Daily Beast says Clinton must go

Dear God, Hillary Clinton. Please, Just Go.

No one benefits from her latest venture back onto the political scene.

Liz Mair

10.18.18 5:20 AM ET

OPINION

Hannah Peters/GettyWe’re three weeks out from the 2018 midterm election, and Hillary Clinton is popping up again like a Halloween ghoul who keeps rising from the grave to terrorize the American public; only this time accompanied by the increasingly #MeToo burdened uber-villain, Bubba.

The Clintons, it seems, can’t seem to call it quits, even if it means leaving members of their own party cringing and many more voters ready to “headdesk” themselves into a coma.

This time, it’s happening courtesy of a pay-through-the-nose-to-see-them rehab tour. Because if there’s one thing America hasn’t had enough of over recent decades, it’s efforts by the Clintons to recast themselves as normal, likeable people, as they cash checks and play the victim.

Previous editions of this show have included Hillary’s two Senate runs and two presidential runs, which, depending on one’s perspective, were either an attempt to show independence from her husband or to be compensated for his myriad screw ups.

But despite the last run ending with a loss to Donald Freaking Trump, the most flawed candidate Republicans could conceivably have run in 2016, it appears that nothing will get Hillary out of our political debate once and for all.

Hillary remains caught up in the delusion that the only reason she lost in 2016 was because of Russian interference. She does not seem to have fully processed the fact that she lost the electoral college, the only vote that counts.  She touts the fact that she got nearly three million more votes than Trump while conveniently leaving out that her tally of the vote still fell well below 50 percent.

Both of the major party nominees in 2016 were so unlikable, flawed and—let’s be candid—unethical that lots of us just couldn’t pull the lever for her even if we couldn’t stand Trump. According to a studyfrom American National Election Studies, the words most associated by voters with Hillary in 2016 were “experienced liar.” Is it logical that she’d want to rehab her image, given all this? Perhaps. Is it possible? No. Do we need to watch her try? Definitely, definitely, definitely not.

Hillary’s continual pursuit of limelight and headlines ensures that the image of the Democratic Party remains an outdated, outmoded, and frankly despicable for far too many voters. This comes at a time when leading Democrats are attempting to focus voters’ attention on the future—2020, and beating Trump—and jostling for the role as the new party leader.

It also undercuts Democrats’ positioning as the only party that really cares about #MeToo and that will fight for survivors, a contrast Dems are only too keen to spotlight in the wake of Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation to the Supreme Court and ongoing allegations about President Trump’s treatment of women.  Only sheer partisan convenience could allow someone to insist that Dr. Christine Blasey Ford’s testimony is credible while downplaying the numerous allegations of mistreatment (and worse) made by women against Bill Clinton.

For the Democratic Party, about the best that can come of this latest Clinton revival is that no matter how unpalatable any of its leading lights—Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Sen. Kamala Harris, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, Sen. Cory Booker, or others—are individually, they’ll look like downright appealing the longer Hillary hangs about.

But her doing so does not signal that the Democratic Party is actually living in the present, and focused on beating Trump. Rather, it suggests the party wants to turn American politics into the new edition of Groundhog Day—only with no Bill Murray or actual groundhog. Isn’t it time to let the Democratic Party move on from its Clintonite past, and to give someone else a go?

One of the reasons Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has been so refreshing isn’t just because the more Democratic Socialist-driven, modern Democratic Party—which is populated to a greater degree by younger voters—wants a younger, more progressive avatar to embrace. It’s also because even Republicans are starting to get weary of bashing the Clintons now; though some of us will undertake it still as a public service.

Clinton is like the target you’ve already shot dead-on so many times the paper has gone to shreds. There are few more column inches to be written, but even Fox News personalities have begun to act a little bored when they dive into Hillary-focused narratives these days.

All of which suggests that for Republicans, too, it’s time to move on—to fresh fights, with fresh adversaries. We want the newest bad guy, not the evildoer from the biggest show in the freaking 1990s. Maybe in 2020 that will be Warren, Gillibrand, Harris, or Booker, or any one of the other 20-some people that might potentially run for president on the Democratic side. But it’s a dead certainty that it isn’t the lady we’ve seen inveighing against the right wing for stealing things she seems to think she or her husband are inherently entitled to for decades now.

It’s time for Hillary and Bill to get off the stage and quit seeking the public adoration they’re clearly never going to get to the massive degree they crave it. Be content, like so many other party elders who turned out not to be winners, in working behind the scenes to help to deliver wins for other, better, up-and-coming, appealing voices.

