Ben Carson: Obama townhall tonight is political theater at its worst

From faceBook:

President Obama plans to discuss his latest executive actions on gun control at a town hall tonight. The American people are sick and tired of his grandiose actions that abuse presidential authority, do nothing to solve the actual problems facing our nation, and only hurt law-abiding citizens. We have a Constitutional right in this country to keep and bear arms. Yet President Obama and his Democrat allies like Hillary Clinton continue to propose regulations and restrictions that will only keep guns out of the hands of law-abiding citizens.

This is political theater at its worst.

Americans are rightly concerned when the same man who promised that you could keep your health care now promises that you can keep your guns. We should have a lively debate in this country about how Congress can keep guns away from criminals and the mentally ill. But the President’s pandering assertions of power are counterproductive. We need a President who will stop threatening legal gun owners, and start tackling the root causes of violent crime and terrorism in this county. As President I will stand firm in protecting the Second Amendment while working with Congress to better protect the American people from any enemy, foreign or domestic.

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MEME REPORT:
TRUMP IS LIKE THE BLOB

Cheap Seat Report: Republican Picks As of Today

1) Ted Cruz. Most of the  more important part of the debate this week was between Cruz and Marco Rubio.
Not sure about the "carpet bombing" strategy. I mean, what if it turns out they just have linoleum? 
Dana Bash purposely asked a question that is really irrelevant to national issues when she hit Cruz with the one about something that was recorded in private that he said about Trump.  Pretty low for Bash and CNN to be purposely picking fights. There were not many attacks against Hillary during the debate, but were quite a few against  Trump and Cruz.
Cruz: "All horse thieves are Democrats, but not all Democrats are horse thieves."

2) Mike Huckabee. Granted, he was at the small first debate, but he stayed to message and offered great insight. I think he is terribly underrated. He may not stand a chance to win, but I suspect he will stick around for awhile longer.  And I hope he does.
Huckabee: "If Islam is as wonderful and peaceful as its adherents say, shouldn't they be begging us" to surveil their mosques?"

3) Rick Santorum. Still at the smaller debate, but he and Huckabee have my interest for their appeals to religious liberties. I think Santorum did a great job in defending those issues but got a little flustered by Lindsey Graham. "The fact of the matter is, Islam is different ... the idea that that is protected under the First Amendment is wrong." said Santorum. I agree. Why do we keep extending Constitutional rights to non-Americans???
Santorum: "We have to stop worrying about offending some people and start defending all Americans."
 Santorum: "Not all Muslims are jihadist but "all jihadists are Muslim"

4) Donald Trump. My interest in Trump is falling somewhat. I would certainly still vote for him if he is nominated but there is a difference between conservatism and populism. Trump appeals to populism and to conservatives who find populism appealing .  Trump is strong on National security and I am not sure who interjected it, but the talk of "innocent civilians" being killed is the reason wars become politically correct and then people lose. Trump did not clarify very well (or at all) what he meant by "shutting down parts of the internet."
 I might be OK with shutting down part of the internet if that means cat pictures. Except for the fact that that would only leave 25% of the internet left. :-) 
The Mosques that were shut down in France weren't shut down for their message but because they were stockpiling weapons. I'm not so sure just listening to the message will cut it.Vladimir Putin pretty much unofficially/officially endorsed Donald Trump calling him "bright and talented" and the "absolute leader" in the 2016 race. Trump did say just after the debate that  he will NOT run as third party no matter what

 5) Ben Carson. Carson is about to drop off the radar. I hate to say it but I think he may have already peaked. I believe his support will likely shift to Cruz. Ben Carson just told the press that he would likely be a "one term president." I like the guy but I think making that kind of an announcement will more likely make him a no term president.
 Between naps, Ben Carson had some good responses.

6) Marco Rubio. If he would get his stuff together on amnesty and immigration reform he might be a candidate of interest.
This would have been a good night for Rubio to take a drink of water. Better Press.
Marco Rubio said this week that  we need a "top-down review" of our Immigration system. Yeah right, just what we need: another government committee to investigate the government.

7) Chris Christie.  He did perform strong on national defense. I will give him that. He referenced a couple times that because he was from Jerssey, he would be tough.
"A no fly zone is a no fly zone" --Old New Jersey Proverb
Christie will close down every bridge to the United States to keep out terrorists
Christie: "Terror threats "is the new normal" under Obama and Clinton."

