Trump Fires Acting Attorney General Yates

I don't know about you but I am thrilled that President Trump took swift action and fired the acting Attorney General, a Deputy Attorney General under former President Barack Obama, Sally Q. Yates. Yates decided to make a political statement instead of doing her job - to defend the president's executive order on the travel ban. She made a statement that she didn't think it was legal. Trump rightly said her statement was a betrayal and fired her.

Yates had agreed to stay on with the Trump administration and act as Attorney General until the confirmation of Trump's pick, Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions. You may remember how deeply politicized the office of Attorney General became in the Obama administration led by Democrat ideologue Eric Holder. Continuing on in this hyper-partisan atmosphere, Yates decided that not only would she defy the president, she would make her opinion known that she didn't agree with the policy put forward by Trump. She's a career prosecutor, not a policymaker. She deserved to be let go. From the New York Times:

Ms. Yates said her determination in deciding not to defend the order was broader, however, and included questions not only about the order’s lawfulness, but also whether it was a “wise or just” policy. She also alluded to unspecified statements the White House had made before signing the order, which she factored into her review.

The order had, in fact, been deemed legal by the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel. The office signed off on it. Yates gave no reason why she thought it was illegal.


Who is Sally Q. Yates? She is a career prosecutor from Georgia appointed to be U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia by Obama. Confirmed in 2010 by the U.S. Senate. In 2015, she was confirmed by a vote of 84-12 by the Senate as Deputy Attorney General. She served under former Attorney General Loretta Lynch in this capacity.  "In 2015, she authored the policy, known as the "Yates memo" prioritizing the prosecution of executives for corporate crimes.^12][13]"

Yates' bio has been removed from the Justice Department's office website and her replacement has been sworn in. Dana Boente, the US attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, will serve as acting Attorney General until Senator Sessions is confirmed. Boente is best known for leading the corruption trial of former Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell. Boente was sworn in at 9:00 PM Monday night and immediately rescinded Yates' order, instructing DOJ lawyers to "defend the lawful orders of our President."

This action was perfectly legit for Trump to make. There is precedent for sweeping changes to be made at the Justice Department as new administrations come in. You may remember that former President Bill Clinton fired all 93 U.S. Attorneys, for example, as he came into office. None of this would have happened if the Democrats had not decided to hold up the confirmation vote for Sessions in the Senate. Monday's actions have now spurred on his vote, so that is a good thing. Obstructing the vote on Sessions is part of the Democrats' strategy - vote down Trump's nominees and drag out the confirmation process as long as possible. It should be noted that on his first day in office, Obama had seven of his cabinet nominees confirmed by the Senate. Trump had two. Senate Minority Leader Chuck (fake tears) Schumer has declared he will seek a delay in "just about every one" of Trump's nominees.

A Temporary Ban on Entry into U.S. Causes Hair Follicles to Combust

With the inauguration of Donald Trump as the 45th President of the United States comes a fresh slate of new concerns by the American press. These concerns have been dormant for eight years under Barack Obama but now rise to 24/7 cable news channel coverage. For example, the 90 day suspension of citizens traveling from a specific list of countries who will be refused entry into America, made through Executive Order by President Trump.

The countries on the list are: Iraq, Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. All are currently labeled as "countries of concern" in a law passed in 2016. All Muslim majority countries, the total populations equal about 134 million, according to latest census numbers.

This is the notice at the top of the U.S. State Department's Visa page:
"Urgent Notice: Under the Executive Order on Protecting the Nation from Terrorist Attacks by Foreign Nationals signed on January 27, 2017, visa issuance to nationals of the countries of Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen has been suspended effective immediately until further notification. We will announce any other changes affecting travelers to the United States as soon as that information is available."

The inevitable happened almost immediately. Groups that have decided to be professional protesters over the course of the next four years assembled quickly and began protesting at an international terminal at JFK airport after the report was put out of two Iraqi men being held instead of being allowed to enter our country. Lawyers immediately appeared and lawsuits are being filed as I type this. Trust me when I say fundraising letters are being emailed for every non-profit dealing with social justice issues around the country. It was all a little too well coordinated, if you ask me. Congress members and the NYC mayor's office were a little too quick to become a part of their stories.

This is the new normal. For the next four years we will be divided by those opposing Trump and those supporting him. The losers are determined to create chaos and will profit from it. All those who lectured on "country first, not party first" now put themselves first. Even from the right, the ones unable to work for the betterment of Americans are gleefully working with the left against the Trump administration. Hey, there's some unity!

Of the countries on the list, I am most concerned about Iraq. I don't want the brave Iraqi handlers and fixers there working with our military and contractors to be at any more risk than they already are. Iraqis have waited for years during the normal process of being allowed to come to America so don't fall for the crocodile tears from American pundits and their willing cohorts in the press who would have you believe that suddenly these people are being stopped from coming here at the hands of that meanie Donald Trump. Barack Obama did little to help over the last eight years when the press was busy looking the other way.

The Syrian refugees is a heartbreaking problem but the photo of the toddler's body washed ashore happened on Barack Obama's watch. It was Obama's failure to respond when the Syrian madman crossed his red line threat that produced the devastation we see to this day.

The ban on travel from Iran? Pfsst. There is little anyway. I'm sure it will be used as a tool in unwinding parts of the horrible deal struck with them by Winter Soldier Kerry and Barack Obama.

A ninety day suspension will be inconvenient for some but it is not permanent and it is not the end of the world. Get some true vetting happening and allow the laws currently on the books to be enforced. Reform the system, if need be. Most Americans will welcome that.

Get a grip. It's going to be a long four years on the heels of a very long eight years of Barack Obama. Trump has only been in the Oval Office for 8 days. So far, he has done nothing but fulfill campaign promises. That's more than we can say for most of his predecessors.

The Not All Women's March - Stuck on Anger

The election of Donald Trump was a shock to most of us, most of all to Republicans and to Hillary Clinton. The left is still reeling from the election results and are working through their grief. Unfortunately, they are stuck on the anger that follows a loss.

There was a commotion called a "Women's March" last weekend - the day after President Trump was sworn into office. Large crowds of angry liberal woman marched in the streets to declare their unhappiness with the 2016 presidential election. Mostly feminists of the 1970's, mostly white and certainly unclear of their message, the willing cable news channels covered it from start to finish with breathless excitement. It was quite a sight.

