“We do not believe any group of men adequate enough or wise enough to operate without scrutiny or without criticism. We know that the only way to avoid error is to detect it, that the only way to detect it is to be free to inquire. We know that in secrecy error undetected will flourish and subvert.” –J. Robert Oppenheimer
Wow! What a comment section in yesterday’s thread on this subject. Love hanging out with smart people, you guys are so good at brainstorming. You can expand a list of options or focus on a few key issues. Likewise, you’re comfortable working at a 30K foot view, or digging into the minutiae. Instinctively, we knew this was a good group, but yesterday’s comment section is proof. Grateful to be among you.
As I’m reading the comments from yesterday, I’m sitting at the desk. It’s cool enough to have the doors open this morning, and the birds are active. Daybreak has begun, and the sky is drifting from a Italian cobalt blue to hot pinks and oranges. It’s a gorgeous fall morning. The house is still but fragrant from the first pot of coffee. I can concentrate. That was when I read Scott467’s comment…..
Scott is one of the best to make us think about the tough questions. Out of all the reasons Dems could be angry, out of all the things we thought about yesterday, what could be the one reason? Instead of expanding the list, Scott sought to narrow the list. That Scott, that fella……. he’s one wise man.
What one thing could tie all of it together? What ‘answer’ could work as a sort of ‘unified field’ theory?
Scott467
Gosh, I didn’t expect that reply, Scott. We were doing well, making the list longer. Now, we need to trim the list and get down to ONE reason? Encapsulate the whole thing? But Scott hit something. He was right and it frustrated me. I went outside to sweep the side porch, not that it needed it, but the motion of the broom…… somehow……. helps thoughts push through my brain. Am I the only one who does that?
Here’s what I came up with. Of course, like yesterday, there is no right or wrong answer and again, like yesterday………. can’t wait to see the group’s thoughts on this one.
I’m looking for that one answer, Scott.
Seems to boil down to taking the easier way out, easier to cheat and lie about their opponent (Trump) than earn the respect themselves.
lack of ethics
dishonor
For Pelosi to call this period of time “sad” and to say “we much be prayerful” at this time —– she’s the one killing America.
Sanctimonious.
Corrupt
Media worried about the 2yrs of lies on Russia and losing viewership, would rather continue the lie than explain Crowdstrike and their complicity
Worried about Trump becoming too popular because of his successes, attack him and his family personally
Worried about the country rejecting socialism/communism, re electing Trump, impeach him.
Don’t have enough votes for impeachment, then change the rules for a “hybrid Impeachment Inquiry”
Rather impeach Trump than resolve immigration.
Rather hire outside counsel, change the rules of the House, establish a mini-DOJ within the Congress, to defend Obamacare wherever it is challenged — than put together a good healthcare plan for the country.
Rather breed race division and identity politics, than create policies which are good and moral for all women and men
Rather tax the vices of men, than control government budgets by making hard choices.
Rather shut down opposition and silence opponents, than take the time to listen and compromise
Rather tax the wealthy, admonish them for their success, then address the problems of a generational welfare state.
It becomes the path of choice for everything – the easy way out
Cover up the corruption rather than expose it — Awan scandal, paying off harassment suits against Congressman with public funds, Diane Feinstein’s Chinese “driver”, the Kavanaugh trial….. and the enormous problems with the Clinton Foundation.
And then it drifts down into culture,
Don’t get promoted? Sue the company for discrimination.
Don’t like your male boss, accuse him of sexual advances.
Don’t check out fast enough in line, can’t afford an item in a dept store = steal it.
Don’t want to take the time to work out problems with your spouse —>>> divorce.
To our kids:
Don’t get a cookie, scream until you do.
Don’t make the cheerleading squad, sue the school or spread false rumors about those who do
Not popular in school —->>>> kill your classmates.
It’s about never learning how to accept failure (Hillary Clinton is a perfect example). If we cannot accept a failure, we’re stuck. Time stops. We cannot move forward to LEARN from the mistake, and grow, develop into a wise old man, change our tactics, and be a productive member of society. Again, Hillary is a perfect example of someone who is “stuck”.
When I was young, I worked on a case that I knew would make me successful and wealthy. I was so sure I was going to make a name for myself. Ahhhh, we’re all blind when we’re young. I worked on it for two years, and I did everything right. Every detail of the case was covered. I was so sure I would put the plan in motion, I even shopped for new homes. I knew the house I was going to buy. Suddenly, from left field, a competitor appeared. His plan was not as good, he was not offering nearly what my firm could, but he was older and the law firm was more comfortable with him than me. As I headed into a final meeting, where I feared I would learn the bad news, I called……….. Dad. I needed advice.
My Dad loved me. Surely, he would be empathetic or give me something magical to say or do to save the client. Instead, I got a swift kick in the a$$…. from my own Dad.
Dad was familiar with the case, of course, I talked about it endlessly for two years. Instead, Dad said, paraphrasing, “You’ve lost this one. Accept the beating and move on. You put all your eggs into one basket, and it’s a classic mistake. If you had 10 law firms- medium size, instead of going after the biggest one in the southeast, you wouldn’t be in this position. Yes, all the other guys in the office will make fun of you. This is your comeuppance. It’s going to happen. You failed to bring it home…… “
I was feeling like an old crusty barnacle on the bottom of a boat, whining a little bit (Gosh, I really thought Dad would have something magical. Dad hated it when I whined and he was getting impatient with me) when Dad continued, “…… but here’s the thing….. If you’re not failing, you’re not fu$king doing anything. If you never fail, that means you never tried. You want to be on the field of play, then expect to get fu$king hit. You’ll figure out how to win….. next time. You’re way too stubborn to stay down on the mat for too long…..”
