Happy New Year! Jim Geraghty of National Review and Greg Corombos of Radio America cheer the Iranian people for risking everything to rise up against the corrupt, autocratic mullahs in Tehran and applaud President Trump for a much better response than the Obama administration offered in 2009. They also slam Democratic activists David Brock and Lisa Bloom for offering huge amounts of cash for additional women to publicly accuse Trump of sexual harassment or assault in the final days of the 2016 campaign. And they unload on the mainstream media for either ignoring the uprisings in Iran or offering misleading explanations or the protests – all to protect a political narrative.
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Libs & Columbus, Cali’s Crazy Sexual Politics, Pence’s Protest & Trump Uncorked
David French of National Review and Greg Corombos of Radio America start the week with a whole menu of crazy martinis. They rip CNN and other social justice types for declaring President Trump’s Columbus Day statement insufficient because he didn’t mention the suffering that the explorers inflicted upon the indigenous people who were already adept at slaughtering each other. They’re also staggered as California enacts one law to criminalize the use of pronouns that conflict with a person’s stated gender identity and another law that no longer makes it a felony to expose a partner to HIV without telling them. And they react to Vice President Pence leaving Sunday’s Colts-49’ers game after some 49’ers knelt during the national anthem and President Trump’s tweetstorm against Tennessee Sen. Bob Corker.
Trump’s Solid Court Picks, NFL to Stand? Crazy Left Targets Melania Over Books
Jim Geraghty of National Review and Greg Corombos of Radio America applaud President Trump’s nomination of Don Willett and James Ho for spots on the Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. They also are cautiously optimistic that this NFL weekend might actually focus on football as three teams announce they will be standing for the national anthem. And they throw up their hands as a anti-Trump elementary school librarian publicly rejects the donation of Dr. Seuss books from First Lady Melania Trump, while also slamming Education Secretary Betsy DeVos and falsely accusing Dr. Seuss of racism.
Trump’s Firing Offense, Ugly Anti-Trump Backlash, McCain Breaks Promise Again
Jim Geraghty of National Review and Greg Corombos of Radio America agree with President Trump’s disapproval for national anthem protests but also believe it is wrong for the president to suggest anyone be fired for their constitutionally-protected beliefs. They also unload on those who took a knee during the anthem, which turned into a referendum on Trump – a fight Trump is sure to win. Thy hammer three NFL teams for refusing to take the field for the anthem, blast the Pittsburgh Steelers for condemning their own player who is an Afghanistan war vet for defying the decision and honoring the anthem, and shake their head as Bob Costas frets that the anthem is only used to honor military instead of teachers and social workers. Finally, they slam John McCain for once again breaking his promise on health care reform and planning to vote against the latest Senate bill. They also question Rand Paul’s decision to oppose it.
Trump Extols Western Civ, GOP’s Obamacare Fumble, De Blasio Ditches NYC for G-20
Jim Geraghty of National Review and Greg Corombos of Radio America applaud President Trump’s strong defense of the value of Western civilization in his speech in Poland Wednesday. They also express disappointment in comments made by Pennsylvania Sen. Pat Toomey conceding Republicans failed to prepare a healthcare repeal and replace bill because they didn’t believe Trump would win the election. Finally, they decry New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio for protesting President Trump in Germany in the midst of ongoing crises in his city.
Gettysburg Reenactment Rumors
Gettysburg Pennsylvania authorities are on edge over rumors claiming the leftist group Antifa may cause problems at this weekend’s battle reenactment. According to Fox News, some fear the group may cause damage to gravestones and even burn a Confederate flag. While peaceful protests are legal, such action on Antifa’s part will not be tolerated. While the Central Pennsylvania Antifa group denies the rumors, United States park police are taking the reports seriously. The reenactment is highly attended, and authorities are preparing for any incidents that may arise.
‘This is Not A Permanent Ban’
President Trump’s executive order is not a permanent ban but is necessary for national security thanks to the lax vetting practices applied by the Obama administration, according to a leading immigration policy experts.
Trump has issued a flurry of orders, but his executive order last week ordering an immediate and indefinite pause on travel to the United States from seven terrorism-prone nations is drawing by far the fiercest response. Protesters have clogged airports and political critics are demanding Trump rescind the order.
Jessica Vaughan is director of policy studies at the Center for Immigration Studies. She says there is a lot of confusion and misinformation about what Trump’s order does.
“I think the most misunderstood part is that people are being permanently prevented from coming to the United States who had been approved before,” said Vaughan. “This is not a permanent ban. It’s a temporary suspension. You can call it a ban if you want, but it’s a temporary ban. No one has been told that the benefit they were approved for has been taken away.”
And she says refugees in dire situations are still being processed from those countries even with the pause in place.
“I have to emphasize there is language in this executive order that anybody with a particularly emergency situation, compelling circumstances, in imminent danger, or in other categories can ask for a waiver. From what I’ve heard in statements today, they’ve already granted more than a thousand waivers for people,” said Vaughan.
But she says the pause on entry from the seven unstable nations is needed to recalibrate how the U.S. screens people entering our country.
“The point was to give our government the opportunity to take another look at these people who have been granted green cards, visas, refugee status. We know that the vetting process under the Obama administration was not adequate,” said Vaughan.
Vaughan, a former visa officer, says the Obama administration failed to do even basic screening much of the time, including waiving required interviews with those seeking to go to the U.S. But she said the problems didn’t end there.
“In other cases, officers were not allowed to look very deeply into the applications that they got. The claims they made on their applications were not always verified. Officers were told to assume that they were qualified and not ask too many questions. [There was] not a lot of fraud prevention work taking place,” said Vaughan.
Then there is the problem of trying to vet people coming from hostile countries or ones that don’t have decent records on their people.
“In some of these countries, we don’t have enough of a relationship with the government to be able to be sure that people’s identities are who they say they are or that their story checks out,” said Vaughan.
“There was a lot of enforcement that was undone by the Obama administration. We’ve seen illegal immigration rise to levels we have not seen in many years,” said Vautghan.
Vaughan says she has sympathy for those caught in transit as the order took effect, but she says national security has to take precedence.
“It is important to recognize that our security has been put at risk every single day that we have not had adequate vetting in place. So it was important to put a stop to that as soon as possible,” said Vaughan.
Vaughan likens the pace of Trump’s immigration actions thus far – ranging from this order to ordering border wall construction to cracking down on sanctuary cities – to “drinking from a fire hose,” but she believes Trump is on the right course.
“There’s a lot that needed to happen,” she said. “It’s been presented as an integrated plan. Throwaway lines like, ‘Let’s have more border security.’ They’re talking about a wall but changing the policies also and enforcing the laws in the interior. That’s a comprehensive approach that’s likely to work.”
Three Martini Lunch 11/10/16
Greg Corombos of Radio America and David French of National Review applaud Democrats for suddenly recognizing and appreciating things like federalism, freedom of dissent, and the separation of powers now that Republicans are headed back to the White House. They also slam the anti-Trump protesters for blocking traffic and engaging in violence and the colleges offering safe spaces, counseling, and even crayons and Play-Doh to students bothered by Trump’s win. And they discuss the liberal calls for abolishing the Electoral College.