Yes, others have stuck around past their primes. Mitt Romney, a candidate with a similar resume of high profile presidential losses, is now running for Senate. But his circumstances are different. He was asked to run for the seat that he will soon occupy by its current occupant and he’s maintained strong ties to Utah. Even then, his continuing presence on the political stage irks a ton of Americans who wish he too would go away quietly.

So, Hillary, ditch the rehab tour. Dispense with TV appearances. Recognize that whether it’s lauded or not, you did make some kind of a difference (yes, even Hillary did a couple of things right in her various terms in public office), and be content to leave it there.

Zombie movies for Halloween are fun. But whether you’re a Democrat, a Republican, or neither, there’s only so much zombie politics you can take. That’s what the Clintons essentially offer now—a brain-devouring, egocentric version of Democrat-ism lurching and festering onward, seemingly endlessly.

Breaking Down The Chicago Mayoral Field

Breaking Down The Chicago Mayoral Field

Watch the interview now. The Chicago mayoral field is taking form. Toni Preckwinkle and Bill Daley are in. Luis Gutierrez is out. And of course, numerous other candidates are still making a push. But does anyone offer a new vision for Chicago? On this edition of Illinois Rising, Dan Proft and Pat Hughes ask that question, and break down the field with expert analysis from longtime Chicago political reporter Charles Thomas. Watch the interview now and share your thoughts on Facebook and Twitter using #UpstreamIdeas. Also in the news: "Producing quality agitprop is a team effort. So it’s nice to see the Democrat Socialists rally for the Obamas to help them consummate their $50 million Netflix production deal." Listen to the latest ":60 Of Sanity" from Dan Proft now.

If Marty Moylan keeps his head down in the spotlight of the year’s most prominent moral issue, then what do you think he does when his leaders present bills that quietly tax you out of your home? Watch "Two Minute Warning" with Pat Hughes now.

Are multiple 'failed coups' leading to the engineered fall of America?