My Dad was a Marine until the day he died and a very successful exec. I was 24 when that conversation happened and in 24yrs, I never heard him curse. Never. Not once. For Dad to drop the F bomb was a big deal. It meant two things. He was serious, and he was treating me like an adult, not a daughter. Mixed blessing. Lose a huge client, but in Daddy’s eyes, I was all grown up. Yeah, grown up enough to fail, …..miserably. And like all daughters seeking their father’s respect, Dad was much more important to me than any client. I was working on that “respect” thing…..but I was getting there.
I took my medicine from the client, and they were kind of surprised by how quickly I walked away. My competitor got a slot on Good Morning America…. and the sight of his face made me irritated for years. Salt in the wound. Yet strangely, I was walking a little taller. Yeah, I could figure it out. There would be many more failures to come. I embraced them and each time, the sting hurt a little less. Each failure taught me more, make me stronger. And no, staying “down on the mat” would have been easier, but was never a comfortable place to be.
Lying about it, selling out, compromising ethics was never an option. Can’t get respect that way….. at least not from my Dad.
Some people are so afraid to fail, they take desperate measures to avoid the pivotal moment of failure. Husbands/wives hide affairs. Politicians hide corruption. Media won’t admit the Russia Hoax. It’s endless.
What if we taught our kids, and our loved ones, failure and disappointment is part of life? What we LEARN from the failure is obviously information we needed to NOT fail the next time. No one escapes failure in their lives. How we deal with our failures, however, does define us. Are we confronters, or are we avoiders…. until we are forced to confront the failure
We all know, President Trump is definitely a confronter.
Steve in Lewes came up with our theme song this morning and it’s PERFECT!!!!!
Okay folks, have a lovely Sunday morning. Say a little prayer for our President and his family during this difficult time. Gotta run, time to make breakfast.
The sun is up, Big T is in the kitchen and I just got my first whiff of bacon………
Many of our friends and family will ask us about the latest developments of the hybrid Impeachment “Inquiry”. How do we react? What are you saying to your friends? Please include your insights in the comments below.
My response has been to donate small amounts to the Trump campaign, and narrow my eyes with cold determination. This is a war. Accept it. Stop thinking your opposition does not know the truth, or they are idiots. No, they know exactly what they are doing. These actions are intentional.
As time goes on, we see holes in the Whistleblower story, and whether or not this qualifies as a whistleblower complaint. I’m going to put that debate to the side for a moment to examine another issue. What we cannot understand, what makes no sense to us, and sets off our spidey-sense, is, why are the Dems so angry?
When confronted, leftist voters and their politicians have a hard time communicating a legitimate reason for hatred of Trump, let alone, impeachment of an American President. They stumble and stammer, defaulting to frustration and emotion. It could be a deliberate effort to oust a President because the opposition seeks control of government…. more nefarious. Is it a rejection of the people who voted for President Trump and an effort to control public discourse, quell dissent, to silence ….. us? Is it a grand conspiracy by a bunch of globalists who really want to continue sucking the USA dry? Is Trump really a Nazi and an existential threat to the world? All of the above? Who knows?
We’ve had opposing political parties in the past. Every election cycle, each side rallies supporters, but one side fails. We lick our wounds, analyze our mistakes, and move onto the next election. Yet, we’ve never seen anything like the way the political opposition + media have acted during the Trump administration.
Whatever the reason for the left’s motives, why are they so desperate this time? If we can get to THAT answer, the root cause for all the venom, we may figure out the truth and begin to make peace…..
The reaction from the left is “over the top”, not normal, which leads us to believe something else is at stake. It indicates regular, GUILTY, human behavior. If a toddler descends into tears because mom accused them of stealing a cookie, it means admitting the theft is perceived as MORE disadvantageous, than the embarrassment of having a fit…. which means parents need to correct the toddler’s priorities, asap. We teach our children to own up to their failings and mistakes. Strong and spontaneous, “over the top” emotions, which have no clear basis, indicate deflection of the real problem. Likewise, if a husband and wife are screaming at each other about whether to have chicken or salmon for dinner…. chances are, the argument is NOT about what’s for dinner. It’s something else.
So, what is it with the Dems?
The Premise: The Dems are trying to hide something…. and it’s big.
The more they scream, the greater the effort, the bigger the problem. It’s directly proportional. Let’s see if the premise works. We have 10 reasons.
1. In my opinion, it all comes back to the “alleged” fraud, targeting of the Trump campaign, during the 2016 election and the attempts to hide the crimes. If the fraud is discovered, people will go to jail and the Dem party (and maybe a few on the Repub side) will have their political careers destroyed. People involved will be disgraced, legacies ruined, think tanks shuttered, and there will be many more Dr. Mudd’s. The Dem party would be eviscerated for a generation. This time, EVERYTHING is at stake. They’re fighting for their lives.
Why were Mueller/Weissman so careful to limit their investigations?