8) Rand Paul. His libertarian ideas are some of the good things about him and his libertarian idea are some of the bad things about him. Rand Paul is terrible on foreign policy. Much like his dad. Paul also started out with an attack on Trump (again). He has tried it at every debate and it NEVER helps him. He is slow to learn.

9) Carly Fiorina: I am tired of this "because I am a woman" stuff from her. The review of her work history with HP is mixed....but mostly not good. And she claims to know all the world leaders.
 Carly Fiorina made a critical mistake when she mentioned Kim Jong Un and then didn't throw in that she knew him, too.

10) Jeb Bush. Not even a consideration any more.
 "________" - Jeb Bush's most memorable response tonight. 
They should have a moment of silence for Jeb Bush since this will likely be his last debate.
Shorter Jeb Bush: Refugees aren't a problem. Let them all in!

11) George Pataki. He talked strong on national defense, I was surprised. But he was governor of New York during 911.  

12)Lindsey Graham. 
Lindsey Graham needs to start using decaf stuff as he was over wound.
 If you took a drink whenever Lindsay Graham eye rolled at Rick Santorum. You wouldn't be awake for the 2nd debate.
Of ISIS, Graham said he  will "knock them off the internet" --What does that mean??
His most memorable line: "Princess Buttercup would not like this!" 
He would rate higher if the issue was entertainment value.


13)CNN  The biggest loser as they clearly showed their disdain for the Republican party. You won't see a performance like that when CNN moderates the Democrat debate. But perhaps Wolf Blitzer clarified it best when he said "CNN is America." They truly think they are. CNN also interpreted the Bible their own way as they asked about refugees. But I have never been able to find the Bible verse that says we should let terrorists in the country because you're supposed to love them. Neither did CNN.

Wolf kept saying"we're only just beginning" before each commercial break.
And in the first debate they were purposely  making Trump the subject when he was not there to defend himself.

Cheap Seat Report: Random Observations 11.23.15

BREAKING: According to reports, the turkey Obama pardoned last year has been sighted fighting with ISIS in Syria.

 Schools closed today in Brussells in light of terrorism threat,. Gotta protect the little sprouts in Brussells.


 Hillary Clinton conundrum:
Hillary insists Muslims 'have nothing whatsoever to do with terrorism'
But Univision chairman Haim Saban is one of her top campaign donors and just announced favoring Muslim scrutiny. .
We may see whether convictions or money is pulling her strings more,

It's not clear if Democrats are more bent out of shape that so many women are joining ISIS or that ISIS is only paying them seventy percent of what male terrorists make.

 The word "Muslim" translated into English means "Whine."

 I am unclear as to why we're having sports again this year when we already had them last year. Jus sayin

Nov 22, 1963:
The only thing I remember about it was that it interrupted regular TV. I was only 3. And there was this funeral but I really didnt understand who or what Kennedy was. I remember seeing horses. I know my dad hated the Kennedys but I was too young to remember him saying anything at the time. I do remember him saying a couple years later that if Robert Kennedy got elected that we would move to Canada. I remember that because at my age Canada was another planet. My dad wasn't a Republican though. He hated Martin Luther King and voted for George Wallace for president. He was raised in very different times.

Mom of one of the Paris suicide bomber says stress made her son do it.
So apparently, strapping on a suicide vest is stressful.

 The same people who are arguing against any kind of a Muslim database are the same ones who are all for the NSA collecting data on everyone else.

Pizza a vegetable? Seems to me the test of whether pizza is a vegetable is if Democrats want illegal immigrants to pick it out of a field for 13 cents an hour.

 "Listen, you didn't hear this from me, but the sun will come out tomorrow. Bet your bottom dollar." - Little Informant Annie

 GQ named Barack Obama as man of the year. The shortlist for the GQ distinction included Rachel Maddow, a Dyson Vacuum cleaner, and a cat video.

 “If there’s a rabid dog running around in your neighborhood, you’re probably not going to assume something good" --Ben Carson
Unless you're a Democrat. Then rabies are only bad if the dog also has a gun or a Bible.