One of the most sacred rights as an American is that of freedom of assembly. Freedom of speech, and political passion are important elements of our liberty as a free society. God bless America. Marches in the streets, disrupting normal routines of ordinary citizens so that your opinion is heard, are a part of the mix. I applaud citizen involvement.

The march was billed as a march for an entire gender. That kind of sweeping generalization never works, though. This march was clearly organized and comprised of the left. All of the elements of identity politics magically appeared. The Democrats have failed to realize why they lost so badly in the eight years of Barack Obama's presidency. The party is essentially decimated from state houses to the White House. Democrats still run the major urban areas but are powerless outside of them.

The organizers claimed that all women were welcome to march in support of equality and fairness, etc. That sounds good and conservative feminists should have been welcomed with open arms. But this really wasn't about inclusion. The Democrats aren't ready to listen to an alternative opinion on policy issues, so the bubble is still a safe haven. It's easy to get excited and talk with those who agree with you. The hard work comes with realizing that everyone should listen to alternative voices and form complete opinions.

Pro-life feminists were initially granted permission to sponsor and march with the others. Then, upon discovering some women think choice means choosing to save pregnancy, not destroy it, the permits and sponsorships were cancelled. The march was for some women, not all women. Again, the bubble is strong.

The next time a leftist woman demands to be taken seriously as a human being bigger than the sum total of her female body parts, think of the "Women's March" that took place in Washington, D.C. and across the country in traditionally Democrat-run metropolitan areas. Grown women wore "pussy hats" and vagina costumes and used young children to hold signs painted with foul language. Worn out feminist Gloria Steinem demanded that Trump resign immediately - less than a day into his first term. Hollywood celebs looking for even more attention than their craft provides spoke from written texts - including Madonna who voiced her dream of blowing up the White House. In her case, after the Secret Service was brought in to investigate her craziness, she explained it was only "a metaphor". What a coward once she is off the stage.

What was never clear was what exactly is their message. Other than that they are angry that Trump won the election, what is the hysteria about? Can you imagine if conservatives had taken to the streets like that when Obama won in 2008? It was just as much of a gut punch to Republican voters - and 2012 more so - but Trump had only been in the Oval Office mere hours at that point. Shouldn't the man do something before the marching begins?

Coalitions of the usual people marched, many paid for by criminal socialist George Soros. None of their messages were coordinated, other than they are angry that Trump won. What if they had harnessed this energy and did the work to convince regular American voters to vote for Hillary instead of only talking to themselves? What if they relied less on celebrities and more on community leaders to promote a candidate? Hollywood sure couldn't deliver the election for Hillary. They are still at it, though, now with a silly message of signing up to make sure Trump doesn't abuse the Constitution. Ironic, right? Obama - a Constitutional scholar, according to his bio - was overturned more than any other president at the Supreme Court.

Comparisons are being made in the liberal - leaning press that these marches are much like the Tea Party movement in 2009. The problem with that comparison, though, is that The Tea Party began in response to Obamacare, not Obama himself. TEA = taxed enough already. Remember how the press portrayed Tea Party marches and rallies? Remember ugly Democrat women (like Nancy Pelosi) calling Tea Party marchers 'brown shirts' and all the Nazi name calling? It's how the left describes the right. The Tea Party marchers wore silly costumes, too, but theirs were of historical reference, not female body parts. The message was clear from the beginning. The 2010 mid-terms were very successful for Republicans because of the marches and unity against a vast overreach by the Democrats and Obama. The movement has all but fizzled out now.

So, these marches should be watched. It's possible that the Democrats could get organized and communicate a clear message but so far they are off to a rocky start. Regular Americans don't much appreciate Hollywood celebrities - spoiled, rich, liberal celebrities - calling them names and yelling at them about voting for Trump. If it was all just about anger over losing an election, then all of this was for nothing. It will just have been a temper tantrum.

When the march was over, trash was strewn everywhere for someone else to clean up and monuments were defaced. This is the childish, selfish left. Tea Party rallies and marches were known for how clean the areas were when it was over. No one was expected to clean up after them. Personal responsibility - a tenet of Republican philosophy.

I'll be watching for the next event. You should, too. Republicans have been where Democrats are now and we will be again. Politics is cyclical. Stay aware and involved. Elections have consequences.

Hurray For a Non-Hollywood Inauguration

In the self-important land of the super-egos, Hollywood stars, entertainers and celebrities live for attention and approval from those around them and from complete strangers. One way of garnering attention is through political speech and activism. The entertainment industry is a leftist industry based in two very blue states, California, and New York. Once a conservative community, that all changed in the turbulent times of the 1960's. Now it is no longer tolerated to even voice conservative political views.

Every Republican president-elect endures headlines and speeches from the famous and wannabe famous leftists who strive for a few minutes of air time or a few paragraphs of ink spilled in, wait for it, leftist newspapers. They never support a Republican president. The added bonus in today's world is social media - Twitter in specific. President-elect Trump comes from this world, an offshoot of his real estate empire, so he knows how to play the game. Unfortunately for celebs, he plays it really well.

Rapidly approaching Inauguration Day, Hollywood and Broadway is in peak meltdown. Naturally the Congressional Democrats are jumping on the bandwagon. You may remember how Democrats disgraced themselves in their reaction to the election of George W. Bush in 2000. He, too, was blasted as "not my President" from the hideous left. Democrats are really sore losers. We had eight years of that.

The latest to join in the bashing ritual is Judd Apatow, executive producer of such stellar movies as "Freaks and Geeks" and he's a writer - he wrote Obama's slam on Trump over "Celebrity Apprentice" back in 2011 at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner. It was to publicly humiliate Trump in the midst of the birther controversy.  You get the picture. You may have heard about actress Meryl Streep's screed against Trump and his voters during her acceptance speech of the honorary Cecil B. DeMille Lifetime Achievement award. "Blackish" Actress Tracee Ellis Ross (daughter of Diana Ross) bloviated about donating her Golden Globe jewelry to Planned Parenthood. Rosie O'Donnell wants martial law imposed to stop the inauguration. Each day brings another story of a celebrity making a statement that he or she will not perform or attend Trump's inauguration. Most, I feel certain, were not even asked to do so but never mind.