By Brandon Smith

There has been a lot of talk about "coups" the past two years, not just in the U.S. but around the globe. As I have noted in recent articles, failed coups in particular have been very popular as a way for certain governments to solidify power and assert dictatorial changes. In some cases, there has been no concrete evidence presented that the coup ever really existed. In Turkey in 2016, Recep Erdogan claimed "success" is stopping a potential coup involving numerous government employees and military personnel which included active combat around major government sites including the presidential palace and Turkish parliament. Erdogen argues that the coup is a part of the "Gulen Movement," a political opposition movement surrounding Fethullah Gulen, a former ally of Erdogen who has resided in the U.S. since 1999 and had a falling out with the Turkish president in 2013 after criticisms of Erdogen's corruption. So far, evidence of actual "combat" with coup forces is thin to the point that it is questionable whether a coup ever really happened. Most reports cite fire from tanks and planes, as well as nearly 300 people killed. Video footage shows random firing, some explosions in civilian areas as well as Turkish citizens mobbing aimlessly around tanks. With tens of thousands of government employees imprisoned or dismissed after the event, the amount of kinetic conflict seems rather limited and tame. Two years later, Turkey has yet to produce any hard proof of a coup, let alone proof that the "Gulen Movement" was involved. In July of this year, Erdogen submitted "evidence" which he says is grounds for extradition of Fethullah Gulen. This evidence appears to revolve around visits made to Gulen's FETO compound in Pennsylvania by key members of the coup, but does not provide any clarification on evidence of the coup itself. The chaotic event lasted mere hours and smells of a "wag the dog" scenario; a completely fabricated "Reichstag Fire" attack which could have been easily scripted by Erdogen himself as an excuse to assert totalitarian controls in Turkey and to remove pesky political critics and people within government and the military that held contrary views to Erdogen. Erdogen accused the Gulen Movement before the smoke even cleared on the coup attempt, which suggests a premeditated script. Erdogen controls the Turkish media (including access to social media) and the judiciary, which means he controls the narrative leaving the country in terms of facts and evidence. The only things that the coup seems to have accomplished are cementing Erdogen as the center of political dominance for years to come, and causing considerable division between the U.S. and Turkey, threatening the breakup of NATO. Turkey is now moving toward bilateral agreements with Russia, which may have been the plan all along. As I have noted in my articles on the false East/West paradigm, financial elites are getting ready to initiate what they call the "global economic reset," and this reset will shift economic power (and thus geopolitical power) away from the U.S. and parts of the West into the hands of Eastern nations as well as institutions like the IMF and BIS. Turkey is a key component of geostrategic dominance for the U.S. and NATO. The nation's realignment to the East will change the center of power for the globe. A "failed coup" or what some analysts might call a "self-coup" also took place this year for another key U.S. ally — Saudi Arabia. Rumors of attempts on the life of Saudi Prince Mohammad Bin Salman as well as calls for a coup by exiled crown prince Khaled bin Farhan culminated in the arrest and detainment of numerous Saudi officials by MBS. No evidence of an actual coup against the Prince has been presented so far. Salman proceeded in the wake of the crisis to consolidate his power as the successor of the king, as well as extorting billions of dollars from his captives in exchange for their freedom. He has retained the most vital positions in the Saudi government for himself, including the positions of Defense Minister, Interior Minister and head of the National Guard. MBS is best known in the economic world for his "Vision For 2030," which is designed to end Saudi reliance on oil revenues, but also appears to seek alternatives to the petrodollar in terms of trade as the nation strengthens ties to China and Russia. If Saudi Arabia breaks from the U.S. dollar as the primary means of oil trade, this will inevitably kill the dollar's world reserve currency status. Salman is supported in his 2030 endeavor through his Public Investment Fund (which in ironic globalist style is not actually a public fund).  This fund is heavily financed by major globalist donors including The Carlyle Group, Goldman Sachs, as well as Blackstone and Blackrock. This suggests yet again that the globalist goal is to kill the dollar's world reserve status, rather than protect it. As the "failed coup" narrative continues to escalate, I have noticed a disturbing trend in America which matches certain elements of the coups in Turkey and Saudi Arabia. That is to say, it is possible that another "failed coup" is pending for the U.S, opening the path for Donald Trump to initiate martial law-like measures. I warned of this possibility months before the election in my article 'Clinton Versus Trump And The Co-Option Of The Liberty Movement', which partially explains the reasons why I predicted that Trump would win and ascend to the Oval Office. At that time I was certain that the globalists would find great use for a Trump presidency, more so in fact than a Clinton presidency. However, I was not sure whether Trump was controlled opposition or simply