 At a reporters leading, Donald Trump suggested the need for Muslims in America to have an ID in light of Paris attacks. The left, of course, is having a meltdown over this.
Liberals hate IDS for everything. They just want your money. They don't want to know who you are.

Dr. Ben Carson Talks About K-12 Education & Hopes Common Core will "die a quiet death"

Presidential candidate Ben Carson sits down with Seventy Four Editor-in-Chief Campbell Brown in Milwaukee, Wisconsin for a conversation about K-12 education.

Carson is also against the Common Core, saying he hopes it will “die a quiet death.” He dismissed the idea that a national move toward higher standards was needed after states lowered their standards in the wake of No Child Left Behind. “I think the less federal interference the better. States will be able to set their own standards, work with their local school districts and work with parents and PTAs. I don’t see a downside in doing it that way. I see a big downside in imposing from above … So far it’s created nothing but chaos,” he said.

Cheap Seat Report: Republican Presidential Picks As of Today 11.13.15

Following their last debate.

My picks up to now with information I have up to now: First off, I need to clarify that I am not a Republican, so I have no party loyalty to the Republican party and will never hesitate to throw the party under a bus. That said, I ID myself as more of a Constitutional conservative and the Republican party tends usually to have a better pick of candidates that lean that way. Also, my main focus is on religious liberty...and I have stated many times over the years that I dislike politics as a general rule....but will deal with it when it encroaches on religious freedom.. So, I look for the candidates who I think are most apt and able to address and protect that. Followed by illegal immigration, abortion, and the economy.

1)Ted Cruz. Another impressive debate with the right sound bytes in the right places. His simple flat tax plan would effectively end the IRS and, so, not only revising the tax code...but ending a lot of other federal tyranny with the same plan. The left is crying foul because such

a plan would cost the Fed money. There may be some initial cost......but in the long run.........the freedom to spend your own income goes back to you as a citizen. No one should be overly concerned with the gloom and doomers who feel the world would end if parts of the current governmental system would go bankrupt. Most of it should just by simple reaping what it has sown...but the rest of the Fed jumps in to bail it out. The federal government is a tyrannical monster with lots of evil tentacles.

2) Ben Carson. The attacks by the media have resulted in nothing except to reveal how crooked the media (like CNN and Politico) can be. But that really is not something we didn't already know.  Carson is a soft spoken outsider   and that is a large  part of his appeal. The attacks against Carson came just as he started to take leads in the polls. The Hillary Clinton campaign (aka, the mainstream media) did the best they could to protect their crooked leader but it all went awash.  Herman Cain got the same treatment from the media when he rose in the polls, but though he never admitted his involvement in the sexual harassment, his dropping his race left more questions than answers. As Carson has said, the media should vet candidates...they just need to quit lying about things when they do.   In comparison, though, the media still hasn't vetted Barack Obama and don't seem to be too interested in looking at Hillary.


3) Mike Huckabee. He hasn't polled up there with the big dogs yet, but his commitment is real. The former Baptist pastor has a strong commitment to religious liberty which is an important foundation to be addressing for America to remain the land of the free. When I observe strong Christian candidates I also see that the media tends to  avoid them altogether. But when they do they just don't seem to know how to handle it. It seems like if they suggest they understand then their piers would say they are not being objective. Big news media outlets tend to hire what they call "Religion Specialists" or "Religion Analysts." They tend to be as worthless as integrity in an Obama Department of Justice as they pretend to know everything about all the religions and after diluted analysis reveal they know nothing..and particularly nothing about Christianity.

4) Donald Trump. Last month he was at #3 but I see a few things deteriorating. Eminent domain, his tax plan, and his not so wise attacks on Ben Carson  suggesting Carson is "pathological." I still think Trump is the wild card and still the anomaly so I don't rule him out. Of all the candidates he is probably the one who would shake up DC the most and I don't see that as a bad thing. He is the best candidate on immigration and I concur with his views about Vladimir Putin and Syria.

5) Rick Santorum. He hasn't garnered the evangelical support like he did in his last run. Considering the state of flux "evangelicalism" is in right now I guess that's not to be unexpected. Santorum has a speaking platform as long as he stays in the race, but that's about it.