Here's the thing - I think a Hollywood (and Broadway, for that matter) free inauguration will be refreshing. Much like the election of Donald Trump, it focuses on the regular people, on people without fame or fortune. Trump has also scaled back on the celebration - it is reported that he will only have 3 inaugural balls.Two will be for the public and one is the traditional Commander-in-Chief's ball with military and elected officials. That plan sounds pretty good to me. Instead of rushing from gala to gala and only spending a few minutes at each, Trump will be able to be a bit more relaxed and socialize with the attendees. It puts the focus back on the celebration of a peaceful transfer of power instead of the actual person, or who is seeking glory in the press for attending. 

Democrats are really sore losers. First Lady Michelle Obama declared "when they go low, we go high" and I laughed. She and her husband have been the most petty and divisive to occupy the White House in my lifetime. The silly videos and rallies and commercials used by the Clinton campaign did her no good outside of the large urban areas when Democrats rule. America clearly told them to shut up and act. Or sing. How's the last eight years with a celebrity president worked out?

UPDATE:

From Entertainment Weekly, news of a Broadway concert to be held about three hours after Donald Trump is inaugurated. 

"The roster for the gig — slated for Manhattan’s Town Hall at 3 p.m. ET on Jan. 20, just three hours after Trump is sworn in — brims with Tony Award winners, including Chita Rivera, Kelli O’Hara, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Betty Buckley, Jessie Mueller, and Billy Porter. The lineup also features Sharon Gless, Andrea Martin, Bebe Neuwirth, Rosie O’Donnell, Rosie Perez, Lillias White, Judy Gold, Caroline Rhea, Stephanie Mills, and Charles Busch, among others.
Proceeds from the concert will benefit Planned Parenthood, NAACP, Sierra Club Foundation, Southern Poverty Law Center, and National Immigration Law Center."

They just don't get it.

Civil Rights Legend John Lewis Fires First Shot at President-elect Trump

After testifying against Attorney General nominee Senator Jeff Sessions (R-Al) using long ago discredited claims of racism earlier this week, Friday Rep John Lewis (D-GA) took aim at the legitimacy of the American presidential election's victor.

NBC News ran a video clip from an interview conducted with Rep Lewis Friday - the beginning of the MLK, Jr. weekend. Looking to incite racial and political divisiveness, Lewis said he would not be attending the presidential inauguration of Donald Trump and that it would be the first one missed since he came to Washington, D.C. "It will be the first one that I miss since I've been in Congress," he said. "You cannot be at home with something that you feel that is wrong, is not right." http://www.nbcnews.com/meet-the-press/john-lewis-trump-won-t-be-legitimate-president-n706676

Lewis stated that  "he does not believe Donald Trump is a "legitimate president," citing Russian interference in last year's election."
"Asked whether he would try to forge a relationship with the president-elect, Lewis said that he believes in forgiveness, but added, "it's going to be very difficult. I don't see this president-elect as a legitimate president." He went on to say that the alleged Russian interference "helped destroy the candidacy of Hillary Clinton". That last statement is enough to discredit Lewis' argument - Hillary Clinton destroyed her own candidacy in 2009 when she set up a private personal computer server when she became Secretary of State. That sole action was the root of all her problems in office and during her second run for President.

The predictable happened, as Lewis calculated it would - Trump took to Twitter to push back on Lewis. Democrats and the failed #NeverTrump brigade fought back with indignation - how dare Trump respond to Lewis! In the minds of those suffering from Trump Derangement Syndrome, Lewis' past civil rights history exempts him from criticism. This is exactly what Lewis knew would happen. You may remember that Trump slammed another American hero, Senator John McCain, during the GOP primary season. Trump's reaction was no surprise. He punches back. Frankly, Democrats are not used to Republicans doing that.

This is the legacy of Barack Obama - President-elect Donald Trump. The country is more divided than ever and much of it has been deliberately encouraged by him and other Democrats looking to retain power. Make no mistake, this is a power grab play, not a statement about civil rights.

The inauguration of an American president celebrates the peaceful transfer of power in our democratic republic. The American experiment is alive and well. We have all been taught to respect the office of the president whether the incoming president was our choice or not. We are Americans. It's what we do. It is to the country's benefit and all of us in it for a president to be successful. The two victories of Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012 were a punch to the gut for most Republicans. We were told to get over it immediately and give the man a chance. I did. His utter failure in office had nothing to do with his race but we were called racists for 8 years as we opposed his leftist political agenda.

John Lewis is not above criticism. We can respect his efforts in the civil rights movement and call him out for less than honorable statements, especially as an elected official, when he crosses a line.

This whole effort to delegitimize the election victory may feel familiar to you. It is right out of the playbook from 2000 when George W. Bush won that election. Democrats in Congress did the same thing - remember all the banners and buttons that read "he's not my president"? The Congressional Black Caucus disrupted Bush's confirmation in the House of Representatives then, too. Was that racist?

I can insert a couple of bromides here - change is hard. Elections have consequences. Neither make anyone feel any better and both are true. I was one who did give Obama a chance to get through his inauguration and into his first term with as open of a mind as I could muster. The same must be demanded of Trump's opponents now.

2016: A Death Knell to Baby Boomer Feminists

You know as well as I do that Hillary Clinton felt entitled to the U.S. presidency as no other candidate has in my lifetime. The worst part was her continued playing of the gender card - women HAD to vote for Hillary because she's a woman. So what did she do? She provided critics (including myself) with fodder when she allowed herself to become the very stereotype that women fight most when she was too emotionally fragile to handle her defeat.

I struggle to this day, as we usher out 2016, a full 54 days since the night of November 8, 2016 to understand what kind of role model she thought she was showing to younger women running for office. Hillary Clinton was too consumed with uncontrollable crying and outrage to do the most basic and the most important gesture any political candidate knows to do - go before her supporters in the victory party room and her voters watching on television to thank them. Instead of pulling herself together, she sent out her top minion, John Podesta, to address the crowd. Granted, many of those gathered had already begun to leave once the defeat was obvious, but Hillary Clinton was too self-absorbed to even do a brief thank you to those most loyal to her.

Hillary Clinton is in her own little bubble, sure, and she surrounds herself with people enabling her to live that life, but she ran on being tough and strong - ready to break the glass ceiling of being the first woman president. The irony is that a glass ceiling was indeed broken that night but not the one she droned on about. Donald Trump's campaign manager, Kellyanne Conway, broke another kind of glass. Conway, a Republican woman, became the first woman campaign manager to successfully run a presidential campaign.