Let’s be objective. Well, it’s a plausible argument, which remains largely unproven as yet (the fraud/the FISAs/the spying/the entrapment), and would explain the visceral hatred, desperate actions of the Dems. It could be one example of why the Dems are so angry. Let’s look for further evidence.
2. The first person the Dems attacked was Lt General Mike Flynn. Why go after Flynn, first? Back in 2014, Mike Flynn wrote a book called The Field of Fight. It was Mike Flynn’s approach on how to fight Radical Islam………….. but it included a restructuring of the intel agencies to become more effective, less analysts, and more people on the front lines and in the field. Ohhh, the intel agencies did not like Mike Flynn’s book at all. Flynn was fired by Obama because of his alleged naming of Radical Islam, but insiders claim it was because of his ideas on moving the agencies around. And we do have McCabe’s words, “First we fu$k Flynn, and then we fu$k Trump.”
The intel community targeted Flynn before he ever set foot in the White House.
Hmmm, Mike Flynn would definitely be a threat to the intel agencies, particularly the Obama holdovers. Mike Flynn could easily find what the intel agencies would be hiding. Is that why they went after Flynn, first? Whatever the truth, because of Flynn’s experience, he would certainly know how to reorganize the intel agencies, which would be a direct threat to established fiefdoms with the intel community. Fear of Flynn would create automatic resistance, heightened emotion………. and perhaps mistakes.
We learned last night, from Flynn’s lawyer, Sidney Powell, new information. By January 30th, 2017, Flynn had be cleared of being an “agent of Russia” and another DOJ letter cleared him of bogus Logan Act Charges, + we know those who interview Flynn did not think he lied. By January 30th, there was no reason for Flynn to leave the White House, but it’s NOT what the DOJ was telling McGann and President Trump. Extraordinary steps taken to get rid of Flynn – someone was scared of Flynn.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3qN_2Ogxro
It could be Mike Flynn but let’s keep looking for other things which scare the Dems about Donald Trump.
How about CrowdStrike?
3. It’s all about the effort to cover up the CrowdStrike report that the DNC was hacked by Russians. If the public understands what happened with CrowdStrike, the reputation of the intel community would be irreparably harmed. It would be similar to the false claim of “WMD’s in Iraq” but more severe, as the intel agencies were actually smearing a US President. In DC, there is a sense to “protect the institutions” at all costs, which could be compounding the problem.
We know CrowdStrike issued their report, and Alperovitch went on PBS before Christmas, 2016, to explain to the public. Comey testified the FBI requested access to servers at DNC several times but ended up reading the report from CrowdStrike as did CIA/DNI. Yes, CrowdStrike was the ONLY ONE to examine DNC servers and pronounced the “Russians hacked the DNC”.
But we later learned in the Roger Stone case, all the FBI ever had was a redacted draft of the CrowdStrike Report. Most Americans still believe Russia hacked the DNC.
On December 29, the Joint Analysis Report was published. We read it, because there was much confusion. Many people thought the DNC hack was actually a download, or Seth Rich was involved, and Julian Assange flatly denied a Russian hack. We looked for answers from our intel community, and we thought they would tell us the truth. Well, the JAR was disappointing and obviously a rush job = establish Russian hacking narrative before Obama left office, and btw, throw out a few Russian diplomats while we’re at it.
January 7, 2017, the Intelligence Community Assessment (ICA) Report was released. Was it the same day Comey met with President Elect Trump in Trump Tower? Please read the ICA, it’s a joke. Thus, the “17 intel agencies” lie was born, and the set up to “Trump at war with the intel community”, and the relentless press, “Why won’t Trump admit Russians hacked the DNC” had begun. https://www.dni.gov/files/documents/ICA_2017_01.pdf
The CIA/FBI/DNI put their name and reputation on the line when they signed onto the CrowdStrike report. CrowdStrike based their theory on the premise of Russian hacking of D-30 Howitzer targeting software, during the Crimea invasion, by a hacker named Cozy Bear, which resulted in an 80% loss of armament. CrowdStrike backed up this claim with stats from a think tank in London which counts weapons in action or available to all countries in the world. CrowdStrike believed the DNC hack was similar to the Ukraine hack and thus, “Russia hacked the DNC”.
Yet, by March-April of 2017, the foundation of the CrowdStrike Report began to fall apart. IISS merely updated their tally of D-30 Howitzers in Ukraine and only showed a 15% loss. Furthermore, the execs at IISS were never contacted by anyone from CrowdStrike. Plus, the Ukraine General on the field disputed any problem with tracking software during the Crimea incursion. Whoops, CrowdStrike was busted.
The other points in the CrowdStrike report were easily defeated as well. A.) There was a Russian malware string found during the hack – but we learned 30% of all computers in the world have the same string. B.) There was a Russian language string in the hack – but we learned all Apple/Android phones are capable of Russian language, or, we could by a Russian language keyboard in Brooklyn for about $14.00
By May of 2017, CrowdStrike was cornered and forced to retract their principle finding of the D-30 Howitzer tracking software as similar to the DNC hack. Yet, their spokesperson claimed their conclusions were found to be VALID by the “17 Intel Agencies” of the US government…. and therefore, CrowdStrike was reliable.
See what they did there?
