Death Penalty Isn't Going Away in California

Apparently, the battle over the death penalty in California isn't going away, despite the failure of the recent voter initiative to ban it.

At LAT, "In California, death penalty abolitionists pledge to keep fighting":

As executions have declined and public opinion of the death penalty has hit a record low nationwide, many looked to California as a test of whether the public — not courts or governments — was ready to overturn the practice.

But California voters on Tuesday defeated a measure to repeal capital punishment and, as of Thursday, were on course to narrowly approve a dueling proposition that aims to amend and expedite it.

Death penalty supporters lauded the outcome, saying it reflected what they have been pointing to all along: Most Americans want the system fixed, not ended. But abolitionists argued that campaigns in favor of capital punishment benefited from the so-called “Trump effect,” a wave of mostly white, male voters from rural areas energized by the Republican presidential campaign of Donald Trump.

Proposition 62, which would have replaced capital punishment for murder with life in prison without parole, was defeated, with nearly 54% of voters in opposition.

Awaiting approval is Proposition 66, which intends to speed up executions by designating trial courts to hear petitions challenging death row convictions, limiting successive petitions and expanding the pool of lawyers who could take on death penalty appeals.

It has won the approval of 50.9% of voters. California elections officials have been sifting through ballots cast by mail, which account for more than half of the state's voter registration, and may not have a full handle on how many are left to count until Monday...

Actually, Prop 66 passed. See the San Jose Mercury News, "California’s death penalty: What to know after Proposition 66."

Look, Hillary won 60 percent of the vote in California. It wasn't just the "Trump effect." People still support capital punishment in this country, despite the vile coddling of murderers by radical leftists.

They Do Protest Too Much, Methinks

From Professor Michael Curtis, at the Commentator, "Anti-Trump rallies: They do protest too much, methinks":

The endless protests against Trump's victory can be seen as an exercise in free speech, but they must also be seen less kindly as undemocratic and indeed reactionary in their refusal to accept the validity of the democratic election result. Communist East Germany offers a poetic lesson

The ongoing protests, now in their ninth day, against the election of Donald Trump as US President can be seen in benign fashion as democracy in action, illustrations of the exercise of the right of free speech.

Some of the protestors may be sincere, open minded critics of what they perceive are Trump's policies and intentions. They do not deny the validity of his election, nor seek to disqualify it.

But the protests must also be seen less kindly as undemocratic and indeed reactionary in their refusal to accept the validity of the democratic election result.

The United States today has nothing in common with the Communist regime in East Germany in the 1950s. Nevertheless, it is well to remember the bitter remark of the German poet and playwright Bertolt Brecht after the failure of the uprising of June 17, 1953 in East Germany against poor economic  wage and working conditions, an uprising  that was put down brutally by Soviet troops.

In his poem The Solution, critical of the brutality, Brecht ironically wrote it was easier for the Communist government to maintain control by dissolving  the people and electing another.

The present day U.S protestors , whether choreographed or not or organized by groups said to be sponsored by billionaire George Soros, in their refusal to accept the will of the people want to dissolve the American people and demand both the reversal of the election result and changes in the Constitution.

Based on the fact that Hillary Clinton, defeated in the vote for the Electoral College but obtaining a slim majority in the overall  popular vote, the protestors call  for the Electoral College to be abolished.

They appear ignorant that 2016 is not unique. Five times before in American history, a presidential candidate has been elected by winning a majority in the Electoral College but not the popular vote in the country.

Nevertheless, the protestors argue for the Electors on December 19, 2016 to ignore the votes of their states and vote for Hillary Clinton.

Protests by American citizens have been part of political theatre in American politics for some time but it is surprising that some of the present actors seem unknowingly to be playing the end of Shakespeare's King Lear.

The present day protestors overplay their role in viewing  the election of Donald Trump as U.S. President as "the weight of this sad time."

No supporter of Trump has ever claimed that he is, like Abraham Lincoln or Oliver Cromwell, the instrument of divine purpose.

Some protestors, whether from the Democratic Party, believers in identity politics, African-Americans, Latinos, Environmentalists, and LGBT, genuinely differ from President-Elect Trump on many policy issues...

Keep reading.

'Hamilton' Cast Boos Mike Pence

I'm sure Vice-President Elect Pence handled it with class.

Leftists, of course, have no class, and rank-and-file Democrats aren't pleased. Hard-left culture warriors are going to guarantee a second Trump term in office.

"We are the diverse America who are alarmed and anxious that your new administration will not protect us" https://t.co/ZQVEkoyWNq

— Hollywood Reporter (@THR) November 19, 2016

What happened to @mike_pence at Hamilton last night has resonated already out here on Main Street. Regular Democrats I interviewed appalled

— SalenaZito (@SalenaZito) November 19, 2016

Message from @HamiltonMusical /Broadway to paying conservative customers: Fuck you.
We'll see how that works out!