6) Bobby Jindal. I've liked him as a man of Christan convictions. I am beginning to have doubts about him as man of Christian convictions in a nationally elected position. Issues in Louisiana like unemployment and budgets are increasing as concerns. It gets a little hard to sort, though, since Louisiana--like Mississippi--runs ever  mean, vicious and corrupt campaign seasons. As Louisiana has been in the  process of electing a new governor, a lot of dirt got thrown Jindals way.

 7) Rand Paul. His libertarian ideas are some of the good things about him and his libertarian idea are some of the bad things about him. Like his dad, though, it would appear he would be weak on defense. He would be strong on a social issue like marijuana...but, frankly, no one should care what a candidates position is on marijuana. I certainly don't.  To me it's like asking the "boxers or briefs" question. There's far more important issues to address.

8) Marco Rubio. If it had to come down to it, he is probably the only establishment connected Republican I would be OK voting for. His immigration ideas are weak but not the weakest. (That designation goes to John Kasich).

9) Chris Christie. He can quite frequently talk the impressive talk. It's walking that talk that leaves some doubt in my mind. I don't think DC would be anything he would be interested in changing and would likely just assimilate within it.

10) Carly Fiorina. She is the Republican answer to Hillary Clinton: A female who talks out of both sides of her mouth. Her "I'm a victim because somebody said something bad about me and I am a woman" media tours are tiring.

11) Jeb Bush. What can be said about Jeb Bush that can't be summed up in a pretty lame retool of a failing political campaign that says "Jeb Can Fix It." If Jeb could fix it he could fix his campaign.

12) John Kasich. Nada. I'd take more time to write more about him but that's just "too much to do."

 13) Lindsey Graham, George Pataki and Jim "who???" Gilmore. [expletive deleted)

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MEME REPORT:
AS CHRISTIANS, HUMANISM HAS NO PLACE IN OUR HEARTS

Cheap Seat Report: The FBN/WSJ Republican Debate 11.10.15

CNBC has just announced that Hillary Clinton has won tomorrows GOP debate

 All the Republicans going into tonights debate all have one bright shared consolation: None of them are David Vitter.

 Looks like the new season of "The Voice" is going to get a new viewer tonight. That George Pataki supporter has to do something....

 Hillary"s campaign is saying they will not watch the debate and instead are going to be "moving our country forward." They didn't explain what country is hers and where they are gong to move it, though.

 Only 35 more days til the next GOP debate

 If the first question to all the candidates is "would you sign a pledge to not stab anyone?" then you know Fox Business is gunning for Carson.

 "The reason we lose nationally is because we try to be a cheaper version of the Democratic party." --Bobby Jindal

 So far Fox Business isn't fueling a cage match between personalities. A debate that stays on topic seems rather bizarre just for not being bizarre.

 Christie has deflected a question about himself 3 times now and diverted it toward Hillary twice and Obama once.

If there's a drinking game where you drink every time a candidate says "I'm the only one", then those playing will pass out long before round two on the big stage.

 Jindal wants to fire everybody in DC. Personally, I lean more toward a straight out deportation.

 Megyn Kelly just blamed the candidates for the Fox News debate kerfuffle. She says she was trying to do it like Fox Business just did it.

 FBN pundits are giving the win to Christie for first debate. I have to lean toward Huckabee. Christie avoided directly answering the most questions..followed by Santorum. .

"We need more welders instead of philosophers." --Marco Rubio

 Kasich doesn't care who's here if they are already here.

 Who cares what the Clinton campaign high fives, Jeb. Hillary high fived her staff after the Benghazi hearing.

 WINNER: "We would see stories about the economic calamity" of illegal immigration if journalists' wages were affected" --Ted Cruz

 "I want a government so small you can't even see it." --Rand Paul

 So far so good: Half way through the debate and Ben Carson hasn't stabbed anyone yet.

 "If Republicans join Democrats as the party of amnesty, we will lose" --Ted Cruz

"More words in IRS code than in the Bible." --Ted Cruz
and in may respects they have the same penalties.

 "We should vet all candidates. I have no problem with being vetted. What I do have a problem with is being lied about and then putting that out there as truth." --Ben Carson


 Score again:
"If you think defending this country is expensive, try NOT defending it." --Ted Cruz

 Trump playing the peacemaker among the candidates?