a useful scapegoat for the economic crisis that globalists are clearly engineering. Trump's history was already suspicious. He was bailed out of his considerable debts surrounding his Taj Mahal casino in Atlantic City in the early 1990s by Rothschild banking agent Wilber Ross, which saved him from embarrassment and possibly saved his entire fortune. This alone was not necessarily enough to deny Trump the benefit of the doubt in my view. Many businessmen end up dealing with elitist controlled banks at some point in their careers. But when Trump entered office and proceeded to load his cabinet with ghouls from Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, the Council on Foreign Relations and give Wilber Ross the position of Commerce Secretary, it became obvious that Trump is in fact a puppet for the banks. Some liberty movement activists ignore this reality and attempt to argue around the facts of Trump's associations. "What about all the media opposition to Trump? Doesn't this indicate he is not controlled?" they say. I say not really. If one examines the history of fake coups, there is always an element of division, sometimes between the globalists and their own puppets.  This is called 4th Generation warfare, in which almost all divisions are an illusion and the real target is the public psyche. This is not to say that leftist opposition to Trump and conservatives is not real. It absolutely is. The left has gone off the ideological deep end into an abyss of rabid frothing insanity, but the overall picture is not as simple as "Left vs. Right." Instead, we need to look at the situation more like a chess board, and above that chess board looms the globalists, attempting to control all the necessary pieces on both sides. Every provocation by leftists is designed to elicit a predictable response from conservatives to the point that we become whatever the globalists want us to become. Meaning the globalists are hoping that through the exploitation of useful idiots on the left they can infuriate conservatives to the point of abandoning their constitutional principles. For example, the use of social media censorship of conservative views is designed to lure conservatives into turning to big government to force companies like Twitter, Facebook and YouTube into the role of "public utilities." In other words, conservatives would be abandoning their principles on private property and nationalizing social media much like communists would do. Of course, a simpler solution would be for conservatives to launch their own social media platforms and offer a better alternative. We should be reducing government influence in these sectors and ending protections for corporations, not increasing the influence of government even further. But this solution is never offered within the narrative, thus, the public discourse is completely controlled. As this is taking place, conservatives are growing more sensitive to the notion of a leftist takeover, from silencing of conservative voices to an impeachment of Trump based on fraudulent ideas of "Russian collusion." To be clear, the extreme left has no regard for individual liberties or constitutional law. They use the Constitution when it suits them, then try to tear it down when it doesn't suit them. However, the far-left is also a paper tiger; it is not a true threat to conservative values because its membership is weak, immature and irrational. Their only power resides in their influence within the mainstream media, but with the MSM fading in the face of the alternative media, their social influence is limited. It is perhaps enough to organize a "coup," but it would inevitably be a failed coup. Therefore it is not leftists that present the greatest threat to individual liberty, but the globalist controlled Trump administration. A failed coup on the part of the left could be used as a rationale for incremental and unconstitutional "safeguards." And conservatives may be fooled into supporting these measures as the threat is overblown. I have always said that the only people that can destroy conservative principles are conservatives. Conservatives diminish their own principles every time they abandon their conscience and become exactly like the monsters they hope to defeat. And make no mistake, the globalists are well aware of this strategy. Carroll Quigley, a pro-globalist professor and the author of Tragedy and Hope, a book which outlined the plan for a one world economic and political system decades ago, is quoted in his address 'Dissent: Do We Need It': "They say, "The Congress is corrupt." I ask them, "What do you know about the Congress? Do you know your own Congressman's name?" Usually they don't. It's almost a reflex with them, like seeing a fascist pig in a policeman. To them, all Congressmen are crooks. I tell them they must spend a lot of time learning the American political system and how it functions, and then work within the system. But most of them just won't buy that. They insist the system is totally corrupt. I insist that the system, the establishment, whatever you call it, is so balanced by diverse forces that very slight pressures can produce perceptible results. For example, I've talked about the lower middle class as the backbone of fascism in the future. I think this may happen. The party members of the Nazi Party in Germany were consistently lower middle class. I think that the right-wing movements in this country are pretty generally in this group." Is a "failed coup" being planned in order to influence conservatives to become the very "fascists" the left accuses us of being?  The continuing narrative certainly suggests that this is the game plan.