Clinton has lived off the coattails of her husband throughout her entire career, while pronouncing herself the top feminist in the country. Thank goodness the Trump campaign went after an electoral college win instead of being consumed with the popular vote. Also important to note, the Republican candidate was able to think as traditional politicians do not and he made a play for non-traditional Republican voters, as well as those in blue states. It paid off.

Saddest of all is the reaction of leftist women who voted for Hillary Clinton. I see their posts on Facebook and Twitter. They are so consumed, still to this day, with anger over her loss that they relish ridiculing Conway's difficulty in placing her four young children in private schools in D.C. - how's that for solidarity? When a leftist tells you that all women must act one way, remember it is a one-way street for them. They have yet to learn the lessons of this election. It's good for Republicans, by the way. Let them live in bitter bubbles.

I am thankful that Hillary Clinton was defeated. As a baby boomer feminist myself, I am tired of the left's hijacking of the term. Conservative women are also feminists and understand the term means living life as you chose to live it.

If you had told me a year ago that I would welcome the inauguration of Donald Trump in 2017, I would have laughed. Now, though, I do welcome it. The uncertainty of a neophyte in the highest office in the land, along with the possibilities to shake it all up and begin doing the nation's business in a better, more efficient way far outweighs the certain disaster of Hillary Clinton. It was, in fact, a clear, binary choice for me.

Other People Died, Too, In 2016

Much has been made in recent days of the death of celebrities in 2016.  The year seems to be a particularly brutal one in pop culture. In light of what seems to be 24/7 coverage of celebrities and the lives they lead, I did a quick search of other celebrity deaths - those who have left a unique mark in the field of science and medicine.

In January, Marvin Minsky died. He co-founded the artificial intelligence lab at MIT in 1957. 1957. Ponder that. Not surprisingly, he was friends with science fiction legendary writer Isaac Asimov. I was interested to read his wife is a pediatrician. She, too, was forging a new frontier - women who practiced medicine were not the norm in that day's society.

The world runs on email. The man who invented email and the '@' used to separate our names from our machines died in 2016. His name is Ray Tomlinson. Thanks to his forward thinking in technology, our lives have been made easier - keeping in touch with loved ones and business associates, sending documents and other paperwork, sending photos, etc. He is a member of the Internet Hall of Fame. Yeah. It's a thing.

In the world of space exploration, besides John Glenn, there is Edgar Mitchell, the sixth person to walk on the moon, died in February. You may remember his fellow moonwalker, Alan Shepard for golfing on the moon but their Apollo 14 mission success was important after the drama of Apollo 13. He was colorful in his interests of ESP experiments and paranormal phenomena.

Vera Rubin was the only graduate in astronomy from Vassar in 1948. She went on to earn a PhD from Georgetown University and her work confirmed the existence of dark matter in the universe. She died Sunday, Christmas Day. Her death, after her game changing work, should earn her as much recognition as any celebrity death. It won't, of course, but there has been some acknowledgement on Twitter.

Unlike most 'climate scientists' who spend their career behind a desk, Gordon Hamilton pursued his scientific theories in the field. He died in October on a scientific expedition in Antarctica. I don't agree with his climate change alarmism but he was well-respected in his community for the personal risks he took in pursuit of data gathering.

Dale Schenk decided to go into science instead of pursuing his love of the piano after witnessing the ravages of Alzheimer's disease on his grandmother and others. He and his team made great strides towards a vaccine for the disease - they have been successful with mice but not in humans as of yet. He died in October at the age of 59.

Dr. Henry Heimlich, inventor of the Heimlich technique that saves choking victims, died in December. A thoracic surgeon, his history is checkered with friction within the medical community. He was a skilled self-promoter and once tried to take credit for a technique for saving a damaged esophagus, only to later admit a Romanian surgeon had been using the technique for many years. He was 96 years old.

I am sure there are many others. There are also teachers, community activists, athletes, as well as other professionals who shape our lives and make the world a better place. Most importantly, our military service men and women are never properly acknowledged, if you ask me. As free people, we can never thank them enough for their service in our names.

Celebrities on screen and in music touch our lives in an emotional way. They are a part of the touchstones in life and that is important to acknowledge. I just wish real life, every day heroes garnered the same attention.

On the Eve of Hanukkah Obama Proclaims Screw You, Israel

In a truly unprecedented move, President Obama took a parting shot at Israel. During the time of the week known for Friday document dumps, the news broke on social media: America abstained in a vote at the United Nations meant to condemn Israel for settlement development in areas "claimed" by Palestine. In his usual cowardly way, Obama bets that no one is really paying attention to news on the Friday afternoon of Christmas weekend. The kicker? Saturday is Hanukkah. The message from President Obama is clear - Happy Hanukkah, Israel. Screw you!

..."the first the Security Council has adopted on Israel and Palestine in roughly eight years". Eight years. The two terms of Obama.

In 2007, Egypt became the second non-NATO nation to sign on to a joint border security agreement with NATO as it relates to the war on terror. Israel was the first nation to sign on. So it is quite disturbing that now Egypt is the country credited with moving this resolution forward in the U.N. This resolution, on top of the already bad Iranian Peace Agreement, spells additional danger for Israel, the only democracy in the region. The language of the resolution hampers Israel's ability to negotiate in peace talks.

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu turned to U.S. President - Elect Donald Trump to help head off the resolution vote in the U.N. Trump has stated his unwavering support for Israel.

Other Than That, Vice-President Elect Pence, How Was "Hamilton"?

The precious snowflakes on the left are so freaked out by the election of Donald J. Trump that they are now openly confessing that they are too delicate to continue on in civil society. Their actions speak loudly, from demonstrations that turn to riots in the streets of America to the most recent example - Vice President-Elect Mike Pence attending a performance of the Broadway show "Hamilton: An American Musical" and was soundly booed and cheered by his fellow audience members. The show was interrupted more than once due to boisterous outbursts of applause as some lyrics were sung, for good measure. Then the icing on the cake - actor Brandon Dixon, who plays Aaron Burr, delivered a statement to Pence from the cast at the end of the performance. I'm not kidding. This is an actual thing that happened.

The manifesto, er, statement began with a thank you for coming kind of opening that quickly devolved to a statement dripping for contempt for the man's election victory.

"At the end of the show, one of the actors asked Pence not to leave the theater so a statement from the cast could be read. 

 

"Vice President-elect Pence, we welcome you and we truly thank you for joining us at 'Hamilton: An American Musical,' " actor Brandon Victor Dixon said onstage. 