 I think I'm with Trump on this one. (His views on Russia and Putin)

 "We shouldn't have another financial crisis".-- Jeb Bush
.
Whats scary is that I think that is the complete Jeb Bush economic plan.

 Shorter John Kasich: I would let the government do what it has always been doing. I would just let it do what its always been doing better.

"Thank you for not asking me what I said in the 10th grade" --Ben Carson


 Fiorina has already started her "Trump picked on me " media tour. I didn't think she would start on it til tomorrow.

 "You can never say something is never going to happen" --John Kasich.
Actually you can: Kasich will never be president.

 Whine of the Night:
"We Can't deport illegals, there are too many of them." --John Kasich


 "In the two hours of this -- of this debate, five people have died from drug-related deaths, $100 million has been added to our national debt, 200 babies have been killed by abortionists, and two veterans have taken their lives out of despair. This is a narrative that we can change, not we the Democrats, not we the Republicans, but we the people of America, because there is something special about this nation, and we must embrace it and be proud of it and never give it away for the sake of political correctness." --Ben Carson closing remarks

 Over all, I think FBN did a good debate and stayed mostly on target with important issues and not personality driven. A few times I think moderators started to lose control but they reeled it back in and with that many egos on a stage I could see why that would happen.. I thought Cavuto was taking the Bank of America question to Cruz a little personal...but otherwise OK. IMHO

Chalk Board Observations 11.07.15

Ben Carson: Current Members of Congress have a combined 8,700 years of political experience

From FaceBook

Tonight, going through all of your questions, I wanted to touch on a few issues that seem to be asked by many people.

I would like to deal with one question tonight in some detail. The issue is experience. Several people ask what they should tell their friends when people say “I like Carson but he has no political experience”.
You are absolutely right — I have no political experience. The current Members of Congress have a combined 8,700 years of political experience. Are we sure political experience is what we need. Every signer of the Declaration of Independence had no elected office experience. What they had was a deep belief that freedom is a gift from God. They had a determination to rise up against a tyrannical King. They were willing to risk all they had, even their lives, to be free. Today we find ourselves with an entire class of politicians. No one in Philadelphia, during that summer our nation was born, dreamed that service was a career with a pension. America was the land of the Citizen Statesmen. They were merchants, lawyers, farmers — and yes, even doctors. They were willing to stand for freedom. Today, the political class stands in the way, not for the people. They demand pensions and perks. This is not what our Founders envisioned for America. I spent my life treating very ill children. Over 15,000 times I gave my all to prolong their lives. I was blessed to do it. But when it came time for me to retire, I simply could not sit back any longer. These children became my family. What our government is doing to them is outrageous. I am prepared to risk all that I have to try and make a difference in their future. I built one of the nation’s best medical centers. I served for two decades on the boards of Costco and Kellogg. I built a national scholarship program.

My experience is very different than what we have come to expect. I grew up poor. I know what it is like to be homeless and hungry. I know the pain of poverty. I also know that education and a mother’s love can be the path out of dire poverty. I know what it is like to see water fountains you are not allowed to drink out of because of your skin color. I also know that once you peel back the skin, the brain is the same no matter what your skin color or continent you live on. I know that victimhood is a trap. I know that it is our Christian responsibility to offer those less fortunate a hand up. I know my faith is strong and my ego is small.
I know that my path to the White House is different than most. But I also know I bring all of the pain and joy, the success and failure, the lessons learned through love and sorrow in my life’s journey. Bill Clinton was famous for saying “I feel your pain” — well, I have walked in your shoes.

I do not have political experience, I have a life journey. A journey that not only made it possible for me to relate to so many different people, but also one where time and time again I was told I would fail, only to succeed. My candidacy is different, that I grant you. I have neither Donald Trump’s money or Jeb Bush’s political network. However, I wouldn't trade a single child I treated for all of Trump’s money. While I admire the Bush family’s dedication to service, I too served — nights, weekends, holidays, birthdays and anniversaries with severely injured patients were my public service.

I didn’t go to embassy cocktail parties or beg lobbyists for money. I spent night after night in a quiet, sterile room trying to save the life of a small child. That was my life’s service. This is my life’s experience. What I have is a lifetime of caring, integrity and honesty. I have experienced the American Dream. No where in the world, other than America, could a man whose ancestors were slaves, rise to become a leading brain surgeon and one day seek the Office of President.