CrowdStrike put out a false report, and truly sloppy work, which was quickly debunked. The agencies bought in, claiming it was true. By the time we learned the whole thing was false, the SPOX for CrowdStrike claimed their work was validated by the agencies. It was a vicious circle with the agencies and CrowdStrike lying to American voters and the rest of the world. “Blame Russia!”
Remember how ANGRY the press became when President Trump would not repeat the LIE, “Russians hacked the DNC” which is different than a few Facebook ads and “Russia Influenced our election”? The media went wild in Helsinki when Trump met Putin. The press forced the President of the USA to repeat what he knew had to be a lie. And sure, Google put 100 million dollars into CrowdStrike and the company just went public.
Additionally, we all waited patiently for two years on the Mueller report to learn the real problems in 2016. Yet, on page 3, Mueller states, Russians hacked the DNC and Mueller/Weissman never challenged the premise.
To this day, there has NEVER been any proof Russians hacked the DNC.
If the American people become aware of this fraud, the sloppiness of CrowdStrike, and the complicit nature of the agencies, what are the chances they would trust the intel community, or the Democrats, or the media? Yeah, hiding this fraud would be a good reason, and a BIG reason, to be irrational, emotional.
It sure would be a good reason to target a sitting President with a bogus CIA “whistleblower”…. right before the real investigation from Barr and Durham reveals the origins of 2016 campaign fraud.Yeah, that would be The Mother of all Distractions.
To this date there is no proof, whatsoever, the Russians hacked the DNC. #Crowdstrike was a fraud. Joint Assessment Report was a lie. Intel Community Assessment was a damn lie. But it sure is curious that Pelosi is talking about it now! https://t.co/QeyRdvDMJq
Yet, there are many more reasons for the emotional and “over the top” reaction of the left. Let’s list a few more and we’ll turn it over to the forum.
4. It could be …. all those people who voted for Hillary feel cheated and lied to by the media. Surprised when Trump won? I wasn’t. They MAY be more angry at their own leaders, or people like Nate Silver who pushed wild polls, than President Trump. The “Russia helped Trump” narrative helps these lower IQ voters to focus their rage and resentment back to Trump. They feel cheated but still validated, because “we really won”. If what was hidden comes to light, the hatred turns back to the Dems and those who lied in the media.
5. We’ve known about problems in the Swamp for years, but it’s never been more clear than today, thanks to President Trump. Lobbyist arrangements, media activists, GOPe’ers like Ryan/Sasse/Mike Lee/McCain…….. become exposed when a President like Trump comes to town. It’s why the GOPe helps the Dems. Theirs was a cozy arrangement. Many bureaucrats and politicians enriched themselves and family to the detriment of the American public. Yeah, that would be a good reason to keep the status quo hidden from the public.
6. It could be as simple as “victim culture” and fascist ideology which has taken over our universities. College students think a perceived “offense” is more important than another person’s constitutional freedoms. It’s upside down. Yet, college students and lower IQ voters are far removed and more likely a result of actions from higher up the food chain. If the masses are more absorbed with their own problems, it’s easier to keep big problems hidden.
7. Or, the reason for all the hatred could be completely unrelated to President Trump. It may have to do with more of a human failing. Recall Ashley Judd, speaking at the Women’s March. It was clear, something happened to Ashley Judd which hurt her deeply, but it had nothing to do with President Trump. We learned later, it was Harvey Weinstein. Yet, why would Ashley Judd take out her rage on another man, the wrong man?
The #MeToo women were the same women who smeared Kavanaugh. What brings a woman to incorrectly hate/blame all men for the actions of one. Rationally, they MUST know their logic is flawed. Or, is it guilt, because they compromised themselves at some point, for money, power, fame, and instead of admitting the their mistake/personal failure? Again, breeding class/gender resentment makes it easier to hide bigger problems. “Distractions are necessary.”
8. Could it be the brushfire of identity politics, and political correctness, added to our problem? Today, it’s north against south, coasts against heartland, black against white, police against criminal, Hollywood against Red States, and an attempt to paint a political opponent as …. evil, unworthy of life. It’s dangerous and very un-American. Can we only find comfort and safety with those who are the same age, skin color, socio-economic, politically minded, similarly educated? Who wants to be put into a box?
The more class/gender/skin color/geographic division we see, is there a direct parallel to the amount of distraction necessary to keep bigger problems hidden? Bernie supporters, young students, as well as Trump supporters, resent an abusive and all-powerful government. There is no reason we should be separated in the goal for accountability in government. BUT, if we’re separated, we cannot be organized, which is good for those who want to stay in power.
9. It could come back to Hillary herself. Hillary has listed, for the past 3yrs, 80 some-odd reasons as to why she lost the election of 2016. Has Hillary ever blamed herself? A friend remarked, “She’s not teaching young women how to handle rejection, is she?” This creates a larger problem, “I can’t possibly be wrong.”
If Hillary was really part of the elite, the smart ones, the cool ones, the people who knew everything……… and they lost………. then, they’re not so smart after all……….. are they? Worse yet, they were wrong. America rejected them. They’re losers. Their entire image of themselves has been fundamentally threatened.
How can elites be “elite” if they’re wrong?
If Trump is so stupid, and his followers are uneducated-skeevy-toothless-Deplorables, then how come they beat the $hit out of Hillary and the alleged “cool” people?