— Michelle Malkin (@michellemalkin) November 19, 2016

U.S. Media Normalizing Donald Trump

Sarah Kendzior's still on the warpath against the coming autocratic kleptocracy of the Donald Trump regime, lol.

Here's her latest screed, "We’re heading into dark times. This is how to be your own light in the Age of Trump."

And she's interviewed at Al Jazeera. But stay with it until the Mike Cernovich segment, which is much more enlightening and interesting:

I Didn't Even Know Liev Schrieber Was Married to Naomi Watts

I know now.

The boys are mini-mes of mother Naomi, lol.

Liev Schreiber steps out with his sons after split with Naomi Watts https://t.co/oU0CdUDYgm pic.twitter.com/HdMsbJH9Rp

— Daily Mail Celebrity (@DailyMailCeleb) November 19, 2016

Pic Dump at Theo's

One of the best things about Theo's blog, increasingly rare, the Pic Dump.

The X-Files: Complete Series Collector's Set Event Bundle

Heh, cool discs.

At Amazon, The X-Files: Complete Series Collector's Set + The Event Bundle [Blu-ray].

Save on Mattresses, Adjustable Bed Frames.

Also, Samsung UN48J5000 48-Inch 1080p LED TV (2015 Model).

BONUS: Daniel Walker Howe, What Hath God Wrought: The Transformation of America, 1815-1848 (Oxford History of the United States).

Donald Trump's Victory Tour

Heh.

I love it.

And boy does this piss off leftists, lol.

#DonaldTrump transition plans victory tour of campaign-style rallies. #MAGA https://t.co/YnkjIGqWv0

— Donald Douglas (@AmPowerBlog) November 18, 2016

California's Electorate is Way More Leftist Than the Rest of the Country

I'll move out of California one of these days. The once-Golden State is way too leftist for me.

We're almost a radical-left island compared to the rest of the nation.

At LAT, "Why California went its own liberal way in the election":

California’s vote differs so much from the national pattern for two main reasons: Nonwhite voters, a group that is heavily Democratic, make up a significantly bigger share of the state’s electorate than the national one. Moreover, the state’s white voters are more likely to define themselves as liberals and identify with Democrats than are whites in the rest of the country.

In California, white voters made up about 56% of the state’s electorate, the USC/LA Times survey indicated. Clinton carried those white voters 55% to 40%, blacks by 84% to 13%, Latinos by 73% to 22% and all other voters by 57% to 35%, the survey found.

By contrast, a separate national post-election poll by SurveyMonkey found whites made up 75% of the electorate across the country.

Still more.

Drew Barrymore Beach Bathing Photos on Mexican Getaway

She's a good lady.

At London's Daily Mail, "Beach babe Drew Barrymore has fun in the sun on her Mexican getaway."

Donald Trump's Foreign Policy Isn't Reckless or Radical

From Edward Luttwak, at Foreign Policy, "Enough Hysterics. Donald Trump's Foreign Policy Isn't Reckless or Radical":

The global funk over President-elect Donald Trump’s nascent foreign policy — from Sen. John McCain’s declaration that his Russia policy is “unacceptable” to hysterical over-interpretations of his intentions regarding China and trade — will not last long. On Nov. 17, when Trump meets with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, the inevitable “normalization” of the new U.S. administration will start in earnest. Trump has declared that Japan should spend more on defense to share the burden of containing China more evenly, but there will be no rude demands. At the very most, at the next summit, or the one after that, Trump might suggest that a greater Japanese effort would be welcome. Because Abe has actually done much to strengthen Japan and do more for the alliance, the two leaders will find an understanding easily enough.

As for China and its maritime expansionism, Trump’s other policies matter more than his China policy in and of itself. Disengagement from Afghanistan and Iraq — no more troops will go in and those there will soon return home — and a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin over Ukraine would release U.S. military resources for the containment of China. That will facilitate a more muscular response to China’s island-grabbing in the Philippines, aggressive patrolling around Japan’s southernmost islands, and periodic intrusions into Vietnamese waters. President Barack Obama’s White House staff kept refusing U.S. Pacific Command suggestions for “freedom of navigation” patrols through the South China Sea in the hope that verbal persuasion alone would stop Chinese incursions. In diplomatic circles, it was reported that National Security Advisor Susan Rice opined that Beijing was “shapeable,” as if China were a very small country with not much of a history. Trump is unlikely to share such illusions, and he appears not likely to stop Pacific Command from doing its job of “keeping the sea lanes open” — the polite expression for denying Chinese territorial claims over coral reefs, rocks, and shoals.