The very fact that I am running is testament to the greatness of America. If all you want is political experience then I cannot be your candidate.
Thank you for staying up with me.
Goodnight,
Ben

NAACP chapter president and Democratic strategist L. Joy Williams refers to Ben Carson as a "Safe Negro"

O’Brien Murray: It was his attack of Obama, and frankly a black man attacking a black president, which is something people get away…
Williams: And that’s where we are.
Murray: When you talk about it years ago, remember he stood in front of the president and he made his bona fides originally attacking the president face to face, at a prayer breakfast, mind you.
…Williams: The really important thing of people supporting him because it’s, oh, there’s another black man commenting or — negatively against the president, and I don’t feel comfortable in doing so because of the race factor. So here’s someone who can do it that’s kind of —
Murray: Not at all. The question was what was he doing. He was attacking the president, and he was going after him in such a way that was very well pointed out, where the issues were with the president with Obamacare and other things. Given his narrative and history and his bio, which is fantastic —
Williams: Which is one n terms of having the, I was going to say, having the “safe negro” comment on someone that you’re against.
Murray: No, not at all!

Saturday Read 10.29.15

I havent paid much attention to the news surrounding Ben Carson's involvement with the SDA's any more than I paid attention to the news surrounding Mitt Romney's involvement with Mormonism. As candidates they run to be president of the USA, not president over just Christians who will reject Carson as they did Romney because of their church affiliations. There were many evangelicals who rejected John Kennedy because of his Catholicism. The attached article is extreme, as I have known SDA's who do not follow word for word the teachings of Ellen White even though she essentially founded the church. Heck I know Lutherans who don't know anything about Martin Luther for that matter. When Walter Murphy wrote his famous book "Kingdom of the Cults," he struggled as to whether or not to include the SDAs in it. I might also even though I was once married to one and know her SDA beliefs played a part in the rather quick end to our marriage. That being said, however, it is the content of character that is more important to me as opposed to ones personal views about a religion that someone might be involved with when they dont even know to what extent he/she does believe in it. In short, as a Christian and theologian I have no problem with Ben Carson and his SDA affiliation.
http://cowgernation.com/2015/10/24/newsflash-evangelical-christians-ben-carson-follows-a-cult/


As his surge in heavily evangelical Iowa puts a spotlight on his faith, Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson is opening up about his membership in the Seventh-day Adventist Church. He embraces it as right for him while also framing his beliefs in broad terms that aim to transcend divisions among Christians.
In an interview with The Associated Press, days after GOP rival Donald Trump criticized Carson's church, the retired neurosurgeon said his relationship with God was "the most important aspect. It's not really denomination specific."
Carson discussed a brief period as a college student when he questioned whether to stay in the church. And in his own criticism, he said it was a "huge mistake" that the top Adventist policymaking body recently voted against ordaining women. "I don't see any reason why women can't be ordained," he said.

From Newsmax.com http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/ben-carson-seventh-day-adventism/2015/10/31/id/699956/#ixzz3qBc9fzma

 

New results are in from NAEP, the test known as the “report card” for the nation’s schools. They’re not good.
New results are in from the test known as the “report card” for the nation’s schools, and they’re not good.
The U.S. Department of Education just released data from the 2015 National Assessment of Educational Progress, a nationally representative test measuring student achievement in mathematics and reading. The NAEP, administered every other year in math and reading, often is called the nation’s report card.
There no doubt will be numerous analyses of all the data that NAEP provides, including student subgroups, achievement gaps, state-specific results, charter performance, and progress (or lack thereof) over time.
But at first glance, the new results paint a picture of continued lackluster academic performance.
Math and reading achievement declined for both fourth- and eighth-graders from 2013 to 2015. Mathematics achievement declined at both the fourth- and eighth-grade levels, and reading achievement declined significantly for eighth-graders.