 

"We are the diverse America who are alarmed and anxious that your new administration will not protect us, our planet, our children, our parents, or defend us and uphold our inalienable rights, sir. We hope this show has inspired you to uphold our American values and work on behalf of all of us."

The Twitterverse was all aflutter over this obnoxious behavior by some spoiled brats working on Broadway - remember, this is the group of actors that did a fundraiser for Hillary Clinton - and we all know they were With Her. As you might imagine, Donald Trump took to Twitter to speak up for Pence.

Donald J. Trump ‏@realDonaldTrump                         

Our wonderful future V.P. Mike Pence was harassed last night at the theater by the cast of Hamilton, cameras blazing. This should not happen!

Donald J. Trump ‏@realDonaldTrump                                      

The Theater must always be a safe and special place. The cast of Hamilton was very rude last night to a very good man, Mike Pence. Apologize!

And the actor responded:

@BrandonVDixon

@realDonaldTrump conversation is not harassment sir. And I appreciate @mike_pence for stopping to listen.

Except reading off your statement to a man on his way out of a theatre isn't a conversation.

And the creator of the hip-hop version of liberal America's American history, Lin-Manuel Miranda, weighed in:

Lin-Manuel MirandaVerified account ‏@Lin_Manuel         

Proud of @HamiltonMusical. Proud of @BrandonVDixon, for leading with love. And proud to remind you that ALL are welcome at the theater.

"Leading with love." Yeah. Ok.

Isn't it just a little ironic that the liberals and #NeverTrump voters who are so unhappy with Republicans shellacking Democrats on November 8, 2016 and the Trump- Pence ticket winning the Electoral College vote (in about landslide level) now use the cover of #Hamilton to voice their dissatisfaction, given Alexander Hamilton all but set up the Electoral College?

And for real American history - not the re-written version favored by College professors and Hollywood liberals - it's Democrats who put an actual Klansman on the Supreme Court (Hugo Black) and elected a former Klansman as Senate Majority Leader (Robert Byrd).

The people disrespected the most, however, were the average Joe and Jane who likely saved up for quite some time to get a night out in Manhattan and an evening at a Broadway show. It's a lot of money to most Americans - especially the majority of Trump voters who struggle to remain in a shrinking middle class. The cheapest ticket is listed at $179.00. That adds up to a chunk of change for a family of 4 or 5. Imagine if you were an audience member on a trip to New York City from another city or state. Imagine their interest in seeing the newly elected Vice President of the United States walk in to join you in watching the play. And imagine having that experience ruined by boisterous audience members more intent on advancing a political agenda than simply enjoying an entertainment treat. How about if you were celebrating a kid's birthday with a splurge in the family budget?

The cast members felt entitled to express their disappointment that their candidate didn't win the election and throw that on the audience, just to get to the Vice-President. Let's call it what it was - a deliberate attempt to embarrass Mike Pence. Pence was reaching out and joining in as he came to the theatre. It is reported that he clapped and responded like all the other audience members enjoying the performance. But, for merely showing up and attending the play, he was booed and made to feel unwelcome.

The cast wanted to make Pence feel unwelcome and then demand he listen to them tell him to listen to them. Only in America.  

The Biggest Loser of Election 2016? Barack Obama.

So, how about that election! Tuesday, November 8, 2016 and into Wednesday, November 9, 2016 gave the Republican party what had not been accomplished since 1928 - a Republican president, House of Representatives, and U.S. Senate. America has a majority number of Republican governors and Republican state houses, too. It's a good day to be a Republican. I haven't been able to say that in quite some time. Thanks, Obama.

Even Wall Street joined in the celebration - despite predictions of doom and gloom, the DOW closed on a record high number Wednesday afternoon.

This election was a referendum on Barack Obama. His power grabbing executive orders, his intentional use of race-baiting rhetoric, his divide and conquer policy-making, his unapologetic contempt for Republicans, and his non-stop quest for a real legacy led to a complete rejection. This election was the final rejection of Obama's failed policies which have led to 3/4 of Americans thinking our country is going in the wrong direction.

I worked at a polling place this Election Day and I was so grateful to have that distraction from the usual all day prognosticating of the talking heads on cable news and radio. This was an election cycle that, if anyone was truly honest would admit, no one knew what the hell was going to happen. It was a very long day but I found it impossible to not be uplifted to watch fellow citizens exercising their right to vote.

Credit where credit is due - Donald J. Trump won the presidential election against all odds. The first winner who never held elected office or served in the military, Trump had the great majority of media against him along with Democrats and a bunch of #NeverTrump Republican voters. Consultants and professional politicos, all of whom depend on politics as usual for a living, openly spoke with a theatrical level of disdain against him. Sitting elected officials boasted that they would not support or even vote for the Republican nominee. I will write about the failed #NeverTrump strategy later.

And then November 8, 2016 changed the electoral map of America. States not won by Republican presidential candidates, like Pennsylvania, since 1988 went to Trump.

Let me be clear, Donald Trump was my 17th choice in the Republican presidential primary. He only very recently declared himself as a Republican and clearly is not by any stretch of the imagination particularly interested in basic political philosophy. He is a 70 year old man with a lot of personal baggage that was impossible to ignore. So, when he won the nomination, I had to work through the Kubler-Ross five steps of grief. Then I made a decision - I would vote for my party's nominee for my party's sake. It is really as simple as that. I am a loyal Republican and that means I have voted for many who were not my first choice with the belief that any Republican is better than a Democrat. Have I skipped some races on a ballot? Yes. In my book, that is always a possibility.

The media was defeated and that makes me very happy. No longer even pretending to be unbiased, this political season proved to be the most openly biased I've lived to see. Very few who call themselves journalists are worthy of respect. The liberal take-over of American universities is in full display.

Pollsters were defeated. The polling in 2016 was very wrong. An exaggerated percentage of Democrats were polled and the results were skewed. This appears to have been intentional, as we learned from the leaked emails via WikiLeaks.

Four in five white evangelical voters handed victory to Donald Trump. Two in five black evangelical voters went with Clinton but that demographic failed to produce the results given to Barack Obama in previous elections.

A glass ceiling was broken, too. It wasn't the one that Hillary Clinton spoke about but one equally important - Trump's campaign manager, Kellyanne Conway, is the first woman to run a successful presidential campaign. That is a very exciting milestone in politics. Women, the majority of voting Americans, want a woman president but not corrupt Hillary Clinton. White women, by a majority of 53%, voted for Trump. Women will not be bullied into voting for a candidate simply based on the gender card. As I said throughout this election cycle, "Yes, I want a woman president. Just not THAT woman."