At street level, every time Trump “wins”, it’s salt in the wound. It’s personal. It means they lost, again. They don’t see a Trump win as a win for America, too wrapped up in their own bubble, still too fragile. The media stymies their individual recovery by reminding the losers everyday about how much they should be offended. The daily dose of offenses becomes like morning coffee. Think about it. CNN/MSNBC can’t even talk about Trump’s successes, because it’s too painful.
10. Finally, the emotional, irrational hatred of Trump has to do with economics, because everything boils down to power or money. Yes, those who run multi-nationals would love to continue exporting jobs, importing foreign workers, screwing over regular Americans. It’s just a desire to continue on, business as usual.
No one believes Levi’s, who hasn’t manufactured in the USA since 2004, would donate 1 million dollars for an anti-gun campaign because the CEO of Levi’s cares about “gun violence”. No one believe the Nike CEO gives a damn about Colin Kaepernick. No, both were a way to attack a sitting President on a social issue, degrade his popularity, because companies like Nike and Levi’s would LOVE to continue on, business as usual, manufacturing in China, and move their products into the USA with no tariffs. Fentanyl deaths or job losses to Americans don’t matter, what does matter is earnings per share.
With all the virtue-signaling so prevalent with US companies today, how come we don’t have a CEO who decides to bring production BACK to the USA, instead of China, because it would be unethical to support a communist regime who exports fentanyl into America, killing our fellow Americans. Where is that CEO?
The above are a partial list of reasons why we are suspicious about the actions of the Dem/GOPe leadership, the activist media, and traitorous CEO’s. Sure, we’re cynical but legitimately so. Anxious to see what the forum adds to the mix.
It’s been said, “Nothing can stop what’s coming.”
If the amount of flak we and our President are taking indicates our nearness to the target, we’re almost there.
Let’s hope and pray we’re ready.
It’s time.
Turn up the volume and hear our theme song. All attributions to the legendary AC/DC.
This LIGHT IN SEPTEMBER [27] [PLACEHOLDER] Friday open thread is VERY OPEN – a place for everybody to post whatever they feel they would like to tell the White Hats, and the rest of the MAGA / KAG! / KMAG world (KMAG being a bit of both MAGA and KAG!).
You can say what you want, comment on what other people said, and so on.
Free Speech is practiced here. ENJOY IT. Use it or lose it.
Keep it SOMEWHAT civil. They tried to FORCE fake Orwellian civility on us. In response, we CHOOSE true civility to defend our precious FREEDOM from THEM.
Our rules began with the civility of the Old Treehouse, later to become the Wolverinian Empire, and one might say that we have RESTORED THE OLD REPUBLIC – the early high-interaction model of the Treehouse – except of course that Q discussion is not only allowed but encouraged, and speech is considerably freer in other ways. Please feel free to argue and disagree with the board owner, as nicely as possible.
Please also consider the Important Guidelines, outlined here in the January 1st open thread. Let’s not give the odious Internet Censors a reason to shut down this precious haven.
SAY IT LOUD, AND SAY IT PROUD!
“MR. PRESIDENT – I AM PRAYING FOR YOU!“
AND WHAT TIME IS IT?
TIME TO….
DRAIN THE SWAMP
Our movement
Is about replacing
A failed
And CORRUPT
Political establishment
With a new government controlled
By you, the American People.
Candidate Donald J. Trump
Also remember Wheatie’s Rules:
No food fights.
No running with scissors.
If you bring snacks, bring enough for everyone.
So here we are. LIGHT IN SEPTEMBER.
Be part of it. Bring your wisdom, your talents, your opinions, your investigations, your prayers, and your hopes to this thread.
Joseph Maguire is a former Vice Admiral and leader of a Seal Team, 36yrs in the military (which is why I chose this older photo). He finished his training with a broken leg…….. yeah. He is the Acting DNI who will testify to Congress this morning about the President’s phone call with Zelenskyy, The President of the Ukraine.
Here is the actual Whistleblower Complaint, please read for yourself.
CSPAN will offer hours and hours of coverage over several days. Here is their schedule:
Today on C-SPAN: 9am – U.S. House 6:30pm – White House State Dinner for Australian Prime Minister
C-SPAN2: 9am – White House Arrival Ceremony for Australian PM @scottmorrisonmp 11:45am – President Trump & Australian Prime Minister News Conference 12:30pm – DC Climate Strike pic.twitter.com/cHJyqNQruW
♦ 9:00am ET THE PRESIDENT and THE FIRST LADY participate in the arrival ceremony of the Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Mrs. Jenny Morrison of Australia – South Lawn
♦ 9:30am ET THE PRESIDENT and THE FIRST LADY participate in the official guest book signing and leader gift exchange – Blue Room
♦ 9:40am ET THE PRESIDENT and THE FIRST LADY participate in a receiving line with the official Australian Delegation – Cross Hall
♦ 10:00am ET THE PRESIDENT participates in a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Scott Morrison of Australia – Oval Office
♦ 10:30am ET THE PRESIDENT participates in an expanded bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Scott Morrison of Australia – Cabinet Room
♦ 11:45am ET THE PRESIDENT participates in a joint press availability with Prime Minister Scott Morrison of Australia – East Room
♦ 7:00pm ET THE PRESIDENT and THE FIRST LADY participate in the arrival of the Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Lady Jenny Morrison of Australia – North Portico
♦ 7:05pm ET THE PRESIDENT and THE FIRST LADY participate in couples reception with the Prime Minister of Australia and Mrs. Morrison – Yellow Oval Room
♦ 7:35pm ET THE PRESIDENT and THE FIRST LADY participate in a receiving line – Blue Room
♦ 8:20pm ET THE PRESIDENT and THE FIRST LADY host a state dinner with the Prime Minister of Australia and Mrs. Morrison – Rose Garden
First Lady Melania has chosen to deck the Rose Garden with green and gold, with yellow garden roses, wattle and golden champagne grapes decorating the tables.