"Redemption"

This fall, Peoria resident Jason Spyres starts classes at Stanford University in California on a full-ride engineering scholarship. That fact alone shows he’s one of Illinois’ brightest and hardest working. In admitting Spyres, Stanford acknowledged those virtues. But as he pursues his studies in California this year, he’ll be patiently waiting for the same recognition from Illinois. This August, before leaving for school, Spyres applied for a gubernatorial pardon for decades-old mistakes the state of Illinois has yet to let go. He’s not a typical incoming freshman to a university. He is 36 years old. When he was 19 years old, he was arrested for selling cannabis, and until recently, the state of Illinois had kept him out of society for it. He served 15 years of a 30-year prison sentence at the Taylorville Correctional Center and was slapped with more than $260,000 in fines. Now, with a record of model behavior and backing from law enforcement officials and a state lawmaker, he is asking for forgiveness. “If I could go back, I’d slap myself and say ‘grow up,’” Spyres said. “But I can’t. All I can do is move forward, and do the best I can to help others see the mistakes I made before enduring the same consequences that I did.” As part of his personal petition to Gov. Bruce Rauner, state Rep. Allen Skillicorn, R-Crystal Lake, Peoria County Sheriff Brian Asbell and Bartonville Police Chief Brian Fengel all wrote letters to the governor recommending Spyres for a pardon. Peoria businessman Sean Kenny, who employed Spyres at Goldie’s Pizza & Slots in Peoria, and retired correctional officer George Atterberry, who became acquainted with Spyres while he was incarcerated, also petitioned the governor recommending his pardon. “I have read [Jason’s] petition for a pardon and relief from fines, and believe granting his request is in the best interest of our state,” Skillicorn wrote in his letter. “He served almost 15 years in prison and, by all appearances, has learned his lesson. Moreover, he is civic-minded and is using his time and resources to help others in his position come to the perspective he now has.” While Spyres’ personal growth and success, as well as backing from elected and law enforcement officials, should make his case a slam-dunk, Illinois’ outlook on criminal justice provides no guarantees. Illinois did not even afford Spyres the same higher education opportunity Stanford gave him. If he were to go to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, he would need to be on academic and disciplinary probation for his entire tenure. “I got into U of I with an asterisk,” Spyres said. “They said ‘you’re going to be on academic and disciplinary probation from the first day until you graduate, and it will never come off your record.’” “I got out of prison and all of my counselors told me, ‘Jason, you get out there and you make the life you told me you were going to make. We’re so proud’ … So I get three years of parole done in seven months, and I can finally say the number K99397 has no tie to me. It’s not on a piece of paper tied to who I am.” “And U of I wants me to take that back … And remind myself of it everyday.” Spyres knows he made a mistake. In 2001, his mother sent him 38 pounds of cannabis from Red Bluff, California, to Spyres’ then-home in Decatur. According to court documents, a Staples employee in Red Bluff became suspicious of the package when Spyres’ mother dropped it off in poor condition and had a nervous demeanor. The package was turned over to law enforcement and shipped to the Decatur Police Department. An undercover police officer posing as a UPS deliveryman then brought it to Spyres’ home, began searching his home pursuant to a warrant and found the UPS tracking number matching the package. Spyres was sentenced to 30 years in prison, and racked up fines nearly impossible to pay back. He makes no excuses for his behavior, but hopes the state agrees that it’s time to turn the page. “I’m $268,000 in debt because I sold pot when I was 19 and 20,” Spyres said. “You can say all day you know what it’s like for somebody when they get out [of prison] and try to do the right thing. Tell me you know what it’s like when you have debt collectors calling you trying to take your paycheck, and it’s going to take 18 years of every penny you earn after taxes to pay off your fine.” Spyres’ sentence and fine were as harsh as they were due to Illinois’ “Class X” classification for large possessions of cannabis. A Class X classification – which includes possessing more than 5,000 grams of cannabis with intent to deliver – is among the state’s most severe, short of first-degree murder. Class X felonies carry a mandatory sentence of between six to 30 years in prison, and those convicted are not eligible for probation. Among the other charges under Class X: kidnapping, battery with a firearm, battery of a child, home invasion, aggravated criminal sexual assault, predatory criminal sexual assault, armed robbery, vehicle hijacking and arson. In Illinois, nearly half of offenders released from prison each year will return within three years. But for an ex-offender who finds work within a year after release from prison, there is just a 16 percent chance of recidivating, according to a study by the Safer Foundation. Spyres fortunately found work at Goldie’s Pizza & Slots, which helped him get on a positive track. That’s not only a win for him. But an ex-offender finding work is a win for all Illinoisans. Each time an ex-offender reoffends and ends up back behind bars, it costs the state approximately $151,662 on average, according to a 2018 report by the Illinois Sentencing Policy Advisory Council. Those costs add up in arrests, trials, court proceedings, incarceration and supervision; as well as costs for victims who have been deprived of property, incurred medical expenses, lost wages, and endured pain and suffering; and indirect costs in foregone economic activity. The report estimates that if Illinois’ recidivism rate stays about the same over the next five years, taxpayers will pay more than $13 billion in the aforementioned costs. On the flip side, with a reduction in recidivism of just 1 percent, Illinois would save $90.1 million in prison, court and policing costs over nine years. If the recidivism rate fell by 5 percent, these savings would jump to nearly $450.7 million over nine years, along with $75.5 million in avoided economic losses and $224.1 million in victimization costs not incurred. Lawmakers have made some progress: In 2016, Rauner signed into law a bill that removed barriers for ex-offenders in the fields of barbering, cosmetology, esthetics, hair braiding, nail services, roofing and funeral service, unless the crime is directly related to the occupation. Also in 2016, Rauner signed into law a bill that decriminalized small amounts of marijuana – up to 10 grams – making it instead punishable by a fine of between $100 and $200. While small, these reforms are steps forward for Illinois’ criminal justice system. Now, with the stroke of a pen, Rauner could make a decision that would directly improve the life of an Illinoisan who already paid his debt to society. Jason Spyres is a model citizen and an inspirational success story. In the future, he could be a permanent Illinoisan once again – something he hopes for after Stanford – and granting forgiveness would be an ideal way to welcome him back. “Illinois is my home state,” Spyres said. “I have to know that I made this place better. The only thing I have to point to my actions in Illinois is that I went to prison. I kind of wanted to go to U of I to say that I went to Illinois’ flagship campus and I made something of myself.” “I’m really just trying to fix the system, and that’s why I want to come back.” With the humility of having gone through the system, and a track record of overcoming past setbacks, the state might benefit from more Illinoisans like Spyres. Joe Kaiser Writer Illinois Policy