After many years of feeling left out and ignored by their own government, regular Americans flocked to the polls and said, "enough". Our Constitutional Republic is strong. The wisdom of the Founding Fathers was proven again - Trump received the highest number of electoral votes of any Republican since 1988 and perhaps 1 million votes less than Clinton in the popular vote. The electoral college is a protection that allows all Americans to have an equal say in governance, not just the heavily populations areas of the country. All votes are created equal, to paraphrase the 12th Amendment.

Liberal losers with hurt feelings - and a desire for a paycheck from the likes of George Soros - are protesting in the streets of blue America. These areas are also media centers for optimum press coverage, not a coincidence. I say let them protest our system of democracy and take to the streets to do so. Hopefully, these public expressions of disappointment will not result in loss of life or property. It is their right. Just don't be fooled - these demonstrations are at the hands of professional agitators, the likes of whom were also paid to protest Trump campaign rallies and incite violence while doing so. Their willing stooges in the media were in on the ruse. Americans in flyover country were not swayed, in fact, this backfired and only made Trump supporters more determined.

There is much work to be done. God bless President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect Mike Pence. God bless America. Thanks, Obama!

Does This Updated Presidential Candidate Debate Information Look Fair and Balanced?

Ready for the debates between the presidential nominees? Maybe you are more interested in the debate scheduled for the vice-presidential candidate. Either way, here is the info:

"Journalists from NBC, ABC, CNN and Fox News will moderate the three scheduled debates between U.S. presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump ahead of the Nov. 8 election, the nonpartisan group organizing the events said on Friday.

NBC anchor Lester Holt will ask questions at the first debate on Sept. 26 in New York, while ABC global affairs correspondent Martha Raddatz and CNN anchor Anderson Cooper will co-moderate the Oct. 9 "town meeting" style debate in St. Louis, the Commission on Presidential Debates said.

Fox News anchor Chris Wallace will moderate on Oct. 19 in Las Vegas, it said in a statement.

 

CBS journalist Elaine Quijano will moderate the single vice presidential debate on Oct. 4 between Republican Indiana Governor Mike Pence and his Democratic rival, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia, the commission said.

 

C-SPAN's Steve Scully will be a back-up moderator for all four of the debates, it added."

 

New York, St. Louis and Las Vegas. You may have also noticed that the only shot at a somewhat balanced moderator is Chris Wallace. Sadly, this is what Republicans have come to expect. Is it any wonder that finally Republicans are demanding better from those who make these decisions?

Obama to South Louisiana: F**K You!

You may not have heard about it on your local news broadcast or read about it but South Louisiana drowned about a week ago and the people there could use some help. 

What is the difference of this catastrophic event and say, the last time South Louisiana drowned in Hurricane Katrina? Would it be the difference in a Republican president on vacation and a Democrat president on vacation? Apparently so.

President George W. Bush will forever have his administration's clumsy response to Hurricane Katrina on his record yet the very same reporters and Democrat politicians so eager to write that story are silent. President Bush flew over the damaged landscape and surveyed it en route back to Washington, D.C. and you would have thought he was personally responsible for the event. The record was finally corrected that many preparations were in place but due to Democrats in office - in control locally - the worse results happened.

As of today, there has not be so much as a public statement of concern from President Obama. He did declare the area eligible for federal assistance and FEMA is doing what can be done for the time being, but Obama has failed on a key responsibility of his job - that of comforter-in-chief. He hasn't even bothered to acknowledge the death, destruction and despair in an area already weary from police shootings, shrinking budget and services, and shrinking opportunities.

The American Red Cross would appreciate your help. Over 40,000 homes have been affected and tens of thousands of people displaced. The American Red Cross declares it the worse event since Hurricane Sandy. You may remember that Hurricane Sandy occurred during Obama's re-election bid so he was all over that disaster from the onset of the storm. You may remember the famous photograph of Obama and N.J. Governor Christie walking in full embrace along the coast.

Today there is a story in the Baton Rouge newspaper that Obama has now requested daily updates. Unbelievable.

"Gov. John Bel Edwards said he spoke to Obama Sunday night, when the president made the initial disaster declaration for four parishes. Since then, the disaster declaration has been expanded to 16 others. Obama offered his prayers for the flood victims during that private conversation, according to the White House."

How about a public statement for the people? Sending Jeh Johnson, only today, is a positive step but doesn't fulfill the president's duty. As Lyndon Johnson was told during the aftermath of Hurricane Betsy: "We don't want your best man, we want you." Johnson arrived 24 hours after landfall.

It has gotten to the point of such frustration that the newspaper has published a strong editorial demanding Obama at least make the effort to come to the area and pretend he cares about his fellow Americans, vacation or not.

"The optics of Obama golfing while Louisiana residents languished in flood waters was striking. It evoked the precedent of the passive federal response to the state’s agony in 2005, a chapter of history no one should ever repeat."

The voices outside of Louisiana have been silent in coverage - no mentions from either Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump. Barack Obama has grown the government's reach into our personal lives and expanded controls of our everyday lives to such an extent that more people than ever are wholly dependent on government assistance. Hillary Clinton promises more of the same. Clearly it is all about political control for them. When the chips are down, they are nowhere to be found. Twenty parishes (counties) are underwater in South Louisiana and the president parties on, living large on Martha's Vineyard.

UPDATE:  Republican nominee Donald Trump and Vice President nominee Mike Pence are visiting South Louisiana Friday, August 19, 2016.  Trump cancelled previous commitments to do so.

Obama Declares Trump "Unfit to be President" - Sets Lowest Bar for Discourse

Today in a joint press conference with Prime Minister Lee of Singapore, the President of the United States declared the Republican nominee for President "unfit to be president" Fundamental change  accomplished, Barack Obama. It is one thing for a sitting president to declare his support for the candidate running in his own party, it is quite another thing to declare the opposition party's candidate as unfit as the world watches.

I challenge anyone to show me an example from another sitting president behaving in this way. It is stomach-turning enough for a sitting president to be so one-sided in his governance that he truly thinks he is making some kind of magnanimous gesture to state he is willing to sit down with people from both sides of an issue - in this case, TPP - but it is quite another to ratchet up the trash talk about one party's nominee for the highest office in the land. The next leader of the free world, no matter the election outcome, deserves better in a civilized society. I am trying to imagine the outrage from the American press if George W. Bush had made such a statement of Barack Obama in 2007. 