Approximately 100 guests will enjoy a menu of sunchoke ravioli, Dover sole with fennel mousseline, and Lady Apple tart was chosen to “pay homage to Australia’s special blend of culinary adaptations from its various cultures, not unlike the diverse food traditions of the United States”, a spokesperson for Mrs Trump said.
♦ 9:40pm ET THE PRESIDENT and THE FIRST LADY participate in entertainment with the Prime Minister of Australia and Mrs. Morrison –
FLOTUS Melania has been working hard on the preparations.
The coolest part imo are the violins lined up along the colonnade…facing the dinner guests who will be dining on the Rose Garden (which has been covered with a sisal rug.) #StateDinnerpic.twitter.com/jdzwvvwHM7
Australia is a member of Five Eyes. With the recent discovery of Canada’s top intel official being a spy, there will be much to discuss. Look for conversations about China, rare earth elements, muslim immigration, tech, Iran, and more China.
Reuters Exclusive: #Australia's cyber intelligence agency has concluded #China's Ministry of State Security was responsible for a cyberattack against Australian parliament and three top political parties before the May general election@Colpackhamhttps://t.co/pSwwE8RNlt
Welcome to the Q TreeHouse, we’re glad to have you with us to lurk or post on the events of the day. At the QTH, you can say what you want, comment on what other people said, and so on. Free Speech is practiced here. ENJOY IT. Use it or lose it. Keep it SOMEWHAT civil. Expanded rules are available in the Jan 1st open thread. So, grab a beer or a peach tea lemonade and wander around our house for a while.
We’re still eating the leftovers from our MAGA Rally New Mexico Fajitas on Monday and birthday cake celebration on Wednesday, but we’re happy to share our viddles. As Grandma used to say, “May I always have more guests at my table than I have dining room chairs.” Not to worry, we can squeeze in a few more friends. A slight nip in the air, weekends, and college football, bring us to the low country boiled crab dinner in the Southeast, the Shrimp Boil on the Gulf, or the Clambake in the Northeast.
Today Adam Schiff will still be screaming about the “WhistleBlower” and everything he thinks President Trump has done wrong, to be followed by more attention on the President’s trip out west, including his fundraising haul, and the reopening of the Washington Monument.
Everything will be overshadowed however, with quite a bit of press about Scott and Jenny Morrison, The Prime Minister of Australia and his wife. President Trump and “FLOTUS Extraordinaire”, Melania, are hosting a state dinner for Australia. PM Morrison won in August of 2018, defeated Malcolm Turnbull, seen as a rejection of “climate change” gone too far. Morrison is far more conservative. Here he is with Jenny and the girls.
The menu for Friday’s State Dinner includes: -Sunchoke Ravioli -Dover Sole, Zucchii Squash and Fennel Mousseline -Lady Apple Tarts and Calvados Ice Cream.
Be kind in your comments, please. And yes, you can disagree with the board owner as nicely as possible, but let’s not give the odious Internet Censors a reason to shut down this precious haven.
SPEAK THE FIVE WORDS BOLDLY TO OUR PRESIDENT! “I AM PRAYING FOR YOU!“ (and please slip in a little prayer for the Houston area as well – they’ve had 40 inches of rain).
Now that we’re done with official business, I thought it might be nice to take a breath and relax. Recently, we’ve had many group members who are going through a tough time, personal loss, illness, etc. It is Friday, and we should do something a little special. It’s been a REALLY big week. Maybe? How about this idea? While the world swirls around us, take a Friday afternoon break and join me at the shore.
Tradewinds in your hair and the sound of waves make all the stress disappear.
Appetizers are in the buckets.
Grab a beer, and later on you might need a light blanket. Just steps from our treehouse, we’ve had the pit pan going for hours. Don’t worry about the Spanish Moss hanging from our tree. It won’t bite you.
Pit pan is for the Oysters and Steaks.
Sure hope you’re hungry.
Later on, we can give the kids some sparklers and make s’mores by the fire.
We can put on some breezy music and tell stories.
Mom and Dad could slow dance and sway a little bit.
Grandmas and Grandpas, aunts and uncles can teach the little ones. Dad’s don’t mind if their little girls use their feet to learn how to dance.
Before long, we would all be Dancing in the Moonlight.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMc8naeeSS8
We can do battle again in the morning. We need rest and regroup every now and then. You can spend the weekend if you like.The world is fine with our POTUS on watch.
I am pleased to announce that I will name Robert C. O’Brien, currently serving as the very successful Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs at the State Department, as our new National Security Advisor. I have worked long & hard with Robert. He will do a great job!
The Pic in the header comes from the first day of the A$AP Rocky Trial in Stockholm. Robert O’Brien was there. The LATimes article is spectacularly devoid of background on Robert O’Brien, other than the position is the 4th National Security Advisor (we were cheated out of Flynn), and that the position is not subject to Senate Confirmation. https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2019-09-18/national-security-advisor-robert-c-obrien
From FOX News, we understand O’Brien was under consideration as Sec of the Navy for a period of time. He is currently the Special Envoy in charge of hostages. Hmmm…. the President has had excellent success in releasing American hostages.