 - Even as President Barack Obama sent U.S. troops back to Iraq and ordered the military to stay in Afghanistan, he insisted Syria would remain off limits for American ground forces. Now the president has crossed his own red line.
His deployment of up to 50 U.S. special operations troops into northern Syria to assist in the fight against the Islamic State is the kind of incremental move that has defined Obama's approach to the Middle East in his second term.
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2015/1 /31/with_syria_deployment_obama_crosses_own_red_line_128613.html



Arthur C. Brooks writes in the New York Times:

Scholarly studies have piled up showing that race and gender diversity in the workplace can increase creative thinking and improve performance. Meanwhile, excessive homogeneity can lead to stagnation and poor problem-solving.
Unfortunately, new research also shows that academia has itself stopped short in both the understanding and practice of true diversity — the diversity of ideas — and that the problem is taking a toll on the quality and accuracy of scholarly work.

The ideological imbalance that pervades academia fosters groupthink and undermines critical thinking. The dominance of left-leaning perspectives in academic institutions compromises their commitment to open inquiry and effective education.

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MEME REPORT:
INITIATIVE 42 IS A FAILED REACTION; NOT A RESPONSE

From the Cheap Seat: My Republican Picks as of Today 10.31.15

 I need to clarify again that I am not a Republican, so I have no party loyalty to the Republican party and will never hesitate to throw the party under a bus when necessary. That said, I ID myself as more of a Constitutional conservative and the Republican party tends usually to have a better pick of candidates that lean that way. Also, my main focus is on First Amendment issues like religious liberty and free speech. I have stated many times over the years that I dislike politics as a general rule....but will deal with it when it encroaches on religious freedom and free speech.. So, I look for the candidates who I think are most apt and able to address and protect that.

1) Ted Cruz. Before the CNBC Debacle they called a debate,  I was thinking Cruz would likely not be in 1st place. I was kind of frustrated with what appeared to be a "lead from behind" mentality with the idea that IF Donald Trump drops out that he stands to gain. Trump may not be dropping out any time soon and more likely not at all.  If he did in the future at all it will be too late for Cruz to mount an offense..based on money more than time. However, when he called out the moderators at CNBC for their debate debacle I think he caught a second wind and changed the direction of the debate and the audience knew....even the audience across the country.

2. Donald Trump. Still a wild card, but he has done enough shaking up of DC with just his campaign that I suspect he could do the same in DC. The common enemy most of us face right now is the DC machine and the way it is run year after year after year after year. Anyone going to DC who promises the same old same old should be ignored immediately. Would Trump shake DC up good or bad? I don't think there's any such thing as a good or bad shake. A shake is a shake. The alternative would be to tear it all down and start over. And though that would probably be the best option...a good shake up would work as well.

3) Ben Carson. The top three candidates on this list could be interchanged based on the strength of various subjects, but Carson has my interest for religious liberty issues and as an outsider from DC he would be an asset. He may be soft spoken, but I think he has hard convictions.

4) Mike Huckabee. He's probably a long shot in the scheme of things, but for his stand on religious liberty he is one of the best. There's still some uncertainty on his Common Core position based on some things he has said in the past. However, in a presidential market where a  candidate like Hillary Clinton can change her position on an issue within a matter of minutes in the same debate, a change over a few years by Huckabee is politically  laudable (at least to me)

5) Marco Rubio.  He's very likable.  He's just wrong on some issues, like amnesty. His CNBC Debacle remarks were well thought out and his counter against Jeb Bush's attack was successful.

6) Rand Paul. I  cant separate him from Ron Paul and I was not a fan of Ron Paul. Rand didn't try any misguided attack this time around, so he is teachable.

7) Bobby Jindal. I was gong to put Jindal and Santorum at the bottom of the list.  Not because I don't like their positions on many things, but just because they are long shots at this point...in fact more likely impossibles. However, I am rating all the candidates and once I get past #8, it would take some convincing to support any of them.  So #8 is, in many respects, the bottom of my list. Jindal is strong on religious liberty. In may respects right up there with Huckabee. I had high hopes for him and waited for his entrance into the campaign, but I dont think he is going anywhere.

8) Rick Santorum. Same as Jindal, just not quite up there with Huckabee. Jindal is a bit more personable.

9) Chris Christie. He is still here based on his performance at the CNBC Debacle. Otherwise he's still the same.

10) Carly Fiorina.  I don't trust her. She has taken positions initially and then changed them when it appeared the conservative trend was going another way. .The media, even at the CNBC Debacle were throwing soft ball questions at her. Being a media darling comes with it's own warnings.