If Trump’s Russia policy is successful, it will reduce tensions and thus the need to send more U.S. forces to Europe to strengthen the NATO alliance. But subject to that, Trump has said many times that he will press for more fairness in alliance burden-sharing, especially by NATO’s richer members. Some in Europe have already said any such attempt by Trump would instead prompt the establishment of Europe’s own united armed forces, finally overcoming objections from all sides. That would indeed be a curious response, because it would mean spending very much more than Trump would ask for. The more likely outcome is that Trump will get his increases — perhaps to the agreed-upon 2 percent of GDP.

That said, no distinctive Europe policy is likely to come from Trump. His vocal support for Brexit clearly showed his Euroskepticism. Like an increasing number of Europeans, he appears to view the European Union as a failed experiment devoured by its own bureaucracy and the euro monetary system as destructive to economic growth. On the other hand, no American president can say much on the subject once he is in office, and he can do even less, because the United States has no say in Europe’s own institutions. Yet even a silent Trump will encourage Euroskeptic politicians everywhere, perhaps tipping the balance in some countries, incidentally keeping the argument focused on liberty versus bureaucracy, as opposed to authoritarian or racist arguments. When it comes to Saudi Arabia, one might think that matters must go from very bad — its bitter quarrel with Obama over the Iran nuclear deal — to worse, given that Trump has said many times that he views “radical Islam” as a hostile ideology. Saudi Arabia has been the main source of this brand of Islam worldwide, followed by India (yes, secular India gives a tax exemption to the enormous Deobandi seminary that spawned the Taliban). But the Trump administration will not start religious quarrels and is not likely to abandon established diplomatic doctrine on sovereign immunity — despite it having been violated by the “Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act,” passed in late September over Obama’s veto, that allows civil lawsuits against Saudi Arabia.

Against all this, there is something much more important: In his eagerness to reach a nuclear accord with Iran, Obama disregarded Israeli and Saudi security concerns — they are under attack by Iran every day — and treated their objections with icy contempt. By contrast, Obama’s officials acted like excited teenagers with their Iranian counterparts. The Saudis took it personally as a betrayal — Washington consorting with its enemies against its friends. Although Trump will not repudiate the Iran accords he so loudly criticized (he can’t do so alone, as it’s a multilateral agreement), he will stand strong against Tehran. His officials will not tolerate any deviations from the nuclear deal, will not move toward lifting the ballistic missile and terrorism sanctions, and if Iran’s Revolutionary Guards try to humiliate Trump with naval provocations as they did with Obama, the U.S. Navy will sink a small boat or two, and U.S.-Saudi relations will be splendid once more...

Keep reading.

Francisco Balderrama, Decade of Betrayal

Well, considering developments, this might be an excellent book to read.

At Amazon, Francisco Balderrama, Decade of Betrayal: Mexican Repatriation in the 1930s.

Before the Election, Teachers Told Their Students Everything Would Be Okay. Now They're Freaking Out

I attended an immigration rights forum at lunch yesterday, sponsored by the Latino faculty members, which included a representative from the Long Beach Immigrant Rights Coalition. People are scared. The event was emotional. Lots of crying. I feel for these folks. In fact, I'm gathering information, including legal defense resources. With the appointment of Jeff Sessions as Attorney General, I'd say the fears are well justified.

In any case, leftists thought unicorns and rainbows were going to continue in a third Obama term under Hillary Clinton. It's not happening, and school teachers are at a loss for words.

At LAT, "Teachers told their students everything would be OK after the election. Now, they're not so sure":

For months leading up to the presidential election, elementary school teacher Ingrid Villeda tried to instill in her students a certain faith in democracy.

The 18-year veteran of L.A. Unified’s schools looked for simple ways to decode the ugly back-and-forths on TV. She taught her fifth-graders about the virtues of a democratic nation in which ordinary citizens study the candidates’ policy positions and then choose their leaders. She wore suffragette white on election day and told them the story of how women fought for and won the right vote.

Within the walls of Villeda’s school, 93rd Street Elementary, where roughly three-quarters of the students are Latino, Donald J. Trump and his vow to deport millions of immigrants living in the country illegally seemed far away and fictional. That is, until the morning after the election, when Villeda’s students ran to her in the schoolyard, the sleepless night written on their faces.

“People really don’t like us?” asked a girl from Mexico. “What are we going to do about that?”

Recalling this moment in a phone conversation, Villeda began to cry. “They’re looking at me to be able to stand in front of them and say, ‘You’re okay; we’re going to be fine.’ ”

For students and teachers in the nation’s second-largest school system, the repercussions of America’s choice for president are likely to be both profound and lasting. In L.A. Unified, 74% of the roughly 600,000 students are Latino, and many have relatives and acquaintances who are living in the U.S. without legal permission.