You get the feeling the pundits are still digging for background on Robert O’Brien? Yeah, me too.
As information comes in on O’Brien, we will edit and add to inform the QTree. If any of you have info to add, please drop it here so we can compile a full bio and be informed.
Hat tip to the greatest group of crowd-sourcers on the Internet.
Ambassador Robert C. O’Brien serves as the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs at the U.S. Department of State. Working for Secretary Pompeo, O’Brien leads the U.S. Government’s diplomatic efforts on overseas hostage-related matters. He works closely with the families of American hostages and advises the senior leadership of the U.S. Government on hostage issues. O’Brien also coordinates with the interagency Hostage Recovery Fusion Cell on the development and implementation of U.S. hostage recovery policy and strategy. O’Brien previously served as Co-Chairman of the U.S. Department of State Public-Private Partnership for Justice Reform in Afghanistan under both Secretaries Rice and Clinton. The PPJRA promoted the rule of law by training Afghan judges, prosecutors and defense lawyers and provided scholarships for young Afghan lawyers to study in the U.S. From 2008 through 2011, O’Brien was a presidentially-appointed member of the U.S. Cultural Property Advisory Committee, which advises the federal government on issues relating to the trafficking of antiquities and other cultural items. In 2005, Mr. O’Brien was nominated by President George W. Bush and confirmed by the U.S. Senate to serve as a U.S. Representative to the 60th session of the United Nations General Assembly where he worked with Ambassador John Bolton. Earlier in his career, O’Brien served as a Senior Legal Officer for the UN Security Council commission that decided claims against Iraq arising out of the first Gulf War. O’Brien was a Major in the U.S. Army Reserve. O’Brien is the co-founding partner of Larson O’Brien LLP in Los Angeles, a nationally recognized litigation firm. His law practice focuses on complex litigation and international arbitration. In addition to his client work, O’Brien has served as an arbitrator in over 20 international proceedings and he has been appointed by the federal courts to serve as a special master in numerous complex cases. O’Brien is a graduate of the Boalt Hall School of Law at U.C. Berkeley. He received his B.A. degree in political science, cum laude, from UCLA. He is a member of the Pacific Council on International Policy. * * * Like Mitt Romney, whose campaign he worked on as an advisor, O’Brien is a mormon. And after he is confirmed, will be the highest ranking Mormon in the Trump Administration.
As many federal jobs remain unfilled, Trump didn’t take long to nominate O’Brien, which suggests the administration already had him in mind, and that they only needed to vet him. O’Brien has been involved in many high-profile incidents during the Trump years, including, most recently, the negotiations with Sweden over the fate of rapper A$AP Rocky.
This makes O’Brien the highest ranking Morman in the U.S. government https://t.co/ZN3QOsDHxL — John Hudson (@John_Hudson) September 18, 2019 Back in 2017, O’Brien was reportedly considered to be Secretary of the Navy, but was instead nominated to his current position, and given the rank of ambassador one year later.
11:00am Eastern Time, the show begins. Michael Horowitz is the Inspector General for the DOJ, FBI, DEA. His testimony (To House Oversight Committee – read as Dems in charge) is supposed to be about progress in oversight over the past 10 years…….. however, with all the interest in the FBI/DOJ scandal, we can expect a few more questions.
We missed the spectacular Lewandowski testimony yesterday, don’t want to miss anything today.
DOJ IG and CIGIE Chair Michael Horowitz will testify tomorrow morning (9/18) at 11 am at the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing: “Overseeing the Overseers: Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency @ 10 Years.” https://t.co/Uv0Yltwquzpic.twitter.com/50YMRDBcz3
Ms. Kathy Buller Inspector General, Peace Corps, on behalf of Executive Director, Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency Legislation Committee
Mr. Scott Dahl Inspector General, Department of Labor, on behalf of Chairman, Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency
Mr. Michael Horowitz Inspector General, Department of Justice, on behalf of Chairman, Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency
One year ago today, our fearless leader, Wolfm00n, took it upon himself to create a another meeting place for Treepers. He showed great wisdom and foresight. Thank God he did it. Little did we know, the dark days of the “Great Ban” were just around the corner, November 10th -12th. Thankfully, Wolm00n planted a new QTree.
Susan Dyer via imgur.com
Although we didn’t know it, many of us had been banned over the years. People whom we admired had strangely disappeared into the internet ether. We thought they drifted away or found other pursuits. No, a good many of them were intentionally silenced. The big purge happened after the midterm elections of 2018 and hundreds of us woke up, oblivious to our crimes and homeless. Some were banned for talking about Q or Jeff Sessions, various reasons, and some of us never knew the reason why we were abruptly excluded.
Well, of course we’re going to talk about it. You can’t tell us what we can say or not say…. or cast us as crazy because we’re asking questions. AND don’t tell me not to look at the pink elephant in the room….. cuz all I want to do is look at that damn elephant….. and it’s a BIG elephant.
That was me, screaming at dear husband, November 2018.
But suddenly, we were alone in the woods.