11) Jeb Bush.  I cant figure out why he would admit to modeling his campaign after John McCain's campaign. Does he remember that McCain lost???? He tried a cheap shot at Rubio, but Rubio blew it off. Rick Perry's failed campaign sent him RNC establishment clone Austin Barbour from here in Mississippi, which by itself is enough to "just say no" to Bush.  But there was already plenty of other reasons to just say no to Jeb Bush.

12) Lindsey Graham. One of the worst Republicans I know, but he  got in a few humorous lines at the early debate. He's here for entertainment value.

13) George Pataki.  Pataki-who??

14) Jim Gilmore.  See comments at  13

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MEME REPORT:
DNC IS PROBABLY RUNNING A HALLOWEEN SPECIAL ON MEMBERSHIPS

 

Thursday Read 10.29.15

A recent survey proves the success of public education indoctrination of children against freedom of politically incorrect speech:  A majority of college students across America believe that colleges should not permit faculty or students to speak freely because "hate speech" is against the law.  One-third of respondents indicated they were NOT familiar with the First Amendment of the Constitution ("whatever THAT is!"), while others say it is "outdated."



From "It’s Free Speech Week, and why some colleges hate it" by Hoppy Kercheval, West Virginia Metro News 10/29/15

The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) reports at least 240 instances within the last decade where students and/or faculty made concerted efforts to block speakers because they thought their views objectionable.

Just last week, the invitation to conservative author Suzanne Venker to speak at Williams College in Massachusetts was rescinded by the student group that invited her because other students objected to her controversial views on feminism. . . .

The First Amendment Center’s Gene Policinski said the political correctness of college campuses is depriving students of a valuable part of their education. “Eliminating the serendipity of discovering other viewpoints or the intellectual challenge of confronting persuasive views that differ from our own drains both the meaning and value of free speech.”

To read the entire opinion column above, CLICK HERE.

“What it’s turned into is ‘Gotcha!’ And that’s silly,” Carson said Thursday in reference to the debate hosted by CNBC at the University of Colorado. The retired neurosurgeon, who has surged in the polls recently and is leading the GOP pack in Iowa, called for longer statements from candidates and more time to answer questions.
Carson credited Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, who had one of the night’s standout performances, for pushing back amid the questioning. “This is not a cage match,” Cruz said before blasting the media as distrustful.
“I think the Cruz missile helped. That was excellent,” Carson told reporters before a rally at Colorado Christian University that attracted over 1,500 attendees. “It was a good way to use the Cruz missile. The whole format was just craziness.”  [Real Clear Politics]

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MEME REPORT:
STILL WAITING FOR THE GREAT DEBATE

My View of the CNBC Republican Debate from the Cheap Seat 10.29.15

Unfortunately, it doesn't appear that Jeb Bush will find anything "cooler" to do than show up at the debate tonight.




 The loser of tonight's debate gets to be stabbed by Ben Carson.




  Another  famous Boulder resident shows up for the debate.

CNBC has probably never had this many people watch it at the same time ....ever.

 Not much of a debate between candidates as it is between the candidates and the three CNBC moderators.

 A desperate move by Jeb against Rubio backfired. He should have learned from Rand Paul's first debate performance to know not to do that.

 "This is not a cage match. And you look at the questions: Donald Trump, are you a comic book villain? Ben Carson can you do math? John Kasich will you insult two people over here? Marco Rubio why don't you resign? Jeb Bush why have your numbers fallen? How about talking about the substantive issues that people care about?" --Ted Cruz

 Score one for Cruz!!Cruz is the man!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

After Cruz said what he did, they should have all walked off the stage and went home.

 Good response by Huckabee. he didnt take the moderators bait.

 "The Democrats have the ultimate super PAC, it's called the mainstream media." --Marco Rubio

 They seem to give Fiorina a lot of softball questions compared to the rest.

 "Even in New Jersey what you're doing is called rude." --Chris Christie

 Dear John Harwood,
you lied.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/donald-trump-gets-his-way_56210ecbe4b06462a13bb2ca

  For Halloween CNBC anchors are going out as legitimate intelligent news reporters because no one will be able to guess it is them.

I havent decided who won yet, but am pretty sure the big loser was CNBC's John Harwood.