Children are coming to school shrouded in anxiety, asking teachers to interpret the day’s headlines for them, examining each bit of news for its potential threat.

“Am I safe?” many want to know, voicing new concerns about immigration raids or hate-inspired attacks against religious and ethnic minorities as well as LGBT people.

“All week long they’ve been kind of like zombies, numb from shock, and so have a lot of educators,” said Martha Infante, 46, a social-studies teacher at Los Angeles Academy Middle School. The day after the election, she said, was the most difficult day of her career...

Still more.

President-Elect Donald J. Trump Selects U.S. Senator Jeff Sessions for Attorney General (VIDEO)

At NYT, via Memeorandum, "Donald Trump Selects Senator Jeff Sessions for Attorney General."

It's a great pick.

And naturally, all leftists can do is bawl about how Sessions was accused of racism 30 years ago, allegations which apparently derailed a judicial appointment.

See Pema Levy, at the hate-site Mother Jones, "Sessions' Anti-Immigration Influence Will Go Far Beyond His Role as Attorney General: Thirty years ago, charges of racism derailed his confirmation for a judgeship. Now he’ll be vastly more powerful."

And at ABC News:

Sean Trende, The Lost Majority

Trende's writing is uncanny. It's some of the best political analysis of elections I've ever read.

At Amazon, The Lost Majority: Why the Future of Government Is Up for Grabs - and Who Will Take It.

And get a sample at yesterday's RCP:

Read @SeanTrende on The (Emerging Democratic Majority) God That Failed:https://t.co/1D1GtKhtlC

— Ross Douthat (@DouthatNYT) November 16, 2016

Sarah Kendzior's Losing It

She's such a perceptive analyst, and often right, that she's gotten carried away by her own predictions of authoritarianism. She's now kinda pathetic.

A message about what we are facing. Please share. #Resist pic.twitter.com/CGMuidgUbg

— Sarah Kendzior (@sarahkendzior) November 16, 2016

Shop Today

Please shop though my Amazon links today.

I'll be back tonight for more breaking news, commentary, and analysis on all the developments.

Thanks again!

BONUS: Ruchir Sharma, The Rise and Fall of Nations: Forces of Change in the Post-Crisis World.

Obama Claims Trump's Election Wasn't Repudiation of His Ideological Vision (VIDEO)

Sure, go ahead and delude yourself Mr. President.

The fact is, November 8th saw the most beautiful ideological "shellacking" ever, heh.

At LAT, "Obama: Trump's election wasn't necessarily a rejection of my worldview":

President Obama acknowledged Tuesday that voters may have elected Donald Trump in part out of “natural desires for change,” but he batted down the idea that American voters gave an “outright rejection of my worldview.”

Hours after arriving in Greece to begin his final foreign tour as president, Obama tried to explain the American election, allowing elliptically for the first time that Trump’s election might have been a repudiation of his own presidency.

Presidential elections, Obama said, can turn on personalities as well as campaigns. Sometimes there are “natural desires for change when you have an incumbent who’s been there for eight years,” Obama said.

Still, “a pretty healthy majority of the American people agree” with his vision, Obama said, even though they did not elect Democrat Hillary Clinton on her promise to continue it.

“Sometimes people just feel as if we want to try something to see if we can shake things up, and that, I suspect, was a significant phenomenon,” Obama said.

Defending his record, Obama said key elements of his economic agenda for eight years — raising wages, investing in infrastructure and education — were directed at addressing the kind of anxiety that Trump successfully tapped into throughout his campaign.

"The problem was, I couldn't convince a Republican Congress to pass a lot of them," he said. "Having said that, people seem to think I did a pretty good job. And so there is this mismatch between frustration and anger."

Reacting to Trump’s stunning election upset for the second time in less than a day, this time on foreign soil, Obama drew a distinction between Trump’s victory and the so-called Brexit vote in Britain this summer, but also reflected on how nationalist sentiment that is threatening European unity might inhibit America’s own success...

More.

Kris Kobach Says He's 'Drafting Plan for Muslim Registry'

Fine with me.

We're at war for crying out loud. And as much as I pledge to be nice to them, it's not like Muslim residents are turning in the jihadists in their midst. In fact, it's probably the opposite: they're aiding and abetting them. God forbid we have another San Bernardino.

At PuffHo, of all places, "Reported Trump Immigration Advisor and Potential Attorney General is Drafting Plan for Muslim Registry."

I would love if Kobach got the nod for attorney general!

PREVIOUSLY: "Muslims Fear for the Lives (VIDEO)."

Bella Thorne Flaunts Her Abs After Working Out in Hollywood

At London's Daily Mail, the lovely little lady, "Bella Thorne bares her abs after gym session with her 'twin' sister Dani."