Like some of you, I assumed something was wrong with my computer, or WordPress, and went looking for help to resolve the issue. We all remembered Wolfm00n from his pivotal doctrine Roller Coaster treatise. I searched out Wolfie, and learned my fate = Banned! Shut out! Silenced! Yet, Wolfm00n extended a hand of friendship, to join a new Tree, this beautiful young and vibrant tree. At that point, we only had a couple of pieces of plywood for our Treehouse, but the view was grand and the potential was glorious.
cakecentral.com
To be silenced is antithetical to most of us. It’s why we fight the media and big tech attempts to silence conservatives. Therefore, it was a shock when conservatives attempted to silence each other. Felt like betrayal. It hurts. Many of you still harbor resentment to the other side, which is warranted, but ….. after a little time to nurse the wound, I can’t carry the grudge and still admire SD and all the work he’s done over the years. Something happened, something unexplained, and we may never know the reason why. Those who were still angry wanted to cut down all the Trees, but that would mean no voice for any of us, and we can’t stay quiet for too long.
cakecentral.com
So, we embarked on a new adventure. Wolfm00n had no idea how fast his new Tree would grow. We are forever indebted to Mrs. Wolfm00n and the time she shares her husband with us, here. Thank you, Mrs. Wolfm00n. Speaking of Mrs. Wolfm00n, when the girls showed up at QTree, we were tempted to make the Tree “pretty”, but pink was not the right color for patriotism. We needed RED, WHITE, and BLUE.
Sharyn Richards via CakesDecor.com
We were a little bit bumpy and awkward at first, like a toddler learning to walk, but we’re strong, thriving, and running with the wind, a year later. Our forecast for the remainder of 2019 and into 2020 is excellent, a “strong buy”.
A few days ago, we crossed 250K comments. It was a big moment and personal vindication for Wolfm00n – you were right to do what you did. Checking this morning, we’re over 253K. Our tree is blessed with an overabundance of fertilizer (hehe), plenty of sunshine (We value free speech – “Use it or lose it”.), and an ample supply of water (comments), which are sometimes a steady drip, and at other times…. a great flood. We even have “Butterfly” for our tree, and a church to help us through the rough spots.
Our Tree can be a wondrous and beautiful thing, especially on Saturday mornings when Wheatie posts great pics. The QTree is tended and grows daily with FLEP’s Good News Roundup. Thank you, FLEP. Other members have chipped in to contribute. We learn something new, every day.
Our Tree is still smaller, which is fine with us. We’re more friendly, and far more optimistic. We care about each other (PHC and CrossThread, the daughter to Ga/FL) and many of us have become friends. It’s kind of like we were all kids together, growing up in the same neighborhood, who found each other again.
Magic Treehouse on Pinterest
We’re really just…. normal Americans (with MANY like-minded friends overseas), who represent an unbelievably broad pool of expertise. We have members who can sing like an angel, CPA’s, lawyers, health experts, pilots, engineers, DRILLERs, IT experts, a spelunker, and those who can actually “can” the summer bounty. ALL of them have common sense. Gheez, if our group was rounded up and dispatched to another planet, we could start a new civilization quickly.
viewfromrivermountain.blogspot.com
But we might need to save our country …… first. As in, America, first.
There are very few absolutes at the QTreeHouse. Yet, one thing is certain, you guys love good food and drink. For our birthday, I looked long and hard for an appropriate birthday cake, but I found as many great cakes as their are opinions and wisdom in the QTreeHouse. I may have to start over again. If you need me, I’ll be in the kitchen…… trying to create a masterpiece worthy for our friends.
circa 1955: A young girl licks frosting from a bowl as she helps her smiling mother frost a cake in the kitchen. (Photo by Lambert/Getty Images)
Sharyn Richards for AmericanCakeDecorating.com
Congratulations to Wolfm00n and all the best birthday wishes to Treepers here. Together, we look forward to the Trump/Pence Reelection campaign of 2020.
It’s been the best year, EVAH!
Credits can be found underneath or on each photo, the main top photo is listed below.
Trump will rally in Rio Rancho at the Santa Ana Star Center, a 7,000-seat facility about 20 miles northeast of downtown Albuquerque. Don’t let the media fool you, New Mexico is in play. Only reason we lost New Mexico in 2016 was because of Gary Johnson (who took almost 10% of vote).
CSPAN will carry the rally at 9:00pm Eastern Time.
“Trump Victory is leaving nothing on the table in 2020, and New Mexico is definitely a focus as part of that strategy,” Samantha Zager, regional communications director for the campaign in Western states, told the Santa Fe New Mexican in August. “New Mexico voters can expect to see our army of volunteers recruiting, registering and contacting individuals to share their support for President Trump and Republicans up and down the ticket.”
Check this out. Remember how President Trump describes the election of 2016….”They came from the hills…. They came from the rivers….” Well, this guy is riding his bicycle. That’s dedication. Hey…. #Cyclists4Trump.
Does anyone know where the bicycle parking is located? I tried calling the City of RR and they are closed.
Also, I read there are only 3000 paking spaces.#Cyclists4Trump
Wow, everyone in town in going to the Trump Rally. Shutting down schools and city. I know, I know, the press says it’s because of traffic delays….. but we know…… everyone is going to the rally!
Rio Rancho, NM schools and city offices are closed today because of expected traffic delays for Trump’s 7 p.m. campaign rally.
