damage to the local NBA franchise, the Charlotte Hornets. They are owned by former NBA superstar Michael Jordan. The 2014 All-Star weekend had an estimated impact of over $105 million for the host city, New Orleans.
I think it's a great decision by the league. If enough economic pressure is brought to bear on the state, its residents may finally force a change in this law.
* * *
Roger Ailes, CEO of Fox News has resigned, most likely due to the lawsuit filed by former Fox News anchor Gretchen Carlson. New York Magazine is reporting that Ailes will be paid $60 million to walk away which is $20 million more than The Hollywood Reporter says is owed to Ailes on his current contract.
Whoever replaces Ailes (Rupert Murdoch has named himself acting CEO until a replacement is hired) faces a number of challenges. Megyn Kelly is already in the midst of contract negotiations on a new deal. Conservative pundits Bill O'Reilly and Sean Hannity both have contracts that allow them to exit the network if Ailes leaves.
Considering that Fox News out earns CNN/HLN by a more than three to one ratio in terms of Operating Income Before Depreciation and Amortization (OIBDA), and the culture of loyalty to the leader Fox News rather than Fox itself, stock analysts are being cautious in evaluating the company's future growth projections.
* * *
Federal officials have announced that 112 immigrants, some of them here legally, have been arrested in California and face deportation.
All of these individuals have been convicted of and served time for violent crimes, were involved in gang activity or had multiple misdemeanor convictions that are not part of the Obama Administration's current policy of not deporting those who committed "minor offenses." All are eligible for deportation.
According to the L. A. Times, among those arrested this week was Carlos David Martin Ojeda, 46, a sex offender convicted of attempted lewd and lascivious acts with a child under 14 years old. Others included:
How much money was wasted on tracking and capturing these people who were already in custody, but got off because the narrow definition of "felony" wasn't met? I can understand the logic of not deporting people for truly minor offenses while our system of immigration enforcement is so factured; but this is more than irresponsible. It is reprenehsible.
* * *
Donald Trump said he wouldn't honor his own pledge because the Republicans had treated him "very unfairly." So if he isn't bound by the pledge, why should Senator Cruz be bound by it? After all, Mr. Trump has been insulting Ted Cruz throughout the campaign. He tacked the word "lying" onto Senator Cruz's name. He insulted Senator Cruz's wife and threatened to "spill the beans" about her. He implied that the Senator's father was somehow connected to the assassination of JFK.
Insulting Senator Cruz's political positions is fair game. Insulting his family is not. As for the claim that Cruz started the war of wife insults, that's patently false. It was a super-PAC that took issue with Melania Trump, not the Senator himself.
I don't have a problem with Senator Cruz's choice to not endorse Donald Trump. Not because I loathe the possibility that Trump might win. It's because Donald Trump has no concept of what is and is not "fair."
* * *
While no formal announcement has been made, sources inside the NBA are reporting that the league will move its 2017 All-Star weekend events from the scheduled host city, Charlotte, NC. The decision is based on the lack of any action by North Carolina's legislature to alter the state's House Bill 2. House Bill 2 mandates that all transgendered individuals use the bathroom facility that matches the gender listed on their original birth certificate.
The decision is expected to cause serious economic damage to the local NBA franchise, the Charlotte Hornets. They are owned by former NBA superstar Michael Jordan. The 2014 All-Star weekend had an estimated impact of over $105 million for the host city, New Orleans.
I think it's a great decision by the league. If enough economic pressure is brought to bear on the state, its residents may finally force a change in this law.
* * *
Roger Ailes, CEO of Fox News has resigned, most likely due to the lawsuit filed by former Fox News anchor Gretchen Carlson. New York Magazine is reporting that Ailes will be paid $60 million to walk away which is $20 million more than The Hollywood Reporter says is owed to Ailes on his current contract.
Whoever replaces Ailes (Rupert Murdoch has named himself acting CEO until a replacement is hired) faces a number of challenges. Megyn Kelly is already in the midst of contract negotiations on a new deal. Conservative pundits Bill O'Reilly and Sean Hannity both have contracts that allow them to exit the network if Ailes leaves.
Considering that Fox News out earns CNN/HLN by a more than three to one ratio in terms of Operating Income Before Depreciation and Amortization (OIBDA), and the culture of loyalty to the leader Fox News rather than Fox itself, stock analysts are being cautious in evaluating the company's future growth projections.
* * *
Federal officials have announced that 112 immigrants, some of them here legally, have been arrested in California and face deportation.
All of these individuals have been convicted of and served time for violent crimes, were involved in gang activity or had multiple misdemeanor convictions that are not part of the Obama Administration's current policy of not deporting those who committed "minor offenses." All are eligible for deportation.
According to the L. A. Times, among those arrested this week was Carlos David Martin Ojeda, 46, a sex offender convicted of attempted lewd and lascivious acts with a child under 14 years old. Others included:
- A 64-year-old Mexican national in Riverside County who was convicted of attempted murder of a peace officer in 1996.
- A 46-year-old Tongan man previous convicted of assault with a deadly weapon.
- A 37-year-old Salvadoran man in Los Angeles with burglary and DUI convictions.
- A 45-year-old Mexican national in Los Angeles previously convicted of assault to commit rape and failure to register as a sex offender.
How much money was wasted on tracking and capturing these people who were already in custody, but got off because the narrow definition of "felony" wasn't met? I can understand the logic of not deporting people for truly minor offenses while our system of immigration enforcement is so factured; but this is more than irresponsible. It is reprenehsible.
* * *
posted by me at 4:28 PM
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