A reminder: the President of the United States governs all Americans, not just those in his/her own party. Obama has been the most divisive president this country has seen. A man given the opportunity to unite and inspire the country - as he promised in 2008 - has totally wasted that possibility.

Obama also demanded that Republicans in leadership positions renounce previous endorsements of Trump. His arrogance knows no boundaries.

 

Democrats Shamefully Politicize Capt Humayun S. M. Khan's Service

Were you conned by the Democrats' version of politicizing a grieving Gold Star family at the DNC extravaganza labeled as their patriotic night? I hope not. After a bit of pondering over this latest media- generated kerfuffle and the willing #NeverTrump crew's help, suddenly GOP candidate Donald Trump is attacked for defending himself against the unprovoked rant from a Muslim immigrant from Pakistan via the UAE to Virginia. The willing culprit went onstage at the request of the DNC (Hillary Clinton), along with his wife, and claimed that not only would his son - a patriotic soldier in Iraq killed in action after saving many other soldiers, posthumously awarded the Purple Heart and Bronze Star medals, not be allowed into this country using Trump's guidelines on Muslim immigration but also that Trump surely has never read the U.S. Constitution.  Dramatically, he then took a pocket-sized edition of the document and waved it while saying he would be happy to lend him his copy to read.

The Democrats, who have to actually set aside a night to proclaim patriotism, as they usually are too busy disrespecting the military and America's defense to be taken seriously, lauded the man as their new hero. The mother remained silent at her husband's side.

Let's contrast this to the reaction that Patricia Smith, the grieving mother of Sean, also killed while serving the United States in the Middle East - in Libya, Benghazi to be exact, - and her treatment from the media after her address to the RNC. She was called everything from a liar to being exploited by the Republicans. Hillary Clinton, as recently as yesterday on Fox's Sunday Show claimed that Mrs. Smith probably doesn't really remember events correctly due to her grief.

I want to be clear here. The Democrats had to reach back to a soldier's death in 2004 - under the command of President George W. Bush - to use a grieving military family as political fodder and allow him to rant against the immigration and homeland security policy of GOP candidate Trump. Mrs. Smith's son was killed under the watch of Democrat candidate Hillary Clinton. As Secretary of State, he was her responsibility as he served the U.S. ambassador in Libya. To this day, we have not been told where Hillary Clinton was that fateful night on September 11, 2012 or, for that matter, where President Obama was that night. She failed miserably in answering her 3:00 AM call and now she wants to be Commander-in-Chief. No thanks. Were there no soldiers of Muslim faith killed in action recently with parents willing to use him or her for a get- out- the- vote effort for Hillary Clinton? Probably not. Why? Usually, military families go out of their way to stay out of politics.

So, I questioned why this father wanted his time on the DNC stage. Why did Team Clinton choose him? Then, after reading the transcript of his speech - since I didn't see it live that night - it became clear to me. Clinton's campaign wanted to make a statement about Trump's idea of strict immigration policy for those coming here from countries that are hotbeds of Islamic terrorism. It had nothing to do with disrespect for a Gold Star family - it was all about immigration policy. Again, Democrats don't show respect for military members unless it is to benefit their agenda. Democrats counted on Trump defending himself and he did. Then Democrats and willing helpers in the media and the #NeverTrump crowd reacted. Playing right into the hands of Democrats, there was much pearl clutching and proclamations that Trump has finally gone too far - he is attacking a Gold Star family! How convenient for them.

To fact check Mr. Khizr Khan, he came to the U.S. via the UAE as a Pakistani citizen in 1980. His son was born in the UAE and was two years old when his parents brought him here. His family would not in any way be affected by the immigration policies put forth by Donald Trump today. This is all indignation for political convenience. Shame on them all.

Trump was attacked as he defended himself on social media and on television. Yes, I think Trump is not a finessed man in speaking and wades into areas not usually done by political candidates. I don't rejoice in his crude manner. However, it is just as offensive coming from the provocations of Mr. Khan. His wife was silent and as a mother myself, I understood that. Now, however, a woman who said she can't bring herself to speak about her son and his death 12 years ago suddenly has found her voice in television interviews. I'll let you decide her level of participation in this con job. I do not, as a parent, doubt this couple's level of grief. I do question motivations, especially in politics.

Would a grieving military family with an ordinary middle class Christian or Jewish background have been used as a prop by the Democrats? No, I don't think so. This is why I think all of this will backfire on Team Hillary. Unlike other Republican candidates, Trump will not allow the other side to define him without a fight. This is why the base of the party has embraced him. I would have preferred Trump thank the couple for the ultimate sacrifice their son made for our country and said his policy on Muslim immigration was in direct response to the extreme Islamists wishing to kill westerners, like they did Capt Khan, but I'm not this candidate and he hasn't asked for my advice.

It is interesting that after a weekend of television appearances, Mr. Khan would now like to get out of the spotlight. This is after, of course, Khan has demanded that Republican leaders get rid of Trump. How typical - Khan's Constitution only goes one way.

U.K. Bestseller Behind Closed Doors by B.A. Paris Available August 9, 2016 in the U.S.

Tuesday, July 26, 2016

Available in the U.S. on August 9, 2016, Behind Closed Doors written by B.A. Paris is a good choice for a late summer read.  If you are looking for a page turner of a piece of fiction, this may be your best bet. 

Paris' first published novel, Behind Closed Doors is a dark thriller of a story about a newlywed wife held hostage by her domineering, sadistic husband.  A successful lawyer in London, Jack Angel is, in fact, too good to be true.  He swept Grace off her feet and after initial hesitation, she left a career of her own to begin a new life with Jack.  He built a beautiful home for them just outside of the city and as they honeymooned in Thailand, the truth began to emerge. 

Grace is left guardian of her mentally disabled younger sister, Millie, when their parents move to New Zealand.  Millie lives in a group home and when she turns eighteen, she ages out of the arrangement.  Grace convinced Jack to arrange for Millie to live with them when the time came.  As the story develops, Jack makes it perfectly clear that he intends to inflict the same abuse to Millie as he does to Grace herself. 

I won't give away the ending but you will not be disappointed.  This novel keeps the reader's interest from the first chapter and is a fast read.  It makes for a great summer's distraction for any reader.  Already a bestseller in the U.K. (with the movie rights sold) , Behind Closed Doors will be available on August 9, 2016 in the United States.



*Full Disclosure*  St. Martin's Press sent a free Early Readers Edition to me in exchange for a written review and social media publicity.

Ted Cruz and His Convenient Conscience Breaks RNC Pledge

From the Wall Street Journal:

Mr. Cruz’s sudden burst of “conscience” would be more believable if Mr. Cruz hadn’t played Tonto to Mr. Trump’s Lone Ranger for most of the primary campaign. When it mattered last year, when Mr. Trump still might have been stopped, Mr. Cruz was lip-syncing the businessman’s lines.
While other candidates were opposing Mr. Trump on immigration, Mr. Cruz was imitating him and even moving to his right. Mr. Cruz wrote an op-ed in this paper with Paul Ryan supporting trade promotion authority. After Mr. Trump opposed it, Mr. Cruz came out against the bill right before the Senate vote.

If nothing else, the utter hypocrisy of the Cruz stream of conscience is suspect, given the introduction of the assaults on Melania Trump's character alone laid at the feet of the Cruz campaign.  The pictures of Mrs. Trump from her modeling days are everywhere in the Internet universe and were indeed used by Cruzers.  Using an unflattering photograph of Mrs. Cruz and a tweet from Mr. Trump implying he might mention her past troubles was his response. To clutch pearls and act as though that isn't anything other than ordinary behavior in today's politics is a bit much.

Senator Cruz also noted the silly accusation that perhaps his father, a Cuban immigrant, was somehow involved in the assassination of President Kennedy.  That was bad form coming from a tabloid grocery store rag - hardly an unusual occurrence. Trump says he had nothing to do with that story. It's politics, it's as old as time.

Describing these incidences as just too brutal, Cruz decided to not honor the RNC pledge made at the beginning of the primary campaign season - each candidate agreed to support the eventual Republican nominee in exchange for access to the RNC databank.  Senator Cruz now claims he's entitled to be a sore loser with hurt feelings as the voters hold him accountable for his less than gentlemanly behavior.

The reality is this:  Cruz lost this race and his ego is bruised.  He is a bitter man who is a divider, not a uniter.  He will always put himself over the Republican Party and rely on supporters who are perfectly ok with that.  He will rely on blind support as he calls other Republicans "cartel" members - drug lord thug talk - and think that is bold behavior.  It is not.  It is boorish and juvenile.

Cruz though he'd receive the Republican nomination by pandering to the evangelical voters and those more loyal to him than to the Republican Party - the newbies, the people not familiar with the party system or the workings of the RNC, those looking for an outsider.  Does anyone really think someone who has been working in and around Washington, D.C. and Austin Texas since 2000 is an outsider?  No.  Cruz was caught off guard by two real outsiders - Dr. Ben Carson and Donald Trump.  Neither were office holders in any form.  Both from the real world of business.  (I don't include Carly Fiorina because she ran unsuccessfully for office  and also served as an adviser to previous Republican officeholders - she was a part of the system.) 

Instead of focusing on working to take out Donald Trump during the primaries, Cruz chose to focus on exaggerating and misleading on the records of others - including those he called friends.  Senators Marco Rubio and Rand Paul were early targets.  He distorted their records for his personal benefit.  This, too, is politics; it is as old as time.  His conscience didn't prevent that.   He called Donald Trump his friend, a great man, and promised to "continue to sing his praises."  Why?  Cruz thought eventually Trump would drop out and Cruz would be the last man standing.  Cruz thought he'd get those Trump supporters for himself.  He was wrong.

Not only did Cruz's overwhelming support from evangelicals not materialize in a significant way - Trump bested him in many states with that group - but he soundly lost in the deep South.  Cruz was using his own Southern strategy and expecting enough early victories to put him in the lead.  Wrong again.  Though Cruz referenced Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions as a voice on immigration he listened to, especially leading up to the Alabama primary because he desperately wanted his endorsement, Sessions endorsed Trump in Alabama - the first Senator to do so.  Cruz had done his best to get to the right of Donald Trump on immigration - though in his Senate work, he tried to ride Senator Marco Rubio coattails for immigration reform, only to later deny it  - and again failed.

Ted Cruz has no success of note in his time in the U.S. Senate.  Clearly he ran for that office so that he could use it to run for President.  He had never held elected office before going to the Senate - he served in appointed positions in Washington, D.C. and Austin, Texas - and has proven he is ineffective in elected office.  Most of his failure comes from his inability to work with others - he may boast of not being a team player but that all came back to bite him.  His continued stunts for the camera to keep him in the public's eye - like the faux filibuster to shut down the government - have all been for his own benefit. 

Cruz thought he could disrupt the Republican convention and somehow wrestle the nomination from Trump.  The problem, though, is that grassroots Republicans are loyal to the party, not to a particular politician.  Politicians come and go, the party remains.  The convention delegates were already well on the way to a unified front. The #NeverTrump bunch were never organized.  Those who suddenly voiced support for candidate Cruz when that was their only choice against Trump were doing so because they had no other choice, not because they truly wanted Cruz as the nominee.  They were settling. 

The most amazing result to the Cruz temper tantrum, for me, has been the utter disgust leveled by previously loyal Cruz supporters.  I don't think Cruz is able to understand the depth of damage he has done to his political future.  When Cruz runs for president in 2020, does he think the Trump voters won't be there?  The party has changed because the voters have changed.  The newly energized voters - on the right and on the left - no longer trust or believe politicians.  It's a new world.

Senator Mike Lee made a fool of himself on national television, followed by former Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, on the floor of the convention.  Lee wasn't able to make a decision to endorse either Marco Rubio or Ted Cruz during the primaries, claiming both to be good friends.  Then he endorsed Cruz when Rubio suspended his campaign.  He is hardly a voice of courage.  Libertarians have glommed on to Lee.  Libertarians are not Republicans.

Governor Pence endorsed Cruz in the Indiana primary - though he was hesitant to do so.  Cruz lost the Indiana primary and then suspended his campaign.  Pence is now the Vice Presidential candidate.  Prominent members of Cruz super PACs are now working for the Trump campaign.  Loyalty to the party is necessary and will continue. 

I am thankful I could vote for Senator Marco Rubio in the Texas primary.  He is the face of the future of the Republican Party - just not now.  I am a #RubioRepublican.